Home & Garden

“Plant potatoes by the dark of the moon,” or so the old saying goes. Many gardeners today are turning to the moon for sage advice on the best time to plant, prune, weed and harvest.

I have to confess that I’m a skeptic when it comes to moon gardening, or lunar gardening as it is sometimes called. Although I’ve always heard about it, I have never tried it. Yet my research leaves me curious about the merits of moon gardening.

The moon is one of the earliest agricultural aids. The first agriculturalists believed planting at certain times enhanced the quality of their crops. Whether they knew it or not, the practice centers on the moon’s gravitational effect on the flow of moisture in soil and plants and, to a lesser degree, on the effect of moonlight on seed germination.

This is how it supposedly works. The moon moves through a complete cycle approximately every 29 days. The cycle is divided into four quarters. The first two quarters are during the waxing of the moon, and the moon changes from the new moon to half full, and from half full to full. During its waxing, the moon rises toward its full status and its gravitational pull influences the tides. Everyone knows tides are exceptionally high during full and new moons.

First Quarter

However, everyone does not know that the moon’s gravity also affects underground water tables. So if you plant while the moon is waxing, the water table is rising and water is more easily available to new plants. The abundant moisture encourages seeds to swell and burst into life quickly. During the first quarter, moon gardeners plant leaf crops that produce seed on the outside of the plant, such as broccoli, lettuce and corn.

Second Quarter

As the moon heads toward the second quarter, the moonlight becomes stronger, creating good leaf growth and enhancing germination of light-requiring seed. The best crops to plant at this time are those that produce seeds within their fruit, such as tomatoes, peppers, beans, cantaloupes and watermelons.

Third Quarter

During the third and fourth quarters, the waning moon goes from full to half full, and from half full to a new moon. As the moonlight decreases, the water table drops, and plants put their energies into their roots. The third quarter is when moon gardeners plant root crops such as turnips, carrots, onions, potatoes and radishes.

Fourth Quarter

The fourth quarter is considered the dormant period. It is a good time to prune plants, as less sap will flow out of the cut ends. It also is the ideal time for weeding and cultivating the soil.

Moon phases may have an effect on the quality of harvest, too. Since water is more abundant during a waxing moon, plants will be loaded with plenty of water, nutrients and those essential oils that result in flavor. Fruits will be juicier and leafy vegetables and herbs more flavorful when picked during a waxing moon. Crops that require storage, such as roots, are best harvested during a waning moon.

Moon gardening can involve more than just understanding the moon’s phases. For example, the intensity of moonlight is also thought to play a role in plant performance, as is the time of day the moon reaches the height of its phase. Also, many moon gardeners claim that plants react to planetary influences and to when the moon enters or passes certain signs of the zodiac.

Unless you like sitting in the garden at night and charting the night sky, the best way to garden by the moon is to buy a special calendar. One of the oldest and most popular is The Old Farmer’s Almanac, but other resources are readily available. Be sure to follow a calendar designed for your region.

Despite its supporters and folklore, moon gardening lacks modern scientific data to validate its benefits. However, I plan to judge for myself. This spring, I’m planting my potatoes by the dark of the moon.

I’ll see you in the garden, flashlight in hand.

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Magazine:
Tennessee Home & Farm, Spring 2010 Edition Edition

Headline:
By the Light of the Moon

Summary:
Gardeners look to the night skies for planting advice.

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