Planting by moon phases -- make any sense?

Sherman Bay

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The very first Jack Horkheimer Star Hustler episode (1976) mentioned planting crops with respect to Moon phases. I got to thinking, and most googling turned up sites like this, which make claims like
In the second quarter the gravitational pull is less...After the full moon, as the moon wanes, the energy is drawing down. The gravitation pull is high, creating more moisture in the soil, but the moonlight is decreasing, putting energy into the roots...
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...which sounds like a lot of woo to me.

Even Wikipedia says, under Agricultural astrology:
Moon gardeners maintain that not only is science on their side, but also that the results are plain to see. According to the theory, plants that are sown in the few days before a full moon become stronger and more productive. The moon gardeners claim that the gravitational force of the full moon affects the level of groundwater in the soil, just as it does the level of the oceans. With more water being drawn up into the soil during a full moon, any newly-sown seeds are boosted by the increased hydration.
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So was Jack (RIP) full of it, or is there anything here beyond wishful thinking and self-deception?
 
Planting by moon phases -- make any sense?

No, unless you are planting sea turtle eggs. ;)

You did see the word astrology there in the Wiki title, right?
 
Planting seeds by moon phase does indeed sound like so much woo. Not sure how it would work anywhere that the water table isn't so high that its useless for every crop except rice.

I'd say it's VERY sensible to mind the moon phases when sowing wild oats! :o
 
Of course it does.

The full moon so that you don't break your ankle in a ditch you have just dug which with a new moon said ditch would not be seen.

Not to mention, which I am going to do, the upturned rake which unseen smacks you in the face when stepped on similar to those silent movies.

Full moon all the time.
 
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Belgian thought said:
Of course it does.

The full moon so that you don't break your ankle in a ditch you have just dug which with a new moon said ditch would not be seen.

Not to mention, which I am going to do, the upturned rake which unseen smacks you in the face when stepped on similar to those silent movies.

Full moon all the time.
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Plus the seeds will be lighter due to the pull of the Moon.

Seriously, my mother told me so.
 
Sherman Bay said:
The very first Jack Horkheimer Star Hustler episode (1976) mentioned planting crops with respect to Moon phases. I got to thinking, and most googling turned up sites like this, which make claims like ...which sounds like a lot of woo to me.

Even Wikipedia says, under Agricultural astrology:
So was Jack (RIP) full of it, or is there anything here beyond wishful thinking and self-deception?
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Why would the gravitational pull of the moon be any different depending on the phase? Do they think it is actually getting smaller and bigger?
 
Moon phases are not connected to the distance between Earth and the Moon. They're all about where the moon and the sun are in the sky relative to us.
 
zooterkin said:
Why would the gravitational pull of the moon be any different depending on the phase? Do they think it is actually getting smaller and bigger?
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Yes. Even if it were true the 'pull' on the water in the soil would count for nothing compared with the effect of normal watering and rain.
 
Gawdzilla Sama said:
A person walking through the garden would have more "pull" than the Moon, yes?
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Ooh, good question. And picture a mighty watery tug-o-war between the huge planet right below the plants' roots and the little Moon way out there. Does planting stuff close to the house pull the water away from them?

I'll leave it to the physicists here :)
 
Damien Evans said:
Moon phases are not connected to the distance between Earth and the Moon. They're all about where the moon and the sun are in the sky relative to us.
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But the sizes of the tides are connected to the phases of the moon. At full moon and new moon, tides are higher than those at half moon. Their theory fails for other reasons, but they are correct in pointing out tidal effects are stronger and more noticeable during specific phases.
 
zooterkin said:
Why would the gravitational pull of the moon be any different depending on the phase? Do they think it is actually getting smaller and bigger?
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No, as Damien Evans pointed out,
Damien Evans said:
Moon phases are not connected to the distance between Earth and the Moon. They're all about where the moon and the sun are in the sky relative to us.
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Spring tides occur around the time of a full or new moon and neap tides at the 1st and 3rd quarters of the moon's phase.

I don't know about plants, but fishing and crabbing seems to be best around spring tides where I am.
 
Sherman Bay said:
Because of the combined influence of the Sun and Moon, not because of the amount of light reflected towards the Earth.
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Right.

Was anyone making that argument?

ETA
I made a mistake. I was trying to quote Zooterkin in my initial response.
 
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RedPillNeo said:
Planting seeds by moon phase does indeed sound like so much woo. Not sure how it would work anywhere that the water table isn't so high that its useless for every crop except rice.

I'd say it's VERY sensible to mind the moon phases when sowing wild oats! :o
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Belgian thought said:
Of course it does.

The full moon so that you don't break your ankle in a ditch you have just dug which with a new moon said ditch would not be seen.

Not to mention, which I am going to do, the upturned rake which unseen smacks you in the face when stepped on similar to those silent movies.

Full moon all the time.
Click to expand...

casebro said:
Moon phased no. Time of year yes, +/- phases.
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All the above

In pre-calendar times, the Wise Men of the village knew that the last killing frost was, say, 3 weeks after the equinox, and the moon was full at the equinox, would say "Plant on the full moon", or some such. If he was right the tribe lived. If he was wrong, the tribe ate him...
 
Sherman Bay said:
You did see "astronomy" in Jack Horkheimer's résumé, right?
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Jack merely repeats a 1976 research finding. He doesn't speak from established knowledge. And not only that, he also talks about spooks and werewolves in the same piece.

Show me that Dr Panzer's research has been replicated and that more water intake results in a better or worse outcome so we know when to plant. Otherwise, this is research that makes as much sense as the men who stare at goats research. The gravitational pull from the Moon would be so negligible as to make it doubtful something happened to the seeds.

OTOH, if the seeds were above the dirt and simply exposed to more light, then one could hypothesize it was the light, not the gravity that had the effect.
 
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