Grow Your Cannabis According to the Moon Cycle

Farming in accordance of the moon’s cycle is an age old farming tradition, and doing so can make a huge difference in your crops. In light of the New Moon on August 2, we wanted to take a good look at the age old farming practices, the way Mother Nature had intended, in line with the cycle of the glorious Moon.

The moon’s gravitational force is strong and actually has a large impact on the way living things feel, move, and grow. The moon’s gravitational force pulls on water—this ranges from oceans to lakes and rivers, and also the water in the ground. This pull on the groundwater has a direct impact on how well different kinds of plants will grow. The waxing phases of the moon cycle are when the moon grows in size, from a new moon to a full moon.

As the moon grows larger from our vantage point, it pulls water up from the depths of the Earth and toward the surface. This is a great time to plant things that produce fruit and leaves above the ground, including plants like cannabis. The highest amount of moisture is in the soil at this time, and tests have proven that seeds will absorb the most water at the time of the full moon.

Once the full moon hits, the waning phases of the moon cycle start, showing from our vantage point, that the moon is getting smaller in the sky until it hits a new moon again (total darkness). This is a time when the moon pushes water away from the surface and deep underground. This is a good time to plant root vegetables and crops.

There are four quarters of the moon cycle. The first two quarters are during the waxing or increasing light, between the new and the full moon. The third and fourth quarters are after the full moon when the light is waning or decreasing. The first two quarters are great for planting seeds, and the two last quarters are great for pruning and harvesting. Pruning is best done in the third quarter, in the sign of Scorpio. In the fourth quarter, there is decreased gravitational pull and moonlight, and it is considered a resting period. This is also the best time to cultivate, harvest, transplant and prune. Mow lawns in the third or fourth quarter to retard growth.

The Farmer’s Almanac has a more detailed gardening by the moon calendar available, and even has an interactive map that can help you understand planting dates according to location/region and moon-favorable dates. For your next full Moon and to keep track of when to plant or harvest, see the Moon Dates chart.