Gardening by the Moon

Gardening by the Moon Signs

To use this chart you will need to find a calender that shows what zodiac sign the moon is in each day, as well as the day of the full and new moon. Here in the country, in Tennessee, these calenders are given out free by many businesses each year.

It is interesting how many folks plant their gardens by the "signs". Each year the old timers will flock to the local hardware store for the calendars that still have the best days for fishing and planting. Modern science may be fine for TV reception, but when it comes to the family food, we still rely on the proven methods of our ancestors. The moon sign is the location of the moon on each day. Note that some calendars give "signs" as body parts, old terms for the part governed by each zodiac sign.

Zodiac Sign

The "signs" are in the:

The nature or conditions:

Tasks best done:

Notes:

Aries

Head

Fiery and masculine; dry and barren

Prune, cultivate, and destroy weeds and pests. Gather herbs

A sign of Mars

Taurus

Neck

Earthy and feminine; moist and fertile

Plant herbs, root crops, especially horseradish, potatoes, ginseng

A sign of Venus

Gemini

Arms

Airy and masculine; dry and barren

Cultivating soil and destroying weeds.

Mercury, some say plant pole beans now

Cancer

Breast

Watery and feminine; moist and fertile

The most fertile sign for planting above ground crops!

Ruled by the Lady Moon

Leo

Lungs

Fiery and masculine; dry and barren

Pruning to discourage growth, weeding and cultivating.

Mow the lawn! Ruled by the Sun

Virgo

Bowels

Earthy and feminine; moist and barren

Excellent for harvesting root crops.

Another Mercury sign

Libra

"Reins" or Kidneys

Airy and masculine; moist and semifertile

Good for planting flowers, ornamental plants

Another Venus sign

Scorpio

Sex organs or "secrets" on this drugstore calendar

Watery and feminine; moist and fertile
Excellent for planting root crops and

Grafting, second most fertile sign

Pluto rules this sign, Pluto was originally a Goddess of the Earth

Sagittarius

Thighs

Fiery and masculine; dry and barren

Weeding and pruning
Go fishing.

Jupiter rules this day.

Capricorn

Knees

Earthy and feminine; dry and barren

No activity in the garden. Mend or build structures, fences, and beds.

And Saturn rules the goat

Aquarius

Legs

Airy and masculine; dry and barren
Good for pest and weed control. Gather

herbs.

The third sign of Mercury

Pisces

Feet

Watery and feminine; moist and fertile

Excellent for harvesting root crops, 3^rd for planting.

Ruled by Neptune

Besides following the moon's location, also notice what phase the moon is in before starting any activity. A rule of thumb to go by is - while the moon is growing (waxing) activities associated to growing, planting, starting seedlings, transplanting, grafting are benefited. While the moon is shrinking (waning) it is best to do activities that discourage growth, digging fence holes, pest control, pruning, weeding, tilling. It is hard to find a day that is completely auspicious; you have the weather to take into account also. Usually the days that are the best are the ones that you have an important appointment to attend and so can't work in the garden. Just keep the calendar in mind and try to follow it the best you can, whether it works because of the moon's effect or whether it just is a good overall plan to keep you from neglecting anything, is not important. This plan has been used for thousands of years. You will have the satisfaction of carrying on the Earth traditions of your ancestors; and you will feel the cycles of the seasons. Your harvest will be blessed because of your attentive work, you will feel closer to your garden and Mother Earth, and you will get more satisfaction from being a gardener.

Zodiac Sign	The "signs" are in the:	The nature or conditions:	Tasks best done:	Notes:
Aries	Head	Fiery and masculine; dry and barren	Prune, cultivate, and destroy weeds and pests. Gather herbs	A sign of Mars
Taurus	Neck	Earthy and feminine; moist and fertile	Plant herbs, root crops, especially horseradish, potatoes, ginseng	A sign of Venus
Gemini	Arms	Airy and masculine; dry and barren	Cultivating soil and destroying weeds.	Mercury, some say plant pole beans now
Cancer	Breast	Watery and feminine; moist and fertile	The most fertile sign for planting above ground crops!	Ruled by the Lady Moon
Leo	Lungs	Fiery and masculine; dry and barren	Pruning to discourage growth, weeding and cultivating.	Mow the lawn! Ruled by the Sun
Virgo	Bowels	Earthy and feminine; moist and barren	Excellent for harvesting root crops.	Another Mercury sign
Libra	"Reins" or Kidneys	Airy and masculine; moist and semifertile	Good for planting flowers, ornamental plants	Another Venus sign
Scorpio	Sex organs or "secrets" on this drugstore calendar	Watery and feminine; moist and fertile	Excellent for planting root crops and Grafting, second most fertile sign	Pluto rules this sign, Pluto was originally a Goddess of the Earth
Sagittarius	Thighs	Fiery and masculine; dry and barren	Weeding and pruning	Go fishing. Jupiter rules this day.
Capricorn	Knees	Earthy and feminine; dry and barren	No activity in the garden. Mend or build structures, fences, and beds.	And Saturn rules the goat
Aquarius	Legs	Airy and masculine; dry and barren	Good for pest and weed control. Gather herbs.	The third sign of Mercury
Pisces	Feet	Watery and feminine; moist and fertile	Excellent for harvesting root crops, 3^rd for planting.	Ruled by Neptune