Moon Planting

It's amazing that plants are so connected to the moon, as the sun and the seasons have a more obvious effect.  I've learned in my gardening that they do.  In the Farmer's Almanac there is a small section that describes gardening by the moon. The basic idea is to plant above ground vegetables when the moon is waxing and below ground vegetables when the moon is waning.  There is next to this a section that describes the best moon constellations for planting, fertilizing, pruning, etc. They go in to times for special work in animal husbandry, as well. Since I have no animals, I don't pay much attention to that.

I like gardening with the moon.  I've used the Farmer's Almanac suggestions and also a calendar by the name of Stella Natura.  It is set up like a regular calendar and tells you when to work with certain kinds of plants according to the zodiac constellation the moon is in. Not so far from the Farmer's Almanac, just a slightly different take.

I've done my own experimenting by noticing when plants seem to do best, if I take all this moon advice.  And I've discovered some patterns of my own.  It can get to be a bit technical, if you don't keep a garden journal.  But I just mark things on the calendar and note if the seeds came up, the transplant worked, or didn't, etc.  Sometimes I just remember.

I planted my fall garden seeds in old annual six-pack trays a week or so ago. I planted all the leaf seeds, the seeds of leafy vegetables, at what I though was the best time by the moon.  They came up in two days.

They were sitting outside on the patio. I plant them this way rather than straight in the garden, as the squirrels are hard at work burying nuts. If I till and plant seeds, that's the perfect place for them to plant nuts, or so they think.  So I'll give them a head start on the patio.

I am always so surprised when my seeds come up in record time.  Ever since I've been trying to plant by the moon, this will happen to me.  It doesn't happen every time, as I often don't select the very best time.  It's a matter of connecting with my intuition and all the moon planting advice I've read, and then planting.  It feels so good to get the right time.  Sometimes I can sense that I've gotten the right time when I plant. I have the feeling that I've put the money in the right slot this time.  Hope you understand what I mean.

Here are the little fellows just coming up-- my lettuces and mesclun mix.  Seedlings are terribly exciting for me.  They have all the promise of big plants with a salad to offer or big blossoms to come.  They are little plants coming into being.  I love it.

Here they are after a few more days. Getting to be big guys.  Secondary leaves just starting to appear. I used to always water them with chamomile tea to prevent damping off, but lately I haven't had this problem.

I find this part of gardening needs a delicate touch and a watchful eye. I have to be cognizant each day of the seedlings. They are easily disturbed at this point, by lack of water, too much sun, insects.  But it is one of the more fulfilling parts of gardening-- watching a seed grow into a whole plant with leaves and or flowers.  It can be a frustrating part, as well, when the seeds don't come up or they're struck down by something or other.

The moon planting just gives me a jump on seed sprouting and, later, on the strength and health of the plant (more on that later).  Have any of you done these kinds of experiments? Tell me about it.