Planting by the Signs

We attended our Master Gardener meeting yesterday and heard a most interesting program on planting by the signs.  We’ve never paid much attention to this — John says he plants when he gets the ground ready.  The speaker said to squeeze a handful of soil in your hand and if it sticks together, it’s too wet to plant.  If it’s moist and loose it will be crumbly and ready to plant.

We also learned that the full moon is a good planting sign, as is the new moon.  When the moon decreases to the last quarter the signs are good to dig root crops.  Example potatoes will dry and keep better.

One interesting thing was that if a hole is dug when the moon is full there will be more than enough dirt to fill the hole; however, if the hole is dug when the moon has decreased to the last quarter there won’t be enough dirt to fill the hole.

Plant above ground crops when the signs are in the breast, thighs, neck and secrets.  Below ground root crops should be planted when the signs are in the knees and feet.

From my younger days I remember little about the moon, etc.  We burned stove wood to cook with and Daddy always wanted to cut the stove wood during the waning of the moon in March.  Why? Because the sap is still down (at least that’s what we think).

John’s cousin always wanted to have her hair cut during the waning of the moon because she said it would not grow back as fast.

I’m not sure this will change John’s mind about when to plant, but it was an interesting program about one facet of country living.