Many people believe that activities such as pruning trees, planting flowers, sowing seeds, cleaning the farmyard, or even cutting hair or nails at a specific time of the year (or month) are of vital importance.
What, you may ask, do these activities have in common? The answer is simple: the moon!
Our ancestors observed it every night, commenting how sometimes it was full of light and extraordinarily beautiful, while other nights it resembled a thin slit of melon or was dark and black… Through joint observation of the moon and nature, they discovered that, according to the movements and cycles of the moon, the tides altered, plants grew faster, seeds sown had more or less vigor, pens were not smelly and did not attract fleas and flies, and hair and nails grew longer and stronger.
Now we will try to understand this for ourselves, knowing the phases and movements of the moon.
The Moon’s cycle around the Earth goes through different phases:
– Crescent phase: It becomes a full moon, when the Sun is completely reflected in it, giving us the brightest nights.
– Waning phase: It becomes the new moon, when it is behind us during the night, resulting in the darkest night.
When we are small, we learn these movements with the mnemonic of the ‘lying’ moon because:
– When we see it in the shape of a ‘C’, or melon cut, it is decreasing from full moon to new moon, that is, it becomes narrower and narrower as it reflects the light of the Sun, until it disappears.
– When we see it in the shape of a ‘D’, it is growing from new moon to full moon, i.e. it is expanding as it reflects more sunlight, until it is completely round and bright.
Our ancestors observed that when the moon waxed, the life cycles of nature opened, grew, moved and developed, symbolizing birth.
Conversely, when the moon waned, the life cycles closed, stopped, representing the end of its mission, closing the circle.
When the Moon approaches the Earth, it is said to be in perigee, a critical period for many processes of growth and development in nature, and the lunar calendar suggests that it is a time to rest from activities.
When it is further away from the Earth, it is said to be at apogee.
In addition to waxing and waning in its 28-day cycle around the Earth, the moon follows an elliptical motion in which it moves towards and away from the Earth, as well as an ascending and descending motion.
At Parés Baltà, we observe the moon and try to carry out the tasks in the vineyard and orchard when the moon indicates that it is the most propitious moment.
PRUNING
When we prune the vineyards, we take advantage of the days of the waning moon to prune the plots that are most sensitive to pruning wounds, as this is when the sap is most concentrated in the roots.
As spring approaches and temperatures start to rise, we will see the vines ‘weeping’, a sign that the vegetative cycle of the vine is waking up with sap circulating and sprouting through the pruning wounds made during the winter.
If pruning is extended until the end of February or March and spring is already in full sunshine, we will see that, if we prune the last vines on crescent moon days, the sap will gush out like a trail of blood.
GARDEN
When we sow, the seed must germinate, which means to be born and grow, so we always sow on a waxing moon. On the other hand, when it is a seedling, and we are looking for a good rooting, we do it in the waning moon to strengthen the roots, where the moon helps us to penetrate and give vigour to the earth.
In the vegetable garden, the downward movement is considered particularly important to encourage the seedlings to take root.
CORRAL
Livestock farmers know that, to avoid bad smells and the proliferation of fleas and flies, they should clean the manure in the corral on the days of the waning moon, and if possible, during the downward movement.
HAIR AND NAILS
If rapid hair growth is desired, hair should be cut on the waxing moon. However, if we seek to strengthen the root and prevent hair loss, we shall cut it on the waning moon.
In the Universe, everything is cyclical, rhythmic, elliptical, and in constant chaos and order. The moon governs many of the rhythms of nature and of human beings.
Give it a try and let us know if it works for you!
