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Organic Food and Health Articles Moonlight Gardening
The moon is considered to be on the rise from new moon to half moon to full moon, and on the fall from full moon to dark of moon to new moon. The first and second quarter are known as waxing, and the third and fourth as waning. We are all familiar with the way the moon's gravitational field controls ocean tides on Earth. And most people have heard of spring and neap tides: spring tides occur when the sun and moon pull together, and neap tides when they pull against each other. But we are less familiar with the control of the moon also has over life on Earth. It was observed long ago that the phases of the moon seemed to influence the growth of crops. Lunar planting rules were developed according to how the different gravitational pull in each phase influence plants in different ways. In particular, crops that produce their yield above ground should be planted during the waxing moon, whereas those that produce below ground should be sown during the waning moon. In addition to these bi-weekly phases of the moon, there are also subtle effects related to the zodiacal house which the moon occupies. Each month the moon moves around the sky against 12 constellations of the zodiac. This means that every two or three days it enters a new constellation of the zodiac. Each is useful for some specific gardening practice.
Aries - Harvest, weed or cultivate Each constellation is associated with one of the four elements: earth, water, air and fire. Each element is said to control the growth and performance of a particular type of crop and should be sown as the chart below indicates: |
Involving astrology in the growing cycle is centuries old. Hesiod wrote a lunar agricultural manual in the eighth century BC; Cato and Pliny both mention lunar planting, and Roman farmers are known to have farmed with reference to the lunar phases. Interest in lunar planting was revived in the 20th century by the Austrian teacher and philosopher Rudolf Steiner (1861-1920), who developed the practice of biodynamic farming; a form of farming built on the traditional practices of organic farming but taking into account the condition of the cosmos. 
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