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Spring has arrived and it’s time to think about planting. Lots of books have been written, and science has been conducted concerning the best time to plant and what to plant. Thanks to research and development of seed varieties, gardens and fields often flourish if timely rains fall. Developments in pesticides and fertilizers continue to enhance plant growth.
However, there was a time when gardening and farming were less scientifically focused. With less agricultural science to lean on, anyone wishing to have a successful growing season would have to look elsewhere for help with planting.
Often, they looked to the Moon.
The Moon has captured the interest of humans since the beginning of time. Its size and distance from Earth are just right. It controls the tides, manages Earth’s rotation and provides light on dark nights. For thousands of years, its phases and position in the sky have been believed to influence everything from the weather to when to plant and prune crops. Great thinkers like Theophrastus, Aristotle, Cicero, Bacon, Virgil and Sir William Herschel have all speculated and written about the Moon’s influence on Earth.
Careful observation seemed to show a connection between the Moon and plant growth. Almanacs continue to draw this connection, with suggestions of what to plant and when according to the Moon.
It takes about 29 ½ days for the Moon to go through its phases: new, first quarter, full and third quarter. The Moon isn’t visible at all during its new phase. Each successive night, the Moon will grow from a slim crescent until it reaches its full phase. This takes roughly 14 days. After its full phase, the Moon gradually returns to its new phase to begin the cycle anew.
The period between the Moon’s new phase and its full phase is called ‘the light of the Moon’ or waxing Moon. It’s during the ‘light of the Moon’ that above-ground crops should be planted for the best results. Peas, lettuce and tomatoes are good examples. Flowers also do well when planted during the ‘light of the Moon’. Trees and other plants may be pruned at this time to encourage new growth.
The period between the Moon’s full and new phase is called the ‘dark of the Moon’ or waning Moon. It’s during this time that below-ground crops should be planted. Potatoes, carrots and turnips are good examples. Trees and plants may be pruned to discourage new growth.
But how could the Moon’s light influence planting? While scientific confirmation is lacking, there are some possibilities.
As the Moon gradually gains light each night, it is also slowly aligning itself with the Earth and Sun. When the Moon is full, it is almost directly in line with the Earth and Sun. This lining up of the Moon, Earth and Sun increases a gravitational tug on Earth. Think about how the Moon influences ocean tides. Tides are higher during a full Moon. The concept is the same with plants. It’s not much, but the belief is that this little tug of extra gravity increases the flow of water and sap through plants. The tug increases as the Moon grows full and decreases as the Moon’s light fades. In this case, it’s not the Moon’s light that is directly affecting the plants, but the increase in water and sap flowing through the plants. With this in mind, the idea of planting during the ‘light of the Moon’ makes sense, especially for above-ground plants. Conversely, below-ground crops might need less of a gravitational tug and do better when planted during the ‘dark of the Moon’. It also stands to reason that pruning, either to encourage or discourage plant growth, can be done based on sap and water flow. Pruning to encourage new growth is more effective when the plant’s fluids are flowing more freely.
Light from the Moon may also play a role in plant growth. Of course, the Moon doesn’t make its own light but reflects the light of the Sun. This reflected sunlight is far less intense than direct sunlight, so the process of photosynthesis is probably not enhanced by the Moon’s light. Basically, photosynthesis converts the energy of the Sun’s light to chemical energy for plants. Although the Moon’s reflected sunlight probably doesn’t help much with photosynthesis, studies have shown that sunlight reflected off the Moon falls slightly more in the infrared spectrum than direct sunlight.
This slight shift to the infrared appears to increase the use and storage of starches in plants. Moonlight has also been observed to slightly increase leaf growth, especially near the Moon’s full phase.
There are a few other ways the Moon might influence plant growth. Some studies indicate that seeds planted close to the full Moon have a higher rate of germination than those planted near the new Moon. Plants might also have an easier time drawing moisture from the Earth when the Moon is close to full.
One final note. The Moon travels through the signs of the zodiac as it goes through its phases. Some people believe that the Moon’s presence in certain zodiac signs also may benefit or inhibit plant growth. For example, it is suggested that corn be planted when the Moon is in Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces. The reasons for the Moon’s influence on plants while in a particular zodiac sign are far less clear than the influence provided by the Moon’s light or gravitational pull.
While modern science has improved the overall success of gardening and farming through improved seed varieties and fertilizers, planting according to the Moon is a practice that has persisted for thousands of years. Perhaps there really is something to it.
All the information needed to plant by the signs of the Moon can be found in any good almanac. Good luck!
(The Prairie Press is pleased to introduce its newest columnist, Kevin Orpurt. Kevin began his broadcasting career in 1982 with WTHI-TV and spent 40 years on air. Today, the Terre Haute resident enjoys writing all things weather, nature and scientific, especially for his weekly Prairie Press column, ‘Weather or Not.’)