As someone that grew up by the ocean, I am rather intrigued by the notion of planting by the moon. Much like tides were a constant part of my life growing up, the speculation behind why this method helps your plantings is similar.
As the moon travels around the earth and causes the gravitational push/pull of the tide lines, so too, goes the theory, is water within the ground affected as well as the water on earth’s surface.
The short way to understand the pattern to follow is this:
- Fruit and vegetable plants where you harvest above ground as well as annual flowers should be planted during the waxing of the moon–the time from new (dark) to when it is full (brightest).
- Vegetable plants where you harvest from below ground as well as flowering bulbs, biennial and perennial flowers should be planted during the waning of the moon–the time from full (brightest) to new (dark).
We’re going to be giving this method a whirl this year, starting with the potatoes this week (full moon being Thursday, so we’ll plant them this weekend). [Edit: I just realized the herb seeds were technically planted by their moon cycle so they’re our first even if not consciously so.]
If you’re interested in the idea, there are lots of resources online and in print that have tables laid out with the dates already marked for you if the calendar you use doesn’t show the moon’s phases.
