Feeling Gravity’s Pull:
n i ng e f Introdu d e i r r a B A ction to Lunar G by Benjamin Goulet
Since ancient times, farmers and gardeners have looked to the moon as both spiritual guide and practical bellwether. The moon’s four key phases: new moon, second quarter, full moon and fourth quarter, have long informed tenders of the land. Each phase, and its varietal effects on the gravitational pull of the Earth, is believed to have an influence on crop production. This process has a few different names, such as ‘lunar gardening’, ‘agricultural astrology’ or ‘moon planting’, but the approach is all the same: gardening by the phases of the moon. Lunar gardening is one of those ancient practices that are steeped in delicious superstition, while thinly backed by science. Even with its detractors, lunar gardening is becoming more and more popular with advocates of permaculture (the practice of sustainable agriculture). The idea is that, like the ocean that swells during high tide (when the Earth, sun and moon are aligned), each phase of the moon influences the moisture in the ground, resulting in higher levels of moisture near the surface of the soil. The belief is that this pull of moisture translates to better germination. Therefore, with the ebb and flow of moisture through gravity’s pull, the success of specific crops can vary during different phases. For example, shortly after a full moon – when gravitational pull is high – moisture in the soil increases. These conditions are favorable to root crops, such as vegetables, and this phase is advantageous for planting. A second quarter moon, when gravitational pull is less (but the light of the moon is prevalent,) is beneficial to leaf growth. Some followers of lunar gardening get into the weeds (no pun intended) of waxing and waning moons, developing intricate processes that align with each detailed phase.
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