[New Follow-Up Post, 08 November 2014 - Lunar Gardening Revisited & Biodynamics]
I have always been curious about the topic of Lunar Gardening. After watching a TV show where they compared two vegetable plots. Both had the same growing conditions and the only difference being one was planted according to the moon phase and the other whenever they felt like it. Amazingly the moon planted one looked like the amazon rainforest in comparison to the other. I decided to try it this growing season and did some research.
I have always been curious about the topic of Lunar Gardening. After watching a TV show where they compared two vegetable plots. Both had the same growing conditions and the only difference being one was planted according to the moon phase and the other whenever they felt like it. Amazingly the moon planted one looked like the amazon rainforest in comparison to the other. I decided to try it this growing season and did some research.
Lunar gardening is based on the gravity effects of the moon on the
Earth. All objects in the universe have gravity, not just planets, but animals/plants
have gravitational effects on one another too! The impact of this gravity
depends on size and proximity, thus because we (humans) are stuck to the earth, which is
far greater than our bodies. Also the gravitational pull between two people becomes
so small (relative to the Earth) that it has no affect at all. This applies to the relationship of the
Earth, the sun and the moon. The Sun is very large, keeping the solar system
and all its planets in check. The moon exerts a gravitational pull on the Earth; where the Earth is larger and keeps the moon in orbit, whereas the moon pulls on the
large water bodies of the Earth. This creates bulges of the ocean at opposite
ends of the Earth, depending on the position of the moon, also known as the
tidal forces. This causes the elevation or reduction of the ocean levels and
causes ocean tides. The same can be applied to unseen water bodies of the
earth, such as the water table below the ground and soil moisture. This creates
a lunar water cycle in the soil, where more or less soil water is available to
growing plants – and in turn affects their growth.
Phew! Hold on a little longer, some more physics to come! Now then, the
moon has different phases during the month. This is due to the locked orbit of the moon.
The moon rotates around its own axis once it completes an orbit around the
Earth – this means the moon is in a sidereal revolution or synchronous orbit to
the Earth – and has the same side facing the Earth at all times. Trying to
visualise this just makes my head spin… Anyways, the moon goes through phases
as it orbits the Earth, depending on how much sunlight it receives. The moon
takes 27 days, 7 hours and 43 minutes to orbit the Earth and equates
approximately to an Earth month.
What does all of this mean for growing plants? Lunar light and gravity will
determine certain gardening jobs throughout the month.
 |
| Refer to numbered headings below |
Balanced root and leaf growth due to this phase having the strongest gravitational pull & increasing light.
Sow: Above ground growing crops with ‘outside seeds’
Plant: Annuals (leafy veg, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, celery & grains), parsley & most herbs, and cucumbers (the exception to outside seeds).
Jobs: Fertilise, graft & prune to promote leaf growth
This phase promotes leaf growth, since the moonlight increases and the
gravitational pull decreases.
Sow: Above ground growing
crops with ‘inside seeds’, preferably two days before the full moon.
Plant: Flowers, annuals on
vines (squash, pumpkins) and Solanaceae family (capsicums, tomatoes, eggplant),
legumes (peas, beans)
Jobs: Prune
to promote leaf growth
Moonlight is decreasing and the moon has a high gravitational pull.
Sow: Below ground growing;
root and bulb crops. Shrubs, trees, biennials and perennials
Plant: Root veg (carrots,
beet, potato, sweet potato) and bulbs (onions, garlic)
Jobs: Transplanting and
prune to reduce leaf growth (to shape plants)
4. 3rd Quarter to New Moon
Moonlight and gravitational pull are low, no planting is done, but all the other gardening jobs can be done during this resting time.
Jobs: Harvesting, weeding, pest control, removal of plants, turn the soil, start composting piles and prune to reduce leaf growth (to shape plants).
NOTE: No planting on the day the moon is “in phase” – thus no planting on the day of the full moon, new moon or quarters.
Now most of it makes sense, except the harvesting part – so you are
going to go hungry or let ripe fruit go to waste for most of the month!!! So
maybe we just then harvest when we need to rather J, unless I am missing
something.
You can also combine the moon phases with the Zodiac and elements, but
then it becomes all too complicated if you ask me…
I think it is fine to try lunar gardening when you really have the time. But I feel that the garden should fit around your schedule and not rule your life. I tried for about two months and gave up because I can only garden when I have time (which usually does not align with the moon) and lunar-gardening then just takes over your life! Since I only followed the lunar gardening for a short while I cannot definitively say that it made a difference (likely only in the long run). If any of you can hold out for longer than I did - I would love to hear about your plant results (and some pictures too!) J.
I think it is fine to try lunar gardening when you really have the time. But I feel that the garden should fit around your schedule and not rule your life. I tried for about two months and gave up because I can only garden when I have time (which usually does not align with the moon) and lunar-gardening then just takes over your life! Since I only followed the lunar gardening for a short while I cannot definitively say that it made a difference (likely only in the long run). If any of you can hold out for longer than I did - I would love to hear about your plant results (and some pictures too!) J.
Anyways, here is a table for the Moon Phases in South Africa for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
 |
| 2013 |
 |
| 2014 |
 |
| 2015 |
 |
| 2016 |
 |
| 2017 |
The dates and times for the phases will differ depending on where in the world you are. I got this specifically for SA; you can generate a similar one for your area at www.timeanddate.com . They have all kinds of other cool features there as well. Else you can get a lunar planting calendar from many websites. If you want a more detailed calendar for SA: The Gardener Magazine has a lunar planting guide in their current issue each month.
- Update 22 March 2014 -
For those of you interested in planting by the moon and the Zodiac, here is a link on how to do that: Moon gardening.
- Update 08 November 2014 -
I have done a follow-up post on this which includes new information and a Biodynamic Calendar suitable for all countries and available world-wide to purchase based on the lunar sidereal cycle as well as its associated constellations. I have also posted on a South African based Moon Calendar as well!
Lunar Gardening Revisited & Biodynamics
______________________________________________________________________________
Please share with fellow gardening enthusiasts via the various sharing buttons at the end of posts/pages! Else you can vote for posts through the Google reactions bar at the end of articles. To stay up to date I have provided several reader and social networking platforms with which to subscribe: Twitter, Pinterest, RSS Feed Reader or Email/Follow directly using the Blog Followers widget on the left hand side toolbar. Thank you for reading and please feel free to ask if questions arise - I appreciate comments and ideas too! 😆
_________________________________________________________________________________
