GARDENING BY THE MOON

Lunar gardening can be as basic or as astrologically complex as you want to make it. But the simplified version is to plant annuals that produce their yields above ground during the moon's increasing light, that is from new moon to full moon. Most vegetables are grown as annuals. As the moon's light decreases, from full moon back to new moon, plant bulbs and root crops, biennials and perennials.

From that underlying idea one can progress to planting by the moon's quarter phases. From new moon to half-full moon is the first quarter. Dividing the period of increasing moonlight into first and second quarters allows certain refinements such as waiting for the second quarter to plant above-ground annual crops that produce seeds inside the fruit. Examples are beans, squash, peas, and tomatoes.

Then you can begin exploring the influences of other planets on the timing of gardening activities. Different planets are thought to have special potency at certain times, and specific planets influence various plants. Moon guides are available for each year to direct the keen astrological gardener. The Farmer's Almanac is a popular one.

In all of this, common sense needs to prevail. Knowing the correct lunar position for a gardening procedure isn't very helpful if the weather is impossible for the task or you're tied up with work or on vacation. And planting at the correct phase of the moon will be less than effective if the site is unsuitable and the soil waterlogged or infertile.