To
understand lunar gardening, a lot of sources must be considered, much
of this information is obscured by the annals of history, and some is
cloaked in myth. Because of this, skepticism and doubt has been the
scourge of this tried and true, yet ancient, system of gardening.
Following only the Sun in brightness, our Moon is the second largest
moon in the solar system. Reflected sunlight is what makes the moon
shine, and the moon’s phases are caused by the different angle from
which we see the sunlit side of the moon.
The
moon can come as close to the earth as 218,000 miles, causing
reactions in our atmosphere, oceans, and Earth’s surface. You have
witnessed the moon’s most famous influence, the tides, as it pulls
them to and fro. As the moon orbits the earth, it causes the tides to
rise and fall, affects our air currents and is a major factor in
causing thunderstorms. Not only are the tides pulled from side to
side during the moons phases, but all water on the earth is put in
motion, tides in rivers and lakes rise, the water that is in the
earth’s surface, even the water in the cells of plants and in our own
bodies is affected.
Water absorption in the earth is highest during a full moon when its
gravitational pull is the greatest and there’s a definite decline in
the water on Earth during the new moon. Even the cells in our own
bodies have been shown to respond to the pull of the moon and some
surgeons who won’t schedule surgeries during this time because the
moon’s pull causes excess bleeding.
The
Waxing and Waning Moon
The
two basic lunar activities that you need to be concerned with if you
want to garden by the moon are its waxing and waning, which are the
two activities that make up the lunar month.
Both waxing and waning are designated by the new and full moon. The
moon is waxing, or growing in light, when it’s in the first and second
quarters; you’ll know the moon is waxing when you see its right side
lit up.
The
moon is waning, or decreasing in light, when it’s in the third and
fourth quarter; you’ll know the moon is waning when you see its left
side lit up.
Also consider this: tides reach their highest point every 14.6 days,
or twice a month. Rainfall cycles mirror the tide cycles in response
to the position of the moon, therefore you can look forward to the
highest rainfall just after a new or full moon. Take advantage of
this when planning your garden.
The
position of the moon in the sky is another factor to consider when
planting by the moon, and there are two terms you need to know:
Perigee and apogee. When the moon is at perigee it’s closest to the
earth and the tides are pulled 30% higher than they are when the moon
is at apogee, or farthest from the earth. If the tides are pulled
higher, we can assume that the entire water table of the earth is
affected more strongly as well.
How
the Moon Influences the Earth and Why Lunar Gardening Makes Sense
“We
may achieve climate, but weather is thrust upon us.” O’Henry.
When the moon is waxing, its gravitational pull on Earth’s water is
greater, and there is more water to be had for plants. When the moon
is waning, Earth’s water is receding and there is less of it for
plants to take up into their root systems. Any fruit or vegetable
meant to be eaten immediately is best if harvested during a waxing
moon, when water content is at its highest, and many farmers have
found that crops harvested and stored during a waning moon, when the
earth’s water content is lowest, keep better and for longer periods of
time.
