wilkes

Plant by the Signs
Through tradition many mountain folk accept the signs as the proper way
to plant and harvest their crops. Based upon the ancient astronomers'
recognition of the Zodiac, the twelve signs come around every 28 days
and are divided into elements: fire, earth, air, and water; and body
parts: head, neck, breast, bowels, loins, knees, feet, legs, thighs,
kidneys, heart, and arms. Using a calendar or almanac that delineates
the days of the month by signs, a farmer would pick the series of days
with the most favorable signs for planting or harvesting his crops. In
addition, many believe that the best time to plant crops with yields
above ground is while the moon is waxing, and plant those crops with
yields below ground (root crops i.e. potatoes, radishes, peanuts, etc.)
while the moon is waning. There are many other rules for planting,
harvesting, plowing, transplanting, even cutting timber, romancing,
hunting, cooking, or cutting your hair.
Following are the signs of the Zodiac and a few tips:
Aries
Good for cultivating the ground, planting beets and onions, and
hunting. Bad for planting and transplanting other crops.
Taurus
Good for all root crops and above ground crops, hunting and fishing.
Gemini
Good for planting all crops, also for preserving jellies and pickles.
Cancer
Best for planting above ground and root crops. Good for cooking and
fishing.
Leo
Good for sports, romancing, job hunting, and hunting. Bad for planting
or transplanting.
Virgo
Good for trading. Bad for planting.
Libra
Good for planting above ground crops and flowering plants.
Scorpio
Best for flowers and above ground crops. Good for all other crops,
fishing and hunting.
Sagittarius
Good for hunting jobs, trading, baking and preserving. Bad for
transplanting.
Capricorn
Best for root crops. Good for flowers and above ground crops.
Aquarius
Good for above ground crops, social events.
Pisces
Good for planting and transplanting above ground crops, trees and
shrubbery. Good for fishing and weaning babies and animals.

In addition to the astrological signs, highland folklore has it that
there are proper lunar phases to plant and harvest the crops. A few of
these are listed below. The moon is waxing (increasing) if its "horns"
are pointing to the left (east), and waning (decreasing) if pointed to
the right (west).
Plant fruits, seed flowers, and vegetables that bear above the ground
when the moon is waxing. That is, from the day after the moon is new to
the day before the moon is full.
Plant flowering bulbs and vegetables that bear below the ground when the
moon is waning. That is, from the day after the moon is full to the day
before it is new again.
1st and 2nd Quarter (moon is waxing). Plant above ground yields. Do not
plant on the day the moon is new, full or changing quarters. Graft trees
just before the sap flows.
3rd and 4th Quarter (moon is waning). Plant crops that grow underground
in the third quarter. A waning moon is good for harvesting most crops,
canning and preserving vegetables and jams. Kill weeds and trees, turn
the soil. Slaughter livestock in the 4th quarter before the new moon.

thanks for those dates nancydrew. today i moved all my starter sprouts out to the porch. everything is very mobile if frost comes. they seem to be loving it.

I lots of pretty azaleas in bloom down east & further south. spring is trying to get here. No tomoatoes yet could still frost. Easter is late this year, so maybe that is telling us something.

The folks at Midtown Market told me that these plants are hardened and ready to go into the ground. I'm not putting out tomatoes or anything like that...just pansies and such.

Where do you people live? I never put anything in the ground that frost could kill until the 10th of May.

Three years ago, I planted tomatoes on May 10th. That night, it frosted. Bit them, but did not kill them.

April is too early. JMO

Planted 31 annuals and 2 perennials just now. Whew!

I have been working im my yard for days I have almost got it completed.

Jabberwocky

According to Ramon's Brownie Calendar

April

9-10, Plant tomatoes, beans, peppers, corn, cotton and other above-ground crops in these most fruitful days. Plant seedbeds, Start flower gardens. 11-15, Grub out weeds, briars and other plant pests.

Well, I am very excited about planting some flowers tomorrow. Or, at least, getting the plants and nursing them on theback screen porch until it's okay to plant them!

all the deer, squirrels, rabbits and raccoons around my house I can't tomato plants, much less a garden but I do wish each of ye a bountiful harvest from yours.

EWHS, I think it is too early to plant watermelon seeds at least outside.

I agree with Van Denton on this one. Any snow next weekend should be confined to 3,500FT near Boone. Widespread frost into Wilkes and further south likely at least for 1day.

I will post his Facebook updates again next week if anything changes.

although thats a lot of work, what a wonderful way to spend the day. sounds fantastic.

Tomorrow is workday here on the farm.Tractors fueled up,chainsaw full,weed-eater and blower too.Mulch to haul tree limbs to prune and weeds to weed eat.

I love it they work ,I cook and feed them later in the day.We got to their houses next time.

We have to get through the first cold snap first to see if another one is coming in April. Next weekend does look much cooler with frost.

I would assume that after next weekend we will be safe from frost but historically we have had frosts into April.

my plans were for planting somewhere between april 10th to the 15th. if you have some info to share for those dates, i would surely appreciate it.

My plum tree has fully bloomed white flowers already. Finished planting some watermelon seeds and I might add some other things later.

Long range models do indicate a killer frost for Wilkes County around March 25-30th time frame. Nice heat we are having right now though. Weather.com has us at 37degrees March 25th but that might be lowered as we near it.

thanks copperpipes. the flowers i mentioned are all in starter peat pots under lights and a heater right now. and they are all perennials. i am too cheap to buy annuals. lol i buy once and divide them as they mature.

i have started some herbs that i put in clay pots. i am hardening those off now on my front porch. they will be brought inside for the winter.

i have some lettuce to get planted but for this year i am buying my starter veggie plants. but i did buy some heirloom seeds today. those will be stored away for next year. i truly am concerned about the cost of food and trying to stay prepared.

we should form a group for sharing when we are ready to divide plants. i have another house that i plan to take some hosta from as well as raspberry cuttings and chives.

Just remember - - in our zone, we can still have frost until mid April. Tender annuals just out of the greenhouse that haven't been "hardened" yet can be very susceptible to extreme weather conditions.

I have several rose bushes that need planting, a lilac someone gave me, and some daffodil bulbs I dug up last weekend to plant. Also, I like to get my onion sets, leaf lettuce, and sugar snap peas in the ground before now. It's been too wet, hopefully I can get this done tomorrow. I'll have to check the planting signs - - don't want seed to rot in the ground.