Planting by the Stars or Moon

Yesterday, Erica commented that she didn't know that there was astrology for planting. In The Old Farmer's Almanac (this is where I get my planting information), it explains the difference between astrology and astronomy. Astronomy is what I have been following. Here is what the Almanac says:

Astrology vs. Astronomy

Astrology is a tool we use to plan events according to the placements of the Sun, the Moon, and the planets in the 12 signs of the zodiac. In astrology,the planetary movements do not cause events; rather they explain the path, or "flow," that events tend to follow.

Astronomy is the study of the actual placement of the known planets and constellations. (The placement of the planets in the signs of the zodiac is not the same astrologically and astronomically.)


In the book, How To Grow More Vegetables Than You Ever Thought Possible On Less Land Than You Can Imagine by John Jeavons, it shows how to plant by the phases of the moon. The phase of the moon (moonlight) and the lunar gravity both increase and decrease and this is what effects the plant growth. Starting on February 13 (pre-new moon) I will write out this book's more through explanation of how the moonlight and lunar gravity works on growing plants. The book states briefly:

The first two days before New Moon--plant short- and extra-long-germinating seeds (most vegetables and herbs) in flats and/or beds.

The first seven days--balanced increase in rate of root and leaf growth.

The second seven days--increased leaf growth rate.

Full Moon--transplant seedlings from flat into beds and plant long-germinating seeds (most flowers) in flats and/or beds.

Third seven days--increased root growth rate.

Fourth seven days--balanced decrease in rate of root and leaf growth (resting period).

Farmers for thousands of years have planted by the moon signs. They learned first hand the effects of planting their crops at certain times, and fine-tuned their knowledge to know precisely when to plant and when not to plant. I figure that if the moon can cause the ocean tides to ebb and flow, why not cause plants to grow and rest. By observation we can see this for ourselves (at least the leaf growth!). Try an experiment by planting the seeds from the same packet at different times of the moon phases, see how long they take to germinate, and how well they grow. Keep track of the various plantings and find what the difference is. Then let me know your results and I will post them! A quick-growing crop that you can try now is radishes, and later in the spring you can try beans.