Not sure if I believe it but am open to the possibility. After all, hospital emergency departments are full to overflowing on full moons, so if it can have some impact on us then I'm willing to believe it can have an impact on plants.
I've decided this year to give it a go. I'll get hold of the next local biodynamic almanac, usually out in November. I know several people who swear by it. One in particular has a web site dedicated to it (only suitable for us downunder folk I'm afraid) and her take is that if you can, then do it, but if weather or whatever doesn't permit, then just go ahead and plant at any time. Better to have something in the ground than not!

Many years ago in an effort to prove such ol' fashioned tales were just that, I planted radishes in the wrong sign.
They grew nearly as tall as my knees & when pulled them they had so little root, I wondered how they even stood up.

Strictly planted by the signs after that...much more success.

Suzi

I've had similar incidents. Have you ever noticed that sometimes when you try and remove weeds they immediately come back, and other times they're gone for good. The almanac says there are days to weed, days to plant, to do almost anything. I've had 2 incidents with surgery,(my sons and his wife both had wisdom teeth removed) one on the "right" time and one on the "wrong" time. There was definitely a difference. 3 days healing compared to 2 weeks healing. So....If it works..Well maybe it won't hurt to try.

Like you say Wayne, dental work is definitely affected.
My Mother would never have surgery or dental procedures without consulting moon signs.

Another strange thing...in certain phase of the moon when a hole is dug all the soil removed (and placed on a tarp as a test) will not fill it again; in another phase you cannot get it all back in.

Suzi

Not sure if I believe it but am open to the possibility. After all, hospital emergency departments are full to overflowing on full moons, so if it can have some impact on us then I'm willing to believe it can have an impact on plants.

There is no correlation between ER admissions and moon phases.

I got one of those moon/astological phase calendars a couple years ago and tried to follow the gardening advice but it sort of stressed me out. It's hard enough for busy working preople to get things done when you have time and when the rains and sunshine cooperate, but trying to fit gardening activities into the often narrow windows provided by the moon phases and astrological signs was just too hard. Plus I really didn't see any significant difference in my garden successes that year. Maybe when I retire (if I ever can retire!) I'll try again.

Maybe you're right username 5. I should have given sources as you did but my sources are simply anecdotes from nurses who work in emergency departments.

I remember my Father (who was 3rd generation Welsh Farmer) telling me that pigs should only be killed during certain moon phases and plants sown etc. Ask any fisherman if he follows the moon phases (the good ones who do catch more). We're all stuck on this planet by gravity and that changes the farther and closer the moon is from the Earth, animals naturally follow their own life/monthly cycles (except in February when they go on holiday to Barbados) so why don't we fo;;ow the natural cycles-simply because man's addiction to speed/electricity/money. Society should slow down/live more naturally/dump the money system.

Raymondo, pay no attention, my daughter also works in a hospital, dr's and nurses hate full moon time.but, i bet they cant admit it outside their circles--discrimination, dont cha know?
and i, too have planted in the wrong sign, i've weaned babies by both signs, cut hair, etc. sure makes a difference.after all, the Bible says there time for each thing.

"Many years ago in an effort to prove such ol' fashioned tales were just that, I planted radishes in the wrong sign.
They grew nearly as tall as my knees & when pulled them they had so little root, I wondered how they even stood up."

Hi Suzi -- I'm wondering what's going on with my radishes right now -- they are gorgeous tops and no formed root. Just curious, when are you supposed to plant root crops such as radish?

I recently purchased a 'Gardening by the Moon 2006' calendar. I'm going to be trying it out next year. The makers of the calendar have a website (link below) that has lots of information on it. It suggests that planting root crops after the full moon and before new moon in an earth or water sign would give best growth to the root crop. It looks like they publish three versions of their calendar--one for long growing seasons (zones 7,8,9)set in Pacific standard time, one for medium seasons (zones 5,6) set in Eastern standard time, and a short growing season calendar (zones 4,5) also set in eastern time. All the best, jim

Here is a link that might be useful: Moon gardening info

My dad once told me that his father--an avid gardener--swore by the moon phases, and would always consult the almanac. Never got a bum crop from what my dad said. I also remember reading someplace (sorry I don't remember where) that scientists are starting to study gardening by the moon phases to see if there is any scientific confirmation of these old folk tails.

Hi, ER nurse here...I can't say that we are busier when the moon is full...but weird stuff seems to happen about then. I live in the No. Georgia mountains and the old timers here swear by following the moon signs for planting, planning surgeries, etc. It's fun to talk with them about it. I have never had the luxury of planning my gardening around the signs, but would like to give it a try.

It can't hurt.

I think it is mostly nonsense. That said, there is some evidence that tilling by moonlight lessens generation of weed seeds (apparently even a few seconds of sun light is all a few weed seeds need to spring to life.) And, here in Florida cool or crop-killing weather tends to arrive on the full moons of Dec, Jan, Feb and March.

This is the link to the Farmer's Almanac.

I copy the monthly guide in my journal the first of every month, and I do my best to follow it. I usually have pretty fair gardens, and I do admit that I worry when I plant seeds on a day when it says 'Do no planting'.

I have been using this for years, as did my Dad, and GrandDad.

Janie

Here is a link that might be useful: Farmer's Almanac

It was explained to me once in terms of the pull of the moon affecting moisture being closer or further from the surface of the ground (ergo more available to seeds and young roots), much like ocean tides. That made a lot of sense to me.

I usually do my planting, then remember to consult the moon calendar. LOL.

Hola Wayne,

The book How to Grow More Vegetables by John Jeavons advocates planting and transplanting by the phases of the moon. There are charts that indicate whether particular seeds would be better sown at the new or full moon. I've experimented with the process and it has worked.

However, it seems to me that planting by phases of the moon and / or by the astrological sign that the moon is in are two different concepts. Every day somewhere on the planet it is winter, spring, summer, or fall. Therefore, it makes no sense that seeds would be best germinated under the influence of a particular sign when in one location it would be appropriate and in another not.

Local lore that indicates the best planting times linked to a particular astrological sign seems fitting, but to make generalizations and then apply them to the entire planet does not.

For those interested in the subject of the influence of zodiacal signs during the time of the full moon on humans, the book Symphony of the Zodiac by Torkom Saraydarian may be fascinating.

Terran

Here is a link that might be useful: Symphony of the Zodiac

Well, the Zodiak is a month to month thing, so planting under cancer would be vastly different than planting under Virgo. However, astrological signs are 2000 years out of date, and no one has bothered to fix them, which indicates to me that the only posible tuth to them is the fact that they actually happen at different times during the year, a pig born in spring has a different childhood than a pig born in fall.

No one can deny that the moon has some effect on animals, corals in the sea, dogs, almost half the human population (there are more females than males, but menopause and preadolescents aren't on 28 day scheduals) and there are plants that respond to the cycles of the moon were flowering is concerned, so it seems that it would have some effect, even if its not gravity its still light isn't it. I do wonder how this affects transplants and the like, should I pop the seeds into starter trays one certain days, or should I chuck them into the ground at certain times, oh there are so many options!

Hello all. So do i plant seeds for herbs at the beginning of a new moon. As it is now?

Thanks. Jamm-T

Jamm-T if you don't want to guess go to the website Janie recommended, select HOme & Garden then click on 2 months worth of gardening. As Janie I print it out every 2 months and yes it works. I've tested it and found I get better germination rates on good days to sow and I can use less herbicide on days it says it's not good to plant.

As you can see it recommends March 16-18 as the best planting days for aboveground crops, especially peas, beans, cucumbers and squash where climate permits. Plant seedbeds and flower gardens.

The old wives tale says to plant peas on St Patrick's Day.