Moon planting, lunar gardening or whatever you want to call it is one aspect of Biodynamic farming that is gaining increasing popularity amongst both gardeners and farmers. Gardening and growing crops in harmony with the cycles of the moon was a largely forgotten practise that has been around for many centuries - but it is now beginning to make a revival.

The specific theory behind Moon gardening in Biodynamics is simple and takes into account the gravitational affect of the moon upon the water on our planet. The strength and direction of this gravitational pull varies according to which phase the Moon is in. We all know that the Moon causes the tides in the oceans but what is less well known is that it also affects the movement of the water in the soil. At full moon and new moon, the period of the spring tides when both the Sun and the Moon are lined up with the earth, the gravitational affect of the moon is at its strongest and so the affect upon plants is at it greatest.

During the waxing moon, the period between new and full moons, the water in the soil is pulled up towards the surface and, according to the theory, encourages leaf growth. Conversely during the waning moon, the period between full and new moons, the soil is pulled back down into the soil and thus promotes root growth.

Using this theory the gardener or farmer can plan their planting, growing and harvesting cycles accordingly. For example; the waxing crescent phase is associated with planting, the waxing gibbous with feeding, the waning gibbous with harvesting and finally the waning crescent with preparing the soil for the next cycle.

By planting with these affects in mind it is possible to increase a plant's growth rate, plant quality, speed up seed germination and create a greater yield at harvest. So popular has this moon planting science become that more and more organic farms are adopting it as part of their organic farming approach. Indeed biodynamic crops are gaining such a good reputation that they are attracting premium prices and encouraging other farms to follow a similar approach.