Planting By the Signs

[Native87]

What is your opinion? Fact, Fiction? Where is the best place to learn about it? My grandparents went by them, even putting posts in. What do you think?

[sbemt456]

Native try www.almanac.com and see if that helps. The old folks knew their stuff, I cant ever remember hearing them say " ah my garden didnt do any good" and they planted by the signs, at least around here any way.

Have a great day!

stella

[rAcErRicK]

I'm with you Stella and Native, 100%. I have known many farmers who would not do ANYTHING regarding their business unless it was in sync with the farmers almanac, and "signs". Bleeding is even related to this subject, and years ago I worked with a lady who was a surgical nurse before, and several of us had this same discussion. She told us that many years ago, surgeries were planned around the signs if at all possible, because bleeding was less or more, depending on the signs. *

For a crop farmer, or even a gardener, a crop failure was simply not an option, especially after doing all the soil preperation, and seed, not to mention the labor involved.

Hey, I think there is also another thread somewhere on this same subject.

[Anon001]

No... it is not fiction.... Let me ask you a question? What causes the high and low tides? It's the moon and it's pull. so, if the moon can effect high and low tides then why can't the same type o magnetic pull affect other things such as germination?, bleeding at castration or dehorning?, hair growth depending on when cut?, and many many other things. Yes, these things and many others are affected just like the tides, currents, and other things are affected by the moon and signs. By the way, I'm not a believer in astrology and I am a Christian.... but, the old timers knew what they were doing and every home had an almanac hanging in a handy spot..... well.... except for those that could read the signs themselves. lol
PaulNKS

[crafty2002]

Terry, I'll make a deal with you. We can both look up all we can find and swap info. I have never planted by the signs but I think I will this year.
Grandma used to swear by the alminac. I don't really remember Mama using one but they both had great gardens year in and year out. It's just something that had slipped my mind.
Boy, how dumb we can grow. :'(
Dennis

[Native87]

I agree with evryone. I dont recall my grandparents having bad gardens or crops. They did the signs to the letter. Dennis you are right. I have forgotten so much. i will post what i find. Thanks yall. Join in!

[Native87]

I got a Ramons Brownie Calendar and instantly was back to the old homeplace. They used to write notes all ouer that thing. I want to learn more though. Terry

[Anon001]

It's not hard to learn. "The Old Farmer's Almanac" has a chart for the type crop and then the best planting dates. Things that produce below ground (potatoes, peanuts, etc) are planted in the dark of the moon and above ground crops are planted in the light of the moon. If you look at the zodiac chart, it lists the different parts of the body. For example..you never castrate when the sign is in the loins.... only when it is below the loins moving down.... There are charts on when best to slaughter, wean, breed, set posts, cut hay, can, pickle, when to best harvest above ground crops, below ground crops, etc... even when to cut hair to encourage growth or inhibit growth....all types of things...
I don't get picky about when to harvest, but I am very picky when it comes to planting, castrating and weaning.....

I think the best of the almanacs is "The Old Farmer's Almanac". and yes... there is a difference in almanacs.. There website is:

http://www.almanac.com/


PaulNKS

[walls0stone]

this is an intresting sting. My friends and I were talking to others who didn't grow up country. We were talking about so many things we've picked up with out formal instruction that fits this topic. What I mean, is we picked up little details with out Dad saying to us. when you see the leaves do this.... it's time to do that. or whatever. SO many things you pick up with out even knowing.

awsome string. :)

[Anon001]

That is so true, but you talk about the signs to a city person and they think you're nuts... Or you talk to a city person that is also a fundamental Christian and they think you belief in wicka and/or witchcraft..... (that's not a dig at Christians...I am one. It is personal experience. lol) However, most of those old timers that worked by the signs were God fearing Christians that knew the moon affected all types of things on earth and they chalked it up to being part of God's great design and the scheme of things...

[Native87]

Got enuf money together to get the almanac last nite. Brings back memories. I agree Paul. I dont believe in astrology either. Doesnt it say in Bible about usein the stars as tools to be used but not worshiped.

[Native87]

Got enuf money together to get the almanac last nite. Brings back memories. I agree Paul. I dont believe in astrology either. Doesnt it say in Bible about usein the stars as tools to be used but not worshiped.

[tomato204]

I buy the OFA to read, then I just plant when it gets warm enough. TN is lumped with some other states with waaay different weather, so I can't go by those charts. I'm not superstitious anyway, so "signs" to me are different things like leaves opening or ground warming. Those I can believe in.

[Anon001]

Tomato,

The signs and planting by the signs is not "superstition". Yes, some things in almanacs may not be quite right since many areas are lumped together, but planting by the sign does not change based on geography in the contiguous 48.

Those that were raised in the country and know what the difference is understands that it is not superstition by any means. Is the moon's effect on the tide superstition? no. And the moon in its phases affects a lot of things on this planet...

[bookwormom]

I posted a big reply to this, since it is a subject dear to me. but I do not see it anywhere. I think I was the first reply, right after Native posted. do we have a post eating monster here? I am sure I did not post anything offensive so a moderator would feel moved to remove it.. Rudolf Steiner is not a red flag here, right? I mentioned him. There is a farm in Germany that does experiments, planting by the sign, planting the same crop in a bad sign, in a so so sign, then compare. I have a book they put out and it shows lots of pictures of the different crops.

I have done it for many years. My dad says that they used to cut trees on certain days for specific purposes. there is something to it. I still have a spruce wreath that I made five years ago that has not lost a needle. It looks dry but the needles are sticking tight. the boughs have to be cut on a certain day.
I did some tests of my own. Lettuce planted in cancer in the dark of the moon did not bolt, but the heads did evtl. start rotting from the inside out.
our bank gives out calenders that give the sign of every day. Since I do not look every day I went over it and highlighted the important days up til May.
I need to go over it again and mark the days best suited for painting the inside of the house.
we are setting some fenceposts and are waiting for a good sign, which should be the 21st and 22d. The sign is in the "knee" as my father in law would say.
There are beauty shops in Europe that specialize in doing hair by the sign. If you ever got a perm, paid big bucks and then it did not "take" you had it done in the wrong sign.

[9er]

I've never planted a garden before and I have spent the past 20 years a city slicker, but after reading the Fox Fire book, I got an almanac and will plant by the signs.

[Native87]

This will be the first garden i have had in a while and i am going to go by the signs also 9er. There is a connection like some others believe. Glad im not the only one. Terry

[awesome_possum]

Supposed to plant above ground vegetables in the light of the moon and below ground vegetables in the dark of the moon. And then some people follow the astrological signs too. Get the 09 farmers almanac gardening guide. It has a section on how to garden by the moon phases in it. I was readin the foxfire book a while ago too. It has a pretty interesting section on planting by the signs. A man says Dig a hole on the new of the moon and you'll have dirt to throw away, and dig a hole on the old of the moon you wont have enough to fill it back. Im goin to try to remember to test that out and see if its right.

[Native87]

Possum, Dad set his posts by signs. I remem that we would have more dirt in certain signs and posts lasted longer also.

[bookwormom]

also they set firm and do not wobble, best time is the New Moon or else an Earth sign.

It really is simple, if you remember a few details.
Things below ground are best planted in the dark of the moon in an Earth sign,
Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn

leafy vegetables, lettuce, cabbage and the like are best planted in a water sign in the light of the moon
Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.

Fruits are best planted in a Fire sign,

Aries, Leo and Saggitarius,

and blooms in an Air sign

Aquarius, Gemini and Libra.

there are lots of special days that may just happen once a year. for instance, anything that you yank out on the 21st of June between, gosh I forgot the time of day, it just works a few hrs. but then it sure does. You got some plants you do not want to come back, that is the time to pull them. It also works on hair, I plucked my eyebrows and they look awful and never grew back properly.
There is also the day to cut evergreens so they won't needle. I have to look that one up, it is three days after the last full moon, I think, but am not sure. There is a day to cut lumber so it won't warp or crack. I know this works, for many years we had a wooden gutter catching the rainwater off our roof, dad cut \the tree on a certain day, it stayed straight, never rotted.

If you paint the house, it is best done on an air day in the dark of the moon. we put gravel on the drive in the worst sign, it never settled well. That is best done in virgo in the light of the moon.

trees that do not thrive, snip off their tip at new moon, that will give them a boost, but be careful about pruning on that day. The trees will go wild. been there, done that.

Once,when I sat down next to a chair and broke my hand, the Dr. was very urgent about doing surgery on it. I hedged on it,not really wanting to tell him why I was so adament against it. I was afraid he would declare me crazy. Well did I get a surprise. He said he understood fully. He had noticed before that on certain days they had more trouble with bleeding, not healing so well, and he understood fully and was interested, ( it was on capricorn), the bone sign and I sure was not going to have surgery on such a day on a bone. I put some comfrey on it and it healed just fine.

I find this thread very interesting, I sure would appreciate if you guys would share experiences.
My father in law always planted by the signs. some things are dramatic, some slight, like how onions will keep. Not only is it important when you plant,but it is a good idea to harvest by the sign , too. there are some people who can by the sign and I am going to look into that. supposedly on certain days molds will have a better chance.

[Anon001]

That was a lot of great information. I can't remember when to do what... lol that is why I use the almanac. I always have to look them up. But it hangs on a nail that is handy to get to and has about 15 paperclips in it. LOL

[bookwormom]

I once had an almanac, but you know what happens, I forget to look it up, it is way too late, or next week and then I am too busy and forget again, been there done that, or I forgot where I put the almanac down. Now I have a calender which hangs on a nail by the door. All I need to know is the sign the day is in. It akes some discipline and perseverance to stick with it, and I have not always managed to stick with it. So I blame the bed results on it ;) not really. there are so many factors involved. like I just bought five bags of lime, but I have to look up when the best time to apply is. yep, full moon or the first quarter of dark of the moon. If fertilizer is spread in the light of the moon it is not integrated into the soil as well and evtl. winds up in the ground water.