Here’s my September overview containing all you need to know about
planting your garden by the phases of the moon and signs of the zodiac. If you
have questions or comments, don’t hesitate to be in touch.
The outdoor planting season is pretty much done in my neck of the
woods, Zone 6B, but it may not be in yours. Just check and see what you can
still plant – and for anyone reading this in the Southern Hemisphere, your
planting season is just cranking up.
All times given are Eastern Daylight Saving Time.
The moon
Technically, September began with the dark moon in force, but only
for the first five hours and three minutes with the new moon having come to
rule at 5:03 a.m. Sept. 1. We actually have two new moons in the month, the
second being on the last day of the month, Sept. 30 at 8:11 p.m.
How about that for an unusual occurrence?
The light moon is in force until the full moon at 3:05 p.m. Sept.
16, and rules until the month’s second new moon at 8:11 p.m. on Sept. 30.
“General Tips” for dark-
and light-moon activities are below and for veggies, 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.
September began with and ends with flowering signs, so that’s
where we will begin, too.
Flowering
days: These are “bloom days” and well suited for planting flowers. If
you plant on these bloom days and take care of the flowers, you will have a
real show. Virgo (the bowels), rules Sept. 1, 27-29; and Libra (the reins) is
in force Sept. 2-4 and 30. There are eight
flowering days this month.
Fertile
signs: Scorpio (the secrets), Sept. 5-6; Pisces (the feet), Sept.
14-16; Taurus (the neck), 19-20; and Cancer (the breast), Sept. 23-24. Again
this month, nine days are ruled by
the most fertile signs — Scorpio, Pisces, Taurus and Cancer.
So-so
days: These aren’t particularly fertile nor destructive, just so-so.
They are in this order: Sagittarius (the thighs), Sept. 7-9; Capricorn (the
knees), Sept. 10-11; and Aquarius (the legs), Sept. 12-13. There are seven days in September ruled by the
three so-so signs. All are in the light of the moon.
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), Sept. 17-18; and Leo (the
heart), Sept. 25-26. Only four killing days this month, down from seven or
eight in August!
Gemini
days: Gemini (the arms) rules Sept. 21-22. Gemini is the “bean sign.”
General tips
Here are a few general tips for activities other than planting:
>If you have gravel to pour on a drive or roadway, do that when
the light moon rules through Sept. 15. The 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. Originally that applied to cedar shakes, and still does, but it is
just as valid for modern asphalt roofs since we want them to adhere to the
sheeting below.
>There is only a portion of Sept. 16 that is perfect for making
changes this month and that just from 3 p.m. until midnight when the moon is in
the dark phase and the sign is in Pisces (the feet). The other three perfect
signs -Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Aquarius - are when the moon is in the light
phase.
That said, if you have changes you can choose when the moon is in
the dark phase, Sept. 16-29, or when the signs are going out of the body in
Sagittarius (thighs), through Pisces (feet) when the moon is still in the light
phase but moving toward the dark moon on the 16th.
That sequence would be my choice, Sept. 7-16.
The moon is in the dark phase beginning late on the 16th,
as we have established but on the 17th the sign moves to Aries
(the head).
See you next month!
