The moon is usually associated with the hidden, more mysterious practices of witchcraft. Lunar mysteries have their place in the life of the green witch, who knows that ordinary life itself is a sacred mystery. Traditionally, the moon’s energy is associated with feminine power, dreams, psychic ability, mystery and hidden knowledge, travel, children, spirituality, mysticism, the seas and oceans, and transformation.
The phases of the moon are important in agricultural practice. Sowing and harvesting were once done according to the phases of the moon, and (depending on the individual) sometimes still are. Scientifically, this may have something to do with the moon’s proven influence on water and other fluids. Plants are composed of a large amount of water, which implies that their life cycle would be affected by the moon’s phases.
These basic rules may be applied to gardening during the phases of the moon. In general, plant things whose strength lies above ground while the moon is waxing and those whose strength lies below ground while the moon is waning.
• New to first quarter: plant leafy annuals and herbs
• First quarter to full: plant flowering annuals, above-ground vegetables and fruit, and vines
• Full to third quarter: plant perennials, root vegetables, and bulbs
• Third quarter to dark: weed, maintain, cultivate, and fight pests and disease
If you pay attention to the phases of the moon, you can also determine good times to perform both spiritual and secular actions in your garden. The following phases correspond to phases in the life cycle of a plant:
• Crescent moon: shoots and sprouts
• Waxing moon: growth and flowering
• Full moon: fruit
• Waning moon: harvest
• Dark moon: cutting down a dead plant to prepare for new growth
The moon appears to move through the constellations just as the sun does, and moon signs are also said to have an effect on the work you do in your garden. Some signs are more favorable for certain kinds of work than others. The moon appears to pass through all twelve constellations in approximately twenty-eight days and spends a day and a half to three days in each sign:
• Plant: moon in Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces
• Harvest: moon in Aries, Gemini, and Leo
• Cultivate: moon in Virgo, Sagittarius, and Capricorn
Any green witch interested in how the plant world responds to the lunar cycle should keep a farmer’s almanac handy.