How To

Using the Phases of the Moon to Grow a Better Garden

Kate | Be Happy and Do Good

Sounds like magic doesn’t it? Looking at the phases of the moon to determine when to plant. Or maybe it seems too old fashioned since we are in the second decade of the new millennia and technology dominates our daily lives. However, my grandma would say it doesn’t matter what year it is. Grandma would tell me, “When it’s the dark of the moon, you better get those potatoes in the ground!”

Real or not, I’m not about to go against my grandma’s planting expertise. The woman had a green thumb. Her garden produced bushels of food every year that she lovingly canned and shared. If using the phases of the moon worked for Grandma for 89 years, I’m going to stick with it too! Who am I to question decades of farmers’ advice?

If you are unsure of what phase of the moon you currently are dealing with, check out this website. You can choose any date back to 1951. Of course weather plays a role in being able to work outside, but as Grandma would say, it’s better to plan ahead and be ready to plant when the opportunity presents itself. I would agree. Seed potatoes, for instance, need to be cut up and sprouting before they can be planted. I know many gardeners start looking forward to the next year’s garden in January and ordering seeds. This, my friends, isn’t me. Depending on the weather, I might wait until February or March. 🙂

As a huge fan of visual aids, I created the one below to show the moon phases and when to plant different items in the garden. Feel free to print this out for your yearly use. I like physical reminders…seeing is much easier for me than remembering where I might have “pinned” an idea on my Pinterest boards. 🙂

using the phases of the moon for successful gardening

Please let me know how using the phases of the moon helped you to grow a better garden. I know Grandma swore by it. (Actually, Grandma never swore, but you know what I mean.) Go, plant, and enjoy the abundance provided by God. Whether you have a weed patch (like my garden) or a pristinely planned masterpiece, growing just a little (or a lot) of food is extremely rewarding. I wish you the best of luck this growing season!