Planting by the Signs

Planting by the Signs Using moon phases and zodiac signs with good gardening methods helps your garden produce better. It's simple: just plant at the BEST time. I'll tell you when.
(2)

05/30/2026

May 30, 2026, 10:45 a.m.

MOON CHANGES
PHASES SUNDAY

A quick reminder that this is the final day the light moon rules, the moon moving to the full/dark phase 4:45 a.m. EDT Sunday, May 31. Adjust for your time zone and get those above-grounders planted.
The sign today (Saturday) is in Scorpio/secrets, one of the most fertile signs.
I'm off to breakfast and then spend the remainder of the day - or as long as I can stand up! - planting!

05/28/2026

May 28, 2027, 6:15 p.m. EDT

Quick Takes, June Overview

QUICK TAKES
I have included specific times for the sign changes through the middle of June. All times are Eastern Daylight Saving Time. Adjust for your time zone.
See the May 27th post for information about the last few days of May.

> MOON CHANGE, May 31: full/dark moon comes to rule at 4:45 a.m., then below-grounders until 10:54 p.m. June 14

>MAKE CHANGES: Most of May 31-June 8

>May 31-June 6: Fertile signs – Sagittarius/thighs, Capricorn/knees, Aquarius/legs, below-grounders.

>June 7-8: VERY fertile, Pisces/feet until 4:35 a.m. June 9 . when Aries takes over.

>June 9-11: NO PLANTING, killing sign Aries/head until 8:25 a.m. June 11.

>June 11 (after 8:25 a.m.), all of 12, 13: VERY fertile, Ta**us/neck, above-grounders

>MOON CHANGE: June 14, dark to light, 10:54 p.m.

>June 13 (after 9:03 a.m.), all of 14, 15 (until 8:17 a.m.) Gemini/arms, pea/bean sign, half of formula is correct

>June 16-17: VERY fertile, Cancer/breast, above-grounder

>June 18-19: NO PLANTING, killing sign Leo/heart

>June 20-23: Flowering, Virgo/bowels (20-21), Libra/reins (23-23), no veggies/flowers only

>June 24-26: VERY fertile, Scorpio/secrets, above-grounders

>MOON CHANGE: June 29, light to dark, 7:57 p.m.

June 27-July 3: Fertile, Sagittarius/thighs (June 27-28); Capricorn/knees (June 29-July 1); Aquarius/legs (July 2-3). above-grounders through most of June 29, then below-grounders.

The only caution now is to avoid planting in wet soil, particularly in the in-ground garden that is pretty much all dirt.
Remember the Clod Test to check if it’s safe to plant: Scoop up and handful of soil and squeeze it. If it crumbles, then proceed with planting, but if it sticks together to make a good old-fashioned clod, then wait until another day.
Getting overzealous and planting in wet soil is much like sticking plants or seeds in wet concrete: when the medium dries, it will be hard and won’t break up without damaging the plants or the seeds as they TRY to emerge.
Please try to wait.
If you are seeding, transplanting - planting in any way – the signs and moon phases apply.
Don’t plant anything when either of the killing signs, Aries or Leo, is in force or veggies when the flowering signs Virgo and Libra rule since they are bloom days.
Planting when the fertile signs rule is a viable alternative to the VERY fertile signs, which are Scorpio, Pisces, Ta**us, and Cancer. The fertile ones – just a little below VERY fertile - are Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Aquarius.
If you can utilize only one aspect of the system for planting, I would suggest going with the moon phases, but still completely avoid the killing signs Aries and Leo and the flowering signs Virgo and Libra for anything but flowers.
JUNE OVERVIEW
MOON PHASES: June begins with the moon having just moved to the dark phase on May 31, 4:45 a.m. The dark moon remains in force until the new/light moon at 10:54 p.m. on June 14 and rules until the full/dark moon returns at 7:57 p.m. June 29.
When the light moon is in force, plant above-ground producers and it’s below-ground producers when the dark moon rules.
THE SIGNS: Check to see if the moon is in the light or dark phase (information here and on most any calendar) before planting anywhere, or other moon-related activities.
FERTILE DAYS: Sagittarius/thighs, June 1, 27-28; Capricorn/knees, June 2-4, 29-30; and Aquarius/legs, June 5-6. There are 10 days in June ruled by these three signs, rolling on into July with three more!
VERY FERTILE DAYS: Pisces/feet, June 7-8, below-grounders; Ta**us/neck, June 12-13, below-grounders; Cancer/breast, June 16-17, above-grounders; Scorpio/secrets, June 24-26, above-grounders. There are nine days in June ruled by the VERY fertile signs; five for above-grounders and four for below.
KILLING DAYS: Aries/head, June 9-11; Leo/heart, June 18-19. No planting anywhere on Leo or Aries days. There are five days ruled by the killing signs in June. Use these days to cultivate, clean out fence rows, irradicate weeds – anything but seeding or transplanting.
PEA/BEAN DAYS: Gemini/arms days, June 14-15. The moon is in the dark phase on the 14th, changing to the light at 10:54 p.m., and the light phase on the 15th until June 29. Thus the 15th is perfect for southern peas or beans! (See Quick Takes for specific times).
FLOWERING DAYS: Virgo/bowels, June 20-21; Libra/reins, June 22-23. Flowers only, no veggies since these are bloom days. There are four days in June ruled by the flowering signs.
MAKING CHANGES: There are nine perfect days for making changes this month – June 1-8 and 30 – when the moon is in the dark phase and the signs are moving out of the body beyond anything that functions, thighs through feet/Sagittarius through Pisces.
And that beat continues on July 1-6.
Here are some of the most popular ones: stopping smoking, starting a diet or exercise program, weaning small animals or children, scheduling elective surgery (not emergency!) or dental work. “Changes” are doing anything differently than the way you are doing it now.
POURING GRAVEL: If you have gravel to pour on a drive or road on your farm, do that while the light moon rules, which is June 15 through most of June 29.
Don’t pour or spread June 1 through most of June 14 and June 29-July 13 with the moon in the dark phase. You don’t want that gravel or those stones on a path sinking in the dark phase.

05/28/2026

May 28, 2027 3 p.m. EDT

TO ALL PBTS FOLLOWERS: Spread the word that the June Overview will be posted later today!

05/27/2026

May 27, 2026, 11:15 a.m. EDT

UPDATED: GREAT THREE DAYS COMING!

The long run of days for planting flowers ends at 8:54 p.m. EDT today, May 27, with the arrival of Scorpio/secrets, one of the VERY fertile signs. Scorpio continues to rule until 8:46 a.m. May 30 with the moon in the light phase.
If you have above-grounders to plant, the 28th and 29th are perfect days all day long for that with the moon moving toward the dark phase, the full moon arriving at 4:45 a.m. May 31 - the second full moon of May.
UPDATE: Saturday, May 30, will also be a fine day for above-grounders with the moon still in the light phase all day. The sign moves to Sagittarius/thighs, a FERTILE sign just a little below the VERY fertile Scorpio, but still fine. This provides us with three complete great days for above-grounders!
I have some to plant, but like much of the country east of the Mississippi River, it's been raining copiously for several days now and the ground is saturated. The near-drought conditions some were experiencing are over, but now we're facing another challenge - wet ground.
As excited as you might be to plant, please don't if the ground is wet. When it dries your plants or seeds will be facing real challenges. If your "soil" is a planting medium, however, then that isn't quite as much of a problem. Still don't plant if it's soaked.
We will be entering a long stretch on the afternoon of May 30 for below-grounders continuing through June 7 with the moon in the dark phase and favorable signs ruling through the period.
My June Overview is about ready, and I will publish it in the next couple of days.

05/19/2026

May 19, 2026, 3:25 p.m. EDT

A COUPLE OF GREAT DAYS

What's remains of today, May 19, and until 10:51 p.m. EDT Wednesday, the VERY fertile sign Cancer/breast remains in force for the planting of all above-ground producers.
Have it done by late Wednesday night when the killing sign Leo/heart comes to rule until 2:56 a.m. Saturday when the flowering signs arrive for a five-day run.
Adjust this according to your time zone and if you have above-grounders to plant then have at it until Saturday morning. Then knock out those flowers!

05/16/2026

May 16, 2026, 8:45 a.m. EDT

A LOOK AT TODAY
Here is a quick review of today, May 16. I'm in the EDT zone, and USDA Planting Zone 7a. Adjust accordingly for your location.
>THE MOON is in the dark phase until 4:01 p.m. EDT for the planting of BELOW-GROUND PRODUCERS.
>AT 4:01 the moon moves to the light phase for the planting of ABOVE-GROUND PRODUCERS.
>THE SIGN is Ta**us/neck, a VERY fertile sign, until 10:38 p.m. tonight when it moves to Gemini/arms, the pea-bean sign.
>SUMMARY: below-grounders until 4:01 p.m.; above-grounders from 4:02 until 10:38 tonight. A 6.5 hour window for above-grounders.
All the best in you planting!

05/15/2026

May 15, 2026 1:20 p.m. EDT

THE WEEKEND IS HERE!
PBTS NOTE: Adjust this information for your location. I am in USDA Planting Zone 7a and in the Eastern Daylight time zone where spring is struggling to take claim a foothold!

The weekend is upon us and its. the start of several great days for veggies continuing through May 20. Let's get right to it.
TODAY AND SATURDAY find the VERY fertile Ta**us/neck ruling with the moon in the dark phase until 4:01 p.m. EDT Saturday with the arrival of the new moon. This stretch is perfect for below-grounders and ALMOST perfect for your above-grounders.
I don't normally embrace planting above-grounders in the dark phase, but if you have above-grounders that can't wait to get in the ground until after 4 p.m. Saturday when the moon changes, go ahead and plant. We will be close to the change - or wait a few days (see below).
WITH THE MOON moving to the light phase Saturday afternoon, after 4 p.m. makes it absolutely perfect for above-grounders.
MAY 17-18 see Gemini/arms coming to rule with Gemini taking over from Ta**us at 10:23 p.m, on May 17. It continues in force until Cancer/breast arrives at 9:52 p.m. May 18.
Gemini in the light phase is perfect exclusively for beans and peas.
When Cancer takes over, continuing until 10:51 p.m. May 20, you may plant anything that produces above the ground, including those beans you didn't get in on the Gemini days.
TAKE A BREAK May 21-22 when Leo/heart, one of the killing signs, rules. When Leo is done, it's flowers with Virgo/bowels and Libra/reins ruling through May 23-27.
And it just keeps going on through June 8 - but we will save that for another day!

05/07/2026

May 6, 2026, 8:30 p.m. EDT

DETAILED REVIEW OF MAY

PBTS NOTE: After the Quick Takes is a detailed review through May 20 (and beyond) for your planning purposes. And it’s a VERY GOOD – if not GREAT - stretch with VERY fertile days, fertile days, bean days, dark and light moon days – even some killing days!
If you are planting in a greenhouse or other protected area, information on phases and signs applies just as if you were planting outside. In short, wherever you are seeding, transplanting - planting in any way – the signs and moon phases apply.
First Quick Takes.

QUICK TAKES
>May 6-7: Fertile, Capricorn/knees, below-grounders

>May 8-10: Fertile, Aquarius/legs, below-grounders

>May 11-12: VERY fertile, Pisces/feet, below-grounders

>MAKE CHANGES: Through May 12

>May 13-14: NO PLANTING, killing sign Aries/head

>May 15-16: VERY fertile, Ta**us/neck, above-grounders

>MOON CHANGE: May 16, dark to light, 4:01 p.m.

>May 17-18: Gemini/arms, pea/bean sign, above-grounders

>May 19-20: VERY fertile, Cancer/breast, above-grounders

THROUGH MAY 20
MOON PHASES: The moon is in the dark phase for below-grounders until the light phase returns at 4:01 p.m. on May 16 and remains in force until 1:23 p.m. on May 31 when the second full moon of the month arrives!
By now we know that when the light moon is in force, plant above-ground producers and it’s below-ground producers when the dark moon rules.
Today and Thursday find the fertile sign Capricorn/knees in force with the dark moon ruling. Fertile signs are just a little lower than the VERY FERTILE signs and are fine for anything that produces beneath the ground, which means that what you eat like potatoes, onions, beats, radishes, etc., develops.
May 8-10 are under the influence of Aquarius/legs, another fertile signs for below-grounders.
May 11-12 are a step up from the fertile days, being VERY FERTILE with Pisces/feet ruling and the moon still in the dark phase for any of the below-grounders mentioned with the fertile signs.
May 13-14: Here’s a two-day break from planting with the killing sign Aries/head in force. Any gardening activity BUT planting, transplanting, seeding, etc., on these days.
And here’s a little story I read about killing days in May, the efficacy of which I cannot attest.
The legend has it that with the moon in the dark phase and a killing sign ruling, a man drove a single nail – as in ONE – into a large tree and killed it! That’s the lineup we have on May 13-14 – dark moon, Aries.
But then, as I said, I don’t know the truth of it! If, however, you’d like to end the negative influence that 50-foot walnut has over your tomato patch, give it a try! Or maybe there are other trees, shrubs, weeds, etc., you’d like to “get shed of,” as my late grandfather used to say. Give it a try.
A killing sign in the dark moon of May seems to be a powerful formula – at least according to legend!
May 15-16 are VERY fertile days with Ta**us/neck ruling and the moon still in the dark phase until the new moon late in the afternoon on the 16th.
May 17-18 are perfect days for bush, pole or lima beans and/or southern peas. These are two of those treasured days with the moon in the light phase for above-grounders and the bean sign Gemini/arms ruling.
May 19-20 find the VERY fertile sign Cancer/breast ruling with the moon in the light phase. On these days you may plant anything that produces above the ground.
THE REST OF MAY
May 21-22 find the killing sign Leo/heart in force with the light moon ruling making it a bit less than a “super killer” but still a killing sign.
May 23-27 find the flowering signs Virgo/bowels and Libra/reins ruling. These are bloom days that are perfect for flowers but not veggies unless you are planning to eat the blooms!
May 28-30 welcome the return of the VERY fertile Scorpio/secrets with the light moon ruling. Compare these three days to May 19-20 – they are plant-it-all days.
May 31 features the second full moon of the month arriving at 4:45 a.m. The day begins a stretch ruled by the fertile signs – Sagittarius/thighs through Aquarius/legs - capped off by a pair of VERY fertile Pisces/feet days on June 7-8. This is a great stretch for all below-grounders – and for making changes!
POURING GRAVEL: If you have gravel to pour on a drive or road on your farm, do that while the light moon rules, which is May 17-30. Be patient and wait until then since you don’t want that gravel or those stones on a path sinking in the dark phase.

04/29/2026

PBTS NOTE: I have updated the Overview I posted on Friday and made a couple of corrections. Read, enjoy, follow and share.

QUICK TAKES, MAY OVERVIEW

QUICK TAKES

>May 2: VERY fertile, Scorpio/secrets, below-grounders

>May 3-10: Fertile, Sagittarius/thighs (3-5); Capricorn/knees (6-7); Aquarius/legs (8-10), below-grounders

>May 11-12: VERY fertile, Pisces/feet, below grounders

>MAKE CHANGES: May 3-12, Sagittarius through Pisces, dark moon rules, 10 perfect days for changes again this month

>May 13-14: NO PLANTING, killing sign Aries/head

>MOON CHANGE: May 16, dark to light, 4:01 p.m.

>May 15-16: VERY fertile, Ta**us/neck, above-grounders

>May 17-18: Gemini/arms, pea/bean sign, above-grounders

>May 19-20: VERY fertile, Cancer/breast, above-grounders

>May 21-22: NO PLANTING, killing sign Leo/heart

>May 23-27: Flowering, Virgo/bowels (23-25), Libra/reins (26-27), flowers only, no veggies/flowers only

>May 28-30: VERY fertile, Scorpio/secrets, above-grounders

>MOON CHANGE: May 31, light to dark, 4:45 a.m.

>May 31-June 6: Fertile, Sagittarius/thighs (May 31-June 1); Capricorn/knees (2-4); Aquarius/legs (5-6), below-grounders

SPECIAL PBTS NOTE
With the advent of May, gardening season is getting into full swing for much of the Northern Hemisphere while the Southern winds down to fall and winter. Read, enjoy, follow and SHARE this information with your gardening friends.
Encourage them to visit and follow the page, which is totally FREE. Trying to follow PBTS can make your good garden better simply by offering information on when to plant.
All times given are EDT and I am writing in USDA Planting Zone 7a. Please adjust time and zone for your location.
While the danger of frost and/or freezing weather is almost over here in 7a, I remind you this is statistical, which means chances are it won’t, but it could. And for zones further north, the danger will pass more slowly. For those further south, it’s over – and for some has been for a while.
Simply adjust for your location, that’s all I can say.
Pay attention to the weather forecast and your own common sense.
The only other caution is to avoid planting in wet ground, especially in the in-ground garden where dirt is the primary – if not only – medium. No matter what the moon phase or sign, don’t plant in wet ground or you will pay the price all summer.
If you are planting in a greenhouse or other protected area, information on phases and signs applies just as if you were planting outside. In short, wherever you are seeding, transplanting - planting in any way – the signs and moon phases apply.
Don’t plant anything when either of the killing signs, Aries or Leo, is in force or veggies when the flowering signs Virgo and Libra rule since they are bloom days.
Planting when the fertile signs rule is a viable alternative to the VERY fertile signs, which are Scorpio, Pisces, Ta**us, and Cancer. The fertile ones – just a little below VERY fertile - are Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Aquarius.
If you can utilize only one aspect of the system for planting, I would suggest going with the moon phases, but still completely avoid the killing signs Aries and Leo and the flowering signs Virgo and Libra for anything but flowers.
MAY OVERVIEW
MOON PHASES: May began with a change in the moon phase as it light to dark at 1:23 p.m.
The dark moon for below-grounders remains in force until 4:01 p.m. on May 16 when the light moon returns. It remains until 4:45 a.m. on May 31.
When the light moon is in force, plant above-ground producers and it’s below-ground producers when the dark moon rules.
THE SIGNS: Check to see if the moon is in the light or dark phase (information here and on most any calendar) before planting anywhere, or other moon-related activities.
May has it all – plus two full moons - so let’s go!
VERY FERTILE DAYS: Scorpio/secrets, May 1-2, 28-30. May 1 until 1:23 p.m., above-grounders, then below-grounders; May 2, below-grounders; May 28-30, above-grounders; Pisces/feet, May 11-12, below-grounders; Ta**us/neck, May 15-16, below-grounders until 4:01 p.m., May 16; Cancer/breast, May 19-20, above-grounders. There are 11 days in May ruled by the VERY fertile signs – more than a third of the month!
FERTILE DAYS: Sagittarius/thighs, May 3-5, 31; Capricorn/knees, May 6-7; and Aquarius/legs, May 8-10. There are nine days in May ruled by these three signs; all with the dark moon in force for below-grounders.
KILLING DAYS: Aries/head, May 13-14; Leo/heart, May 21-22. No planting anywhere on Leo or Aries days. There are four days – the minimum - ruled by the killing signs in May. Use these days to clean up last year’s garden if you haven’t; cultivate; clean out fence rows; irradicate weeds – anything but seeding or transplanting.
PEA/BEAN DAYS: Gemini/arms days, May 17-18. The moon is in the light phase these days making them perfect for southern peas or beans!
FLOWERING DAYS: Virgo/bowels, May 23-25; Libra/reins, May 26-27. Flowers only, no veggies since these are bloom days. There are five days in May ruled by the flowering signs.
MAKING CHANGES: There are 10 perfect days for making changes again this month – May 3-12 – when the moon is in the dark phase and the signs are moving out of the body beyond anything that functions or “below the belt,” thighs through feet/Sagittarius through Pisces.
Here are some of the most popular ones: stopping smoking, starting a diet or exercise program, weaning small animals or children, scheduling elective surgery (not emergency!) or dental work. “Changes” are doing anything differently than the way you are doing it now.
POURING GRAVEL: If you have gravel to pour on a drive or road on your farm, do that while the light moon rules, which is May 17-30.
Don’t pour or spread May 2-16 with the moon in the dark phase. You don’t want that gravel or those stones on a path sinking in the dark phase.

04/24/2026

April 24, 2026 11:45 p.m. EDT

One Fine Day coming next week

While preparing the May Overview, I came upon a perfect day for the early planting of hot-weather loving veggies, like everyone’s favorite – tomatoes.
I am in USDA Planting Zone 7a, and all times given are Eastern Daylight. You will need to adjust for your location.
And since the first two weeks of May are going to be under the influence of the dark moon for below-grounders, this is doubly precious for those wanting that early jump on the hot-weather above-grounders.
The usually-celebrated last chance for frost is either the first or second weekend in May, this day nearly qualifies, only being off by a few hours since it ends on Friday, May 1.
And since we ideally want tomatoes to be planted in a VERY FERTILE sign in the light phase of the moon, these 22.5 hours qualify.
The sign moves from Libra/flowering to Scorpio/secrets at 3:04 p.m. EDT Thursday, April 30 and remains in force Friday, May 1 when the moon moves to the dark phase at 1:23 p.m. That’s a perfect stretch if all other aforementioned qualifications are met, like dry ground: light moon, VERY fertile sign.
Scorpio remains in force until 2:34 a.m. May 3, with the moon in the dark phase, which makes it a perfect time for your below-grounders.
Now, here are the quick takes through May 2, with the rest of May coming – as I wrote earlier – next week.
QUICK TAKES
>THE MOON is in the light phase now and remains there until May 1 for the planting of above-ground producers.
>Until 9:04 p.m. today (April 25 – a mere eight months until Christmas!) Leo/heart, one of the killing signs, is in force. No planting, seeding, transplanting or working with anything you want to flourish. It won’t up and drop dead, it just won’t do as well as it might have with fertile or VERY fertile signs ruling.
>Flowering signs: Until 3:03 p.m. April 30 when Scorpio/secrets/VERY fertile takes over. Plant flowers: Virgo/bowels, April 26-27, and Libra/reins, April 28-30.
>May 1-2: Scorpio/secrets, above- to below-grounders.

Address

Frankfort, KY
40601

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Planting by the Signs posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Planting by the Signs:

Shortcuts

Share