Waxing moon
Plant crops that fruit above ground — the rising sap theory holds that moisture is drawn upward as the Moon fills.
Currently Waning Gibbous
Moon phase planting calendar
This moon phase planting calendar follows one rule: sow crops that fruit above ground on a waxing Moon in a fruitful sign; sow root crops and prune on a waning Moon in a fruitful sign; weed and clear on a waning Moon in a barren sign.
- Days that fit, 8 weeks
- 15 of 56 by the rule above
- Next good day
- Mon, Nov 9 new moon in Scorpio
- Then
- Fri, Nov 13 waxing crescent Moon in Capricorn
- The Moon now
- Waning 93% lit
Waning moon
Plant root crops, prune and harvest for storage, as growth energy is said to move downward.
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Worked out for the next eight weeks
15 days fit the main rule, 12 more for root crops and pruning
Fits the rule · 15
For root crops and pruning · 12
Neither
15 of the next 56 days fit the gardening rule. The first is Monday, November 9 (new moon, Moon in Scorpio); the longest run is 3 days in a row, Dec 10 – Dec 12. Another 12 are marked for root crops and pruning.
Mon, Nov 9
New Moon · Moon in Scorpio
Fri, Nov 13
Waxing Crescent · Moon in Capricorn
Sat, Nov 14
Waxing Crescent · Moon in Capricorn
Wed, Nov 18
First Quarter · Moon in Pisces
Thu, Nov 19
Waxing Gibbous · Moon in Pisces
Sun, Nov 22
Waxing Gibbous · Moon in Taurus
Phase and Moon sign at noon UTC. A day on which the Moon changes sign can fall either way depending on your time zone.
Where the custom comes from
Planting by the Moon is recorded by Pliny the Elder and Roman agricultural writers, and it runs through centuries of European and American almanacs. In the twentieth century it was formalized by Rudolf Steiner's biodynamic movement and by Maria Thun's sowing calendars, which split the zodiac into root, leaf, flower and fruit days.
How people follow it
Above-ground crops — lettuce, beans, tomatoes — go in while the Moon grows, on the theory that sap and moisture are drawn upward. Potatoes, carrots and onions go in after full Moon, when growth is said to turn downward. Barren-sign days are kept for weeding, mowing and clearing ground.
Short answers
What is the best moon phase for planting?
Sow crops that fruit above ground on a waxing Moon in a fruitful sign; sow root crops and prune on a waning Moon in a fruitful sign; weed and clear on a waning Moon in a barren sign.
When is the next good day to plant by the moon?
Monday, November 9 — a new moon in Scorpio. After that: Fri, Nov 13, Sat, Nov 14, Wed, Nov 18, Thu, Nov 19, Sun, Nov 22.
Does this actually work?
Moonlight is measurably bright enough to affect some plant behavior, and seed water uptake has been studied in relation to lunar phase, but controlled field trials of lunar sowing have not shown reliable differences in yield. Soil temperature, moisture and frost dates matter far more.
Cite this page
AstroHot. “Moon Phase Planting Calendar: Best Days to Sow.” Accessed October 28, 2026. https://astrohot.com/lunar-calendar/gardening/
For Wikipedia
{{cite web |title=Moon Phase Planting Calendar: Best Days to Sow |url=https://astrohot.com/lunar-calendar/gardening/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-28}}