Gardening by the Moon Experiment

Gardening by the moon phases has been around for thousands of years. Over the last several months I've read about this practice and will be trying it out for the first time this year! It can seem like a rather daunting scientific procedure but the truth is, its all very basic.

During specific phases of the moon, the gravitational pull of moisture to the earth's surface causes the seed to absorb more water, and therefore bursting the seed coat sooner. This directly affects how quickly the seed germinates, root growth and leaf growth. It is suggested that seeds planted (even those started indoors!) during the correct moon phase will produce quicker, be healthier and have more crop yield. I know this may sound complicated but I've located some websites that have free lunar planting calendars. So, even if you don't want to learn the whole science behind it you don't have to! Here are two places to check out calendars. This Organic Garden site has a wealth of information on moon gardening. There is also a calendar. The Farmer's Almanac has the best calendar I think, because you can actually enter your zip code and it gives you a customized calendar for your specific area. Both calendars will actually tell you what days are best for planting seeds. For my California readers, you could be starting some seeds indoors now! I'm going to start tomatoes and a variety of chili peppers indoors this year by way of the moon phases, I encourage you to try it out as well! Lets see if there's a difference! From what I've read, there is.

P.S.

I've just placed my first seed order. Here's a list of what is on the way:

Early Jalapenos

Heirloom Roma Tomatoes

Fernleaf Dill

Serrano Peppers

Cherry Bell Radishes

Sunflowers

I ordered these from Nichols Garden Nursery.