Gardening by Moon Phase in another diverse way of growing your own food. However, it does not mean you are expected to be outside gardening at night, well not unless you wish to. Instead it’s about using the phase of the moon through it’s cycle. Anyone who follows their star-signs, astrology and the zodiac may find this method of gardening, sowing and harvesting very interesting:
There are three moon phases for planting; waxing and waning also known as synodic, bio-dynamic, and sidereal.
Synodic is the simplest form using it’s 29 day cycle and breaks up the cycle into quarters, dividing the plants into categories, Root Crops, Foliage, Crops with seeds on the outside, and crops with seeds on the inside. Then it assigns plants to the phases of the moon which best suits there growing characteristics
Bio-dynamic is a method devised by Rudolf Steiner in the 1920s. He used the 12 Zodiac signs as a method of position for more accurate planting. We have written a short blog on this subject here.
Sidereal is similar to bio-dynamic, but only the moons orbit around the sun is used. The orbit is divided up into 12 equal 30 degree sections to represent the position of the moon in the sky and this cycle completes in 27.3 days.
The images below are books well worth a read about Moon Phase gardening, click on the image to be taken to Amazon.
The gardeners at RHS Wisley have proved the benefits of the lunar effect under controlled research conditions. Increased yields of 20% – 30% are routinely touted. You won’t have to get up in the middle of the night to sow your carrots!. Country folk know that planning their work in harmony with the rhythms of the moon produces better crops. It’s that easy. They get higher yields and better flavour in vegetables. Flowers produce stronger displays and heightened colour. This guide computes everything you need to know about the daily influence of the moon and the planets in the garden. With its full 15-month daily calendar, it creates an essential timetable for the year ahead and fine means of self-discipline for keen gardeners.
Moon Gardening Calendar for 2014 in Wall Chart format (60cm x 42cm). Includes 36 page explanatory booklet. The calendar shows the best time to plant, sow, and harvest your produce using bio-dynamic principles. Shows Fruit, Leaf, Root and Flower periods, the Ascending/descending moon, and moon phases. Colourfully illustrated and printed on 100% recycled card-quality paper using organic inks. Fully recyclable.
As the earth’s neighbour, the moon affects not only ocean tides but also the growth and development of plants. In this finely illustrated, full-colour book – packed with practical tips for the novice as well as the advanced gardener – Peter Berg offers a clear summary of the basics of lunar and bio-dynamic gardening, together with in-depth sections on: activating and enlivening the soil; bio-dynamic preparations; making good compost; crop rotation and green manuring; cultivation work and care of the garden; practical plant protection; rich harvesting; saving your own seed. Building on the the intensive research of his mentor Maria Thun and the teachings of Rudolf Steiner, Berg explains how the subtle influences from the cosmos work on the plant world, distinguishing between ‘root’, ‘leaf’, ‘blossom’ and ‘fruit’ days in the working calendar. An understanding of such natural processes, in conjunction with the practical knowledge described in this book, can lead to productive, chemical-free gardening, with healthy plants and abundant harvests.