How the Phases of the Moon Affects the Growth of Tomatoes

The moon controls many forces including the tides of the ocean. So it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that it is an important factor when it comes to gardening. In fact there is considerable evidence to prove that all crop plants planted according to the lunar cycle do a lot better than those planted willy-nilly.

How the Moon Effects the Growth of Plants

There are various theories in terms of how the phases of the moon effect the growth of crops and plants, trees and so on in general. For instance it is believed that when the moon gives off a lot of light, the sap in plants glows more strongly.

We also know that the moon influences the groundwater table. And we know that it’s best to turn over garden soil when the water table is low. It is also a whole lot easier to turn over soil when the soil is dry. Taking these factors into consideration, you should therefore turn the soil in your veggie garden during the last quarter of the moon, when the water table is at its lowest point.

People have been planting according to the moon for centuries. Those who do it today swear that taking the phases of the moon into account will:

• ensure that seeds germinate more quickly;
• produce plants that are more hardy and more resistant to disease;
• encourage plants to flower sooner;
• enable fruit-bearing plants to produce more fruit. This of course includes tomatoes.

There are many garden almanacs and moon-sign gardening calendars available that you can use to ascertain how the moon affects the planting and growth of tomatoes. But it also helps to understand the general effects of the moon.

Phases of the Moon

Basically every 29 days the moon moves through a full cycle. Starting with a new moon, when you can just glimpse its edge, it waxes until the moon is full and you can see all of it. As it moves through the first two quarters – from new to full – the light the moon gives off increases. When the moon is full you should fertilize the soil and plant tomato seeds (and the seeds of any other veggies that mature grow above the ground). Then the moon will wane through the next two quarters, changing from “full” to “new”, at the same time giving off less and less light.

It is said that plants will orientate towards their roots as the light of the moon decreases. It is also said that the fourth quarter is a dormant period in terms of growth, so this is a good time to weed your tomato patch. Interestingly, this dark period is also a good time to plant root crops like potatoes.

While there is no great body of science saying it is imperative to plant tomatoes by the moon, it is certainly worth a try!

For more information about growing tomatoes by the phases of the moon, and all other ways to grow your own tomatoes, buy our book How To Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes!