planting by moon phase?

my husband and i were chatting earlier about our children and moon phases (and how we're convinced during the full moon the children are slightly whacked out of their gourds) and during new moon time is a slightly calmer time (well, depends onthe time of day *grin* they are after all, very young)
. . (new moon now where i live)

anyways,

because of that discussion, that got me wondering about growing stuff. esp. since historically, women cycle by the moon phases .. . full moon, menses, new moon ovulation and new life creation. . and labor onset with full moon phase (if allowed to progress naturally w/o intervention from medical personnel)

so is that true as well about growing in the garden??

here are some links i found that i really enjoyed reading - there are SO MANY - do a google search - you can easily spend hours reading. *grin*

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/vegetable/planting-by-moon-phase-fact-or-fiction.htm

here's a farmers almanac planting schedule based on the moon. .

http://www.farmersalmanac.com/calendar/gardening/

would love to know what others experiences have been with this. i am really intrigued about this!!

i really enjoy doing things naturally and in harmony with the earth so this would actually go along with that way of thinking. . .

Good links, Thanks. I believe there are a few other previous threads about planting and various natural cycles.

Makes perfect sense to me and I use the farmers almanac table on moon phases for my plantings. Finch had a thread about "non-gardeners don't know" and here in part was my reply to that specific part.

"I've found a connection to the Earth, its cycles, pulsations and vibrations that I find inescapable. I planted my seeds by the moon and tried to follow some of the Rotheraine principles of bio-dynamic farming, i'm not sure if this helped but it just felt right."

Ander feels the same way too in part of his reply.

Staf, I have always gardened by the moon signs and taken a lot of ribbing from others for doing so. My educated head tells me there couldn't be anything to it, and yet my sentimental heart always feels right when I do it and wrong when I don't. I never knew why, but maybe you hit the nail on the head. Maybe it makes me feel connected, not only to the natural cycles of the earth but of my own world, too.

Without getting "new-agey" or spiritual in any way, moon plantings actually make perfect sense from well known and understood scientific principles. Water is affected by the moons gravitational fluctuations; the most obvious being tides. I'm no expert and planting by astrological signs can get complex but simply put, during these cycles, water moves upwards or downwards. If you have sowed your seeds (or ABOVE ground edible transplants) when water is moving upwards (just after the new moon as it waxes /gets bigger), then you will have to water less often and your seed will hold water longer and hence, germinate faster as water naturally percolates upwards from the soil into the seed. Conversely, root crops are best planted just after the full moon when water is moving downwards. The closer to the point at which the moon is beginning to wane or diminish the better but not at the full moon itself. This gives maximum support to root growth. Also, it is said it is better to harvest at this point for storage purposes due to the reduced moisture content and a lesser chance of spoilage /mold / mildew.

I think once studied, not only is the subject fascinating but actually quite logical and makes perfect sense... just be prepared for some quizzical looks from the unitiated.

Well.. where theres smoke theres fire... Planting by Moon Phase and astrology has been around since the Egyptians and before... Theres got to be something to it to have survived this long... just my .03..

Exactly Sceleste!

i did bit research on the topic a few years ago.
All the comprehensive studies showed there was no significant difference
in yield or other factors that affected production.

yet if it feels right and people like doing it, there's absolutely no harm whatsoever in following a lunar calendar.

As above...if there wasn't something to it, it wouldn't have survived for so many centuries.

well stated, ya'll!!

this is definitely something i'm intrigued with and will be pursuing. it makes so much sense!!!!

i think if i can get more consistent results with growing carrots it will be worth it. at the moment, the only way i can get carrots to grow is if i plant them during rainstorms - otherwise, they don't stay damp enough for consistent germination. .

staf74 wrote:Ander feels the same way too in part of his reply.

Just so you know Staf, I'm a lady. My name is LeAnn but friends nicknamed me Leander in school. My hubby affectionately shortened it to Ander.

The cycle in my own life to which I referred was the fact that my grandmother was taught to garden by the moon signs by her Scotch-Irish mother, and then my grandmother taught me. Now it's something that I am passing on to my own children. I'm not New Age either, but as LaFee said - whether it's scientific or not, it's fun to do it and see if it makes a difference.

Personally I do believe there is something valid in the lunar cycles. I know there are many on the forum who think it's all total hogwash. That's okay, too. We all grow veggies.

AGGHH......so sorry LeAnn. I was not even aware I was being presumptuous..thank you for the correction

Its really just a tool that mother nature provides. Using it or not is just a personal choice. I don't think it can harm so why not eh ?

Does planting by the moon work even when you can't see it behind all the rain clouds?!

This seems like a good time to revive this thread; we haven't seen it in a while...

http://squarefoot.creatingforum.com/outside-the-box-f40/what-s-in-a-name-t973-75.htm?highlight=whats+in+a+name

Howdy Folks:

Family oral history tells of two brothers, Ed and Ivy Roden, Ivy planted by the moon phases and Ed did not. If the almanic said beans plant by the dark of the moon he would plant at night when the moon phases were such that the moon could not be seen. Ed's beans, like every on else's, were attacked by bugs where Ivy's were bothered very little. Oral history can be true or just made up and handed down. It would have been nice if someone in the family had done a study or at least have documented how their gardening methods were different and the results.

God Bless, Ward and Mary.

boffer wrote:Does planting by the moon work even when you can't see it behind all the rain clouds?!

You guys in the Pac NW have to use a totally different system of planting by the signs. For example, you should plant your corn when the fir needles are the length of sasquatch hair.

Yes Boffer it appears it works regardless of cloud cover, which is remarkable. This article has some great information on the subject.
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5731145_do-phases-affect-plant-germination_.html

This highlight blew me away.

At Northwestern University, Dr. Frank Brown conducted a 10-year study showing that during a full moon, plants absorb more water. The study was conducted in a laboratory setting, and even though the plants were out of sight of the moon, its gravitational pull still influenced the plant's absorptive qualities.

I know Ribsy posted that comprehensive studies showed no effect. Perhaps a sharing of that source please I'd like to review some more balanced information but 10 years seems pretty comprehensive to me.

ander217 wrote:You guys in the Pac NW have to use a totally different system of planting by the signs. For example, you should plant your corn when the fir needles are the length of sasquatch hair.

And I was taught that it's time to fertilize corn when it's knee high to a sasquatch!