By Erin Duffy Osswald
This is the third video in a four-part series on moon-phase gardening, an ancient practice that aligns planting and other gardening activities with the cycles of the moon. In this series, I teach you how to get started in a precise, and methodical way.
To make the process easier to understand, I divide the lunar cycle into four distinct moon-phase periods—New Moon to First Quarter, First Quarter to Full Moon, Full Moon to Last Quarter, and Last Quarter to New Moon— and I explore how each impacts your garden.
This lesson is about the third quarter moon phase period, spanning from the full moon to the last quarter moon.
Full Moon to Last Quarter (Waning Gibbous)
The full moon marks a shift in energy from above-ground growth to root development, making this period perfect for root crops.
- Best time for: Root vegetables like carrots, beets, and potatoes, and fruiting perennials.
- Chores to focus on: Planting root crops. Harvesting fruits and vegetables.