Planting By The Phases Of The Moon--part 5

[This is a continuation from the book, How To Grow More Vegetables . . . by John Jeavons]

During the last 7 days, the lunar gravitational force increases, and root growth slows down. The amount of moonlight decreases and also slows down leaf growth. This period is one of a balanced decrease in growth or a period of rest, just as the first 7 days in the lunar month is a period of a balanced increase in growth. The last 7 days, then, is a rest period which comes before the bursting forth of a period of new life. Short-and extra-long-germinating seeds are planted 2 days before the new moon so they will be able to take advantage of this time of new life. (The extra-long-germinating seeds take approximately 1 month to germinate.)

In time, a planted seed bursts its seed coat around the twenty-eighth day of the lunar month and proceeds into a period of slow, balanced, and increasing growth above and below ground, passes into a period of stimulated leaf growth, then goes into a period of stimulated root growth (getting ready for the next period of stimulated leaf growth), and then goes into a time of rest. This plant growth cycle repeat itself monthly. Plants are transplanted at the full moon, so they may begin their life in the growing bed during a time of stimulated root growth. The stimulation is important to the plant because root shock occurs during transplanting. It is also important for the plant's root system to be well developed so it can later provide the leaves, flowers, vegetables, fruits, and seeds with water and nutrients. The transplanted plant then enters into a time of rest before beginning another monthly cycle. The workings of nature are beautiful.

(It should be noted that planting by the phases of the moon is a nuance which improves the health and quality of plants. If you do not follow the moon cycles, your plants will still grow satisfactorily. However, as your soil improves and as you gain experience, the nuances will become more important and will have a greater effect. Try it and see.)

Planting By The Phases Of The Moon--part 4

[This is a continuation from the book, How To Grow More Vegetables . . . by John Jeavons]

During the third 7 days, the amount of moonlight decreases along with the lunar gravitational pull. As the moonlight decreases, the above-ground leaf growth slows down. The root growth is stimulated again, however, as the lunar gravitational pull decreases. this is a good time to transplant, since the root growth is active. 'The activity enables the plant to better overcome root shock and promotes the development of a good root system while leaf growth has been slowed down. Then, 21 days later, when leaf growth is at a maximum, there will be a developed root system that can provide the plant with sufficient nutrients and water. It is also the time to plant long-germinating seeds. Seeds which take approximately 2 weeks to germinate will then be ready to take advantage of the boost from the high gravitational pull of the new moon.

[Part 5 Saturday].

Planting By The Phases Of The Moon--part 3

[This is a continuation from the book, How To Grow More Vegetables . . . by John Jeavons].

During the second 7 days, the lunar gravitational force reverses its relative direction and increases. This pull slows down the root growth as Earth's relative gravitational pull is lessened. The moonlight, on the other hand, continues to a peak, and leaf growth is especially stimulated. If root growth has been sufficient during previous periods, then the proper amounts of nutrients and water will be conveyed to the above ground part of the plant, and balanced, uninterrupted growth will occur. In this time of increasing gravitational, moonlight, and magnetic forces, seeds which have not yet germinated at the time of the new moon, they should do so by the full moon. Alan Chadwick says it is during this period that seeds cannot resist coming up, and mushrooms suddenly appear overnight.

[Tomorrow part 4 from this book].

Planting By The Phases Of The Moon--part 2

[This is a continuation from the book, How To Grow More Vegetables . . . by John Jeavons].

Looking at the drawing, you can see that there are both increasing and decreasing lunar gravitational and light force influences that recur periodically during the lunar month. Sometimes the forces work against each other and sometimes they reinforce one another. When the lunar gravitational pull decreases and the amount of moonlight increases during the first 7 days, plants undergo a period of balanced growth. The decreasing lunar gravity (and the corresponding relative increase in Earth's gravity) stimulates root growth. At the same time, the increasing amount of moonlight stimulates leaf growth.

[Tomorrow will be part 3 from this book].

Planting By The Phases Of The Moon

I will be putting up a short series of posts that are about planting by the moon phases, from the book, How To Grow More Vegetables Than You Ever Thought Possible On Less Land Than You Can Imagine, by John Jeavons. This makes a lot of sense to me and I hope it will benefit you, too.

Planting by the Phases of the Moon

One of the most controversial aspects of the Biointensive method is the planting of seeds and the transplanting of seedlings by the phases of the moon. Short- and extra-long-germinating seeds are planted 2 days before the new moon, when the first significant magnetic forces occur, and up to 7 days after the new moon. Long-germinating seeds are planted at the full moon and up to 7 days afterward. Seedlings are transplanted at the same time. Both planting periods take advantage of the full sum of the forces of nature, including gravity, light, and magnetism. The greatest sum of increasing forces occurs at the new moon. The lunar gravitational pull which produces high tides in the oceans and water tides in the soil is very high. And the moon, which is dark, gets progressively lighter. The importance of the time of the month in planting seeds and transplanting is not so much in the exact day on which you perform the task, but rather in generally taking advantage of the impetus provided by nature.

When you place short-germinating seeds in the ground 2 days before the lunar tide forces are greatest, the seed has time to absorb water. The force exerted on the water in the seed helps create a "tide" that helps burst the seed coat in conjunction with the forces produced by the swelling of the seed. No doubt you have wondered why one time beet seeds come up almost immediately and another time the germinating process takes 2 weeks in the same bed under similar conditions. Temperature and moisture differences, pH changes and humus levels may influence the seeds in each case, but the next time you note a marked difference in germination time, check your calendar to determine the phase the moon was in when the seeds were sown. You may be surprised to find the moon had an influence.

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.

My To-Do List . . .

--I have fertilized most of my veggies, I now need to get the fruit trees fertilized.
--because I have gotten my garden planning organized, I will be able to maximize my garden by planting one 8'x4' box with green beans--I want to can them and I know approximately when they will be ready, so the calendar is cleared! Green beans are really easy to can, but it will still be a lot of work because of the quantity.
--I will directly seed into another garden bed: beets and Swiss chard.

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Planting by the moon:

Monday-Tuesday: Sagittarius--fairly good for all planting; no transplanting
Wednesday-Thursday: Capricorn--#1 for root crops; second best for above ground crops, transplanting
Friday-Saturday: Aquarius--very good for root crops; not good for above ground crops, transplants
Sunday-Tuesday: Pisces--second best for root crops; #1 for above ground crops, transplants, trees, bushes, vines

My To-Do List . . .

Not much work going on in my garden, with the temperatures ranging from 106' (today) on up to a 110 year record-breaker last Sunday with 112'. It's not uncommon for us to have these high temperatures in July. Some years we have a string of 110'+ temperatures that lasts a week or two, and can go up to 117' for days! With the heat, the best thing is to keep the plants watered well. I did get out this morning, before the sun got too hot, and weeded my vegetable boxes, but that's it!

My To-Do List . . .
--plant some beans, maybe corn
--fertilize my fruit trees
--stay in-doors as much as possible!

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Planting by the Moon

Tuesday: Gemini--2nd best for all crops, transplanting (protect those transplants by creating some shade for them until they are established)
Wednesday-Thursday: Cancer--#1 for all crops, transplants
Friday-Saturday: Leo--barren, not good for any planting; good time to weed, prune, remove plants/shrubs/trees
Sunday-Tuesday: Virgo--barren, not good for any planting

My To-Do List . . .

My husbands family has been in Fresno the past week and we have been enjoying each others company---so, that means I haven't gotten much done in the garden! I have been keeping up with the watering and picking up fallen fruit, though!

--fertilize the fruit trees, vegetables and flowers
--install another raised box garden (done! And, a 4th bed done!)

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Planting by the Moon: (yes, I finally found my Old Farmer's Almanac!)

Monday-Wednesday: Sagittarius---fairly good for root and above ground plants, not good for transplanting
Thursday: Capricorn---#1 for root and above ground plants; 2nd best for transplanting.
Friday-Sunday: Aquarius---very good to plant above ground plants, but don't plant seeds or they will rot.

My To-Do List . . .

--fertilize my fruit trees
--keep dropped fruit picked up
--try to keep everything watered!

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Planting by the moon:

Monday-Tuesday---Virgo: no planting or transplanting, this is a barren time
[I will post more when I find my Farmer's Almanac!]

My To-Do List . . .

I see that no one but Jill stepped up to the plate and answered my little garden quiz--so Jill gets the award for being right! Harvesting vegetables as early in the morning as possible will give you the best, freshest tasting produce possible. The more the day heats up, the more the plants will stress, which affects the taste and quality of the produce. Great Job, Jill!!

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My To-Do list:

--fertilize my fruit trees
--transplant my peppers into the new, big raised garden box (done)
--plant Golden Bantam corn seeds (done)
--cut back my apricot trees by half of the new growth (see picture) (done)

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Planting by the Moon:

Monday---Taurus: #1 to plant root crops, transplant all; 2nd best for planting above ground plants
Tuesday-Wednesday---Gemini: 2nd best for planting and transplanting all
Thursday---Cancer: #1 for planting and transplanting all
Friday-Sunday---Leo: no planting or transplanting (a good time to weed, prune)

My To-Do List . . .

Being that I didn't get much gardening done last week, I still have the same things to do! Except, I did harvest squash (and tomatoes and peppers!), which will be on-going through the rest of the summer.

---put in a new garden box (done)
---plant my new Meyer lemon tree

Planting by the moon signs:

Monday-Thursday:Pisces---2nd best for planting root crops; #1 for planting above ground crops, flowers, and transplants.

Friday-Saturday: Aries---very good to plant root crops, onions, beets; not good for planting above ground crops, flowers or transplanting.

My To-Do List . . .

---plant my new Meyer lemon tree
---put in one new garden box
---harvest squash!!


Planting by the moon:

Monday: Scorpio---2nd best to plant root crops; #1 to plant above ground crops, flowers; good to transplant fruit trees, flower bushes, vines.

Tuesday-Thursday: Sagittarius---fairly good for root
and above ground crops; not good for transplanting.

Friday-Saturday: Capricorn---2nd best to plant root and above ground crops; 2nd best for transplanting.

Sunday: Aquarius---very good to plant above ground crops, but not from seed (seeds will rot).

My To Do List . . .

I have a little "shade" garden on the north side of my living room. It actually gets sun, although not as much as the rest of the yard. I have this rock positioned so that the sprinklers fill the depression with water. It is more at the height for my cats to drink from---and they do!

I have this saucer in the same little garden and the sprinklers keep it filled with water, too. This one is for the toads; and the little frog that I found in our pool about 6 weeks ago. We have a couple of toads, but we need a lot more to help keep the bug population down.

My To Do List:

---tonight I will finish pruning my hedges! (done!!)
---I have a lot of canning to do this week, so
that may be it---I probably will pull weeds, though! (weeds--done; 2 batches of Loganberry jam, 1 batch of blueberry syrup)

Planting by the Moon:

Today: Leo---no planting or transplanting; kill weeds.
Tuesday-Thursday: Virgo---no planting or transplanting; kill weeds.
Friday-Saturday: Libra---very good for planting above ground crops.
Sunday-Monday: Scorpio---2nd best for planting root crops; #1 to plant above ground crops and flowers; good to set out flower bushes, vines.