April 2015 at a glance
For those of you gardening according to the phases of the
moon and signs of the zodiac, here’s the information for the month of April. All
times given are Eastern Daylight Saving Time.
April overview
The moon: April begins and ends with the moon in the light
phase with the light moon ruling until 8:06 a.m. April 4 and then returning to
force at 2:57 p.m. April 18. Between those dates — most of April 4 until just
past noon April 18 — the dark moon is in force.
“General Tips” for
dark- and light-moon activities are below and if you are planting in flats,
seedbeds, the garden — anywhere, it’s above-ground producers in the light moon
and below-ground producers when the dark phase is in.
The signs
Remember: Again, 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: Scorpio (the secrets), April
5-7; Pisces (the feet), April 14-15; Taurus (the neck), April 18-19; and Cancer
(the breast), April 23-24. There are nine days again this month ruled by the
fertile signs —Scorpio, Pisces, Taurus and Cancer.
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), April 16-17 and Leo (the heart), April 25-26.
There are four killing days this month ruled by either Leo or Aries.
So-so days: These
aren’t particularly fertile nor destructive, just so-so: Sagittarius (the
thighs), April 8-9; Capricorn (the knees), April 10-11; and Aquarius (the
legs), April 12-13. There are six days ruled by the three so-so signs.
Flowering days: These
are “bloom days” and well suited for planting flowers. And if it’s blooms you
like, then we have plenty of blooming days this month in two stretches. Virgo
(the bowels) will rule March 31, April 1-2, 27-29; and Libra (the reins) is up
for April 3-4 and 30. There are eight flowering days this month.
Gemini days:
Gemini rules the arms and is in force April 20-22. Still a great time for
planting peas with the moon in the light phase and for those of you willing to
take a chance if the soil warms up some, you could try some early bush or pole
beans knowing there’s a chance frost and/or a freeze could get them.
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. The same applies for stones on a garden path: Place
them when the moon is in the light phase so they don’t sink. That would be
April 1-3 then April 19 through all but the last 18 minutes of May 3.
>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. In April that’s most of the fourth through the 17th.
>If you have changes to make, then we have a good long
stretch again this month, April 8-15. The moon is in the dark phase and the
signs are going out of the body past anything that functions,
Sagittarius-Pisces.
How to be
in touch
in touch
Here’s how to be in touch, get instant information or ask
questions.
>Email pcase211@gmail.com, call or text 502-682-5995.
>My Twitter account is @plantingbysigns.
>Visit my Facebook page, Planting by the Signs.
