Here’s the overview for the remainder of March for those of you making plans or already gardening in areas not covered by snow and impacted negatively by frozen ground.
Also, I’ve included a response to an often-asked question about how planting by the phases of the moon and signs of the zodiac can be utilized when starting your own transplants. Believe me, it can be beneficial and my thoughts on that are below.
The moon
The month began with the new moon coming into force on March 1 and it continues to rule until the full moon at 1:08 p.m. March 16 Eastern Daylight Time since the time will have changed by the time the full moon arrives.
The dark moon will then be in force March 17 through a little more than half of March 30 when the new moon returns at 2:45 EDT and continues until Tax Day (April 15).
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: Until 1:08 p.m. March 16, returning March 30, 2:45 p.m.
Dark moon: All of March 17 through half of March 30.
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: Pisces (the feet), March 28-29; Taurus (the neck), March 5-6; Cancer (the breast), March 10-11; and Scorpio (the secrets), March 19-21. The most fertile signs are Pisces, Taurus, Cancer and Scorpio.
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: Aries (the head), March 30-31; and Leo (the heart), March 12-14. There are five killing days remaining this month.
So-so days: These aren’t particularly fertile nor destructive, just so-so: Sagittarius (the thighs), March 22-23; Capricorn (the knees), March 24-25; and Aquarius (the legs), March 26-27. There are six days this month ruled by the so-so signs, March 22-27.
Flowering days: These are “bloom days” and well suited for planting flowers. There are four bloom days this month: Virgo (the bowels), March 15-16 and Libra (the reins), March 18-19.
Gemini days: Gemini rules the arms and is in force March 7-9. While way too early for beans unless (you’re in the deep south or a warm country) you might want to consider peas if you have the space and the inclination — the space being as vital as the inclination since it takes a lot of space to grew a reasonable crop of peas!
Starting plants
Here are my thoughts about starting your own transplants.
First, the plants need to be started about six weeks before they’ll go in the garden.
Second, keep in mind the conditions under which they’ll be planted into the garden. In other words, you don’t want to start warm-weather loving plants (if you’re in the north) — like tomatoes — now. The earliest they can be planted outdoors north of Tennessee is around the first weekend of May. Of course, if you’re in the south that’s another matter.
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.
And, of course, remember: above-ground producers in the light of the moon and a fertile sign and below-ground producers when the moon’s in the dark phase and the sign is a fertile one. If you’re seeding indoors or in a greenhouse you can control both of these perfectly.
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 most of March 15) so the gravel won’t sink. Same applies forstones 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 perfectly suited, March 22-29. 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. 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 March 22.
How to be in touch
Here’s how to be in touch, get instant information, ask questions, make comments or visit a platform for discussion.
>Email pcase211@gmail.com or pcase@state-journal.com.
>Call or text 502-682-5995.
>My Twitter account is @plantingbysigns. You can also visit plantingbythesigns.net and join in more detailed discussion on my blog found there.
>And now I’m on Facebook so “drop by” and join me. My page is “Planting By Signs” and it’s devoted to general gardening with an emphasis on utilizing the phases of the moon and signs of the zodiac.
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