Bringing earth and sky together
As the days get longer and lighter, the season of sowing and planting is here. I have a new garden, a pile of seeds, and a head full of plans. One of the things I'd like to do is use the cycles of the moon and the zodiac to enhance the solar cycles of the growing year, to grow a garden that is in tune with the more subtle cosmic cycles as well as the earthly cycles of nature. Last year I did this in a very basic way - sowing seeds on a waxing moon and harvesting on a waning moon, for example.
But as I've been discovering, there's so much more to it than that. The first thing to take into account is the exact phase of the moon, to bring the energies of the garden in tune with the lunar tides. The new moon is a time when lunar gravity is strong, pulling water up through the earth and helping seeds to swell and burst. This leads to balanced root and leaf growth, and so this is a good time to plant above ground leafy crops, especially those with seeds outside the fruit. So lettuce, spinach and cabbage are all helped by being planted soon after a new moon.
As the moon moves into her second quarter, there is less lunar gravitational pull but more moonlight, enhancing leaf growth. This is seen as a good time to sow above ground plants with seeds inside the fruit, such as peas, courgettes and tomatoes.
Once the moon is past full and begins to wane, the light decreases whilst the gravitational pull is strong again. This is the most helpful time for planting root crops such as potatoes and carrots. It's also a good time to plant anything that needs strong and active root growth, such as hardy perennials which will thrive for many years to come.
The final quarter leading to the next new moon is seen as a rest period, with less light and also less gravitational pull. Rather than planting, this is a time to harvest, prune and transplant, ready for the new growth which will follow the new moon.
As well as the phase of the moon, taking the astrological sign currently occupied by the moon into account can also strengthen your green fingers. Different signs of the zodiac favour different plants and activities. The water signs of Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are seen as the most abundant and fruitful, just as the moon is seen as the most fertile of the heavenly bodies. Cancer (ruled by the moon) is seen as the best sign for all planting and transplanting, with Pisces the second best. Moon in Scorpio is an especially productive time for planting vines, shrubs, and other sturdy plants. A waning moon in Scorpio is a good time for grafting and pruning if you want to increase the growth of your fruit.
You would expect the earth signs to be the most fertile time for planting, and indeed a Taurus moon is considered an excellent time for planting and transplanting, especially for leafy vegetables such as cabbage and spinach, and root crops such as potatoes. A strong steady Capricorn moon is also a good time for planting root crops, and for encouraging hardy growth throughout the garden. However Virgo is seen as a moist but barren sign, better suited to weeding and destroying pests than to planting.
Air signs are generally seen as barren and dry, and along with the fire signs are considered the best time for harvesting and weeding. The exception to this is the cardinal air sign of Libra (cardinal signs are associated with new beginnings, so planting at these times adds extra energy). Moon in Libra is a good time to plant flowers, herbs and vines, perhaps not surprising for a sign ruled by Venus.
The possibilities for astrological gardening are endless - for example, the soil is governed by Saturn, so it is recommended that preparing the soil is done under favourable aspects between Saturn and the moon. Many plants, especially herbs, are ruled by particular planets, so perhaps it would be helpful to wait for favourable aspects between the fertile moon and the governing planet of the seeds in question when sowing and indeed when harvesting.
So, with a new moon is Pisces at 20.45 tonight, I may just be spending some of the weekend amongst the seeds and the soil!
But as I've been discovering, there's so much more to it than that. The first thing to take into account is the exact phase of the moon, to bring the energies of the garden in tune with the lunar tides. The new moon is a time when lunar gravity is strong, pulling water up through the earth and helping seeds to swell and burst. This leads to balanced root and leaf growth, and so this is a good time to plant above ground leafy crops, especially those with seeds outside the fruit. So lettuce, spinach and cabbage are all helped by being planted soon after a new moon.
As the moon moves into her second quarter, there is less lunar gravitational pull but more moonlight, enhancing leaf growth. This is seen as a good time to sow above ground plants with seeds inside the fruit, such as peas, courgettes and tomatoes.
Once the moon is past full and begins to wane, the light decreases whilst the gravitational pull is strong again. This is the most helpful time for planting root crops such as potatoes and carrots. It's also a good time to plant anything that needs strong and active root growth, such as hardy perennials which will thrive for many years to come.
The final quarter leading to the next new moon is seen as a rest period, with less light and also less gravitational pull. Rather than planting, this is a time to harvest, prune and transplant, ready for the new growth which will follow the new moon.
As well as the phase of the moon, taking the astrological sign currently occupied by the moon into account can also strengthen your green fingers. Different signs of the zodiac favour different plants and activities. The water signs of Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are seen as the most abundant and fruitful, just as the moon is seen as the most fertile of the heavenly bodies. Cancer (ruled by the moon) is seen as the best sign for all planting and transplanting, with Pisces the second best. Moon in Scorpio is an especially productive time for planting vines, shrubs, and other sturdy plants. A waning moon in Scorpio is a good time for grafting and pruning if you want to increase the growth of your fruit.
You would expect the earth signs to be the most fertile time for planting, and indeed a Taurus moon is considered an excellent time for planting and transplanting, especially for leafy vegetables such as cabbage and spinach, and root crops such as potatoes. A strong steady Capricorn moon is also a good time for planting root crops, and for encouraging hardy growth throughout the garden. However Virgo is seen as a moist but barren sign, better suited to weeding and destroying pests than to planting.
Air signs are generally seen as barren and dry, and along with the fire signs are considered the best time for harvesting and weeding. The exception to this is the cardinal air sign of Libra (cardinal signs are associated with new beginnings, so planting at these times adds extra energy). Moon in Libra is a good time to plant flowers, herbs and vines, perhaps not surprising for a sign ruled by Venus.
The possibilities for astrological gardening are endless - for example, the soil is governed by Saturn, so it is recommended that preparing the soil is done under favourable aspects between Saturn and the moon. Many plants, especially herbs, are ruled by particular planets, so perhaps it would be helpful to wait for favourable aspects between the fertile moon and the governing planet of the seeds in question when sowing and indeed when harvesting.
So, with a new moon is Pisces at 20.45 tonight, I may just be spending some of the weekend amongst the seeds and the soil!