The Garden and the Moon

The moon and gardens are associated in many ways. Many Japanese gardens place ponds or small lakes to reflect the moon and have moon-viewing platforms. When we think of our summer gardens, however, we
usually think of them in sunshine.

For generations, the Old Farmer’s Almanac has told gardeners and farmers when to plant, and clear by the phases of the moon. This month, we want to consider the garden and the moon. We’ll talk about planting and clearing by the moon and also planting gardens that are particularly attractive in the evening and by moonlight.

Before the heat of summer, we might be able to have a garden planted to enjoy in the cool of the evening, and especialy by the light of the moon.

Planting and clearing by the phases of the moon

The general principle is that top round flowers and growth should be planted as the moon waxes, or becomes more visible. Top growth includes things that grow above-ground like flowers, shrubs, vines and leaf vegetables. Below-ground growth (potatoes, radishes, beets, etc.) should be planted as the moon wanes or becomes less visible.

Thus, seeds of above-ground plants should be planted the week before the full moon and below-ground plants should be planted the week after the full moon.

The rules are reversed if you are clearing undesirable top growth like weeds, grasses you don’t want, poison oak. The best time for clearing such growth would be the week after the full moon.

Does it really matter to successful gardening whether you time your planting and clearing in sync with the full moon? Most of us plant and weed without even being aware of the moon’s phase, let alone planning our garden work to coincide with it. Many folks with busy lives can garden only when time permits, and we certainly don’t want to discourage any gardening. But if you can manage it, we suggest some experimentation this year in your garden. See for yourself if planting or clearing with the moon’s phases makes any difference.

Choose two comparable areas where you might like to have similar plantings, or that need clearing. Flip a coin to decide which area will be planted or cleared in sync with the moon and which won’t. Watch those areas throughout the year’s growth to see if they differ.

If you don’t have areas you wish to plant or clear, try taking some hardwood cutting the week before the full moon and some after the full moon. Grapes, wisteria and forsythia are a few of the plants that you can reproduce from the mother plant with great ease in the spring.

With a sharp blade, cut 8-inch to 20-inch cuttings; dip the lower ends 2 inches deep in rooting compound (e.g. Rootone); then plant the lower half in prepared soil. If you water the area regularly, next year you’ll have many replicas of your mother plants.

Or try this for trees — cut a 3-foot to 6-foot branch of poplar, cottonwood, or willow; dig a hole at least half the length of the cutting; and plant it. If you make sure to keep these cuttings wet for their first one to two years, the trees will thrive.

If your planted-with-the-moon cuttings do a lot better than your planted-against-the-moon cuttings, you might find that you have become converted to the wisdom of the old farmers. We’d love to hear about your experience.

Moon and evening gardens

Most of us don’t have space for a moon-viewing platform with a pond to reflect the moon. But most of us do have some corner or walkway that can be augmented with evening enjoyment in mind. Create a moon viewing "room" in your garden. Build a bench or two, surrounded by white flowers that will reflect the moonlight. A few solar-powered lights along your path will help visitors find your moon hideaway. A "throw-rug" of bricks in the center will pull the moon garden together.

White flowers reflect moonlight and draw nocturnal feeding insects and animals. There are beautiful white flowers for all seasons and places: white columbines, white yarrow, cosmos, iris, or lilies, white centranthus and climbing clematis, white peonies and tree peonies, snow-in-summer and white sage are just of few of the many choices.

Trees and shrubs also can grace your evening garden: dogwood trees, iceberg roses (climbing or shrub), oak leaf hydrangea, cotoneasters, white blooming camellias and viburnum are just a few suggestions. Light gray plants, such as artemisia and lambs ears, are good choices too.

Besides white flowers, blue and purple flowers are good candidates for evening gardens. The visible light shifts at twilight, and we see the blue and purple part of the spectrum with greater intensity. So adding passionflower vines, lunaria or your favorite blue and purple flowers with give some sparkle to your evening garden. Look for night-blooming flowers including some jasmines, our native datura, and moon vine to add fragrance to your evening garden.

Each month, the moon reminds us of outside forces. Let’s weave some of these into our gardens.
We might get more blooms and bountiful fruits from our surroundings, or we might just get a bit more understanding of our position in the universe.