Since the earliest days of agriculture, people have looked to the skies to predict the weather and ensure a successful harvest. These same practices have endured today, though not as widespread as in years past. Many Appalachian gardeners and farmers still rely on the observation of the solar and lunar cycles to maximize their land production.

Although it may seem cloaked in mystery, the logic behind the use of planetary movements for gardening is based in scientific reason. The moon exerts gravitational pull on the earth’s oceans. That gravity also affects the water in plants, which are made of 90% water. For this reason, ancient people noticed the effects of different “moons” on the growth of plants and developed a scheduling system called “lunar gardening,” or planting by the signs.

Lunar Phase and Sign

There are at least two layers to understanding lunar gardening. One is to know the phase of the moon, and the other is to know the moon’s zodiac sign placement. What ancient people could see is that there were differences in growing patterns that seemed to mirror these phases and sign placements. Their observations developed into a system of associations that they believed not only governed the growth of plants, but also the behaviors of people. They used these associations to decide the best days for agriculture, homesteading activities, business activities, personal health, relationships, and more. Every aspect of their life was governed by these underlying principles.

There are four quarters or phases to the visible illumination of the moon. As it orbits the earth over the course of one month, it spends about one week in each of its phases. The moon also appears in the sky in one of twelve zodiac signs, spending 2-3 days in each in the course of one month.

Zodiac Sign Associations

When hearing the term zodiac, one might associate it with reading the horoscope for your sun sign in the newspaper. Although the same energetics of the zodiac are often used to describe individual personalities, the practice of astrology is not necessarily associated with planting by the signs.

“The zodiac” is a concept that describes what visibly changes due to the rotation of the observable night sky. For determining the solar sign placement, the sun appears to trace a path around the earth, it takes about one month to pass through each of the twelve constellations that represent the zodiac and complete a cycle in one year. Each sign has its own energetics that were developed over a lengthy period of time where humans observed and honed their understanding of these seasonal energies.

The sun’s sign placement is only one part of the planetary placements that are tracked by the zodiac chart. Just as the sun cycles through these twelve signs, the moon does as well. The moon takes a much shorter time to pass through each constellation, changing its sign placement every two to three days. It takes the moon one month to move through all twelve, which is fundamentally the origin of a month’s length. Early people noticed these changes and how they aligned with the moon’s phases. The system of planting by the signs was developed in response to these observations.

To Everything a Season

The natural rhythm of the moon aligned with the tasks of homesteading. The first phase or quarter of the moon was a time to plant seeds, propagate cuttings, prune for growth, or transplant seedlings. The second phase leading up to the full moon was best for all types of crops, but especially those above ground. The third phase from the full moon to the last quarter was best for root vegetables and other underground crops. The fourth phase was seen as barren and unsuitable for any planting, but would be a suitable time to harvest, control pests, or weed the garden. It was not desirable to plant on “days of change” when the moon was shifting from one phase to the next, as the energy was too volatile.

The wheel of the zodiac has a year that begins with the spring equinox in the sun sign of Aries. Within the twelve signs, there are four elements: fire, earth, air, and water. This groups the signs into four “families” with similar properties.

The fire signs Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius were seen as barren and an unsuitable time to plant. The earth signs Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn were a more suitable time with some limitations. The air signs Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius were better for harvesting seeds or planting for flower production. The water signs Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces were best for all types of planting with some limitations.

In addition to noting the lunar phase, the secondary association of the zodiac sign would also be taken into consideration by gardeners. For example, if one had no choice but to plant in the fourth quarter, the barren energy could be tempered with a more fruitful sign placement such as Pisces.

Body Parts and Beans

These predictions about weather and agricultural conditions became a standard for early farmers, and the first Farmer’s Almanac was published in 1792 by Robert B. Thomas. Numerous similar titles appeared in print thereafter, and so he added the adjective “old” to the title to distinguish his as the first and most prominent. This title is still in publication today and many people still purchase a copy while planning their gardens to guide decision making.

What do the parts of the body have to do with planting by the signs? If one picks up a copy of the Old Farmer’s Almanac, they will see associations for each sign that also include parts of the body. People would also look at these body part associations to determine which crops would be most successful when. For example, cabbages would thrive if planted in the “head”, or Aries, because of the vegetable’s resemblance to a head. Another familiar nugget of wisdom is that beans should always be planted “in the arms”, or in Gemini. This was to encourage armfuls of abundant beans and long vines like arms.

Best Days?

The Old Farmer’s Almanac may also describe the “best days” for various activities. These are the congruence of the best phase and sign for every farming or other activity. Although these energetic associations are trackable and may produce better results in life and gardening, the best day to complete any task in one’s life is the day when it can be done. No positive benefit comes from waiting for perfection.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Sperry. Sources available upon request.