SVCS

Planting by the Moon — May 1996

The favourable sowing days in May 1996 are 1, 2, 7, 8, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30 and 31. No sowing on 3 and 17 (Full Moon — 3 May · New Moon — 17 May).

What to sow when

Fruit
Days: 23 and 24

tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, courgettes, aubergine, beans, peas, sweetcorn, strawberries, fruit trees

Root
Days: 7, 8, 15 and 16

potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, beetroot, radishes, turnips, parsnips, celeriac, root parsley

Leaf
Days: 20, 21, 22, 30 and 31

lettuce, salad leaves, spinach, cabbage, rocket, parsley, dill, basil, leeks, chard

Flower
Days: 1, 2, 18, 19, 28 and 29

broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes, roses, lavender, sunflowers, bedding flowers, bulbs

Day by day

DayPhaseSignPartRatingTasks
1 Wed 95% Libra · fruitful Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out
2 Thu 99% Libra · fruitful Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out
3 Fri 100% Scorpio · most fruitful Leaf Rest day — no sowing Weeding Working the soil Compost and preparation
4 Sat 99% Scorpio · most fruitful Leaf Maintenance day Harvest for fresh use Feeding and fertilising Watering
5 Sun 95% Sagittarius · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
6 Mon 88% Sagittarius · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
7 Tue 80% Capricorn · fruitful Root Favourable for sowing Sow and plant root crops Harvest for storage Feeding and fertilising
8 Wed 69% Capricorn · fruitful Root Favourable for sowing Sow and plant root crops Harvest for storage Feeding and fertilising
9 Thu 58% Aquarius · barren Flower Maintenance day Cutting flowers Pruning Weeding Pest control
10 Fri 47% Aquarius · barren Flower Maintenance day Cutting flowers Pruning Weeding Pest control
11 Sat 36% Pisces · most fruitful Leaf Maintenance day Harvest for fresh use Feeding and fertilising Watering
12 Sun 26% Pisces · most fruitful Leaf Maintenance day Harvest for fresh use Feeding and fertilising Watering
13 Mon 17% Aries · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
14 Tue 9% Aries · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
15 Wed 4% Taurus · fruitful Root Favourable for sowing Sow and plant root crops Harvest for storage Feeding and fertilising
16 Thu 1% Taurus · fruitful Root Favourable for sowing Sow and plant root crops Harvest for storage Feeding and fertilising
17 Fri 0% Taurus · fruitful Root Rest day — no sowing Weeding Working the soil Compost and preparation
18 Sat 1% Gemini · barren Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out Weeding Pest control
19 Sun 4% Gemini · barren Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out Weeding Pest control
20 Mon 9% Cancer · most fruitful Leaf Favourable for sowing Sow leafy greens Transplant and prick out Watering
21 Tue 15% Cancer · most fruitful Leaf Favourable for sowing Sow leafy greens Transplant and prick out Watering
22 Wed 22% Cancer · most fruitful Leaf Favourable for sowing Sow leafy greens Transplant and prick out Watering
23 Thu 31% Leo · barren Fruit Favourable for sowing Sow fruiting vegetables Grafting Watering Weeding Pest control
24 Fri 40% Leo · barren Fruit Favourable for sowing Sow fruiting vegetables Grafting Watering Weeding Pest control
25 Sat 49% Virgo · barren Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil Weeding Pest control
26 Sun 59% Virgo · barren Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil Weeding Pest control
27 Mon 69% Virgo · barren Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil Weeding Pest control
28 Tue 78% Libra · fruitful Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out
29 Wed 86% Libra · fruitful Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out
30 Thu 93% Scorpio · most fruitful Leaf Favourable for sowing Sow leafy greens Transplant and prick out Watering
31 Fri 97% Scorpio · most fruitful Leaf Favourable for sowing Sow leafy greens Transplant and prick out Watering

Phase and sign are computed for 12:00 UTC on each day. The Moon changes sign every ~2.3 days — the exact moments are listed below.

The Moon changes sign

  • Scorpio(Water · Leaf)2 May, 12:44
  • Sagittarius(Fire · Fruit)4 May, 16:04
  • Capricorn(Earth · Root)6 May, 17:52
  • Aquarius(Air · Flower)8 May, 19:40
  • Pisces(Water · Leaf)10 May, 22:33
  • Aries(Fire · Fruit)13 May, 03:03
  • Taurus(Earth · Root)15 May, 09:25
  • Gemini(Air · Flower)17 May, 17:48
  • Cancer(Water · Leaf)20 May, 04:17
  • Leo(Fire · Fruit)22 May, 16:25
  • Virgo(Earth · Root)25 May, 04:52
  • Libra(Air · Flower)27 May, 15:31
  • Scorpio(Water · Leaf)29 May, 22:30

Times are UTC.

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Frequently asked questions

Which are the best days to sow in May 1996?

The favourable sowing and planting days in May 1996 are 1, 2, 7, 8, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30 and 31 — the days on which the Moon's direction of travel and its zodiac sign agree under the traditional rule.

When should root crops be sown in May 1996?

Root crops (potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic) are traditionally sown under a waning Moon in an earth sign — in May 1996 that falls on 7, 8, 15 and 16.

Which are the rest days in May 1996?

Tradition treats the day of the new moon and the day of the full moon as days without sowing — in May 1996 those are 3 and 17 (Full Moon — 3 May · New Moon — 17 May). They suit weeding, soil work and composting instead.

How does a lunar planting calendar work?

Two rules combine. Under a waxing Moon (new → full) you sow the crops harvested above ground — fruiting, leafy and flowering plants. Under a waning Moon (full → new) you sow root crops. At the same time the zodiac sign holding the Moon decides which part of the plant is favoured: fire → fruit, earth → root, air → flower, water → leaf.

Is there scientific evidence for lunar planting?

No. The moon phase and its zodiac sign are astronomically computed and verifiable, but their link to plant growth is traditional practice, not agronomic advice. This page reproduces the rules exactly as the centuries-old farming almanacs apply them.

The moon phase and its zodiac sign are computed astronomically (tropical zodiac). The sowing rules are traditional practice taken from folk farming almanacs — they are not agronomic advice and have no scientific confirmation.