April 2015 Phase and overview

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

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.