If you have ever talked to any old farmers you’ve probably heard of planting by the moon. This is planting a garden and harvesting according to what phase the moon is in. Mr. Carriss, who used to farm the fields beside my house, used to tell me about it.
He would even use moon phases to decide when to put rock on his driveways. He said if you put them down in the wrong moon they would just get pulled into the earth sooner.
The Moon Has Known Effects On the Earth
Before you think it’s total hogwash, consider that the moon already has a big influence on our planet earth. It’s the gravitational pull of the moon that causes our ocean’s tides to go in and out. It may not be so far-fetched to consider that the moon might have some influence on the earth’s plants.
Gardening by the light of the moon, or moon phase gardening, has been around as long as people have been gardening, and many swear that it works very well. Let’s go over the key elements of moon phase gardening and then you can decide whether to give it a try or not.
First off, you will need to know your area’s first and last frost dates as well as the moon cycles. Those are easy enough to look up online or in a gardening book. It’s also helpful to find a forum or blog where knowledgeable people talk about when they plant what. These forum people can also answer any questions you might have.
Here’s the guide to planting your seeds or seedlings by the moon phases:
New Moon to 1st Quarter Moon
Plant your leafy crops like spinach, lettuce, bok choy, herbs, broccoli, grains, and annuals.
1st Quarter Moon to Full Moon
Plant flowering crops such as beans, squash, eggplant, tomatoes, melons, peas, and zucchini.
Full Moon to Last Quarter Moon
Plant your crops that produce below the ground – carrots, onions, radishes, and potatoes.
Last Quarter to New Moon
Don’t plant anything at this time. Take care of all your other garden chores. In moon phase gardening, this is considered the best time to cultivate, harvest, and prune your plants.
Planting by the moon can possibly produce a healthier and more productive garden for you. There aren’t a lot of complicated rules, but you do need to create a workable plan ahead of time. Planning it out will help you to plant your seeds or seedlings on schedule, rather than when the mood strikes you. Why not give it a try? It certainly can’t hurt to give your seedlings all the help you can early on so that come late summer they can give up their wonderful produce!
{ 2 comments }
Trying to find the date when it is good to lay rock on a driveway so it won’t sink into the ground. Can you help?
Hi Debbie,
Mr. Carriss told me to only put down rock in the light of the moon. That’s the time from the new moon to the full moon.
The second week of March looks like a good time.
There’s a nice looking moon phase calendar here:
http://www.moon-phases.net/calendar/index.php
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