ok, call me crazy, i have decided to plant by the moon this year. i am ready to plant taters, but the info i have is contradictory. some say now is the time to plant others say its the worst. help!!! does anyone out there use this method? would appreciate any advise. cody

-- cody (urbusted@alltel.net), February 16, 2002

Answers

When I was growing up that is how my mother planted everything. When the sign is in the feet or lower legs than it is time to plant veggies that produce underground if I remember right. If you have a farmers almanac I believe that they tell you how and when to plant by the signs. I gave up on planting by the signs years ago when I was working full time. When the time was right I would either be working that day or it would be to rainny to get in the garden. I just got to where I would throw everything in the ground when I had a good day off and say a blessing over them. This method has worked very good in some years. The biggest thing I have learned is to plant according to the last frost date. Things that are not effected by frost I start planting about 1 month before last frost date, and things that are effected by frost I plant on or soon after frost date.

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), February 16, 2002.

Planting by the moon is fine but unless you live in the deep south I think you better wait for next months moon. also, Don't laugh but there are those that planting by the moon means in the middle of the night with a flash lite. I'm pretty sure thats not what they mean but whatever works, go for it!

-- Corky Wolf (corkywolf@hotmail.net), February 16, 2002.

Some say that the phase of the moon controls the amount of moisture in the soil and that the soil’s moisture is at its peak during the time of the new and the full moon. Have you tried The Old Farmer’s Almanac, http://www.almanac.com/index-2.html.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), February 16, 2002.

my grandma did this too. even green beans.

-- js (schlicker54@aol.com), February 16, 2002.

Cody,

Good info in the posts already...but you might read the book:

Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden

This is basically a chronicle transcribed by Gilbert Wilson of one of the last surviving Hidatsa women who gardened along the Missouri in what we called Dakota Territory. Will give you some insight into many aspects of gardening and the timing of planting and the giving of thanks...

Oscar

-- Oscar H. Will III (owill@mail.whittier.edu), February 16, 2002.

http://www.gardeningbythemoon.com/

I wanna try it too, soon as I get to my gardening spot. But it's not just about planting. You can do anything according to the moon signs and it's supposed to have some impact. Dig a hole, cut your hair, whatever. There's some information in one of the Foxfire books as well. I'll be interested to know your conclusions. :)

-- witness (kaitomas@hotmail.com), February 16, 2002.

I did a little research on this a couple of weeks ago, because my MIL said that planting onions on the full moon would make them come up out of the ground, and I kept finding my onions everywhere, except where I had planted them.

What I read on planting by the moon said to plant below-ground crops like potatoes when the moon is waning (growing smaller/going down), and above ground crops when the moon is waxing (growing larger/going up). Sounded like an interesting plan to me.

-- Devera Morgan (anatida@hotmail.com), February 16, 2002.

thanks for all your great answers. this is what i dont get... ok,now is a good time according to the phase of the moon to plant below ground.but... the sign of the moon is in aries which is barren and you arent suppose to plant anything at all. the next sign to plant below ground is aries, but the moon will be in the phase to plant above ground crops at that time and not below ground. by the time the sign if the moon is right and the phase is right,its too late to plant certain veggies and i have to wait till fall. this is making me crazy trying to coordinate the sign and phase. maybe its all horse baloney. ya think???!!! cody

-- cody (urbusted@alltel.net), February 16, 2002.

sorry, i meant to say that the next time to plant below ground is virgo, but he moon will not be in the correct phase.

-- cody (urbusted@alltel.net), February 16, 2002.

Hi Cody, this year I am planting everything by the signs of the moon to see if I get better yields. I bought me one of those big desk top calendars, farmers almanac and a book called 2002 Moon Signs. Filled in every day of the zodiac sign and then when the moon changed phases. Today it is in Aries and is in the week of the new moon (above ground). Potatoes should be planted below ground and I'm going to plant mine on March 3rd when the moon is in Scorpio. A little note, do not plant in the last quarter of the moon. Good time to cultivate, weed etc. All the old timers here in east Tenn. plant by the moon and swear by it. Have fun!

-- Annie (mistletoe6@earthlink.net), February 16, 2002.

Hi again Cody, (had to go tend to something), but was going to add, if I remember correctly, you live a little south of me, so if you want to plant your spuds by the moon then March 3rd would be fine for your zone. (we're probably real close in what zone we're both in) Also, since I've already got it on the calendar, I can e-mail you when the moon changes and the best dates pertaining to gardening. Just holler at me and let me know. Another tip...start tomatoes in cancer and plant beans in cancer, or as the old timers say, in the breast. It's the most fruitful sign.

-- Annie (mistletoe6@earthlink.net), February 16, 2002.