The secret of lunar calendar gardening: bio-intensive harmony with cosmic rhythm 🌕🌱
Lunar calendar gardening (also known as lunar gardening) is one of the oldest, most bio-intensive methods in existence. It is not esotericism or superstition, but a practice based on a profound observation of the rhythms of nature. Since the moon’s gravitational pull can move ocean waters (tides), it is assumed that it has a similar effect on the sap in the earth’s soil and plant tissues. In BioGarden365’s bio-intensive approach, the lunar calendar is the pinnacle of planning: it allows you to sow, plant and harvest at the right time , maximising the vitality, quantity and nutrient content of your harvest. However, to use it successfully, you need to understand exactly the phases of the moon and their cosmic relationships. This article is a comprehensive, 2000+ word guide to the theory and practice of lunar calendar gardening. 🔭
1. The basis of lunar gardening: the flow of water and moisture 💧
At the heart of the theory behind the lunar calendar is gravity and light. The moon’s cycle is followed in 29.5 day periods. The cycle is divided into two main phases, waxing and waning.
1.1. Phase of the Waxing Moon (New Moon to Full Moon) ⬆️
- Features: the intensity of the light and the Moon’s attraction are increasing.
- Effects on plants: sap flows intensively upwards in plants, from the roots towards the stems, leaves and fruits. This makes the upper part of the plant more swollen and active.
- Tasks: this period is ideal for all gardening activities that aim at the upward growth of plants. So it is excellent for planting, sowing seeds, grafting and harvesting leafy vegetables.
- Horticultural advice: sowing and planting of leafy vegetables (lettuce, spinach, cabbage) and fruit-bearing crops (tomatoes, peppers) is particularly successful at this stage.
1.2. The Waning Moon Phase (Full Moon to New Moon) ⬇️
- Features: the Moon’s light and attraction are reduced.
- Effects on plants: sap flows downwards in plants towards the roots. In contrast, the upper parts are less stressed, while the roots are more active.
- Tasks: this is the ideal time to work on the soil, strengthen roots and control pests. This includes planting root vegetables, composting and pruning.
- Horticultural suggestion: sowing and planting root vegetables (beetroot, beetroot, potatoes) and all kinds of pruning and harvesting work. As the juices are in the roots, pruning does not cause much wounding, but the root vegetables will be easier to store.
2. Phases of the Moon and the lunar calendar Gardening 🌙
The phases of the Moon are divided into four quarters, each with its own specific purpose.
2.1 New Moon – Day of Planning and Renewal 🌑
- Cosmic energy: the beginning of a new cycle. The Earth, Moon and Sun are aligned. This phase is the best for healing and laying the foundation for growth.
- What to do: ideal for preparing seeds, planning beds and disinfecting tools. According to the lunar calendar of gardening, the New Moon is a day of renewal. In contrast, direct sowing should not be done at this time, as growth energy is still weak.
- Bio-intensive tip: Prepare the base for fermented nettle juice for the first quarter, so the energy of the growing moon will give the seedlings ready-made nutrients.
2.2 First Quarter (Waxing Crescent/Gibbous) – The Power of Leaf and Fruit ⬆️
- Phase: between New Moon and Full Moon. The Moon is getting bigger.
- What to do: sowing, planting and watering. According to the lunar calendar, sowing in this quarter of the year results in the most active germination.
- Plants:
- Leafy vegetables: lettuce, spinach, cabbage. (Moisture is concentrated in the leaves.)
- Fruit-bearing plants: tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, beans (shoots are more vigorous.)
- Bio-intensive tip: Plant or sow key herbs (basil, dill) now. With the waxing moon helping them to grow quickly, herbs are already ready to protect the main plants.
2.3 Full Moon – Day of Maximum Energy 🌕
- Cosmic energy: the Moon’s energy is at its peak. The Earth’s surface contains the most moisture.
- What to do: any activity that requires large amounts of fluid or nutrients. Avoid pruning, however, because the plant loses a lot of moisture due to the high moisture loss and the wound is difficult to heal.
- Horticultural suggestion: according to the lunar calendar gardening, liquid fertilization (e.g. with nettle juice) and pre-soaking of seeds before germination are the most ideal at this stage.
2.4 Third Quarter (Waning Gibbous/Crescent) – The Root and Harvest Phase ⬇️
- Phase: between Full Moon and New Moon. The Moon gets smaller and smaller.
- What to do: sap loss is concentrated downwards, towards the roots. This is the ideal time to work the soil, control pests and plant root vegetables.
- Plants:
- Root vegetables: carrots, beetroot, potatoes, radishes. (Root tubers grow more intensively.)
- Onions: garlic, onion.
- Bio-intensive tip: Bio-spraying is also more effective against bedbugs and other pests, as the moisture is in the roots of the plant, so the spray is less stressful on the upper part of the plant. Also, pruning and harvesting should be done now for better storage.
3. The Moon and the signs: days of the four elements ♈️♎️
The lunar calendar is the high school of gardening, when the phases of the Moon are linked to the Zodiac signs. The Moon passes through a sign roughly every 2-3 days. The 12 zodiac signs are assigned to the four elements (fire, earth, air, water), which in turn influence the four main parts of plants:
| Element / Star sign | Type of day | Affected plant part | Things to do in the garden | Examples |
| Fire (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) | Crop Day | Seeds, Crops | Sowing, planting, harvesting. | Tomatoes, Peppers, Beans, Corn |
| Earth (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) | Root Day | Root, Gum | Sowing, planting, harvesting, soil work. | Carrots, Beetroot, Potatoes, Onions |
| Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) | Flower and seed sowing day | Flower, Propagating material | Planting, pollination, herb collection. | Broccoli, Cauliflower, Herbs |
| Water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) | Leaf- and moisture sun | Letter, Stem | Irrigation, liquid fertilisation, leafy greens harvesting. | Lettuce, Spinach, Cabbage, Leeks |
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Practical application: if the lunar calendar indicates a rooting day during the Waning Moon phase, it is the best day to plant root vegetables, as the energy of the Moon and the element of the zodiac sign also affect the roots. This will maximize the development of tubers.
4. The Lunar Calendar Gardening and Biointensive Practices 🧑🌾
Lunar calendar gardening and bio-intensive approaches complement each other perfectly. Both build on the support of natural processes.
4.1. Soil work and the Moon 🪱
- No-Dig method and Waning Moon: compost and mulch for no-dig beds should be spread during the Waning Moon. As the moisture flows towards the roots, the nutrients in the compost can penetrate the deeper layers of the soil.
- Weeding and Root Days: remove unwanted weeds during the Waning Moon phase, preferably during Root Days. This way, weeds’ roots will be less lodged in the soil and easier to remove, and rapid regrowth of weeds will be inhibited.
4.2 Pest control and pruning ✂️
- Pruning: pruning of fruit trees, tomatoes or runner plants (e.g. removing axillary shoots from tomato plants ) should always be done during the Waning Moon phase (third and fourth quarters). This is important because the loss of moisture from the plant is minimal at this time, so the wound heals more quickly and there is less chance of fungal infection on the surface of the moist wound.
- Pest and Disease Control: for bio-control of bedbugs, spray with calyx soap or Neem oil during the Waning Moon (preferably on Air or Water Day). However, do not spray on the days before harvest.
5. The digital lunar calendar: BioGarden365 at your fingertips 📱
Accurate adherence to the lunar calendar gardening can be extremely time-consuming in everyday life, as you need to constantly follow the phases of the moon and the signs of the zodiac. This is where the BioGarden365 app comes in handy, bringing you ancient knowledge in a digital, personalised format.
- Personalised lunar calendar: the app accurately indicates the phases of the moon for your garden location, as well as the moon’s current sign (Root Day, Flower Day, etc.).
- Interactive Tasks: it not only indicates the phase, but also automatically assigns the best sowing, planting and pruning times for your selected plants (e.g. tomato planting). This way, the lunar calendar is not a theoretical aid, but an interactive daily to-do list.
- Journaling: in the Journaling module, you can record when and at what stage you sowed (e.g. pepper seedlings sown on Harvest Day). This allows you to compare your harvest with previous sowings, so you can improve your lunar calendar gardening method based on your own experience.
6. Closing: the journey of the cosmic gardener 💚
Gardening according to the lunar calendar is about living in harmony. If we observe the rhythms of nature and plan our work according to the Moon’s energies, our plants will be stronger, healthier and the quantity and quality of our harvest will increase. So get started on your lunar gardening today!