Herbal Healer - Michele Slabbert
Established 1992
Moon Gardening
PLANTING BY THE MOON
Moon agriculture is a method that provides great enjoyment in the effort and a wonderful sense of accomplishment at the results.
Plan planting by the moon by choosing the correct moon phase and the most beneficial moon sign.
A few moon facts
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The moon has a 29 ½ day cycle.
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There are 8 phases of the Moon
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The Full Moon rises at sunset
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Each night the Moon rises roughly 48 minutes later
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The New Moon rises at sunrise.
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The Moon passes through all 12 signs of the zodiac in a month
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(2 ½ days per month in each)
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(The Sun remains in a zodiacal sign for about 1 month)
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The Moon affects all water on our planet
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It is also a well-known fact that the light of a Full Moon can have a strange effect on both humans and animals!
The Moon influences our planet through every phase of her being.
A mantle of ionised gas, beneath which positive ions collect, surrounds the earth. On Full Moon the gravitational forces of the sun and moon slightly squeeze this mantle. This sends positive ions toward the earth thereby increasing the amount of positive ions on the Earths surface. At the New Moon the gravitational pull of the sun and moon lifts the mantle slightly and then reduces the number of positive ions at the Earths surface.
(See diagram at bottom of page)
The movement of the Moon has a connection with the rising and falling of the tides and this movement affects all water, including the water within us. When water is rising during the increasing moon, seeds, crops etc. find it easier to draw water from the soil. Water flows to the root system as the full moon draws to a close. In the 1st and 2nd quarters we plant leafy crops with a shallow root system. In the 3rd and 4thquarters we prepare beds and soil, weed, manage pest control and start composting. In an increasing phase water is drawn upwards with the pull being the strongest on Full Moon. In the decreasing cycle the water flows to the root system.
Cycles
The Earth Cycle:
Early morning until the day warms is the best time to water and cut flowers. Noon is the time of full sun and a period of quietness.
Evening is when the day starts cooling and is the time to pick fruit and vegetables.
It is also a good time to transplant.
Night is the time to relax and breathe in the scent of your labours.
The Sun Cycle:
A good time to start planting cool season vegetables
This is a time of slow growth
Start digging in compost on those warmer days.
Plant lettuce, peas, carrots etc.
Watch everything bloom! (Remember to deadhead)
The Moon Cycle:
1st quarter is the time of leaf growth, plant spinach and lettuce.
2nd quarter is the best time for planting, plant tomatoes, pumpkins, and beans.
3rd quarter is the time of most growth, plant bulbs.
4th quarter is the time for pruning and making compost.
Full Moon is a good time to transplant perennials.
A Zodiacal sign dominates each day. In turn these zodiacal signs are dominated by a planet, which also effects, to a much lesser extent, tides and weather.
When the Moon is in Gemini, Libra or Aquarius – the AIR signs, it is preferable not to plant but to weed and confuse pests.
The GOOD NEWS is that in Libra it is good to sow those seeds for flowering plants.
The Moon in Aries, Leo, Sagittarius - the FIRE signs, it is the time to work the soil and rid the garden of pests.
The GOOD NEWS is that Sagittarius is a good time for planting fruit trees, however it should be in the 3rd quarter.
The Moon in Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces – the WATER signs, is a good time to plant root crops.
The GOOD NEWS is that Scorpio is a good time to transplant generally.
The Moon in Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn – the EARTH signs, is a good time for everything.
Taurus is good for all leafy vegetables and root crops.
Virgo is a good time to fertilise and plant beets and potatoes.
Capricorn influences a strong growth in vines.
Planting by the moon encourages faster seed germination and plants tend to be hardier and more disease resistant. The plants also appear to withstand changing climatic conditions, which is good news for us encountering changing weather cycles.