Ascending moon
The ascending moon is the roughly thirteen-day stretch when the Moon rises a little higher in the sky each day, its declination climbing along the zodiac. It is not the same as the waxing moon, which describes the lit portion of the disc: ascending is about height, waxing is about light. Gardening tradition reads it as sap rising toward the aerial parts of plants.
Ascending is not waxing
This is the most common mix-up. Waxing and waning describe illumination, from new moon to full and back, over 29.5 days. Ascending and descending describe something else entirely: how high the Moon climbs in the sky from one day to the next, rising then falling over about 27.3 days. The two cycles overlap without lining up: the Moon can be waxing and descending on the very same evening.
What the gardening tradition reads in it
When the Moon climbs, the sap is said to climb with it, toward stems, leaves and fruit. Tradition then suggests harvesting what you will eat soon, picking fruit, grafting. Treat it as a rhythm of attention in the garden rather than a rule: a cue to come back and observe, not a law that decides for you.
Sources
- , Biodynamic sowing calendar