Moon Gardening by Priscilla Woolworth

Check out my blog: Gardening according to the phases of the Moon, and learn why and how the Moon's position affects your garden:

November "Beaver Moon" Phase Schedule:

November 2nd to 9th: Waxing Moon

November 10th: Full Moon

November 11th to 23rd: Waning Moon

November 24th: New Moon

November 25th till December 9th: Waxing Moon

Garden Chores to be done during the month of November are:

Great time to plant bulbs, pull weeds, apply organic fertilizer, and irrigate when it's not raining

Adjust the sprinkler system to run less often, and turn them off during regular rains

November is also a great time to plant a blue-eyed grass with little purple flowers called Sisyrinchium idahoense bellum, a California native with a long blooming period

Plant strawberries in the first half of November, 1 foot apart in rich, loose soil that gets full sun

Plant natives Gilia tricolor and California poppy

Clean out gutters, downspouts, and swales

Buy rain barrels to collect rainwater for plants

Clean up fallen leaves around fruit trees

Pick persimmons as soon as they are fully colored, before the birds get to them. Allow fruit to ripen indoors

Watch out for slugs and snails around your new plantings.

Turn your compost pile and keep it damp

Plant in your flower garden winter and spring bulbs, spring wildflowers, bee balm, calendula, candytuft, clarkia, cornflower, columbine, coreopsis, dianthus, foxglove, larkspur, nigella, poppy, snapdragon, sweet peas, dusty miller, lobelia, lupine, petunia, scabiosa, stock, verbena, agapanthus, carnation, delphinium, hollyhock, lavender, penstemon, rudbeckia, salvia, statice, and yarrow

In your vegetable garden plant spinach, lettuce, peas, turnips, carrots, beets, parsnip, onions, Swiss chard, radish, chives, parsley, cilantro, garlic, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and lettuce

Following is a Moon Gardening calendar for November and which days are best for specific chores:

November 2nd till the 9th: the Moon is in the Waxing phase, when the lunar gravitational pull brings the water up, which makes it a good time of the month to encourage plant growth and proliferation. Plant seeds, transplant, re-pot, trim and prune for growth. Also, fruits and vegetables that are tender and should be eaten immediately are at their best when gathered at the Waxing Moon, because the water content is higher, salads are crunchier, and fruits are juicier.

November 4th: Plant above ground annuals.

Recommended days for these garden chores:

November 10th, the day of the Full Moon and also 2 days after is the best time to prune, plant seeds (they germinate faster when planted at the full moon) and also fertilize plants as close to the Full Moon as possible. Cut bamboo and sow a lawn or put down sod.

The day of the Full Moon is when water is at the highest level in the month and is a really good time for planting and gathering any herbs to be used for their essential oils because oil content is more concentrated at this time.

November 9th and 10th: Plant above ground annuals, especially cabbages and leafy greens.

November 11th and 12th: Harvest, cultivate, weed, and control pests.

November 13th: Harvest and cultivate.

From November 12th till the 25th, the Moon is Waning, and the energy of the earth is drawn down but the gravitational pull is high, creating more moisture in the soil and this energy goes into the roots making it a good time of the month to sow crops that produce their yield below ground and control plant growth by pruning, weeding, and controling garden pests, as well as dividing perennials. This is the best time for garden maintenance because the growth cycle of plants decreases.  Fruit trees do best planted at this time of the month because the position of the moon encourages development of root growth and tree bark, essential to their success. This is also the best time to cut wood, because it resists parasites and cures better. Farmers pick their apples, cabbages, potatoes and onions at the Waning Moon, when water content is lowest and so the harvest stores better and keeps longer. Best time to dry herbs, flowers and fruit and the herbs are at their most potent.

Recommended days for these garden chores:

November 14th and 15th: Plant for root growth, and divide perennials.

November 16th and 17th: Harvest, cultivate, weed, and control pests

November 18th and 19th: Harvest and cultivate, especially medicinal plants.

November 20th: Harvest and cultivate.

November 21rst and 22nd: Water, compost and fertilize

November 23rd and 24th: Prune, water, compost and fertilize

Mow your lawn to slow growth.  First time composters, start your composter during this period because the Waning Moon phase helps aid in the decomposition of plant matter.

Get ready for December 2011 Gardening according to the phases of the Moon! Subscribe to my Almanac and get your free monthly update.

I hope this calendar is helpful to you.

Take care

Priscilla Woolworth