Gardening · Pruning

Pruning by the moon

Biodynamic practice puts pruning into the descending moon. By the picture of tradition, the sap then stands in root and soil. Fruit trees are pruned on a fruit day, roses and flowering shrubs on a flower day.

The next days for pruning

Days with a descending moon in the next four weeks. The symbol shows the day type; unfavourable hours are listed with their times.

Friday, October 2, 2026Root dayfrom 21:46 Flower
descending from 12:27unfavourable 00:00–09:56 · perigee
Saturday, October 3, 2026Flower day
Sunday, October 4, 2026Flower dayfrom 21:06 Leaf
Monday, October 5, 2026Leaf day
unfavourable 06:07–08:16 · occultation (Mars)
Tuesday, October 6, 2026Fruit dayLeaf until 07:40
unfavourable 09:14–13:33 · occultation (Jupiter)unfavourable 21:11–24:00 · lunar node
Wednesday, October 7, 2026Fruit day
unfavourable 00:00–07:28 · lunar node
Thursday, October 8, 2026Fruit dayfrom 22:47 Root
Friday, October 9, 2026Root day
Saturday, October 10, 2026Root day
New Moon 16:50
Sunday, October 11, 2026Root day
Monday, October 12, 2026Flower dayRoot until 07:49
Tuesday, October 13, 2026Flower day
Wednesday, October 14, 2026Leaf dayFlower until 04:47
Thursday, October 15, 2026Leaf day

Times for Europe/London

Why the descending moon

In a little over 27 days the moon rises once in the sky and sinks again. With the descending moon, tradition sees the sap in the lower part of the plant. The plant then works downwards, and repotting, feeding and pruning fall into this time.

The day type by shrub or tree

Fruit trees and soft fruit bushes are pruned on a fruit day. Roses and other flowering shrubs belong to the flower day. Hedges and topiary, grown for their foliage, are cut on a leaf day.

Strengthen or check

Pierre Masson makes a distinction for the winter pruning of trees and vines. Pruning in the descending moon, ideally from February to the end of March, strengthens weak plants and makes them more vital. To check growth that is too vigorous, prune in the same period in the ascending moon.

The list above shows the days with a descending moon; the days with an ascending moon are on the pages on harvesting and grafting. Masson advises keeping to the chosen rhythm for several years.

Full moon and perigee

When full moon coincides with the moon’s perigee, the time counts as favourable for fungal diseases. Pierre Masson then advises leaving pruning and flower harvests aside and spraying horsetail as a precaution.

Hours to avoid

Lunar nodes, perigee, the occultation of a planet by the moon, planetary nodes and eclipses count as unfavourable in the biodynamic calendar, whatever the day type. The days from Good Friday until sunrise on Easter Sunday are added to these.

The list above gives such hours with their times. If fewer than two suitable hours remain free between 6 am and 9 pm, the day is left out of the list.

Frequently asked questions about pruning by the moon

When do you prune fruit trees by the moon?

In the descending moon on a fruit day, outside the unfavourable hours. The next suitable days are at the top of this page.

When do you prune vigorous fruit trees?

In the ascending moon, in the same period as the rest of the winter pruning. According to Pierre Masson, pruning then checks growth, while pruning in the descending moon strengthens.

Cut a hedge in a waxing or waning moon?

For pruning, the biodynamic calendar goes by the moon’s course: pruning is done in the descending moon, hedges on a leaf day. Waxing and waning describe the light, a different movement of the moon.

When do you prune roses by the moon?

In the descending moon on a flower day.

Should you prune at full moon?

When full moon coincides with the moon’s perigee, Pierre Masson advises against pruning, because the time counts as favourable for fungal diseases. Horsetail is then sprayed as a precaution.