April 2014 Overview

Here’s an overview of the month of April according to the phases of the moon and signs of the zodiac. All times are Eastern Daylight Time, adjust according to your time zone.

The moon

The month begins with the new moon in force and it continues to rule until the full moon at 3:42 a.m. April 15.

The dark (full) moon will then be in force most of that day and until the next new (light) moon at 2:14 a.m. April 29 that continues to rule until 3:16 p.m. May 14.

When when the new — or light — moon rules, only light-moon activities. When the full — or dark  — moon rules, proceed only with dark-moon activities.

Check “General Tips” for dark- and light-moon activities.

Light moon: Though April 14, returning April 29, 2:14 a.m.

Dark moon: All but four hours of April 15 through April 28.

The signs

Remember: Check to see if the moon is in the light or dark phase (information above) before proceeding with planting or other activities, indoors or out.

Fertile signs: the most fertile signs in the zodiac rule these days: Taurus (the neck), April 1-2 and 29-30; Cancer (the breast), April 6-7; Scorpio (the secrets), April 16-17; and Pisces (feet), April 24-25. There are 10 days again this month, ruled by the fertile signs —Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.

Killing signs: No planting, transplanting, or dealing with things you want to thrive should occur on these days. Reserve them for cultivating, cleaning out fencerows — anything but planting: Leo (the heart), April 8-10; and Aries (the head), April 26-28. There are six killing days this month, up from four in February.

So-so days: These aren’t particularly fertile nor destructive, just so-so: Sagittarius (the thighs), April 18-19; Capricorn (the knees), April 20-21; and Aquarius (the legs), April 22-23. There are six days this month ruled by the so-so signs, April 18-23.

Flowering days: These are “bloom days” and well suited for planting flowers. There are five bloom days this month: Virgo (the bowels), April 11-12 and Libra (the reins), April 13-15.

Gemini days: Gemini rules the arms and is in force April 3-5. While we are still a month out from bean planting, you can still plant peas. However, peas love cooler weather so I wouldn’t wait took much longer since hopefully it will be getting warmer soon.

Starting plants

If you’re starting plants for your garden, here are a few easy tips. For diagrams, enter “starting plants from seed” in your favorite search engine and you’ll fine plenty.

First, the plants need to be started about six weeks before they’ll go in the garden. Thus, plants started this week would be ready for planting around the second week of May.

Second, when you start them keep in mind the conditions under which they’ll be planted into the garden. For instance, will the danger of frost have passed for frost-sensitve plants to go our in the unprotected garden.

Third, follow the phases of the moon and signs of the zodiac just as you would when planting a plant you bought at a garden store. The thing is, here you can control when the seed goes into the potting medium, when the seedling goes into the peat pot and, of course, when the plant is put into the garden.

When starting your own seed, the only thing you don’t know is the history of the seed. Being able to control 75 percent of the process is pretty good — seeding, transplanting to peat pots and transplanting into the garden.

There’s something very satisfying about starting your own plants and it’s easy enough to do. Just go online and use your favorite search engine to find “starting plants from seed.” You will get detailed information.

General tips

Again, here are a few general tips for activities other than planting:

>If you have gravel to pour on a drive or roadway, do that in the light of the moon (through April 14 and from April 29 through May 13) so the gravel won’t sink. Same applies for stones on a garden path: Place them when the moon is in the light phase so they don’t sink.

>If you’re setting fence posts, do that in the light of the moon so the posts don’t sink.

>If you’re putting on a new shingle roof, do that when the moon’s in the dark phase so that the shingles stick down and don’t curl up on the ends. While this originally applied to cedar shakes, it is nonetheless applicable to modern shingles since the idea is for them to stick down, too, to keep the nasties outside!

>If you have changes to make like stopping smoking, starting a diet or exercise program, weaning small animals or children, scheduling elective surgery — anything that requires a change — here’s the formula: The moon in the dark phase and the signs are going out of the body, past anything that “functions” so that means thighs, knees, legs and feet — Sagittarius through Pisces.

We have eight full days again this month perfectly suited, April 18-25. On these days the moon will be in the dark phase and the sign in Sagittarius (the thighs), Capricorn (knees), Aquarius (legs) and Pisces (feet) for two days each. All are signs ruling something that doesn’t function.

If you have elective surgery to schedule, there’s time and if you have changes to make there’s plenty of time to get yourself all psyched up to begin on the 18^th, at least before the 26^th.