For those of you following the phases of the moon and signs of the zodiac, here’s January’s information. All times listed are Eastern Standard.
The moon
January begins and ends with the moon in the light phase. The light moon rules until the full moon comes into force at 11:53 p.m. Jan. 4 then returns with the new moon at 8:14 a.m. Jan. 20.
The dark moon is then in force Jan. 5 and until 8:13 a.m. Jan. 20.
Light moon: Through all but seven minutes of Jan. 4 then most of Jan. 20 until the full moon on Feb. 3 at 6:09 p.m.
Dark moon: Jan. 5 through all of Jan. 19 and a little of the 20th.
“General Tips” for dark- and light-moon activities are below and if you are planting, it’s above-ground producers in the light moon and below-ground producers when the dark phase is in.
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: Cancer (the breast), Jan. 3-5 and 31; Scorpio (the secrets), Jan. 13-15; Pisces (the feet), Jan. 22-23 and Taurus (the neck), Jan. 26-27. There are 11 days this month ruled by the fertile signs —Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio Pisces and Taurus.
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), Jan. 6-7 and Aries (the head), Jan. 24-25. There are four killing days ruled by either Leo or Aries — and that’s the fewest there can be.
So-so days: These aren’t particularly fertile nor destructive, just so-so: Sagittarius (the thighs), Jan. 16-17; Capricorn (the knees), Jan. 18-19; and Aquarius (the legs), Jan. 20-21. There are six days ruled by the three so-so signs.
Flowering days: These are “bloom days” and well suited for planting flowers. Virgo (the bowels) will rule Jan. 8-10; and Libra (the reins) is up for Jan. 11-12. There are five flowering days again this month.
Gemini days: Gemini rules the arms and is in force Jan. 1-2, 28-30. These are bean days and all are in the light of the moon, which is perfect since we know where beans produce — above the ground! Since I have no idea where you live, if you are in a warm climate, then plant away. Of if you are in a cold place and your ground is ready, the Gemini days at the end of the month are possibilities for early peas.
Time to plow
For those of you in colder climes where winter is tightening its grip, you can at least start thinking about, planning for and even doing some preparation work for your 2015 garden. While the Cooperative Extension Service in these United States strongly disagrees with me, I endorse the notion embraced by those who know such things that plowing in January and February, no matter how wet the ground may be, is absolutely the best time.
My teacher said it’s the best “even if the water follows you down the furrow.”
There are reasons to the contrary so the call is up to you. On occasions when I’ve been able to get someone to plow for me in January or February, it’s certainly worked fine and the soil is very crumbly all summer long.
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. 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.
>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 going out of the body, past anything that “functions” so that means thighs, knees, legs and feet — Sagittarius through Pisces.
We have four full days this month — up from two in December — that fit the formula perfectly, Jan. 16-19 since the moon is in the dark phase untilJan. 20 and the signs are going out of the body past anything that functions. Specifically, Sagittarius (the thighs), Jan 16-17 and Capricorn (the knees),Jan. 18-19.
There will be more and more perfect days for the next several months.
If, however, those four don’t work for you, in my opinion, the alternative to “perfect days” are days when the signs are going out of the body past anything that functions, even if the moon is in the light phase. In January that would be Jan. 20-23, Aquarius/legs through Pisces/feet, four “second-tier days.”
