Grandfather:“What are you studying?” he asked me one day, when I was still in primary school.
Me:“I’m studying science.” I was reading through some pages our teacher had assigned. She had told us, however, not to complete the exercise printed inside a boxed section on one of the pages.
Grandfather:“Ah, that’s a wonderful subject. It will serve you well!” As he spoke, he came closer and his eye fell on the boxed section entitled The Influence of the Moon on Crops.
Grandfather:“What’s this? What a wonderful book! May I read it?” He took the book, put on his glasses and read the article, which ended with these words: The Moon has no influence on crops. Science says so.
I had never seen my grandfather so disappointed and disheartened. After reading the article, he handed the book back to me and never again asked what I was studying at school. Yet I remember very clearly the words he said as he returned it: “Only those who make their living from agriculture have the right to speak about it.”
Many years later, I came across a remarkably similar thought in one of Rudolf Steiner’s books:“Only those who derive their judgement from the fields, the forests and livestock farming are entitled to speak about agriculture.”
I wanted to remember my grandfather because, in many ways, he was ahead of his time. His crops were remarkable: he never used chemical products, yet he managed to keep diseases under control both in the fields and in the vegetable garden. He also successfully grew crops that were considered difficult in our area, such as watermelons, producing fruit that was not only large but exceptionally sweet.
Throughout the years I have devoted to agriculture, I have learned that every method deserves to be tested without prejudice, but also judged by the results it produces. Sustainability, quality and yield should go hand in hand. This is why I have often wondered whether my grandfather’s attention to the Moon was simply a tradition, or whether there was something worthy of closer investigation.
From Giovanni… to Giovanni.
Giovanni, the author’s grandfather
My grandfather passed away many years ago and, in many ways, I have missed his guidance ever since. Even so, I have always enjoyed talking with people who devoted their entire lives to farming, and I often asked for their views on the role of the Moon in agriculture. Almost all of them agreed that the Moon does play a part in farming. Yet, when it came to practical application, each person followed different principles. Everyone had their own way of interpreting and working with the lunar cycles, which often left me rather puzzled.
In this article, I would like to present the main approaches to the Moon’s influence on plants and explain the method I have chosen to follow.
Like many topics that seek to interpret the forces of nature, this one is both fascinating and controversial. Before going any further, however, one important clarification is needed: the purpose of this article is not to prove a theory, but to distinguish between what comes from practical field observation and what is currently supported by scientific literature. This subject is still widely debated and requires one essential premise:the Moon’s influence on plants is secondary to that of the Sun.Any form of open-field agriculture is governed first and foremost by the Sun’s rhythm. Even so, true quality is often shaped by small details, which is why this topic, although secondary, deserves careful consideration.
Among the various agricultural approaches, biodynamic farming gives particular importance to the Moon’s influence on plants, while still considering it secondary to the Sun. Part of the biodynamic tradition places great emphasis on the sidereal rhythm (ascending and descending Moon), whereas traditional farming — and certainly my grandfather as well — relied mainly on the synodic rhythm(waxing and waning Moon).
Lunar Rhythms
Synodic Rhythm:
The synodic rhythm is the lunar cycle most easily observed without the aid of calendars. It lasts an average of 29.53 days and consists of four main phases:
New Moon: The Moon lies between the Earth and the Sun and is not visible.
First Quarter: About 7–8 days after the New Moon, during the waxing phase, the right half of the lunar disc is illuminated.
Full Moon: About 14–15 days after the New Moon, the lunar disc is fully illuminated.
Last Quarter: About 22–23 days after the New Moon, during the waning phase, the left half of the lunar disc is illuminated.
The highest tides occur during the Full Moon and the New Moon, when the alignment of the Earth and the Moon strengthens the gravitational effect. This lunar rhythm has also influenced religious traditions. For example, the date of Easter is set as the first Sunday following the first Full Moon after the spring equinox, while in Buddhism, the Full Moon is associated with important spiritual observances.
Sidereal Rhythm:
The sidereal rhythm describes the time the Moon takes to complete one orbit around the Earth relative to a fixed star. It lasts approximately 27 days and 8 hours. In biodynamic agriculture, this rhythm plays an important role, particularly following the work of Maria Thun, who explored the possible influence of the constellations on different parts of the plant (for a more detailed discussion, readers are referred to her publications).
Earth Trigon: Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn, associated with the roots.
Water Trigon: Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio, associated with the leaves.
Air Trigon: Aquarius, Gemini and Libra, associated with flowers.
Fire Trigon: Aries, Leo and Sagittarius, associated with fruits.
Maria Thun’s observations are not universally accepted and, even today, different interpretations still exist. Furthermore, the effects that have been observed may also depend on local environmental conditions and the characteristics of the site. Rudolf Steiner himself pointed out that the influence of the sidereal rhythm could also be modified by the action of the other planets, making it difficult to isolate and quantify its effects.
Tropical Rhythm:
The tropical rhythm refers to the time it takes the Moon to return to the same longitudinal position relative to the Earth’s equator. Its duration is very similar to that of the sidereal rhythm, differing by only a few seconds. This cycle distinguishes the ascending phase (when the Moon is above the celestial equator) from the descending phase (when it is below the celestial equator).
Anomalistic Rhythm:
The anomalistic rhythm describes the time the Moon takes to return to perigee, its closest point to the Earth, with a cycle lasting approximately 27.55 days. The Moon’s distance from the Earth varies by more than 40,000 km between perigee and apogee. This variation affects the intensity of its gravitational pull and can be clearly observed, for example, in the range of the tides.
Nodal or Draconitic Rhythm:
The nodal (or draconic) rhythm lasts approximately 27.21 days and describes the time the Moon takes to return to the same position relative to the nodes of its orbit, that is, the points where the lunar orbit intersects the ecliptic. According to some agricultural and biodynamic traditions, these periods are considered unfavourable for carrying out certain farming operations. For this reason, some authors recommend avoiding specific agricultural activities during the hours immediately before and after a nodal passage. Maria Thun suggested an interval of about 3 hours, whereas Podolinsky proposed a longer period of up to 24 hours.
In Part 2, we will move from theory to practice. We will examine the main interpretations of the Moon’s influence on plants, and I will share the conclusions I have reached after many years of observation and experience in the vineyard.
Campogialli 28/08/20