Easy steps for planting by the moon

According to ancient agricultural practice, if you time your vegetable planting to the moon's phases, it will have a significant affect on your plants' development. These tips will teach you successful planting by the moon.

The 28-day lunar month does not synchronize with the calendar year. Complex moon-planting charts give reasonably precise planting information for each particular year, but you can use the basic information given below as a guide.

• Week 1 of the lunar month is also called the first quarter or waxing: Sow leaf crops such as basil, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, chives, watercress or parsley or Swiss chard.
• Week 2 of the lunar month is the full moon: Sow crops with seed-bearing fruits such as beans, peppers, corn, eggplant, summer squash such as zucchini, peas, pumpkin or tomatoes.
• Week 3 of the lunar month is the last quarter or waning: Sow root crops such as beets, carrots, onions, parsnips, potatoes, turnips, ginger and horseradish.
• Week 4 of the lunar month is the new moon: Do not plant. Instead prepare beds for planting and carry out other general maintenance chores such as weeding and cultivating.

How it works

Although there is widespread scepticism in scientific circles, supporters of the theory believe that plants are more turgid or able to hold more moisture at the time of the full moon and less turgid at the time of the new moon.

Planting by the moon means that you should only undertake certain gardening activities when the moon is in a phase appropriate to the particular activity.

These include planting, propagating, transplanting, watering, feeding and harvesting. This is based on the belief that there will be a more productive yield because of improved germination rates, better transplant survival rates and greater resilience against disease.

The moon and crops

The phase of the moon that is best for harvesting depends on the crop.

For instance, hay is said to be at its peak when harvested by a new moon because it will dry more rapidly.

For the same reason, trees are traditionally felled at the new moon.

Moon-planting charts indicate that you should plant vegetables whose edible parts grow above the ground when the moon is waxing or going from new moon to full moon. These plants include cabbage, broccoli and spinach, and herbs such as basil, chives, watercress and parsley.

You should plant vegetables that grow their edible parts below the ground when the moon is waning or going from full moon towards the new moon. This group includes potatoes and parsnips, and herbs such as horseradish and ginger.

Although there is some doubt about this method, ancient gardeners put a lot of stock in planting by the moon.  If you're interested in trying this for your garden, these steps will point you in the right direction.