• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Carol J. Michel

Award winner author of gardening humor books

  • About
    • Contact
  • Blog
  • Books
    • Shop
    • Gardening Humor
    • Children’s Books
    • New – The Halloween Hare
  • Speaking
    • Upcoming Speaking Engagements
  • Social
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
  • Gardening Humor
  • Children’s
  • All Books

May Dreams Gardens

By the Light of the Silvery Moon

January 25, 2010 By Carol Michel 9 Comments

By the light of the silvery moon…

This is the year that I’m actually going to pay attention to the moon phases when I sow seeds for my vegetables. (Yes, Dr. Hortfreud, I know I say that every year, but I mean it this time.)

The basic idea of planting according to the moon phases is to plant above ground crops on those days between the new moon and the full moon. Then plant below ground crops on those days between the full moon and the new moon.  This is supposed to make them grow better, overall.

The biggest adjustment will be that I won’t get to rush out to the garden on March 17th, my traditional day for planting peas and all other early spring vegetables, and just plant everything all at once on the same day.

According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac for 2010, I should plant the onions and radishes and other root crops between the full moon and the new moon. This will be between March 1 – 14 this year or after March 29th. I should then plant the peas, lettuce, and spinach sometime between the new moon and the full moon, between March 15 – 29th.

Sounds easy enough, and at least this year, I can still plant peas on March 17th.

Does planting by the phases of the moon make me more of an eccentric gardener? (Yes, I admit to being “a bit” of an eccentric gardener.) Or is everyone saying it is about time I got with the program?

Who else is planting according to the phases of the moon?

*****

Don’t forget to click over to Dee’s blog, Red Dirt Ramblings and check out her contest to win your own Fiskars® Momentum™ Reel Mower. The moon is waxing which is the best time to enter contests, right?

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: vegetable garden

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. EAL says

    January 25, 2010 at 3:14 am

    This is a major principle in biodynamic winemaking, and some very serious vineyards use it, such as LaFlaive and Chapoutier, producers long known for making some of the best wine in the world. If they say it works, I believe them.

    Reply
  2. Garden Lily says

    January 25, 2010 at 6:19 am

    Fascinating, I've never heard that before. I find that a bit hard to believe there would be much if any effect, just like I don't believe that the date of my birth determines my personality or fate. (Although it doesn't stop me from proudly proclaiming myself a "fire horse" according to the Chinese zodiac, since I found "we" are characterized as "notoriously headstrong". Ha ha, I'm not sure it's really me, but I like to think of myself that way.)

    Reply
  3. heen Yoest @ Gardening With Confidence™ says

    January 25, 2010 at 10:39 am

    It just makes sense, doesn't it? When you think of how powerful the force of the moon is. Lucky for you, as you adjust your seed sowing schedule, pea planting time stays in place…at least for this year.

    Reply
  4. carolee says

    January 25, 2010 at 2:58 pm

    I read an article in an English gardening magazine while I was visiting my daughter. They did a season-long study, planting crops side by side in rows (same soil, same care, etc. etc.) Half were seeded whenever the soil was workable, half were seeded (using identical number of same seeds) by the correct moon phase. Logs were kept of germination, growth, and pounds of harvest. I can't remember the details, but I do remember it seemed to make a big difference in some crops (especially the root crops) but little or no difference in others (such as lettuce). I wish I could remember the magazine, but I'm getting old. It was very interesting though, and on the plane home, I wished I'd taken notes. Herbal blessings, Carolee

    Reply
  5. Unknown says

    January 25, 2010 at 5:14 pm

    I don't think this makes you eccentric at all, Carol. I live by the ocean and know exactly what the moon does to the tides, so of course it will affect other things (including us humans.) I'll enjoy seeing what your observations are, as you're always so good at tracking things.

    Reply
  6. Ramble on Rose says

    January 25, 2010 at 8:30 pm

    Unfortunately for me planting will happen hurriedly when it can be squeezed in during kids' naps. I obey the nap phases, the moon must take a back seat!

    Reply
  7. Jan says

    January 25, 2010 at 8:47 pm

    I like to think that the moon can't possibly make any difference at all. But there's a little niggle at the back of my mind that maybe it does. Never tried it, but maybe I ought to!

    Reply
  8. Mr. McGregor's Daughter says

    January 25, 2010 at 11:23 pm

    I've heard that there's a scientific basis for this, but I can't remember what it was. So, I'll say you're not eccentric, but instead are simply following scientifically recommended practices.

    Reply
  9. Rose says

    January 26, 2010 at 12:38 am

    My grandfather always planted vegetables according to the phases of the moon, and he certainly wasn't eccentric, Carol. Of course, he also said you should plant potatoes on Good Friday, which I always wondered about since that date varies from year to year.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Updates from Carol Michel

* indicates required
Email Preferences

Categories

  • Blog (3,047)
  • Internal (2)

Blog Tags

annuals Blogging books bulbs dr. hortfreud embrace fairies fall family flowers fruits garden bloggers bloom day garden bloggers book club garden design gardeners gardening gardening geek gardens hoes holidays hortense hoelove houseplants humor indoor gardening insects lawn letters to gardening friends perennials rabbits reviews Secrets seeds shrubs spring tools trees vegetable garden vegetable gardening vegetables weather weeding weeds when a gardener wildflower wednesday winter

The Gardenangelists Podcast with Dee Nash

Gardenangelists Podcast

Footer

Gardenangelists Podcast with Dee Nash

Gardenangelists Podcast

Connect

  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • maydreams icon

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Contact
  • Books
  • May Dreams Gardens
  • Podcast

Updates from Carol Michel

* indicates required
Email Preferences

Newsletter Archive

Copyright © 2023 · CarolJMichel.com · Sitemap · Privacy Policy

Book purchase links are affiliate links and Carol earns a small commission if you make a purchase.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT