Gardening by the moon
You might associate following the moon with modern day witchcraft and cleansing your crystals – BUT following the moon’s cycles for astrological gardening has been connected to growing herbs and plants for as long as agriculture has been around.
Gardening by the moon is not pulling on your wellies by cover of darkness, donning your head torch and heading out into the garden under 
whatever moonlight might be about. It is more about following the cycles of the moon and considering how that might affect the work carried out in the garden.
As the moon affects the ebbs and flows of the tide, it also exerts gravitational force on the water compounds within the plants, there is much more and greater flow of sap nearer to the full moon. The moon will also raise the levels of water in the soil as it becomes more full. This inevitably has a profound effect on the way the plants grow and respond.
As the moon orbits the Earth, it transits through the different zodiac constellations around every 2.5 days. Which constellation the moon is transiting at your birth determines where ‘your moon’ is in your astrological chart. You can apply this basic principle to the planting and harvesting of certain herbs. A herb of Gemini like Lemon Balm, could be planted on a day the moon is transiting through Gemini. Gemini is seen as ruling the nervous system so soothing herbal relaxants often come under the domain of Gemini.
| Zodiac | Herbs of the Zodiac | Systems ruled by the Zodiac |
| Aries | Rosemary, Chilli, Poppy, Nettle | Ruler of the head, face, teeth, tongue, hair, arteries, and blood. |
| Taurus | Daisy, Violet | Ruler of the sinuses, ears, neck, throat, vocal cords, tonsils, and thyroid. |
| Gemini | Fennel | Ruler of the lungs, shoulders, bronchial tubes, arms, hands, and capillaries. |
| Cancer | Sage, Bay, Lemon Balm | Ruler of the breasts, diaphragm, womb, lymphatic system, vagina, stomach, and right eye. |
| Leo | Hypericum, Ginger, Calendula | Ruler of the heart, circulation, blood pressure, spine, back, and left eye. |
| Virgo | Fennel | Ruler of the digestive system, pancreas, small intestines, eyes, and ears. |
| Libra | Lady’s Mantle, Rose, Elder, Mint | Ruler of the kidneys, bladder, veins, sense of touch, insulin regulation, and lower back. |
| Scorpio | Wormwood | Ruler of the reproductive organs, genitals, prostate, rectum, colon, urethra, pubic bone, and urinary tract. |
| Saggitarius | Sage | Ruler of the liver, sacrum, lumbar vertebrae, hips, and thighs. |
| Capricorn | Thyme | Ruler of the skin, body hair, ligaments, tendons, joints, knees, spleen, bones, and teeth. |
| Aquarius | Chamomile | Ruler of the shins, calves, ankles, forearms, and circulatory system. |
| Pisces | Rose, Borage | Ruler of the feet, pituitary gland (hormone production), and pineal gland (melatonin secretion) |
Getting a simple diary
We love the UK published Earth Pathways diary as it shows where the moon is it an any given time. Connecting in with moon regularly can be so important for garden planting as well as for understanding your own fluctuations with the moon.
