Using the Moon Phases Calendar in an Organic Garden

Practicing moon gardening isn’t the same thing as tending a moon garden. In a moon garden, one plants flowers that emit their fragrance at night or look beautiful when bathed by moonlight. Moon planting is the practice of planning garden activities according to the moon phases to achieve the best growth and production. Gardening by the moon is a tool for the organic gardener to extract maximum growth from his plants without using chemicals.

The moon’s path and the passage of the moon through the zodiac constellations also influence lunar gardening. Gardeners who want to apply advanced moon gardening techniques to their landscape should consult a current moon garden calendar that applies astronomy and astrology tenets to the growing formula.

How Does Lunar Gardening Work?

Just as the moon affects the ebb and flow of the ocean’s tides, to a lesser degree, the moon affects the flow of moisture beneath the soil. When the moon wanes, moisture is drawn into the soil, roots make a stronger connection with the soil, and fertilizer is delivered to the root zone where plants can use it. A waxing moon draws moisture and sap above ground, producing vigorous fruits and flowers.

Gardening During a Waxing Moon

Garden activities that yield flowers, vegetables, or fruits above the ground should take place during the waxing moon, the period on the lunar calendar when the moon is getting larger. Because light enhances the germination of seeds, gardeners should sow seeds when the moon is full or nearly full. The waxing moon is also a favorable time to mow the lawn, taking care not to remove more than 1/3 of the blade for robust growth.

Gardening During a Waning Moon

Gardeners should focus on plants that produce their yields underground when the moon is waning, or changing from a full moon to a new moon. For the vegetable garden, this includes all root crops like potatoes, carrots, horseradish, and turnips. In the flower garden, this includes the planting of all flower bulbs or tubers. The waning lunar phase is also the appropriate time to prune fruit trees in late winter, as this avoids stimulating the buds, which would expose them to late frosts.

The waning moon phase is a prime time to apply organic fertilizer to plants, when roots will readily absorb it. If the garden is dry, the soil will be the most receptive to watering during the waning moon.

Poor Planting Days

What happens when a gardener has a fair weather weekend, but the moon gardening calendar calls for poor planting conditions? The gardener should use this time to kill garden pests, apply organic mulch, remove sod to create new garden beds, and pull weeds.

Sources:

Reader’s Digest 1001 Hints & Tips for your Garden. (1996). The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc: Pleasantville, NY.

Rodale, R. (1999). The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening Rodale Books, Inc: Emmaus, PA.