it is more to do with gravitational pull i think, if it can affect the tides of the sea then it is certainly strong enough to influence water uptake in a plant. i always try and harvest at or shortly after a full moon, it feels good in my head and i get some pretty heavy yields so i'll happily continue my broscience til yorkie gets here
just found this elsewhere on the matter......
Planting by the moon is a practice as old as agriculture.
The earth is a large gravitational field, influenced by the moon & sun.
Just as the moon (full & new) pulls on the tides so it also affects other subtle bodies of water, causing moisture to rise in the earth, which encourages growth.
Plants sown in the correct combination of lunar & zodiac phases show increased vigor.
New Moon (lunar gravity pulls water up)
-good time to soak / plant seeds for germination.
-in the following days, the increasing moonlight creates balanced root & leaf growth.
-best time for planting above ground annual crops that have their seeds outside the fruit (lettuce, spinach etc & grain crops)
Second Quarter (looks like a capital D)
-less gravitational pull but the increasing light creates strong leaf growth.
-good time for above ground annuals that produce seeds inside the fruit (beans, melons, tomatoes)
-mow lawns to increase growth.
Full Moon
-high gravitational pull creates more moisture in the ground = growth
-plants absorb more moisture at full moon.
-decreasing light in the following days displaces energy to the roots.
-good time to plant root crops, perennials and bulbs.
-active root growth favours transplanting.
Fourth Quarter
-decreased gravitational pull & light renders this a resting period.
-good time to cultivate, harvest, prune, transplant, multiply (clone), control parasites & weeds.
-mow lawns to retard growth.
This goes further into biodynamics by proven experiments on the weight of crops, showing that the zodiac signs also play their part in planting times.
-Root crops & transplants respond better when planted in earth signs.
-Leaf crops in water signs
-Flowering & herb crops in air signs, especially Libra
-Harvesting in fire signs (dry, so ideal for preservation & storage in combo with fourth quarter phase)
-Weeding in Leo.
-Pruning in Scorpio
These responses were heightened when using organic soil.
If you are into astrology, you will know that inbetween signs is a Lunar Void, so hold off making any major starts or finishes.
happy growing!