PLANTING BY THE MOON + SIGNS - May

Times given are EDT

QUICK TAKES

>May 1-2: VERY fertile, Cancer/breast, above-grounders

>May 3-4: no planting, killing sign Leo/heart rules

>May 5-9: flowering signs, Virgo/bowels (3), Libra/reins (2), flowers ONLY, no veggies

>May 10-12: Scorpio/secrets, above-grounders

>May 12: moon change, 12:56 p.m., light to dark

>May 13-19: fertile signs, Sagittarius/thighs (2), Capricorn/knees (3), Aquarius (legs), 2, below-grounders

>May 20-21: VERY fertile, Pisces/feet, below-grounders

>MAKE CHANGES: May 13-21, nine perfect days

>May 22-23: no planting, killing sign Aries/head rules

>May 24-25: VERY fertile, Taurus/neck, below-grounders

>May 26: moon change, 11:02 p.m., dark to light, above-grounders

>May 26-27: bean/pea sign, Gemini/arms

>May 28-29: VERY fertile, Cancer/breast, above-grounders

>May 30-31: no planting, killing sign Leo/heart rules

MAY OVERVIEW

MOON PHASES: May begins with the moon in the light phase where it continues until the full/dark moon at 12:56 p.m. May 12. The new/light moon returns May 26, 11:02 p.m.

When the light moon is in force, plant above-ground producers and it’s below-ground producers when the dark moon rules.

Don’t plant when either of the killing signs, Aries and Leo, is in force or veggies when the flowering signs Virgo and Libra rule since they are bloom days.

Planting when the fertile signs rule is a viable alternative to the VERY fertile signs, which are Scorpio, Pisces, Taurus, and Cancer. The fertile ones – just a little below VERY fertile - are Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Aquarius.

If you can only utilize one aspect of the system for planting, I would suggest going with the moon phases but still completely avoid the killing signs Aries and Leo and the flowering signs Virgo and Libra for anything but flowers.

THE SIGNS: Check to see if the moon is in the light or dark phase (information above and on any calendar) before planting anywhere, or other moon-related activities. May begins with Cancer/breast, a VERY fertile sign, ruling.

VERY FERTILE DAYS: Cancer/breast, May 1-2, 28-29, above-grounders; Scorpio/secrets, May 10-12, above-grounders; Pisces/feet, May 20-21, below-grounders; and Taurus/neck, May 24-25, below-grounders. May has an incredible seven days ruled by the VERY fertile signs under the light moon for above-grounders, and four with the dark moon in force for below-grounders. I’ve been looking for a May like this for years! Eleven of May’s 31 days are ruled by VERY fertile signs!!

KILLING DAYS: Leo/heart, May 3-4, 30-31; and Aries/head, May 22-23. There are six days ruled by the two killing signs during May – more than we like but that’s set off by the 11 VERY fertile days.

FLOWERING DAYS: Virgo/bowels, 5-7; and Libra/reins, May 8-9. Five full days with the light moon ruling to get those flowers in the ground, pots, and window boxes!

FERTILE DAYS: Sagittarius/thighs, May 13-14; Capricorn/knees, May 15-17; and Aquarius/legs, May 18-19. There are seven days in May ruled by these three signs, all with the dark moon ruling. These are all great for below-ground producers.

PEA/BEAN DAYS: Gemini/arms, May 26-27, great days to plant bush or pole beans, snow peas or southern peas. Moon in light phase.

MAKING CHANGES: We have nine days to make changes in May, down from 10 in April as the number of perfect days begins to decline! They are May 13-21 with the signs going out of the body beyond anything that functions and the moon in the dark phase, specifically Sagittarius/thighs, Capricorn/knees, Aquarius/legs, and Pisces/feet.

Changes might include starting a diet or exercise program, stopping smoking or other unhealthy habits, weaning small children or animals, scheduling elective surgery or dental work – anything requiring us to do something differently from the way we are doing it now.

POURING GRAVEL: If you have gravel to pour on a drive or road on your farm, do that while the light moon rules, which is through May 11. After that wait until May 27 after the new moon has settled in, continuing through June 10.