Gardeners at Avebury Manor in Wiltshire are seeing surprising results after planting according to the moon’s phases. The National Trust team tested the theory last year, sowing vegetable seeds during the full moon. To their amazement, crops germinated faster and produced bigger yields. Encouraged by the outcome, they plan to expand the practice this year.
Head gardener Garry Mumford admitted he was skeptical at first. But when the numbers came in, the difference was too significant to ignore.
Full Moon Planting: Increased Crop Growth
The experiment started with swede, parsnips, and pumpkins. The team planted one batch under a full moon and another under a new moon. When harvest time arrived, the full-moon crops weighed considerably more.
- Swede planted during the full moon: 8.5kg
- Swede planted during the new moon: 5.5kg
The 3kg difference convinced Mumford that lunar planting wasn’t just superstition. He believes the moon’s gravitational pull affects water in the soil, helping seeds absorb moisture and germinate faster.
While this isn’t a controlled scientific experiment, the results suggest lunar gardening could benefit large-scale and home growers alike.
Avebury Manor’s Lunar Planting Trial Expands
Buoyed by last year’s success, the team will sow an additional 2,000 plants in sync with the full moon. Mumford hopes this approach will increase efficiency in the busy historic garden.
With limited staff and volunteers, he sees this method as a potential time-saver. “If it gives us better yields with less effort, why not?” he said.
Though some might dismiss full moon planting as folklore, the data speaks for itself. Avebury’s gardeners are proving that sometimes, old traditions hold unexpected wisdom.
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