Some farmers attribute their success to paying close attention to the lunar cycle and working with it. Usually they also adhere to biodynamic principles. Why these methods work is beyond me, but they do seem to produce excellent results.

Much of the following information comes from Gardening Australia’s Fact Sheet, Planting by the Moon.

It’s believed that just as it controls the tides, the moon controls ground water and the soil’s moisture content.

Accordingly, the moisture level in the soil is highest when the moon is waxing – growing from new to full. And according to those who are guided by the lunar influence, that’s the time to plant.

Here’s a rough guide to moon planting:

• From the first quarter of the moon until it’s full, planting of fruiting type plants is recommended. 
• When the moon is between full and last quarter – when the moisture content in the soil, and also in plants, is at its lowest – root crops are planted.
• Between full and last quarter, it’s a good time, too, to prune shrubs and trees (although I’d recommend you wait until the hot weather has passed before even thinking about doing that).
• In the last quarter through to the new moon, it’s time to weed and mulch… or you could just take it easy for a few days and catch up on some reading.

If you live in Australia and you’d like to see what phase the moon is in, click here for the Weatherzone site, type in your postcode then click the arrow to its right. On your area’s page scroll down to the bottom.

In July 2003, the National Geographic ran an article on lunar gardening in which it was stated: ‘What the moon gardening movement currently lacks is a body of modern scientific work that validates its benefits.’ And that’s true. 

But according to those who practice lunar gardening and agriculture, plants are healthier and more productive than those grown without heed to the stages of the moon’s cycle.

Respected English gardener, R J Harris, quoted in the National Geographic article, compared moon gardening to the early days of organic gardening in the 1970s: ‘[Hippies] were the first… people to bring in organic gardening. Everyone laughed at them… Now people will pay a premium for organically-grown produce.’

The following is paraphrased from Living on the Earth, by Alicia Bay Laurel, first published in 1971. These are a few, little-known facts about the moon:

Full, the moon rises when the sun goes down.
New, the moon rises with the sun.
Waxing, the moon rises later and later in the day.
Waning, the moon rises later and later after sunset. 

Here’s a little hippy moon song, from the days when I was a little hippy. It’s sung by the man who was to be my husband, before he converted to Islam. It’s just as well we never married… Me in a hijab? I don’t think so.