Planting By The Signs March 2012

 

I started trying to plant by the signs 3 years ago. Pap and Granny always had a garden when I was growing up-but they didn't plant by the signs.

It wasn't that they didn't believe in the signs. Pap was so busy with work, music, church, and coaching baseball that he had to plant whenever he had time.

The first year I planted by the signs I kept it simple trying to plant in the most fruitful sign of Cancer-or under the crab as I heard an elderly lady phrase it. I saw a marked increase in the success of my garden that year.

The following year, with the success of my sign planted garden fresh on my mind, I got so involved in the signs that for the whole summer I felt like I was playing a mean game of Mother May I where I kept forgetting to ask the right way and never got past the top step. And my garden didn't do that great either.

The theory behind planting by the zodiac signs in a nut shell is: You should plant above ground crops under a fruitful sign while the moon is waxing/increasing (the light of the moon from the day the moon is new till the day it is full). You should plant below ground crops under a fruitful sign while the moon is waning/decreasing (the dark of the moon from the day after it is full to the day before it is new again.).

As you probably already know-each zodiac sign is also represented by a symbol, a part of the human body, and an element of nature (fire, earth, water, air). Each zodiac sign has distinct characteristics. For example Leo-Lion-The Heart is fiery, dry and barren. While Cancer-Crab-The Breast is watery, and very fruitful.

This year I'm going back to the simplicity of my first year of gardening by the signs. I'm only going to concentrate on the zodiac sign. I'm going to make every effort to plant under the most fruitful sign of Cancer during the waxing of the moon and the fruitful sign of Pisces during the waning of the moon.

A few folks mentioned they missed my monthly sign planting calendar I used to post-so I decided to bring it back-at the beginning of each month I'll post one for you-the only change I made from the original version-is I noted whether the day was under the Cancer sign or the Pisces sign.

If you plant by the signs-please tell us about it!

Tipper

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Comments

[julia]

I recently found this site that has a detailed monthly outlook and a daily twitter feed with advice for what is good to do each day. With my short attentions/retention span, that twitter feed is just the ticket :)

http://www.plantingbythesigns.net/

[Khadijah Cashmere]

greetings-so happy to come upon your site! I have been planting by the moon signs for 30 years now!! The seeds germinate faster, are more drought tolerant--a big issue here in New Mexico-- and produce so abundantly--the years I was careless and didnt pay attention to the moon signs garden didnt do half as well---Always try to plant in Cancer pisces taurus or scorpio--but mostly Cancer--well thanks for listening--signed, Gramma Khadijah

[RB]

Personally, I think it all sounds like some people think about prayer. Some people think there's a magical formula, ways and means for wording prayer to guarantee whether they'll get answered or not. I'm not one of them. I'm just delighted to spend time with God and to have Him spend time with me, and I leave the prayer answering entirely up to Him thusly...

"Please give me what I ask, dear Lord, if You'd be glad about it.
But if You think it's not for me, please help me do without it."
~Anonymous

;o)

Cause I believe God knows what He's doing, and I believe Mother Nature does too.

God bless.

RB
<><

[Madge @ The View From Right Here]

I haven't.. but I do remember one of the Foxfire books had a section on that... (heading to the bookcase) yes.. vol. 1, page 212. I've been thinking about giving it a try...

[Miss Cindy]

Tipper, I've always had an interest in astrology, sun signs and the moon. There are lots of thing better done by the moon sign like setting fence posts and getting haircuts. My grandparents paid attention to the signs particularly for pickling things.
I thought a lot of my grandmother so I figured she must know what she was talking about.
One more of the old ways that you are preserving and teaching....Thank You.

[Vicki Lane]

I'm a 'plant by the weather and time available' sort.

[Charlotte]

We don't plant by signs, just when weather permits. I heard this yesterday: "When all the leaves drop from the oak trees and the new leaves are as big as squirrels' ears, you can plant". This is a new one for me!

[Ken]

Tipper,
I'm glad you're puttin' the plantin' by the signs calendar
back on. Last year I DID plant
everything as you posted and I
was so thankful and blessed. I'm
a firm believer in planting by
the signs...Ken

[Ethel]

Hmmm, I think I'll try planting some lettuce the end of the month, I might get away with it since it's been so mild. Thanks for the calendar!

[dolores barton]

I didn't pay attention to the signs - maybe that's why I didn't have a lot of success last year. I might just pay better attention this year.

[jackie shound ringersma]

My dad was a firm believer in planting by the signs as was my grandmother. They both taught me everything I know about gardening. When he first tried to teach me about it, I too was busy with a full time job and raising my daughter and told him, "the sign is right when I have time", my mom laughed. But I was listening and do make sure I get my beans sown at the exact right time. Wonderful memories of him and "Nanny" go through my head every spring as I sow my seeds.

[Lanny]

Sometimes simplification is the very best thing.

[B. Ruth]

Tipper,
Oopsie, does this mean we can't plant 'taters this year? Most of the time, unless it has been a drown out n'down pour, we plant 'taters on St. Patricks Day March 17th...LOL
We try to plant by the signs with exception of 'taters and mostly plant beans on Good Friday...
Sure works for us. For instance, last year my husband planted turnip greens on a dry hot baked day, even though the signs were right...Several days passed, no turnips...no rain either...He complained that he would have to replant that the seed had burnt up!..I said let's just give'm a while yet..In a day or so we had just a "tinkle of rain" before the cloud disappeared..LOL By mornin' there were little turpnip greens and collard greens up everywhere...We ate greens and ate'm and still have nice turnips and we still are eatin' them from the ground sliced with salt and or cooked...we usually don't store them and pull them from the ground as we need them...
Best greens crop we ever had in spite of the heat and drought last year when planted...so here's your sign...LOL
Thanks Tipper, love this post...

[Becky]

You know I do! And I use the Old Farmer's Almanac as a guide.

[Pam Moore]

I plant using a biodynamic gardening calendar. I think it does make a difference. Most of the biodynamic gardeners I know have amazing gardens.

Pam

[Jen]

Yeah! Thanks, Tipper!

[Mary Shipman]

Pop and Granny were 'big' on planting signs and always had a good garden. THe past few years, we have not done that.
We did not 'plant by the signs' specificly last fall when Hubby put out turnips and wheat. I looked back at the calendar this morning on reading this. Yes, he had planted in the waning moon. We have had an unbelievable crop of turnips, the mild winter has them still growing nicely. The wheat has not done so well.
I think I will try to be more aware this year.
Today, I hope to get my tomatoes, brocoli and cucumbers started.

[Special]

what sign do you need to be in to plaint them bird seeds? i got a sack last year an sewed em like i thaut hit said on the back. I cant reed to good, hits my eyes you no. the old woman got mad at me an hid the glases. anyhow alls i got wuz a bunch ov weeds an flares an stuff. not 1 bird in the bunch. hit musta been i plainted em in the rong sign.
PS dont worie about me. me an the old woman are back on the ins. she lets me take my turn with the glases an the teeth.