By Luke Sumpter

Moon gardening involves carrying out specific tasks in sync with the lunar phases. Although this might seem like pseudoscience to some, gardeners have cultivated plants with the rhythm of the moon for centuries with great success. Every year, cannabis growers manage to increase the vitality of their plants and enhance yields by cultivating weed using the lunar calendar.

Far from an inert object orbiting the earth, the moon impacts plant life in a multitude of ways. Certain phases of the moon illuminate plants into the night, accelerating foliage growth. The gravitational power of the moon also pulls sap up into the leaves and flowers. When this force reduces, the nutrient-rich substance heads underground and floods the root system.

Make the most of your next cannabis grow by abiding by the lunar calendar.

Check out the lunar calendar of 2024 below, learn the best times to germinate, transplant, feed, and prune, and discover why you should harvest your weed during the full moon.


Phases of the Moon and What They Mean

Gardening in sync with the moon boils down to timing. Before we delve into what tasks to carry out, and when, we need to cover the subphases of the moon within the two primary phases.

Waxing Moon

A waxing moon makes up one of the two primary phases. Waxing means growing, so this phase encompasses a period where the moon becomes increasingly illuminated over 14–15 days. During this time, the waxing moon features four distinct forms.

Waxing Moon
  • New Moon

The new moon marks the beginning of a new lunar cycle. Here, the moon takes a position directly between the earth and the sun. The side of the moon that faces the earth appears completely dark. As the moon begins to shift into the next stage, only a thin slice of the side of the moon reflects sunlight to the earth, giving rise to a razor-sharp crescent shape.

  • Crescent

During this stage, the moon appears as a more developed crescent shape. The giant ball of rock moves out of the space directly between the earth and the sun, reflecting more sunlight towards the earth as more of the illuminated side becomes visible.

  • First Quarter

During the first quarter, the moon sits 90 degrees from the earth. From here, we can see half of the moon illuminated by the sun, taking on a semi-circular “D” shape.

  • Gibbous

As the final stage of the waxing moon, the gibbous moon reflects even more sunlight towards the earth. Although not quite full, the illuminated patch of the moon takes on a lemon-shaped appearance.

Waning Moon

The waning moon comprises the second half of the lunar cycle, and also takes place over 14–15 days. During the waning phase, the moon gradually becomes less illuminated as it nears the completion of the cycle at the point of the new moon.

Waning Moon
  • Full Moon

The full moon lights up the night sky, rains photons down onto foliage, and plays a key role when growing cannabis according to the moon. During this time, the earth sits roughly between the sun and the moon. As light from the sun rushes past our home, it lights up the entire face of the moon.

  • Disseminating

Much like the gibbous moon of the waxing phase, the disseminating moon takes on a lemon shape as it slowly becomes less illuminated during the waning phase of the lunar cycle.

  • Third Quarter

The moon returns to a 90-degree position from the earth, this time on the opposite side of the planet. Once again, it reflects the light of the sun in a way that displays a semi-circle.

  • Balsamic

The balsamic moon sits at a 45-degree position from the earth. Here, very little of the surface of this natural satellite remains visible, giving rise to a sharp crescent shape.

The Ascending and Descending Moon

Ascending and descending moon

The moon ascends or descends in the sky, a trait that remains unaffected by its waxing or waning status. The moon moves to a higher and lower position in a cyclic fashion over 27 days, 7 hours, and 43 minutes.

When planting with the moon, growers should take into consideration where the moon sits in the sky, as this also affects timing related to feeding, germination, and other tasks gardeners must undertake. The moon spends half of the month in the ascending phase, where it appears higher in the sky, and the other half in the descending phase, where it appears lower.

Both of these periods heavily influence weed growers planting by the moon. They dictate the movement of plant fluids during different times on the moon timetable, and guide growers in their activities.

Constellation Also Plays a Role When Growing Weed by the Moon

The night sky features 12 prominent star constellations, each associated with their own zodiac sign. All 12 signs are divided into four groups, and each group features its own element found in nature. As the moon glides over a constellation, moon growers believe this element becomes strongest in the garden, and they conduct tasks accordingly.

  • Fire

During periods where the moon sits over a fire sign constellation, growers should focus on planting seeds. These zodiac signs make up the fire group:

- Aries
- Leo
- Sagittarius

  • Air

Growers pay significant attention to the flowers of the plant when the moon presides over an air sign. Zodiac signs of this group include:

- Gemini
- Libra
- Aquarius

  • Water

Water signs signify a time when leaves and stems swell and grow. Signs that make up this group are:

- Cancer
- Scorpio
- Pisces

  • Earth

Earth constellations are associated with the roots and soil. These signs include:

- Taurus
- Virgo
- Capricorn

Growing weed by the moon

How the Moon Affects Cannabis Growing

When growing cannabis using the moon calendar, cultivators can harness the effects of the celestial body to optimise plant health and productivity. The waxing and waning periods of the moon provide a natural timetable that guides growers throughout the season.

The ascending and descending periods also tell growers when to carry out certain tasks. According to moon gardeners, as the moon sinks lower, it forces sap (the life energy of plants) into the ground. In contrast, when the moon rises high, it pulls this energy up into the plants where it bathes the flowers, stems, and leaves.

Timing your gardening activities with this natural cycle will help you make the most of the lunar phases. For example, transplanting cannabis plants into the ground during a descending moon will help to give them the best start, as most of the energy they require will occupy the ground at this time.

Gardening in sync with the constellations adds further finesse to planting by the moon. Germination, watering, and feeding with these cycles work to boost the element associated with each task, enhancing the outcome of your grow.

How to Use the 2024 Lunar Calendar During the Growing Season

Now that you’re aware of the possible impact the phases of the moon have on the growing cycle, it’s time to put some of that knowledge into practice. Keep reading to find out how key points in the season, such as germination, training, and harvesting, correlate with the 2024 moon calendar.

Germination When Planting by the Moon

If you’re planning on adhering to the lunar calendar of 2024 when growing cannabis, you’ll want to germinate your seeds when a full moon sits within a fire sign. Why? Well, the tradition of growing with the rhythm of the night sky equates fire signs (Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius) to warmth, which seeds need to germinate correctly.

You have a range of options here. If you’re starting your plants indoors and live in a region with a long growing season, you can sow seeds as early as January. If you find yourself scrambling later on in the growing season, you can sow fast-growing auto seeds as late as June. Here are the dates when a full moon sits in a fire sign:

  • January 25th
  • February 24th
  • March 25th
  • April 23rd
  • May 23rd
  • June 22nd

Soil Preparation With the Moon Planting Calendar

Even if you’ve sown seeds extremely early in the year, you can still capitalise on the soil preparation dates below when it comes to transplanting. It won’t come as a surprise to learn that moon growers suggest preparing the growing medium when a waning moon sits in the earth sign of Virgo. During a waning moon, when moonlight decreases as the celestial body transitions from full to new, sap is drawn down into the soil below. Of course, this becomes more relevant when living plants are in the soil, but this period has become the go-to for soil preparation, too. Aim to put together a rich and nourishing soil on these dates:

  • February 27th
  • March 24th

Transplanting With Lunar Rhythms

When planting by the moon calendar, tradition holds that transplanting should take place when the moon sits in a water sign, but in its waxing phase. While a waning moon causes sap to move into the soil, a waxing moon draws it up and into freshly transplanted seedlings, filling them with water and nourishment. A waxing moon sits in the water signs of Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces during the following dates:

  • March 11th
  • March 20th
  • April 16th–17th
  • May 13th–14th
  • June 9th

Training and Pruning by the Cannabis Moon Calendar

Training your plants has the potential to transform a good grow into a great one. Techniques such as LST create more uniform buds and enhance yields. Pruning in the form of topping breaks the plant’s apical dominance, whereas defoliation helps to open up the canopy and boost airflow and light exposure. In the context of the moon calendar, these procedures should take place when a waxing moon enters the water constellations of Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio, as sap and water rise up in branches. Training occurs earlier in the growing season, and should be performed on the following dates according to the 2024 calendar:

  • February 12th–13th
  • March 11th–12th
  • April 9th
  • May 12th
  • June 9th

Pruning should occur later in the season on the following dates:

  • July 6th–7th
  • August 5th

Fertilise as the Moon Wanes in Water

Fertilisation occurs in a waning moon as sap descends into the soil, allowing the flow to carry nutrients back up into the plant as the moon enters a waxing phase again. Keep in mind that both synthetic and organic liquid fertilisers provide fast-acting nutrients, and organic matter such as mulch takes much longer to break down. Fertilisation should occur when a waning moon sits in the water signs of Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio. Aim to feed your plants on the following dates:

  • February 5th
  • March 3rd
  • May 5th
  • June 1st
  • June 29th
  • August 3rd
  • August 31st
  • October 25th

Harvest: Air Constellations and Full Moons

You have two choices when it comes to harvesting those ripe buds. The first option involves reaping your reward during a waxing moon that sits in an air constellation; a waxing moon will pull the sap into your flowers prior to harvest, whereas air signs are associated with canopies and the aerial parts of plants. Aim for these dates when taking this approach:

  • June 18th
  • July 15th
  • September 17th
  • October 14th
  • November 10th

Likewise, many growers who cultivate according to the lunar calendar harvest during a full moon, based on the belief that this astronomical event helps to draw up resources and vitality into plants. You’ll also have more natural light available if you end up working into the night. Follow these dates to harvest during a full moon in 2024:

  • Capricorn: June 21st
  • Capricorn: July 21st
  • Aquarius: August 19th
  • Aries: October 17th
MOON CALENDAR

Cookies settings

We are requesting your permission to use your data for the reasons stated below:

Functional cookies

Functional cookies help our website to function optimally and allow us to personalise certain features.

Preference cookies

Preference cookies allow us to remember information that influences the way our website looks, including your preferred language based on your region.

Analytical cookies

Analytical cookies give us insights into website traffic and customer behaviour, including how many people visit our site, how long they browse for, and which parts of our site they visit.

What are cookies?

Cookies are small pieces of data from a particular website that get stored on a user’s computer while they’re surfing the internet. Cookies have several different functions. Some of them track browser activity that enables businesses to deliver targeted advertisements. Other cookies serve to remember user login details to different websites to make jumping on social media, or other sites, a more fluid process. Because each cookie has its own unique ID, these pieces of data allow website owners to measure the unique traffic coming into their site.

Why do we use cookies?

Cookies come in handy when you visit our website. They ensure you stay logged in, that you can shop safely, and that the items you add to your cart stay there before you make a purchase. But cookies also help us. The data they provide allow us to improve our website and enable us to present you with targeted advertisements that are compatible with your interests.

What kind of cookies do we use?

Functional cookies

Functional cookies help our website to function optimally and allow us to personalise certain features.

Preference cookies

Preference cookies allow us to remember information that influences the way our website looks, including your preferred language based on your region.

Analytical cookies

Analytical cookies give us insights into website traffic and customer behaviour, including how many people visit our site, how long they browse for, and which parts of our site they visit.

How can I disable or delete cookies?

Not a fan of cookies? No worries. You can disable them (with the exception of necessary cookies) in your browser settings. However, blocking cookies may impact your browsing experience and prevent you from enjoying all of the technical features of our site.

Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: