February Overview

Phases and signs for February

Gardening season is getting ever closer and I hope you’re making plans for – or at least thinking about – you summer garden, be it a half acre or a few tomato plants by the porch.

          While it’s still too early to be planting outdoors (except for peas), it won’t be long until we can talk about those veggies that love cold weather. While my focus is about enhancing good gardening practices through planting by the phases of the moon and signs of the zodiac, I’m glad to entertain your general gardening questions in addition to those about phases and signs, and if I don’t know the answer then I will find someone who does.

Now, here’s my February Overview. All times given are Eastern Daylight Time.

The moon

      February begins and ends (barely) with the moon in the light phase. The light moon rules until the full moon appears at 7:33 p.m. on Feb. 10 and then returns at 9:58 a.m. Feb. 26, continuing until full moon on March 12 at 10:54 a.m.

      The dark moon thus rules all of Feb. 11 through all of Feb. 25. The rest of the month is under the influence of the light moon.

      “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 if you are planting in a green house.

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.

      February begins and ends with a killing sign in force, so that’s where we will begin, too.

      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), Feb. 1, 27-28; and Leo (the heart), Feb. 9-10. There are five killing days in February.

        Fertile days: These are the most fertile signs in the zodiac. Here’s the breakdown as they occur this month: Taurus (the neck), Feb. 2-3; Cancer (the breast), Feb. 7-8; Scorpio (the secrets), Feb. 16-17; and Pisces (the feet), Feb. 25-26. There eight days this month ruled by the four most fertile signs – Scorpio, Pisces, Taurus and Cancer. That number, for those of you counting and trying to understand, is the absolute minimum – two days for each of the four fertile signs.

     Gemini days: Gemini (the arms) rules Feb. 4-6. Gemini is “the bean sign,” and while it’s way too early for bush beans, these are perfect days for planting peas. According to the believers, peas need to be in the ground before Presidents’ Day, which is Feb. 20. Give it a try and let me know how it works out for you.

     Flowering days: These are “bloom days” and well suited for planting flowers. Virgo (the bowels) rules Feb. 11-12; and Libra (the reins) is in force Feb. 13-15. There are five flowering days again this month.

     So-so days: These aren’t particularly fertile nor destructive, just so-so. They appear in this order: Sagittarius (the thighs), Feb. 18-20; Capricorn (the knees), Feb. 21-22; and Aquarius (the legs), Feb. 23-24. We have seven days this month ruled by the so-so signs.

February tips

      Here are a few general tips for activities other than planting:

      >Plowing your garden: You can plow now thru the end of February, even if the ground is wet. Just get it done by March 1.

      >Pruning fruit trees: A friend of mine who’s an outstanding gardener reminded me the other day that February is the best time to prune fruit trees. The Farmers’ Almanac says the best days during the month will be Feb. 16-17, 21-22. Just don’t prune when the killing signs are in force unless, of course, you are trying to kill the tree.

      >Sowing seed: While there is some disagreement on this, I’m a proponent of the notion that the best time to sow grass in the pasture or yard is when the moon is in the dark phase during February and, preferably, a fertile sign is in force.

      Those days this month would be Feb. 10-25 while the moon is in the dark phase and the absolute best days are Feb. 16-17 with the sign in Scorpio (the secrets), one of the most fertile signs, and Feb. 25 with the sign in Pisces (the feet), another very fertile sign.

      Those three days are the best but[PC1] [PC2]  you can sow seed any other day during the stretch except Feb. 10 when the sign is in Leo (the heart), one of the killing signs.

      >Pouring gravel: If you have gravel to pour on a drive or roadway, do that when the light moon rules through the daylight hours on Feb. 10 and then after 10 a.m. on Feb. 26 through March 11. 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.

      >Making changes: We are getting more perfect days each month now that fit the formula for making changes with the moon in the dark phase and the signs going out of the body beyond anything that functions.

     Those days are Feb. 18-25, eight perfect days. No need to break them down again since you have that above, they encompass Sagittarius (thighs) through the first Pisces (feet) day on Feb. 25. Remember the moon moves to the light phase on Feb. 26, and while that day is still ruled by Pisces, which makes it okay but not as good as the previous eight, be underway before Feb. 27 when Aries (the head) returns and rules through March 1.

      If you are looking for perfect days to wean animals or children, stop smoking, start a diet or exercise program, schedule elective surgery – anything that requires a change – then these are your days!

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