Gardening by the Signs
By Serina Marshall
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
Gardening has become a trend that many use as a way to relax, be one with nature, and live off the land. There are various ways to take care of the crops you decide to grow. One such way is to do your gardening by following the signs. Astrological signs are typically used for horoscopes and the like. However, using them to garden actually has many successful effects, and those that implement the methods swear by them. In order to apply this method correctly, there are specific guidelines and information you may want to pay attention to as you begin your new gardening journey.
The moon passes through the twelve different signs throughout the year on its trip around the Earth. Each specific sign of the zodiac is associated with one of the four elements; earth, wind, fire, or water. Water signs include Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces; The Earth signs are Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. Scorpio, Pisces, Taurus or Cancer are best for planting and transplanting of above ground bearing crops.
Air signs include Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius; And under the Fire sign are Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. Air and Fire signs are considered to be barren. During this time, one should skip planting and place their focus on weeding and pruning. The Libra sign, however, is semi-fertile and a time for blooming herbs and flowers, vines, tubers, and roots. Fruit trees should be pruned under a fire sign; seeds won’t sprout during Leo, so do your weeding then. Harvesting should be done during a fourth-quarter fire sign in order to preserve fruit and vegetables for future storage.
Following the Lunar calendar, root crops such as potatoes, carrots, and turnips produce the best yields if planted when the moon is in the sign of Capricorn. Crops that are above ground, such as annual flowers and vegetables, are best planted while the moon is in Cancer.
When you are gardening by the signs, you want to plant when the moon is both waxing and in a fertile (water or earth) sign; weeding, harvesting, and tilling should be the focus when the moon is waning and in a barren sign. It is also suggested to not plant on Sunday. This day is considered a barren day, and not acceptable for planting despite the sign. Each one of the signs holds a different set of characteristics. These include masculine, feminine, airy, dry, barren, moist, fiery, earthy, watery, fruitful, and non-fruitful. Planting requires moisture, so it should be done during one of the moist or fruitful signs. The best time to plant should be during a fruitful moon phase, as well as productive sign. Fruitful signs are Scorpio, Pieces, Taurus, and Cancer. If you are looking to plow, cultivate, or till, do so during Aries. NEVER PLANT DURING THE BARREN SIGNS! And always set your plants out in a water or earth sign.
If you are looking to graft, make sure you do so right before the sap begins to flow, while the moon is in its first or second quarter, also while it is passing through a fruitful watery sign, or Capricorn. Never graft or plant on Sunday as this is a barren and hot day. Thus, why it is called the sun’s day. Flowers should be planted in the sign of Libra because it is an airy sign. Libra also is a sign of beauty, which is thought to produce beautiful flowers. Be sure to plant them while the moon is in the first quarter. However, if you need the seeds, use the period between the moon’s second quarter and full status.
It is also said that if you plant your corn crops in Leo, they will hard, round stalks. If you are wanting to ensure that your crops will withstand droughts, you will want to plant them in Taurus and Cancer signs. Root flower cuttings, vines, cuttings, limbs, and setting out trees and flower bushes should be done in the months of November and December. If you are looking to have a large vine and stalk that produces little fruit, you will want to plant in Virgo. You will also want to plant all things which produce above ground during the moon’s increase, and all things which produce below the ground when the moon is decreasing. You also never want to plant on the first day of the new moon, or on a day when the moon will be changing quarters. Turning sod and pulling weeds should occur in the fourth quarter.
Picking and gathering fruit also has its own set of guidelines. Apples and pears should be picked in the old moon. By doing this, it is said that it will cause the bruises to dry up and not rot. If you pick during the increase of the moon, the fruit is sure to rot.
When the moon is decreasing, you will want to harvest most of your crops. This will help them to stay better longer. To keep your root crops drier and longer, you will want to dig the root crops for seeds during the third quarter of the moon. You will then want to gather the root crops in the last quarter of the moon.
To know when to enact certain gardening habits, you can pick up a Planting Calendar. These can be found at your local hardware, auto, and seed/feed store. The zodiac signs and moon phases are clearly marked to make it easier and more accessible to follow. Each method gives its own set of specific guidelines to follow to produce the desired type of crop, harvest, and garden. But the best results come from combining very distinct sets of moon phases and zodiacs. If you are searching for a new and proven way to yield the best your land has to offer, check out the sky for more information.
