Farm Activities Recommended as per Rhythms

Activities Connected with the Full Moon

48 hours before Full Moon

  • Sow seeds at times of low humidity and warmth.
  • Apply liquid manures, including CPP
  • Drench animals for internal parasites, on an empty stomach with, for example, garlic and cider vinegar.

Fungus control – Spray with BD preparation 508 horsetail ‘tea’ D5 potency, or Sodium silicate 0.5%

Insect control – Watch out for chewing and sucking insects: use a garlic/ginger/chilli pepper spray, Natural pyrethrum, Neem oil, or Stinging Nettle together with 5% Cow urine.

Watch out for slugs and snails. Surround plants with diatomite (natural rock with high silica content) powder.

Activities Connected with the New Moon

  • Avoid sowing seeds
  • Cut timber
  • Traditional Indian agriculture recognised the day before New Moon as No Moon day, Amāvasa, a day on which no agricultural work is done. 

Activities Connected with Moon Opposite Saturn

  • Germinate and soak seeds 48 hours before Moon Opposition Saturn.
  • Sowing and Transplanting
  • Spray with BD preparation 501 in the very early morning on the day of or the day before the opposition to strengthen plants against fungus. For example, mildew and botrytis on grapes, rust on coffee, blister blight on tea, mildew on tamarillos, greasy spot on passion fruit, and mildew on cucurbits. BD prep 501 is not a fungicide but strengthens the plant to help it overcome the fungus.
  • Spraying BD 501 at this time improves the keeping quality and the taste of all fruits and vegetables.

Activities Connected with Ascending Moon

  • Cultivate on the appropriate constellation day before sowing.
    • Fruits/Seeds Warmth constellation = Aries/Mesha.
    • Leafy Water constellation = Pisces/Mina.
    • Flowers Air/Light constellation = Gemini/Mithuna or Aquarius/Kumbha.
    • Roots Earth constellation = Capricorn/Makara or Taurus / Vrishaba
  • Sow all seeds (strong germination)
  • Spray with BD preparation 501 at the early stages of growth when the plant is recognisable, on the appropriate constellation day as above.
  • Harvest the following on an Air/Light constellation day = Aquarius/Kumbha or Gemini/Mithuna
    • Fruit and Vegetables (not roots)
    • Plants for making medicines
    • Flowers and plants for biodynamic preps
    • Fodder for animals (full of vitality)
    • Field crops, such as silage and hay

Activities Connected with Descending Moon

  • Spray BD preparation 500 in the afternoon – the soil should be warm.
  • Make and spread compost
  • Transplant seedlings and trees
  • Make and plant cuttings
  • Cultivate soil
  • Harvest root crops for storage on an Earth constellation day = Virgo/Kanya
  • Prune all fruit trees in the appropriate season on a Fire/Warmth constellation day = Leo/Simha or Sagittarius/Dhanush
  • Prune flowering trees and shrubs and roses at the appropriate season on an Air/Light constellation day = Gemini/Mithuna or Libra/Tula

Activities Connected with the Moon Nodes

AVOID any agricultural or horticultural work during this time. At least 12 hours before and after the event.

Activities Connected with Apogee & Perigee

Sowing these days produces weak plants. Exceptions:

  • Potatoes do very well when sown on Apogee
  • Avoid all other seed sowings for 12 hours on either side of Apogee and Perigee
  • Plants prone to fungal attack at Perigee (Moon’s influence intensifies Water element )

Activities Related to Constellations

Ready Reckoner for Appropriate Time for Farm Activities