Moon Planting

MOON PLANTING IN WINTER

Have you ever planted cuttings and they haven’t taken?

Why is this?

Have you ever planted cuttings and they have taken?

What was the difference between the plantings? Time and the moon phases could be the answer. To follow moon planting we need to understand the moon phases.

Planting by the moon has been used by many tribal cultures such as the Aztecs. These tribes understood the earths ebb’s and tides and how these related to the moon. Fishing was often part of their heritage and they often knew that more fish could be caught at high tide and not so much at low tide.

The earth breaths out from 3.00pm to 3.00am and it breathes in from 3.00am to 3.00pm. This you can easily see as in the morning dew that appears in the morning, it is this time that the earth is breathing or letting out. By the afternoon the earth will naturally dry out and absorb the moisture in, hence the damp goes from the plant into the earth.

Without going into too much detail here are the major moon phases, given as a guide for Winter Growing.

Phase 1 – New Moon – 1^st Quarter

A good time to plant here is as the new moon rises in the early evening. This is a fast growing time and as it is cold at this time I recommend growing leafy annual crops such as lettuce, certain cereal crops depending on what you want to harvest from them, calendulas, radishes, coriander, chickweed and Californian poppy.

Phase 2 – Before Full Moon - 2^nd Quarter

This is a very good time to be growing and is still in a fast growing time bearing in mind top growth is slowing so plant early. Examples are broad beans, onions and peas.

Phase 3 – After Full Moon – 3^rd Quarter

This is the best time for root crops such as potatoes, carrots, beetroot etc. Most plants work now is happening under the soil. Root systems grow now.  

Phase 4 – Dark Moon – 4^th Quarter

A dormant time of little or no growth. Not a good time for planting, though it is a good time for weeding and maintenance.

Other Tips 

It is not recommended to plant directly on a full moon.

It is known that the sap of a plant will rise before a full moon and it will fall after a full moon. During the full moon the sap is neither rising nor falling and the plant is in a phase of transition, you could say it is changing. It is a little like having its own sleeping time.

I hope this guide has given you a bit more information about moon planting. 

Happy herbing catch you next time

For more courses about herbs and herb growing check out my courses here 

http://www.chi-institute.com.au/online-courses/herbal-medicines

Seeing you in Health and Happiness 

Louise Plant