Magic Forums

Now I?m not sure if this is the right sort of forum to post this but it may be of interest to some. Many are asking where they can get herbs and plants for use in spells well now is the time of year for us all to be doing a little gardening. Be it a windowsill or an acre plot we all have the means to grow a little something that will help us out.

With this in mind I thought I?d add a little about Lunar Gardening.

Introduction:

For some time it has been known that the phases of the moon have an effect on many things one of these being plants. For many hundreds of years people have governed their planting and harvest by the moon from the Babylonians to the Clets. For some it was just an accurate way of timekeeping but it is also has a correlation to such things as time of germination, yield of crop and health of plants. Much research has been done into the idea of lunar gardening and the effects of the moon on plants by such people as Lilly Kolisko, Maria Thun and Hans Bruinsma also research by the University of Paris and others have made note of examples through time such as Pliny the Elder in his work Naturalis Historia.

The German biodynamic farmer Maria Thun outlined a method of planting in her work Stella Natura agricultural calendar she has planned out a guide to planting based on astrological chart and element type of plants each part of a plant was give an element, earth, water, fire and air and when the moon was in front of the corresponding astrological sign it would indicate the best time for planting / harvesting that type of plant.

Thun?s method:

Plant elements are arranged into:
Root = Earth = Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn,
Seed = Fire = Aries, Leo, Sagittarius,
Flower = Air = Gemini, Libra, Aquarius,
Leaf = Water = Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces


Root: potatoes, radishes, turnips, parsnips, onions

Seed: apple, grapes, pears, fruits, nuts

Flowers: flowers, artichoke, broccoli

Leaf: lettuce, cress, alfalfa, comfrey

For example today being 17th March 2013 it would be a waxing crescent in Taurus so it is a good time to sow ?Root? plants. You have to know a little about plants as in that with an artichoke it is the flower you eat so it comes under air.

Don't worry if working out all the moon stuff looks like hard work (although many on here are very hot on moon phases) While there are many guides you can buy out there about lunar gardening here are a few helpful links and free calendars.

The Gardeners Calendar
http://www.the-gardeners-calendar.co.uk/Moon_Planting.asp

http://lunarcalendar.organicgardeninfo.com/ogi201303.html

http://www.lunarium.co.uk/articles/lunar-gardening.jsp

There is a wealth of information out there so happy digging and may all your attempts by fruitful.