Sowing According to Maria Thun: The Cosmic Sowing Calendar for 2026

What Is the Maria Thun Sowing Calendar?

Maria Thun (1922–2012) was a German pioneer of biodynamic agriculture. Over decades she researched the influence of cosmic constellations on plant growth on her farm in Hesse. Her sowing calendar is today the most widely used biodynamic planning tool in the German-speaking world - from hobby gardeners in Vienna to Demeter farms in Switzerland.

The Four Plant Types According to Maria Thun

Maria Thun assigned each plant one of the four elements, which are determined by the signs of the zodiac:

Element	Plant type	Zodiac sign	Examples
🌍 Earth	Root days	Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn	Carrots, potatoes, radishes, celery
💧 Water	Leaf days	Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces	Lettuce, spinach, chard, cabbage
🌬️ Air	Flower days	Gemini, Libra, Aquarius	Flowers, broccoli, artichokes
🔥 Fire	Fruit days	Aries, Leo, Sagittarius	Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans

How to Use the 2026 Calendar

Spring (March–May) in the DACH region:

• Root days in March: Ideal for pre-cultivating carrots and parsnips. In higher elevations of Austria and Switzerland, wait until April.
• Leaf days in April: Perfect for direct sowing of lettuce and spinach - even on the balcony in Munich, Zurich or Salzburg.
• Fruit days in May: Plant tomatoes and peppers outdoors after the Ice Saints (May 11–15).

Summer (June–August):

• Use fruit days for the second tomato harvest and for cucumber care.
• Leaf days are excellent for mulching and composting.
• On flower days, tend flowers for pollinating insects - important for biodiversity.

Autumn (September–November):

• Root days: Harvest winter vegetables such as Jerusalem artichokes and salsify.
• Leaf days: Sow green manure (phacelia, mustard) to improve the soil.

PermaNatura & Lunar Calendar

In PermaNatura, the lunar calendar is directly integrated. For each day you see:

• The current moon phase (waxing/waning)
• The plant type according to Maria Thun (root/leaf/flower/fruit)
• Recommended activities based on your planted crops

This way you plan your gardening digitally and cosmically - whether you cultivate a small balcony in Berlin or a one-hectare farm in Burgenland.

Scientific Assessment

The effectiveness of cosmic sowing calendars is scientifically disputed. Studies by the University of Kassel and FiBL (Switzerland) showed partly positive effects for certain crops, which, however, were not always reproducible. Many biodynamic farms in Germany, Austria and Switzerland nevertheless swear by the method - as a complementary factor alongside good soil quality and suitable variety selection.

Practical Tip for Beginners

Start with one crop and compare: Sow radishes once on a root day and once on a flower day. Document germination rate and harvest in PermaNatura. After one season you have your own data - that is more valuable than any theory.

---

The PermaNatura lunar calendar is based on astronomical calculations and is optimized for the DACH region. Try it now for free.