Planting by the Moon

Paul Gauthier has been promising me a division of his blue hosta for some time now. I stopped by late this afternoon, and while Geri was giving me a tour of the latest blooms and acquisitions, Paul was spading up a chunk of the coveted plant. I bundled it in a plastic bag and assured Paul I'd get it in the ground a.s.a.p.

By the time I got home and back outside, the light was failing. I was watering my new baby by the light of the moon. And that got me to wondering...was I doing this task under the correct lunar phase?

I didn't have a Farmer's Almanac handy, but with a DSL connection, who cares? Gardeningbythemoon.com told me everything I needed to know.

Today, July 9, the moon is waxing, in the second quarter. The gravitational pull is less than at the full or new moon, and the amount of moonlight is increasing. It's a good time to plant, but not the best time to transplant.

The best time for transplanting is during the third quarter, when the gravitational pull is high (creating more moisture in the soil), but the moonlight is decreasing (putting energy into the roots). Or during the fourth quarter, when both the gravitational pull and the light are waning--a resting period.

On the other hand, planting by the signs of the zodiac should also be considered. And the most fruitful sign, best of all for planting and transplanting, is Cancer. Which is what we're right smack in the middle of now.

So I choose to believe that, despite the inauspicious timing vis-a-vis the moon, the stars trump. Anyway, hosta is virtually unkillable. And planting at a less-than-ideal lunar moment has got to be better than leaving Mr. Hosta for two weeks in a plastic bag.