Can We Grow Plants on the Moon?

 Any long term manned presence on the moon is going to need food. Growing at least some of that food is really necessary for feasibility.

Many plants can grow in a hydroponic setup. This means that the plants are grown in water alone, no soil. However, growing plants in lunar soil is an open question.

Apollo brought back soil samples, and now we've tried it. The plants used in the experiment were a form of mustard green and cruciferous vegetables. They also sowed some plants in a lunar stimulant.

All of the plants did grow, but the ones in natural lunar soil did not thrive well. Some of them were stunted and, interestingly, they showed "reddish pigmentation." Their RNA was altered in similar ways to harsh environments on Earth.

So the answer to the question is most likely yes. We can grow plants in lunar soil. However, we are probably going to have to add something to the soil to make them grow well...time to talk to some gardeners.