March moon phases, zodiac signs

Phases and signs

With the weather we’ve been having, at least here in central Kentucky, it seems as if gardening season is in full swing. Just don’t get too excited and start planting things that don’t like cool ground and weather and can’t withstand the inevitable frost and/or cold snaps we are bound to have before warm weather settles in.

And as a reminder, this information is written for gardening in USDA Planting Zone 6B since I can’t write about every zone and here’s where I live and garden! I know those in the south are planting tomatoes – while those in the north are still shoveling snow.

Just check the USDA website for your planting zone and adjust for where you are. The phases and signs are the same; the weather isn’t.

All times given are Eastern Standard, changing over to Eastern Daylight on March 12. Winter is about over - I hope.

One caution before we begin: This month features this season’s first series of Ember Days. They are: March 8, 10-11. These are super killing days. Don’t do any planting on Ember Days.

And to make planting matters worse, in addition to being an Ember Day, the 8^th is ruled by the killing sign Leo (the heart). On that day, I would recommend just staying on the porch; better still, in the house!

My garden: This year I have made arrangements with a neighbor to put out a big garden – “big” by my recent standards – on a vacant lot he owns. Everything will be planted according to the phases of the moon and signs of the zodiac. I will report the progress on my gardening Facebook page, Planting by the Signs, and my blog.

The moon

      Like the last several months, March begins and ends with the moon in the light phase. The light moon rules until the full moon appears at 10:54 a.m. on March 12 (the day the time changes) and then returns at 10:57 p.m. on March 27, continuing until full moon on April 11 at 2:08 a.m.

      The dark moon thus rules about the last half of March 12 and all but the last hour of March 27. 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.

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.

      Like February, March begins 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), March 1, 27-28; and Leo (the heart), March 8-9. There are five killing days in March, the three Ember Days, and one normal killing day that’s an Ember Day too – March 8!

        Fertile days: These are the most fertile signs in the zodiac. Here’s the breakdown as they occur this month: Taurus (the neck), March 2-3, 29-30; Cancer (the breast), March 6-7; Scorpio (the secrets), March 15-16; and Pisces (the feet), March 25-26. There are 10 days this month ruled by the four most fertile signs – Scorpio, Pisces, Taurus and Cancer – and that’s about a third of the month.

          All four of the Taurus days and the Cancer days are when the light moon rules. The dark moon is in force for the Scorpio and Pisces days. What a mix!

     Gemini days: Gemini (the arms) rules March 4-5, 31 and April 1. Gemini is “the bean sign,” and while it’s way too early for bush beans (I like to wait until after Mother’s Day), these are perfect days for planting peas – maybe not as perfect as in February before Presidents’ Day, but pretty good. All of them are while the light moon is in force.

     Flowering days: These are “bloom days” and well suited for planting flowers. Virgo (the bowels) rules March 10-12; and Libra (the reins) is in force March 13-14. There are five flowering days again this month. The 10^th and 11^th are both Ember Days, so don’t plant flowers or anything else on those days.

     So-so days: These aren’t particularly fertile nor destructive, just so-so. They appear in this order: Sagittarius (the thighs), March 17-19; Capricorn (the knees), March 20-21; and Aquarius (the legs), March 22-24. We have eight days this month ruled by the so-so signs. All of them are when the dark moon is in force and that makes them perfect for making changes, too.

March tips

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

      >Pouring gravel: If you have gravel to pour on a drive or roadway, do that when the light moon rules through all of March 11 and then beginning March 28 through April 10. 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 continue to get more perfect days each month 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 March 17-26, 10 perfect days and that’s approaching the maximum. No need to break them down again since you have that above, they encompass Sagittarius (thighs) on March 17 through Pisces (feet) day on March 26. The moon is in the dark phase the entire time and the signs are going out of the body beyond anything that functions.

      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, 10 of them!