What if I told you that by mowing the lawn during certain phases of the moon meant you didn't have to mow as often? What if I told you the same system applied to cutting your hair?

HAH! Before you think I’m crazy, let's turn to the National Geographic, which says more gardeners today are turning to the moon for advice on the best time to do yard chores. The practice, called gardening by the moon, centers on the moon's gravitational effect on moisture flowing in soil and plants. The moon also controls the ocean tides and acts upon the groundwater beneath your feet.

Listen up! You can listen to my 3-minute audio article about gardening by the moon:
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2) Click here to hear the mp3.

Otherwise, keep on reading...

By understanding how the moon up there effects stuff down here, and then timing your yard chores accordingly, is the basis of moon gardening. Many folks claim it's the secret behind prize-winning tomatoes, giant pumpkins and whether a favorite sweet pea blooms at all.

Here’s how gardening by the moon works. [For a complete description of gardening by the moon, read my article Planting by the Moon.] The moon travels through a complete cycle every 29 days, just short of a month. This cycle is divided into phases, which simply refers to the moon's shape as you see it from earth.

The first half of the lunar cycle is the period of increasing light, when the moon grows from a blank spot in the sky, to a crescent and then to a full white circle. This phase is the best time to repot houseplants, transplant trees, and sow seeds of crops that grow above ground, like lettuce, marigolds, and peas.

The second half of the lunar cycle occurs when the moon appears to shrink from the full white circle down to the new, or dark, moon. This phase of decreasing light is the best time to eliminate slugs, make compost, put up jelly and sow crops that grow below the ground, like carrots and potatoes.

To help you remember what to do when, think of lettuce. It grows in the light, so plant it by the light of the moon. The opposite, potatoes, grow in the dark, so plant spuds during the dark of the moon.

Sooo, bottom line? Schedule your grass and hair cutting during the dark phases of the moon, remember, when it’s shrinking from a full white circle to a new moon. This phase of decreasing light is when mowing (or cutting your hair) slows growth. Thus, you won’t have to mow as often. My hope is that you'll save money on gas for your lawn mower as well as on haircuts. Let me know how it works. My email address is mygarden AT alaska DOT net.

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