 2026 could be called the year of the moon. In April, the Artemis space mission successfully transited the dark side of the moon with three Americans and one Canadian aboard. The success of the trip has encourage future plans for humans to conceivably build and mine on the moon.
With the moon top of mind we revisit the historical practice of gardening and/or planting crops by the moon. The concept of the moon's impact on plant growth is based on the varying gravitational pull of the moon on the earth's surface, not just on the ocean's tides but on water in soil beneath the earth's surface.
The gravitational pull of the moon as the earth faces and opposes the moon each day causes the high tides twice each day. And the lesser gravitational pull of the moon when it no longer straight above or below but off to the side creates the ebb tides. These effects are of course regional in nature.
The moon’s 28+/- day journey around the earth also affects the tides. The highest high tides, called “spring tides” occur when the moon comes near to the same side of the earth as the sun during the new moon, and also when the moon nears the opposite side of the earth from the sun (full moon.) The weakest tides, called “neap tides,” occur when the moon is at a right angle to the earth relative to the sun. The right angle is formed when the moon is half way between new moon and full moon, and conversely when it is half way between full moon and new moon.
Of course the earth has a gravitational pull of its own, far greater than the pull of the moon. All densities of matter are held to the earth by the earth’s gravitational force. But the lower density of water allows the moon to affect the earth’s water, if ever so slightly.
The gravitational pull of the moon actually affects all water on the earth, not just the oceans, but lakes and streams, pools and ponds, the groundwater beneath the earth, and the moisture content within the soils. Planting by the moon is a method that takes into account these gravitational impacts on plant growth.
One principle is that the earth’s ground water and the water within the soil will be most activated during both the full moon and new moon phases. However the pull of the moon from the opposite side of the earth from the sun, which is the full moon, has the greatest gravitational effect on the earth itself. In some sense, the premise is that the full moon is the time when the elements of earth become most engaged with the water within the earth, creating the greatest amount of moisture activity within the molecules of soil.
Planting by the moon involves planting during both the waxing moon and the waning moon cycles. The moon is waxing as it moves from new moon to full moon, and it is waning as it moves from full moon to new moon. The fundamental technique is to plant anything that produces its yield above ground during the waxing moon because at this time the moon is fostering maximum moisture activity within the soil. Plants that produce yield above the ground includes everything from grasses, to blooming flowers, to vegetables picked from a bud, to fruit trees. Conversely, root plants such as potatoes, carrots, onions, and bulbs should be planted during the waning moon when soils conditions become less active and relatively drier.
For those who follow traditional planting by the moon practices, the considerations become more nuanced. For example, the first quarter of the waxing moon is considered by some to be best for planting plants that produce their seeds outside of the fruit. These plants include grasses, grains, leafy vegetables, broccoli and cabbage. Conversely, the second quarter of the waxing moon supports the planting of crops that yield fruit above ground but produce their seeds inside their fruit. These crops include beans and peas, most fruits, squash and tomatoes.
Another nuance takes into account the reduced gravitational pull of the moon at the beginning of the second quarter of the waning moon. This time period corresponds to the “neap tides” created when the waning moon phase is at a right angle to the earth relative to the sun. This time is considered to be the best time to harvest fruit and crop yields. It is also considered to be the time for pruning and weeding, with the idea that pruning done at this time is less likely to regenerate. On the other hand, the full moon and the new moon are not a time to either plant or to harvest. Both the full moon and the new moon are pivotal, transitional times and not a time for action.
In the days before information about everything was readily available online, farmers and gardeners used an Almanac to find phases of the moon and related statistics such as weather forecasts, tide tables, etc. Print copies of the latest Farmer’s Almanac, first published in 1818, was mainstay in every rural American home for over a century.
Some may be surprised to learn that the “Old Farmer’s Almanac” and the “Farmers’ Almanac” are two distinct publications. The “Old Farmer’s Almanac” was first published in 1792, and has the distinction of being the oldest ongoing publication in the USA. Its weather forecasts are based on a secret forecasting formula developed two centuries ago that is still used today. The Old Farmer’s Almanac's website, www.Almanac.com suggests this month's best planting dates, suggestions which take into account the moon's phases.
Likewise, the website for the “Farmers’ Almanac” www.FarmersAlmanac.com gives up to date planting recommendations, taking into account phases of the moon and other considerations. This publication also uses a highly secretive method for forecasting weather that dates back to the early 19th century.
The practice of planting by the moon goes back to some of the most ancient agricultural societies. The Sumerians who some 4000+ years ago populated the fertile valley between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in what is now present day Iraq, had a thriving agricultural industry. The cuneiform texts found in archaeological ruins indicate that this culture considered lunar cycles in their planting techniques. In 1949, a clay tablet was found at the site of Nippur that dates to roughly 1600 BC. The table is referred to as the “Sumerian Farmer’s Almanac” and is considered to be the first almanac on record.
In the early 20th Century, Austrian born Rudolf Steiner developed a complex system for agriculture generally known as “biodynamic farming.” The system is used today as a method of sustainable farming practice to maximum yields and soil fertility. The system takes into account the influence of the phases of the moon, along with a myriad of other factors, to determine ideal times for planting and harvesting.
If the gravitational pull of the moon is affecting, not just oceans and tides but the groundwater within molecules of soil and liquidity in roots and stems, then what about the impacts on us humans? If roughly 60% of the human's body weight is water, then are we also affected by moon's gravitational pull, as much of our mythology and folklore would suggest? Are there distinct lunar cycles that are best for the planting of our own “seeds” - our projects and plans and endeavors - and other lunar cycles best for harvesting the results of such endeavors? This is a question for another time. | 
