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For centuries men have been planting and harvesting using the signs of the zodiac which have allowed him to be in tune with the natural rhythms of nature. It is only in this age-of science and technology where seeing is believing that this age old practice of astrological gardening has been overlooked.
It is known and accepted that the moon has connection with the rising and falling of the tide. However, all bodies of water, whether large or small, are subject to tide pro- ducing forces of the sun and moon. Tides are, usually great enough to be noticed where oceans-and continents meet but in inland bodies of water the regular rise and fall of tides is small'- and therefore not noticed. Gravitation is what causes the sun and moon to exert a pull on the earth. The force of this pull depends'on the mass of the body and its nearness to the earth and the body exerts a pull on the earth in direction proportion to its mass. The pull is lessened in proportion to the square of its distance from the earth. In other words, the distance multiplied by itself. This is Isaac Newton's law of gravitation which was discovered in the 17th century. The tide producing power of the moon is the greatest upon the earth because the moon, though smaller, is closer to the earth.
Tides move with the revolution of the moon as it circles the earth. The tide cycle follows the same time interval as from one rising of the moon to the next, which is approxi- mately 24 hours and 50 minutes. What happens is the gravitation of the passing moon pulls the nearest water a little away from the solid mass of the earth and at the same time pulls the earth ;a little away from the water on the farthest side. So the moon is setting up two tidal waves on opposite sides of the earth at the same time. Following the moon, these tides travel around the earth except where land stops them. We know that tides hit the sea coast two times a day, every 12 hours and 25 minutes, and occur the next day 50 minutes later.
You can begin to see the relation between tides and the earth. The water in the earth is affected by tides as well though it is not perceivable to the human eye. Consideration of moon phases begins to make sense to planters. Moisture which is necessary to the newly planted seed can be utilized by the seed best at the full moon which causes soil moisture to rise closer to the surface of the earth. These invisible forces have an effect on garden planting. One of the 12 zodiac signs rules every day of the month and it takes the moon approximately 2 and a half days to go through a sign.
An astrological calendar or an ephemeris will tell you which sign the moon is in. Knowing the correct sign is important, but knowing the correct sign and moon phase should be considered in selecting the best planting date: The first and second quarters (called waxing) has increasing light and in waning the moon has decreasing light from the full moon to the new moon, known as the third and fourth quarters. An easyrule of thumb , is to plant crops that produce -yield above the ground during the waxing phase and to plant-root crops during the waning phase. Give thought to the signs which are fertile such as the water signs (cancer, scorpio, and pisces) rather than barren signs". This article was originally writen by A Wigmore. | 
