Welcome to Creative Gardening by the Moon for the week of May 19-25, 2024. This is a weekly column to help you know when best to plant, transplant, harvest, cultivate, and rid your gardens of pests and weeds based on the path of our moon along with the movement of the planets through the astrological signs as they move through our atmosphere.
Sunday the moon continues through Libra, moving into Scorpio on Tuesday. Sagittarius pushes Scorpio out on Thursday and stays with us through Saturday, leaving to make room for Capricorn on Saturday. On May 17th, we entered Apogee and will stay there through June 1st when we will move back into Perigee on June 2nd.
The moon went into Descension on May 19th and will continue its descent through June 1st, moving back into Ascension on the 2nd. We are visited by the glorious full moon on Thursday, the 23rd as it then moves into it’s 3rd quarter.
Sunday, May 19th – Monday, May 20| Libra
![garden, gardening, astrology, horoscope](https://images.pexels.com/photos/1263986/pexels-photo-1263986.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&w=1260&h=750&dpr=1)
On Sunday the 19th through Monday the 20th we are rounding out the last of our Flower Days. This is the time for tending flowers, broccoli, roses, all edible flowers, cauliflower, and artichokes. Let’s make sure our lovely bees have all that they need to make our sweet necessary honey.
If you do need to harvest flowers, this is the best time. Flavors are stronger, scents more heady, and flowers are strongest for pressing or drying.
- Did you know that under a descending moon, the earth breathes in. This is going to be the best time to plant or transplant root crops. This is also going to be the best time to apply any sprays as the soil and leaves will take the nutrients in as the earth inhales.
- The moon is currently in apogee and the farthest from the planet, again making it the best time to sow seeds, bulbs and starts though not perfectly ideal as we are not on a Root Day.
Tuesday, May 21st – Wednesday, May 22nd | Scorpio
![leafy, garden, horoscope, astrology](https://images.pexels.com/photos/20131541/pexels-photo-20131541/free-photo-of-leafy-vegetable-growing-in-greenhouse.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&w=1260&h=750&dpr=1)
On Tuesday, Scoprio will follow Libra bringing us into 2 days of Leaf Days. Leaf days are days to work with plants that grow above the ground, leafy plants including lettuces, cabbages, aromatic herbs, and shrubs. During this time prune hedges if they are in need. Transplant veggies like Brussels sprouts, lettuces, and celery. Thin lettuces and chard so they don’t become overgrown and choke themselves out.
- As the moon is currently descending, this is going to be the best time to plant or transplant root crops. This is also going to be the best time to apply any sprays as the soil will take the nutrients in as the earth inhales.
- The moon is currently in apogee and the farthest from the planet, again making it a good time to sow seeds, bulbs, and starts though not the most ideal as it’s not a root or leaf day. It could be a good day to catch up if you have plants that need to be put in before it’s too late.
Thursday, May 23rd – Saturday, May 25th | Sagittarius
![grapes, astrology, fruit, garden](https://images.pexels.com/photos/20188268/pexels-photo-20188268/free-photo-of-grapes-on-a-branch.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&w=1260&h=750&dpr=1)
On Thursday the 23rd Sagittarius will be pushing Scorpio out taking over for the next 3 days bringing us back into Fruit Days. This is the time to tend to plants that bear fruit. Beans, grains, tomatoes, squash. Prune the suckers from tomatoes and squash to keep them healthy. If you are in an area where you might have harvested your fruit trees, this is the time to prune those as well once the fruit is gone. If needed, this is a good time to plant or transplant fruit day crops as well.
- As the moon is currently descending, this is going to be the best time to plant or transplant root crops. This is also going to be the best time to apply any sprays as the soil will take the nutrients in as the earth inhales.
- The moon is currently in apogee and the farthest from the planet, again making it a good time to sow seeds, bulbs, and starts though not the most ideal as it’s not a root or leaf day. It could be a good day to catch up if you have plants that need to be put in before it’s too late.
Saturday, May 25th – Monday, May 27th | Capricorn
![roots, potatoes, astrology, horoscope, garden](https://images.pexels.com/photos/144248/potatoes-vegetables-erdfrucht-bio-144248.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&w=1260&h=750&dpr=1)
And here we are at the end of another week. On Saturday afternoon, we are moving on from Sagittarius and into Capricorn, which will be with us through Monday. This week we have come full circle starting in Flower Days and ending with Root Days. Saturday afternoon, if you have finished with your Fruid Day activities, you can jump into tour Rood Day activities. This can include tending root plants: transplanting potatoes, and sowing winter radishes and carrots if your weather permits.
We are now in Perigee so remember, no harvesting root plants. This is a time when they hold to much water and too much water causes rot in storage.
- As the moon is currently descending, this is going to be the best time to plant or transplant root crops. This is also going to be the best time to apply any sprays as the soil will take the nutrients in as the earth inhales.
- The moon is currently in apogee and the farthest from the planet, again making it a good time to sow seeds, bulbs, and starts. It could be a good day to catch up if you have plants that need to be put in before it’s too late.
This Week’s Closing Moon Gardening Notes
![bee, flower, garden, horoscope, astrology](https://images.pexels.com/photos/998248/pexels-photo-998248.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&w=1260&h=750&dpr=1)
It was a busy week in the garden unless you already have your plants all in and are just maintaining. A few extra notes for those of you who keep bees. Begin queen bee rearing during the flower days as this is the time when the flowers are at their best for pollinating. Other bee care during flower days can include grafting or larval transfer, inserting combs, and cell punching. May 18th is also a possible swarm time so make sure that’s on your calendar.
Please check the weather and the hardiness Zone map to make sure you don’t plant too early. There is nothing more frustrating than losing delicate starts to a late frost. The Farmer’s Almanac is always a great resource for gardening information.
This gardening horoscope is written for the northern hemisphere in the Western United States and while the rules will be the same, the dates/times of year, of course, will change.
This is this week’s gardening plan based on the constellations, descension/ascension, and the details we discussed in Gardening By the Moon #1: An Easy Astrological Guide. I have also consulted the Farmers Almanac. and the book, Biodunamic Gardening referenced below.
Happy gardening and may the blessings of spring bring happiness to your heart, curiosity to your mind, and magic into your life.
References
DK. (2015). Biodynamic gardening: Grow healthy plants and amazing produce with the help of the moon and nature S C. DK Publishing (Dorling Kindersley).
About the Author
A late bloomer in the writing industry, Christle Hart has just joined the world of writing as a published Author, poet, and content writer. As a teacher for 20 years, she’s moved from teaching writing to publishing her own work and is excited to be doing so.
Watch for her first novel to be published soon, and check back here for more of her articles focused on gardening, horoscopes, movies and TV, gaming, and so many other passions. Her website is currently under construction, but her blog, The Nook, is up and running. You can also find her on Facebook.
Total Apex is an all-encompassing content producer. We provide heavily detailed articles every day on entertainment, gaming, sports, and so much more! Check out all our great sports content Total Apex Sports. Check us out on X @TotalApexEandG and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.