Planting by the cycles of the Moon has intrigued me over the years and continues to do so as I witness how the cycles of the Moon affect those around me. Recently a teacher mentioned to me that she has noticed clear differences in the behaviour of children in conjunction with the Full Moon, though I was not able to get any specifics. Which is possibly why it hasn’t fully bitten me before. I battle to put my finger on it, but just like periods of howling, gusty winds, a Full Moon also brings with it a restlessness and distruptance. At least in my world. So it continues to intrigue me and the logic of it stands to reason. After all, look at the impact tidal movement (dictated by the moon phases) has across the world – especially in Northern Australia.
Today, the Moon is in Pisces.
What does that mean? Well, some may say that when the Moon is found in Pisces that the human emotions of compassion, romance and creativity are likely to be predominant. Pisces is after all tied in with sensitivity and the idealistic aspects of life and the imagination.
Those more practical may simply take solace with the fact that with regard to the Moon, its last quarter is exact. Things up there are getting squared away so to speak. The Sun in Gemini is forming a celestial square with the Moon in Pisces. Or to put it another way, the Moon is positioned at 16 degrees and 0 minutes of the constellation of Pisces thus forming a square to the Sun at 16 degrees and 0 minutes of Gemini.
It’s a time to sort things out in preparation for next weeks New Moon, where there is the lingering promise of something born new again. So I’ve finished our first raised garden bed and planted in our Broad Beans. Possibly a little late, but I’m going by sheer instinct too, and today is the day to get them in the ground. Because the Moon phase appropriate to seeds says so! If you are wishing to get a little celestial clarity there is a great website at Rhythm of Nature. For international visitors there is the option to choose your specific country or region. By sheer luck, or perhaps serendipity again, or instinct – I managed to plant out a small crop of garlic at the appropriate time last week.
The Little Fellas and I made a little fire and learnt how to cook apple and sweet potato. How to respect the fire and negotiate the smoke. The different stages of the fire from when it is started to when the coals are settled and glowing hot. I wasn’t going to let the opportunity slip by though. Not really being one for lighting a fire just for the sake of a fire, this was actually a quick way for me to get some biochar on the go which I will return to finish when I next get some time. In the meantime the fire was extinguished and the coals left to thoroughly cool. The baked sweet potato which we had with dinner was delicious.
So, half by default and half by instinct I am so far on track with some Moon phase gardening and will watch with interest how my garlic and broad beans get on. I’m going to politely bow out of this post now with the apt description of all this Moon in Pisces stuff as being – a time when the details are overlooked and feelings defy description. Much like staring into the pit fire and dreaming of the biochar to come.
Further Reading:
Petit Paradis 
Great post Julian. We learnt about moon phase planting through biodynamics and are firm “believers”. I sometimes plant stuff when I have the opportunity in my schedule, but my wife sticks firmly to the moon planting calendar, and her vegetables show it!
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Good to hear Martin. I will endeavour to do the same!
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