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The moon, has no light of it's own but absorbes and reflects that of the sun. Waning and waxing in the night skies the moon cast her mysterious light on the land below, It's rays were thought to have magickal properties. The cycles of the moon were linked to the patterns of birth, death and rebirth. The moon phases were not only linked to the death and rebirth of crops and the seasons, but also to the female menstural cycles.
Honoring the lunar Goddess was a part of anicent tradition. Even when we do not see Her, the moon still pulls as well on our inner tides. To honor the moon is to honor the primal connection between womanhood and natures feminine force.
Placement of the moon in the heavens through astrology is not the same as it's physical placement through astronomy. In earlier times, farmers used a solar, lunar and astrological calendar to ensure the proper planting period for their gardens and fields. Here in the U.S. Benjamin Franklin published the first horoscopes in his Philadelphia daily, which included a monthly entry concerning gardening.
Planting
The water signs are the best for planting. When the moon is in Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces are the best times. But Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn can be follow-up alternatives.
Weeding and Plowing
When the moon moves into Aries, Gemini, Leo Sagittarius and Aquarius,
remove weeds and inspect your plants for pests.
Transplanting and Grafting
Transplanting and Grafting are best done when the moon enters Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.
Pruning
Pruning is best done during Aries, Leo or Sagittarius. Try to schedule your pruning during a waxing moon to encourage growth.
Keep it clean and mended
Clean out your shed during a Virgo moon to help the work move along smoothly. Mend fences, gardening stakes and beds during a Capricorn moon.
From the dark moon until three days after.
The moon is not visible at this time.
It is a time to go inward and a time to banish negativity.
The dark moon is the beginning of a new phase.
This is the time of the Crone Goddess.
From the third through the seventh day of the Dark Moon.
It is a time of cleansing the mind, body and spirit. This is a time for inner renewal and to reflect on the lessons found in the dark time.
Leaving the Crone and moving into the Maiden
From the seventh through the tenth day after the Dark Moon.
It is a time to come into the light; A time for planting seeds for manifestation. It is also a time to seek balance.
Fourteen days after the Dark Moon.
This is a time of abundance and enlightenment.
This is the time of the Mother Goddess.
Third day through the seventh day after the Full Moon.
First harvest; inner harvest; acknowledgement of abundance.
Seventh day through the tenth day after the Full Moon.
Beginning to descend into the darkness and seeking inner balance.
Leaving the Mother and moving into the Crone
Tenth day after the Full Moon until the night of the Dark Moon.
Identifying obstacles to growth;seeking the root of inner wounds; forgiving self and others.
The dark moon would represent the time of Samhain, the beginning of the phase. This is Ceridwen's time. The time of the crone. It is the time to go within and be still.
The beginning of the waxing moon we start to move into the time for Bloudeuwedd. The time of the maiden. The time of spring and awakening.
The full moon is the mother's moon the time of Rhiannon. She is full in her abundance, ready to give birth. Rhannon is the summer and the time for harvest.
As we see the moon wane we start to move back into the crone stage again.
Each of the moon phases can be worked with similar to the way we work with our seasons.
Moon rises occur about 50 minutes later each day than the day before. Moon rises can occur at night as well as during the day. But the best way to put it into memory is a good ole time folk tale:
The new Moon always rises at sunrise
And the first quarter at noon.
The full Moon always rises at sunset
And the last quarter at midnight.