Garden

Gardening by the Moon

It may be a new concept to you, or perhaps you’ve heard of gardening by the moon your entire life. Either way, gardening by the moon is an ancient and tried-and-true way of gardening. Whether you’re looking for the best times to sow your seeds, pruning, weeding, harvesting, or anything else garden-related, you’re better off to follow the below advice for the best results.

So why do we plant according to the moon? Well, just like the gravitational pull from the moon on the tides of the oceans, the moon’s gravitational pull also determines the amount of moisture rising in the soil. According to the moon phases, there are better times than others to plant and harvest your crops.

For a general guide, we’re pulling from the age-old wisdom of the Farmer’s Alamanac. As you’ll notice below,

September

  • 12th – 13th
    Clear fencerows, wood lots, and fields, but do no planting.
  • 14th – 15th
    Any aboveground crops that can be planted now will do well.
  • 16th – 17th
    Poor planting days. Kill plant pests.
  • 18th – 19th
    Extra good for vine crops. Favorable days for planting aboveground crops.
  • 20th – 22nd
    A poor time to plant.
  • 23rd – 24th
    Good days for transplanting. Good days for planting root crops.
  • 25th – 27th
    Seeds planted now tend to rot in-ground.
  • 28th – 29th
    Plant seedbeds and flower gardens. Good days for transplanting. Fine planting days for fall potatoes, turnips, onions, carrots, beets, and other root crops.
  • 30th – 30th
    Clear ground, turn sod or kill plant pests.

NEW MOON

The new moon is when the lunar gravity causes the moisture in the soil to be the strongest, and the water is closest to the surface. During this time, the extra moisture in the soil causes the seeds to swell more. This is what will allow the seeds and crops to thrive. This time is best for annual crops that create seeds outside the fruit like lettuce, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, and cabbage.

2nd QUARTER MOON

This is still a good time to plant crops as the moisture is still readily present in the soil. The crops that are best planted during this time are the ones that produce seeds within the fruit like beans and peas.

FULL MOON

Once the full moon begins to fade into the third quarter, you’ll want to focus on root crops as the light from the moon grows dark periodically. Because of this, focus on planting roots crops like radishes, turnips, onions, shallots, and garlic.

4th QUARTER MOON

This time proves to be the least favorable for crops to be planted as the moisture in the soil is not prevalent. This is considered a much needed resting time.

 

Content Editor

Share
Published by
Content Editor

Recent Posts

A Second Chance at Life: Fannin County Woman Honored for Rescue Dog Foster Work

FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. - A local North Georgia resident is being recognized for her ongoing…

1 day ago

Watermelon and Strawberry Lemonade

This strawberry and watermelon lemonade recipe blends fresh fruit into a drink! It's best served…

3 days ago

BLUE RIDGE SOAP BOX DERBY

WHO'S READY TO RACE AGAIN?! IT'S TIME TO PULL YOUR CARS OUT AND GET THEM…

3 days ago

Milkweed + Firefly Workshop

Discover the critical role of milkweed, especially in supporting fireflies! As a bonus, attendees will…

3 days ago

Run For The Son 5K

The Gilmer Christian Learning Center is hosting its 20th annual Run for the Son 5K…

3 days ago

HOMEWARD BOUND PET RESCUE’S PET OF WEEK

Say “Hi!” to Killian, a schnauzer mix who is around 8 years old.  At 18…

3 days ago