Tag Archives: lunar gardening

LH&G2
Jun 12 2013

The Lunar Home and Garden Guide to Signs and Seasons, Summer 2013

If you’ve ever tried gardening by the Moon, you may have discovered you needed several different reference books. Most almanacs use the constellations rather than the zodiac signs in their daily listings, so you’d need something to convert the constellations to the Moon signs you read about in astrology books and magazines. If you’re relying on your favorite astrology blogger for the daily Moon sign, you need a calendar that shows the lunar phases for the month. Who’s right? Your almanac or your astrologer?

Moon signs don’t change magically at midnight. How can you be sure when the Moon changes from one sign to another? Is a time zone the same as a hardiness zone? Is parsley a plant of the Sun or Mercury?

Since I’m an old hand at gardening by the Moon, I’ve created a month-by-month guide for the 2013 summer season ~ every day from the summer solstice through the autumnal equinox ~ which covers:

  • The fertility of each sign and whether it’s a 1, 2, or 3 Moon day
  • Root, leaf, flower and fruit days
  • Dates for each Moon sign and its related gardening activities
  • Gardening duties for when the Moon is waxing or waning
  • Bringing the Moon Indoors ~ Home and self-care tips based on my personal experience of tracking the astrological Moon for many years

Each Moon sign has a page devoted to it that has all the above info on it. There’s no flipping back and forth or through various reference materials. I’ve put it all in one place for you.

LH&G2Since this is the summer guide, Cancer, Leo and Virgo are highlighted with:

  • The astrological characteristics of each sign
  • The Cancer, Leo, and Virgo garden
  • Lists of plants associated with each summer sign, with a recipe using one of their herbs or veggies
  • Suggested activities and projects for the New Moon in each of the three summer signs

There are also checklists for your garden, home, and self-care for the summer months and other good stuff, too, like the annual cycle of waxing and waning Moons.

One of my favorite things about this guide is that the times the Moon is in a sign are all on one page. You can see at a glance all the opportunities to garden during each sign throughout the season.

Waxing Virgo Moon

July 11, 6:12pm – July 14, 3:40am
August 7, 11:58pm – August 10, 9:08am
September 5, 7:31am – September 6, 3:13pm

Waning Virgo Moon

September 4, 6:45am – September 5, 7:29am

See how the Moon went from waning to waxing in September? It’s all laid out for you.

If you’re new to gardening with the Moon, this guide will be a great aid to you through the summer months. If you’ve been gardening with the Moon for a while, you’ll love the ease of finding everything you need in one place.

Paypal$9.95

Once you’ve ordered your guide, I’ll receive a notice from PayPal and will email the guide directly to you.

roots.jpg
Jun 9 2013

Fertile, Fertile Days

seedlings-0414The Waxing Moon entered Cancer today at 12:17pm (EDT) and stays through the 12th at 12:58am. That gives us some of the most fertile planting days of the month. If you have an annual plant or two still in their nursery containers or some seeds you’d like to sow, find a little time to set them out between now and Tuesday evening.

Plant anything that has its seeds on the outside. That’s most annual flowers, lettuce, annual herbs, broccoli, and so on. Save those plants with inside seeds (tomatoes, squash) for the 2nd quarter if you can. That’s the 16-22 of June.

Save bulbs, corms, rhizomes and tubers until after the Full Moon on June 23rd. Stick to annuals and seasonal veggies from now till the 12th.

Get ready. Summer’s a’comin.

JewelwingDamselfly
Jun 2 2013

New Friend in the Garden

I’ve had the sweetest little companion in my garden for the past few days ~ a little damselfly I’ve nicknamed Dotty for obvious reasons. She should be near our neighbor’s pond, but she’s been in an area I’ve kept very wet for the past week. The dampness is probably why she’s taken up residence on a hosta outside my den.

She’s earning her keep by eating lots of mosquitoes. Bless her!! Continue reading →

3moonday
May 23 2013

Waxing Scorpio: 3-Moon Days

I’ve come up with a rating system for planting days using Moons. Today and most of tomorrow (May 24th and 25th) are 3-Moon days. It doesn’t get any better than that.

The water signs ~ Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces ~ are the most fertile planting days of the lunar garden calendar. They’re all 3-Moon days. 2-Moon days are Taurus and Capricorn. 1-Moon days are Virgo and Libra.

The barren signs ~ Aries, Leo, Sagittarius, Gemini and Virgo ~ get no moons because they’re not good for planting. They’re better used for other gardening activities.

The Moon is waxing in Scorpio through 5:05pm (EDT) May 24th. This is a fantastic time to do some late spring planting of annuals. I’ve got several packets of flower seeds that I haven’t gotten around to planting yet. Today’s the day! We were blessed with a nice rain during the night, so the ground is able and more than willing to embrace the seeds.

From the lunar eclipse tonight.There is a Full Moon Eclipse in Sagittarius on Saturday. I’d advise even those who can only garden on weekends to avoid planting this Saturday or Sunday for two reasons. 1) Sagittarius is a barren sign, and 2) I don’t like to plant on either the New or Full Moon.

Late Sunday evening is okay, after 5:30pm. At that time, the Moon moves into Capricorn for a couple of days. Capricorn gets 2 Moons. Since the Moon will be in its waning phase, turn your attention to perennials and biennials.

The next 3-Moon days for perennials and biennials are May 30th from 8:31pm until June 2nd, 2:33pm when the Moon wanes in Pisces.

moongardening_thumb.jpg
May 13 2012

Lunar Home and Garden Tips for May 14-20, 2012

Times noted are EDT.

In the garden this week:

  • Best planting times for biennials are during Pisces and Taurus. Save annuals for after the New Moon.
  • Best Days for pest control and general maintenance are during Aries.
  • All days are good for pruning.

Pisces  Moon in PISCES on Monday and most of Tuesday is the best time this week to fertilize your garden. Don’t forget your house and patio plants! It’s a good habit to change up your fertilizers once in a while. Keep a bottle of fish emulsion on hand for fertilizing during Pisces. Just makes sense, right? And easy to remember.

If you’re already in the habit of photographing your garden monthly, Pisces is an excellent time to get your shots. This is also an excellent time to tend to your water features ~ fountains, pools, koi ponds, wells, and birdbaths.

Gardeners often think of their entire garden as their sanctuary. Do you have a special part of your garden that feels more “sacred” than others? Spend some time in that part of your garden daily to connect with spirit. If you don’t have a designated garden sanctuary already, just pick your favorite spot. It doesn’t have to be over-the-top or even noticeable to your garden visitors. It could be a swing or a statue of St. Francis, Mary, or Quan Yin tucked into a bed or corner. In the long run, your garden sanctuary doesn’t require any kind of garden ornament at all. It’s what the space evokes in you that makes it sacred. Continue reading →

moongardening_thumb.jpg
May 5 2012

Lunar Gardening Tips for May 5-13, 2012

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Times noted are EDT.

I’m making a slight adjustment to the weekly calendar, starting it on Monday now. That gives weekend gardeners all the lunar info you need in one post. I’m playing a little catch-up with this post by including the weekend of May 5-6th.

Scorpio_thumb[3]We awake to the Moon in Scorpio on Saturday where it stays until very late Sunday. Here’s a little something to keep in mind ~ the Moon in Scorpio is waxing on Saturday before it’s full, but waning on Sunday. If you’re setting out annuals, do that on Saturday. Sunday the Moon changes to the waxing phase, so turn your attention to perennials. Scorpio is a very fruitful sign (second only to Cancer) so the weekend is perfectly suited to all kinds of gardening tasks. It’s helpful to have both waxing and waning hours to make the most of the weekend. Some folks won’t plant on the Full Moon at all. Use your sound judgment on this one. If the weekend is the only time you have, take advantage of it.

SagittariusBy 9:40pm on Sunday the Moon leaves Scorpio to enter the dry, barren sign of Sagittarius. With the lushness of the season, there are plenty of things to turn your attention to for the next couple of days. Check for aphids, spider mites, and scale. You can use a commercial insecticidal soap (which gets expensive) or you can make your own and save enough money to buy another plant. All you need is a pure liquid soap and some vegetable oil. Adding garlic and pepper helps, too. Here’s a recipe from Organic Gardening Web. Camellias and gardenias are extremely prone to scale. If that icky, sticky scale is the problem, you probably need a full attack. Here’s a good resource on how to get it back in control. Continue reading →

gazing ball
Apr 27 2012

Lunar Gardening Tips for April 29 – May 5, 2012

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The waxing phase continues through the Full Moon on Saturday, but with only a few really good planting days. Best days are May 3-5. Exclude the 5th if you don’t like planting on the Full Moon.

Leo and Virgo are barren signs, best for general cleanup, weeding, pest riddance, and the like, though I prefer to get rid of things when the Moon is in the waning phase. The waning phase signifies release, so it just makes sense.

Leo1_thumb[2]Last week I mentioned focusing on the star of your garden and adding garden decorations while the Moon is in the royal sign of Leo. I picked up a fantastic garden ornament from a local nursery that I adore. It’s a gazing ball with moon and star cutouts, perfect for a lunar gardener or a moon garden. It can be used just as a gazing ball, but a candle can be placed underneath it for nighttime use. It casts beautiful dancing moon and star shapes when a candle is placed inside, making quite a fanciful centerpiece for outdoor dining. I kept it outside for a while, but I love it so much that I’ve brought it back indoors.

Did you know that Leo is associated with the back? If you need to get your “back forty” prepped for planting during a fertile sign, Leo is a good time to do just that. Leo is a dry, barren sign, but that doesn’t mean it’s useless. If you’re setting something in Quikrete (that fast setting concrete), use the fiery force of Leo to help it set well. Make your own garden stepping stones using Quikrete and personalize them. Check out the video below to learn how. Continue reading →

Hand holding a plant
Apr 20 2012

Lunar Gardening Tips for April 22-28, 2012

Sunday brings us the waxing Moon in Taurus, one of the most fertile signs for planting, starting seeds, and transplanting. The waxing phase is perfect for annuals of all kinds ~ flowers or seasonal veggies. There’s a lushness that is always burgeoning in the south while the Sun is in Taurus. The greens are deep and rich. Leaves and vines are thick and heavy.

If you like a sparse garden that’s very manicured, Taurus may be your nemesis. You may be endlessly whacking away at what feels like unmanageable growth.

The month of Taurus is one of my favorites. It’s not too hot here in Zone 8 yet and everything looks so healthy and rich. The air is clean and clear and the grass has greened up. Gorgeous!

Sunday is also Earth Day. Do something special this year. Add a compost pile to your yard or invest in a small composter. I was lucky to receive a composter from a friend who had one too many. Hard to believe, I know.

You don’t have to pay a lot for a composter. In fact, you can make one from a plastic garbage can. I have a dear friend who swears by this type of composter. It’s cheap to make and is also a good gardening project. Forget fancy-schmancy. Check out this video on how to make one from P. Allen Smith. Continue reading →

moneyflower
Apr 19 2012

Taurus and the Money Tree

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Pachira aquatica

From Wikipedia Commons

I’ve got my fingers crossed that Money Trees work. I’ve added one to my office to increase my prosperity feng shui. It stands about 4½-5′ tall and has a braided trunk. Pretty!

I put some SuperThrive on it (a plant hormone recommended by dirtynailz at DiggingRI) and it’s doing really really well, putting out new sprouts and growing about a foot in the few months I’ve had it. I should probably trim it…but I’m a little superstitious about pruning my money tree, you know?

(SuperThrive has been a fantastic addition to my plant foods. It’s not a fertilizer, but a vitamin/hormone supplement. I am sold on this stuff. Thanks, dirtynailz! Definitely get some. I ordered mine from Amazon. None of my local nurseries or stores had ever heard of it. I’ll order a larger size next time because I’ve been using it outside, too. Everything I put it on has surprised me with lush growth and vigor.)

Money trees (Pachira aquatica) like low lighting and prefer to dry out between waterings. Since they like low lighting, they are well-suited to any room in the house that isn’t heavy on the sunshine. They have a broad five-leaf umbrella at the end of each branch or stem. You can also find them as bonsai, but the tall braided-stem type is definitely impressive. In their native habitat, Pachira aquatica flowers and produces nuts, growing up to 10 or 20 feet tall. The featured photo up top shows its magnificent flower.

Because of its lucky association with money, it seems fitting that this plant be assigned to Taurus. While the Sun is in Taurus, I encourage everyone to start a little savings fund to make a special purchase for your garden. Maybe a new bench or bird feeder or that special plant you’ve always wanted, but couldn’t quite afford.

The Colloquial Money Tree

Here in Georgia pulp wood country, there’s a saying about money trees that’s a bit different from the money trees most of us are familiar with. ”That right there is your money tree.” The first time I heard the expression, my friend Malcolm pointed out a gorgeous, stately pine in our backyard. This King of our backyard stands regally, holding court among its smaller neighbors. It was Malcolm’s way of saying that the tree is tall, thick in circumference, straight, and could put a nice amount of cash in our pockets.  It’s definitely our money tree, but we’ll never cut it for cash.

Now if only I could walk into my office and find my feng shui money tree in flower like this one.

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peppers
Apr 19 2012

Lunar Home and Garden Tips for Aries ~ April 18-21, 2012

Wednesday afternoon, the Moon moved into Aries and remains there through Friday.

In the Home ~ Spring Cleaning Tips

If you’re ready to tackle cleaning the oven, scrubbing down the stove, barbeque grill, or cleaning out the ashes from your fireplace or firepit, Aries is here to put some muscle in your elbow grease. Whatever “it” is, if it gets hot ~ it’s Aries.

I have one of those moveable fire pits on my deck that I’ve never known what to do with in the summer. They are mosquito havens when the rain collects in them, so I turn it upside down when it’s not in use. I’ve stored it in my garden shed the past two summers and it was always in the way. The plan this year is to make a table top for it so that it can stay on the deck year-round and stay usable. All I’ll have to store is the top.

There are still ashes in my fireplace ~ that last wish for just one more cold night wasn’t granted. Maybe I’ll get around to cleaning it, saving the ashes to sprinkle around the yard. You can add a little to your compost, but have to  be careful not to overdo it. Here are 10 tips on what to do with ashes from This Old House.

In the Garden

The Aries Moon is one of the barren Moons, so it’s not good for planting. Save that for Taurus, the sign following Aries.

Aries plants include all the peppers ~ the hotter the better! ~ as well as radishes, rhubarb, onions, and garlic. We have a New Moon in Taurus on Saturday, so there’s still time to get onions and garlic planted during the waning Moon phase.

Aries days are good days to get the garden tools sharpened and glistening. Ruled by Mars, Aries does like his tools sharp and gleaming. Aries days are also excellent days to maintain firepits, outdoor grills, and torches that you have in the yard, such as the fun and festive Tiki Lights that are on sale everywhere now. I picked a couple up at Big Lots for $4.00 each and added some more permanent-type next to a swing.

I read a great tip somewhere about keeping your tools clean and sharp without having to scrape and sharpen them all the time. Store them in a bucket of sand that has a little veggie oil added to it. Makes sense to me. I’ve got a bucket. I’ve got some sand…and I’ve got some less than gleaming tools. I see a quick and easy project in my future!