May Overview

Planting by moon phases and zodiac signs

Here’s May’s information on planting by the phases of the moon and signs of the zodiac. All times given are EDT for USDA planting zone 6b. Simply adjust for your time and planting zones.

Remember, a “garden” can be any size from a bucket to several acres. Planting by the phases of the moon and signs of the zodiac just helps your good garden grow better – no matter the size of your “good garden.”

The moon

      May begins and ends with the moon in the light phase. The light moon rules until the full moon appears at 5:42 p.m. EDT on May 10 and then returns at 3:44 p.m. on May 25, continuing until full moon on June 9 at 9:10 a.m.

      The dark moon then rules May 11 and until mid-afternoon on May 25, book-ended by light moon days to begin and end the month.

      “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, preferably when fertile signs are in force.

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.

      May begins with the fertile sign Cancer (the breast) in force and the moon in the light phase, but I will defer reviewing the fertile signs until later. Let’s start with what’s up next – the killing sign Leo – and go from there through the month.

     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: Leo (the heart), May 2-3, 29-30; and Aries (the head), May 21-22. We are cursed with six killing days in May, one of the greatest months for planting when we could do without any which, of course, is impossible!

      Flowering days: These are “bloom days” and well suited for planting those glorious flowers that will bloom for us all summer. And if we have too many killing days, which we don’t want, we have lots of flowering days, which is good. Here’s the breakdown:

      Virgo (the bowels) rules May 4-5 and 31; and Libra (the reins) is in force May 6-8, four a total of six flowering days this month!

        Fertile days: These are the most fertile signs in the zodiac. Here’s the breakdown as they occur this month and the phase of the moon in which they appear:

          As I mentioned above, the month begins with Cancer (the breast) in force. It also rules on May 27-28 and like last month, all with the light moon in force; Scorpio (the secrets), May 9-10, the 9^th with the light moon in force and the moon moving to the dark phase at 5:42 on the 10^th;  Pisces (the feet), May 18-20, dark moon; and Taurus (the neck), 23-24, both with the dark moon ruling.

          There are 10 days this month ruled by the four most fertile signs – Scorpio, Pisces, Taurus and Cancer – five in the light moon (above-ground producers) and five when the dark moon rules (below-ground producers). You can’t ask for a better distribution than that!

          Ideally, if the weather is cooperative and the soil is dry, these would be the days on which to plant your entire summer garden with possible exception of beans on the Gemini days.

     Gemini days: Gemini (the arms) rules May 25-26. This is the best sign for planting beans - we Old Timers say they grow “long as your arm.” The moon moves to the light phase in mid-afternoon on the 25^th and then, of course, is there all day on the 26^th, so effectively 1.5 days.

      And if you don’t get them in the ground then, two great days follow with the very fertile sign Cancer ruling and the moon firmly in the light phase. The best day for planting beans is the 26, next is 27-28.

     So-so days: These aren’t particularly fertile nor destructive, just so-so. They appear in this order (as they always do): Sagittarius (the thighs), May 11-13; Capricorn (the knees), May 14-15; and Aquarius (the legs), May 16-17. Again, this month we have seven days 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.

      More about that below.

May 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 most of May 10 and then beginning May 26 through all of June 8. 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 with lots of perfect days 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 May 11-20, 10 perfect days, up one from April. No need to break them down again since you have that above, they encompass Sagittarius (thighs) on May 11 through the two Pisces (feet) days on May 19-20. 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!