Good Friday – Good time to garden
Spring is here . . . and if you’re a gardener, you’re probably itching to get out in the garden. Grandma knew that when the songbirds returned and the sap was flowing in the sugar bush, it was time to start thinking about the garden.
We always had a great garden back on the farm. I’m pretty sure the abundant harvest had a lot to do with our rich farmyard compost, but it also had something to do with when the seeds were planted . . . or at least Grandma believed so.
Grandma and many others followed the phases of the moon and planted seeds accordingly. Today is Good Friday and Grandma always started her tomato seeds — indoors — on Good Friday. So what does that have to do with the moon? Everything. The date of Easter varies from year to year, but did you know that the date is set according to the moon? Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Like many gardeners, Grandma planned her planting schedule by the phases of the moon.
Gardening by the moon is called lunar gardening and it doesn’t mean planting at night, but understanding which plants benefit from being planted during a particular moon phase.
Every month there are four phases, or quarters, of the moon’s cycle. The first two phases, when light increases from the new moon to the full moon, are referred to as “waxing.” The two phases after the full moon, when light gradually diminishes, are called “waning.” The four moon phases influence the Earth’s gravity, which is why the ocean tides change and groundwater rises and falls. According to old-time gardeners, the waxing phase is the best lunar phase for planting tomato seeds. The waxing moon encourages plant growth because the groundwater continues to increase as the moon moves toward its full phase.
For the very best results, you should try to plant your tomato seeds just before the full moon; Grandma aimed for Good Friday. We always had gorgeous plump tomatoes, not to mention something to do after church on Good Friday.