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The Full Moon:
Moon Phase Gardening - A time for plants to establish themselves
The Full Moon - A time of balance
 The Full Moon is the apex of the above ground planting cycle. Seeds of above ground crops, that were planted during the waxing of the moon, should now be germinating.This is a time of balanced growth and the period when plants establish themselves.Not a time for plantingDo no planting during the Full Moon. It is a time of equilibrium as the moon transitions from waxing to waning.Prepare your root crops for planting and/or transplantingRoot crops, or plants that produce their bounty below the ground, should now be readied for planting or transplanting. As the Full Moon begins to wane it's gravitational and radiant effects begin to favor crops that mature their fruit beneath the soil.See: Below ground crops - Crops that mature their fruit beneath the soil
Gardening during a full moon
HarvestingThe Full Moon stands for illumination and completion. Harvesting is best performed during a Full Moon. At this time plants, especially herbs, are at their peak of flavor and nutrition (i.e. medical herbs gathered under a Full Moon are said to have great powers). So, if your crops have fully matured then use this moon phase as a time for reaping the bounties of nature.See: Harvesting and Preservation - Harvest and preserve your bounty
Soil PreparationSoil amendments are often applied during this time. Fertilizers seem to work best when applied during a Full Moon or New Moon. Prepare the planting beds for your root crops now and they will be ready for action as the Full Moon begins to wane.See: Soil Preparation - Creating the perfect soil for your garden
The Harvest MoonThe Harvest Moon is not a normal full moon. It rises and falls differently than at other times of the year. Normally the Moon rises about 50 minutes later each 24 hours. At the autumnal equinox the day-to-day difference in the local time of moonrise is only 30 minutes. This means that the Harvest Moon rises at sunset during the autumn equinox.
Full moon names by month
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January:Old Moon, or Moon After Yule
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February:Snow Moon, Hunger Moon, or Wolf Moon
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March:Sap Moon, Crow Moon, or Lenten Moon
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April:Grass Moon, or Egg Moon
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May:Planting Moon, or Milk Moon
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June:Rose Moon, Flower Moon, or Strawberry Moon
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July:Thunder Moon, or Hay Moon
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August:Green Corn Moon, or Grain Moon
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September:Fruit Moon, or Harvest Moon
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October:Harvest Moon, or Hunter’s Moon
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November:Hunter’s Moon, Frosty Moon, or Beaver Moon
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December:Moon Before Yule, or Long Night Moon |
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Extra moonlightNorthern farmers who are working long days to harvest their crops before autumn benefit from the extra moonlight. The abundance of light provided by the full Moon, closest to the autumn equinox, is what gives the Harvest Moon its name.The full moon in the southern hemisphereIn the southern hemisphere, the Full Moon behaves in exactly the opposite way: there will be an extra long time between moonrises from one evening to the next.Since this is the end of winter, down under, harvesting is not an issue. Instead the spring equinox is best for harvesting in the southern hemisphere.
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