What is a lunar calendar for the garden? General explanation lunar calendar
Lunar calendars are based on centuries-old, but still valid, empirical values from gardeners and farmers. These are recommendations for the best time to get your gardening done. Depending on the lunar calendar used, these are shown in clear symbols, often supplemented by a brief explanation.
also read
- The lunar calendar: plants in harmony with the moon
- Watering flowers according to the lunar calendar
- Fight weeds according to the lunar calendar
The different phases of the moon
The moon is not always in the same position in the sky. In the course of a sidereal lunar cycle, which is used as a basis for almost all lunar calendars, it rises from deepest punk in the constellation of Sagittarius up to the turning point in Gemini and back down to the zodiac sign of Protection.
Increasing Moon
A waxing moon attracts the sap
the sickle gradually becomes fuller, our earth satellite moves away from the sun on its orbit. The earth exhales, the sap is attracted to the moon and flows into the upper parts of the plant. Now is the best time to start caring for crops that are bearing fruit.
Full moon
The sun and moon take the earth into their center, so to speak. It is the alternation of increase and decrease, the impulses are in equilibrium and the power of the moon reaches its peak. If you cut trees now, they could suffer a lot from the injury. It is, however, the ideal time to fertilize, because the plants absorb the nutrients particularly well.
Waning moon
The moonlight is getting less and less, the earth is breathing. The plants pull the sap back into their underground storage organs. On these days you should harvest, store and conserve. Since a large part of the sap is in the roots, hedges and trees recover quickly from pruning.
new moon
The moon stands between the earth and the sun and does not reflect any light. Nature is gathering its strength for a new beginning and you should give it a break. At this point in time, only those work that serve to regenerate the plants, such as combating pests, make sense.
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How can the moon help me with gardening?
For many people, gardening in a natural and ecological way means paying attention to the rhythm of the moon. Our earth satellite influences numerous processes on earth. Due to its attraction, the sea moves, as can be seen from the tides. At low tide, the water masses move by attraction to the open sea, at high tide back to the coast.
Without the moon, not only would the earth's climate be different. It could even be that we humans don't even exist. (Unknown)
The surface of the earth rises and falls measurably in the rhythm of our decreasing and increasing, cosmic neighbor. Foresters report that tree trunks are thicker or thinner depending on the cycle. All of this suggests that the moon has an impact on large and small amounts of water.
What do the symbols of the lunar calendar mean?
The different symbols that you will find in a lunar calendar for gardeners stand for the positive forces that act on the plants on the respective day. As an example, we would like to explain five characters in more detail below:
(Graphic designer please insert the symbols)
| symbol | description | element | Zodiac signs | Growths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| symbol | Foliage plants | water | Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces | Salad, spinach, chard, kohlrabi, rose, white, red cabbage, leek, fennel, parsley |
| symbol | Root plants | Earth | Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn | Carrots, celery, beetroot, radish, radishes, garlic, potatoes |
| symbol | Fruit plants | Fire | Aries, Leo, Sagittarius | Beans, peas, zucchini, pumpkin, corn, berries, fruits, nuts |
| symbol | Flowering plants | air | Aquarius, Gemini, Libra | Perennials, roses, bulb flowers, summer flowers, flowering trees |
What are the good and bad days?
Plants that grow underground should be sown when the moon is waning
We would like to explain this to you using the sowing dates. Depending on the geographical location and the current weather conditions, many gardeners start with the in March sowing into the Cold frame or outdoors.
- *Good days* to sow or plant plants that grow underground are those at the waning moon. You should choose an earth day for root vegetables.
- *Favorable days* To grow or sow leafy vegetables such as salads, water days are when the moon is waxing.
However, there are deviations from this: You should plant lettuce on a water day, but this should be done when the moon is waning. This lettuce likes to shoot when the moon is waxing and then no longer forms dense heads. This also applies to the various types of cabbage and asparagus.
Even then, if you are gardening in harmony with the moon, it is important to be aware of the current weather conditions. A lunar day chosen for sowing when it is far too cold or too wet will not produce a good result. The lunar calendar must therefore not be seen as a rigid set of rules, but rather serves as a guide as to when which work is useful.
Which sowing dates in spring does the moon indicate?
In the following table we have the most common flowering and vegetable plants and their most favorable sowing and / or sowing locations. Planting time collected for you:
| plant | Plant type | element | Moon phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| aubergine | fruit | Fire | increasingly |
| Berry | fruit | Fire | increasingly |
| Leaf herbs | sheet | water | increasingly |
| flowering perennials | blossom | air | increasingly |
| cauliflower | sheet | water | increasingly |
| Beans | fruit | Fire | increasingly |
| broccoli | blossom | air | increasingly |
| peas | fruit | Fire | increasingly |
| Strawberries | fruit | Fire | increasingly |
| Cucumber | fruit | Fire | increasingly |
| Carrots | root | Earth | decreasing |
| potatoes | root | Earth | decreasing |
| garlic | root | Earth | decreasing |
| Cabbage (white cabbage, red cabbage, kohlrabi) | sheet | water | decreasing |
| Lettuce | sheet | water | decreasing |
| pumpkin | fruit | Earth | increasingly |
| leek | root | Earth | decreasing |
| paprika | fruit | Fire | increasingly |
| radish | root | Earth | decreasing |
| radish | root | decreasing | Earth |
| Beetroot | root | Earth | decreasing |
| spinach | sheet | water | increasingly |
| tomatoes | fruit | increasingly | Fire |
| Salad (exception: lettuce) | sheet | water | increasingly |
| Onions | root | Earth | decreasing |
Digression
Working with the lunar calendar
Watering and fertilizing
It is best to water thoroughly when the moon is in a watermark
Many plants, both in the garden and in the house, tend to be watered too much rather than too little and suffer from this care error. If they are permanently too wet, there is a risk of root rot. The storage organs can no longer fulfill their task and the plant dries up despite the good water supply.
It is best to water deeply or immerse house plants when the moon is in
- Curbs,
- Scorpio,
- fish
is in a watermark.
On these days, the plants absorb moisture better. Often, even in warm periods in summer, they get by with this extensive watering until the next water day, which effectively prevents overhydration.
Tips
Do not water plants on an air day (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius), as watering on those days can result in severe pest infestation.
Fertilizers
In an organic garden, you should only apply as many nutrients as the plants can actually absorb. Moon gardeners should preferably fertilize when the moon is full or when the moon is waning, as both the earth and the storage organs of the plants have the best absorption capacity at this point in time.
- Vegetables, fruits and grains on a day of Aries or Sagittarius,
- Flowers and ornamental plants on a water day
provide them with nutrients.
You should avoid fertilization when the earth's satellite is in the zodiac sign of Leo. On these days, the soil tends to dry out, which can lead to the plants literally being burned by the added fertilizer.
Plant care
If weeds are removed on the right lunar days, they will grow back less quickly
Weeds fulfill important functions even in the ornamental garden. Nevertheless, a bed overgrown with nettles and ground elder does not look very nice. In addition, weeds compete with ornamental and useful plants and cause worse ones Income. So even in a natural garden you cannot do without weeding.
However, this work is not one of the most popular tasks and every gardener is happy if the effort is manageable. If you fall back on the power of the moon, you should choose a Capricorn day for the waning moon or an Aquarius day for the waxing moon for weed removal.
Digression
Sustainably rid areas of weeds
Fight pests
Sucking insect pests, which spread en masse, can damage plants so much that they even die. Sow and plant at the times indicated in the lunar calendar, paying attention to the recommended plant neighbors and the Crop rotation, the pest infestation is effectively prevented.
If aphids or snails still populate your garden due to the weather conditions, you can tackle them with biological measures. The right time is always in the waning moon:
- Pests that live above the earth prefer to declare war on a Cancer, Gemini or Sagittarius day.
- Take action against root and soil pests on a Taurus, Virgo or Capricorn Day.
- You fight snails on Cancer, Scorpio, and Fish Days.
Harvest, preserve and store
Harvesting when the moon is waxing is particularly advisable
The time of the rising moon, preferably on an Aries day, is particularly favorable for all harvesting and conservation work.
This cannot always be done only on the best days. If you only have the option of harvesting on one fishing day, you should consume everything quickly or make it durable immediately, because the products then tend to rot.
Conservation should be avoided entirely on a Cancer or Virgo Day, as the energy this sign of the zodiac can cause the food to start moldy and spoil.
frequently asked Questions
Why are there different lunar calendars with different information?
This is because some calendars are based on the sidereal and others on the synodic lunar course.
The sidereal moon course refers to the orbital period of the earth's satellite in the fixed star sky and thus a period of exactly 27 days, 7 hours and 43 minutes. The synodic moon run corresponds to the period between two full moons. That is exactly 29 days, 12 hours and 44 minutes.
Is there any scientific evidence that the lunar method works?
So far, the power of the moon could not be consistently proven. But what speaks against trying it out yourself and documenting any successes? Many hobby gardeners and farmers love the effect of our satellite on the plants convinced and can prove that working with the lunar calendar leads to better harvests helps.
If you are in doubt, why not try it yourself and look after some plants in the same location in harmony with the moon and some in the same way as before. In this way you can see for yourself whether there is a difference between the methods.
What is the "sowing days of Maria Thun" about?
These are a special lunar calendar that goes back to the knowledge of Maria Thun. She is considered a pioneer of biodynamic crop production and discovered about 70 years ago that the Plants thrive better if the constellation of the planets is taken into account when sowing, planting and caring for them will.
Do I have to wait to water in hot spells?
No, the weather will thwart your plans if you should carry out work such as watering, sowing or harvesting even when the moon is not so favorable. Make sure, however, that the moisture does not stop.
On the days when the moon is favorable, you water thoroughly. As a result, you will probably find that this measure means that you no longer have to reach for the watering can as often.
How do I know which day is ideal?
Lunar calendars are available in different versions in well-stocked book shops. Alternatively, you can use a lunar calendar on the Internet, such as can be found on our homepage, among other places. Using symbols and brief explanations, these clearly show you which activities the current day is suitable for.