How to use the moon calendar in cultivation

Table of contents:

I. But what about the land and its cycles?

III. How it connects to biodynamic agriculture

Some people believe that phases of the moon can guide innumerable actions, from the haircut to the planting. Today we are going to discuss how some who have joined biodynamic agriculture also use the lunar calendar, and the conflicts over the encounter with science. Come learn with us!

Sun, moon, stars, ascendants and descendants: astrology is an ancient wisdom used by many today, but which divides opinions. While some people love to understand more about how the cosmos can influence their lives, others disagree that they have any kind of power in us, human beings.

But what about the land and its cycles?

Like the signs, the lunar calendar is also a tool based on the study of astrological movements, and has been used since ancient times for the most diverse purposes. In the last century, there was a movement to resume these ancient wisdoms – mainly in agriculture, in what is called biodynamic agriculture. According to its teachings, each phase of the moon would be directly related to the success of each phase of planting.

We believe that, even without such a solid scientific basis, the lunar calendar can help a lot to organize your tasks in the garden and program each action. In this post, we will explain better what this calendar is and ways to interpret it and use it in your gardening routine. Come with us!

What is the lunar calendar?

The lunar calendar is considered by many to be the oldest on Earth, and is guided by the four phases of the Moon (crescent, full, waning and new) to divide the year into months that last about 29.5 days.

The ancient peoples observed the impact of the phases of the Moon on the tides, agriculture and even on people’s moods. According to this wisdom, each lunar phase is appropriate for something, whether for personal plans or planting.

Those who live in the countryside have this perception easily, but in urban centers this precious tool, the connection with the seasons, food of specific months in the year, has been lost sight of. Nature and its cycles show that there is a time to plant, another time to harvest, to nourish, to let rest.

For us, cis women who menstruate, it is even more special: its cyclical phases can connect to menstrual cycles and even last for almost the same time: 29.5 and 28 days, respectively.

How it connects to biodynamic agriculture

As we have already told you here on the website, the Biodynamic Movement was established after a long period of war. This way of relating to agriculture aims to reconnect with Mother Nature and her cycles, through sustainable gardening practices.

Some methods take into account the cycles of the Sun, Moon and stars (zodiac) – almost like witchcraft. The approach is recognized and practiced around the world, adapting to the rhythms of nature in any land and culture. One of the main names of this resumption of ancient practices is Rudolf Steiner, who disseminated this knowledge in the book “Agriculture: Spiritual Foundations for the Renewal of Agriculture”.

Another important person in the biodynamic approach is Maria Thun, a german woman who made several experiments to develop what would soon become her calendar, dividing the cycle into four aspects: days of leaves, fruits, flowers and roots.

Through it, she shows the ideal days to prune, sow and harvest different plants. It also takes into account the lunar phases, and makes a lot of sense especially for those who cultivate outdoors, where the plants are directly connected with the soil and with nature in general.

How can you use it

After understanding the theory behind all of this a little better, will we dive into the more practical questions?

Maria Thun was the one who most studied the relationship between the zodiac, the moon and the growth of plants. Her tests were done with radite and beans, in different phases of the moon and in different signs throughout the year. What she found was that:

With the Moon in the signs of the earth element (Capricorn, Virgo and Taurus), the formation of roots was facilitated.
With the Moon in the signs of the water element (fish, cancer and scorpion), the formation of leaves was facilitated.
With the Moon in the signs of the air element (Gemini, Libra and Aquarius), the formation of flowers was facilitated.
And with the Moon in the signs of the element of fire (Aries, Leo and Sagittarius), fruit formation was facilitated.

She also understood that the Moon works as a kind of mediator, and that some of its movements can also negatively affect the growth of the plants. Its perigee, for example, seems to block the development of the observed species. And so, until today, this rescue of knowledge is organized in biodynamic calendars as a way to help guide and enhance actions in the field – but it is not a condition for not performing tasks at certain times.

There are several moments that can be used in a positive way to accomplish different tasks in the grow. On the descending moon, which lasts approximately two weeks in a month, we have qualities similar to those of autumn-winter. During the period, the juices and forces of the plants are being driven to the roots or underground organs, with greater significance for those species of annual cycles, are the most suitable days for:

Perform bare-root transplants, as the plants suffer less stress and recover more quickly.
Apply fertilizers, prepare flower beds, sow green manure, bury stakes.
Harvesting roots, bulbs and tubers during this period favors their storage and conservation.
When pruning in this period, we remove less substances and liquids.

On the other hand, the other 14 days are of the rising moon – with its spring-summer qualities, the forces and substances of the plants are pushed to the part above the ground, therefore:

By harvesting the flowers during this period, we will keep them fresh for longer.
When harvesting aromatic, leafy, stem and fruit vegetables, we will have a longer period of storage and conservation.
Graft is also favorable at this stage.

Organic carrots

But girls, does it work?

Biodynamic calendars map all these movements and explain their different influences on plants. You can choose to follow it just to get organized in relation to your cultivation plans and understand if it works for you.

As it is the result of experiments, there are really no scientific results that prove that it is better or worse than any other method.

We believe that the lunar calendar, organized in biodynamic calendars, can help a lot those who are a little lost in the dates and do not know very well when to start to germinate and plant, when to prune the plants, and when is the best time to harvest them.

But it is common to find people who do not believe that it has any influence on the development of vegetables.

We love the holistic practices of biodynamic agriculture, which leads us to understand everything that happens on earth as natural cycles, which must be understood and respected – and not combated with actions that harm the land, vegetables and the entire environment where they are inserted.

So we think that following that calendar can be a way to start creating a cultivation routine. Whether it will bring you more beautiful and fragrant buds depends on your commitment to care!

So, did you like the post? Did you already know this kind of practice? Tell us here in the comments what you think about it!