SVCS

Planting by the Moon — May 2009

The favourable sowing days in May 2009 are 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29. No sowing on 9 and 24 (Full Moon — 9 May · New Moon — 24 May).

What to sow when

Fruit
Days: 1, 2, 28 and 29

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

Root
Days: 13, 14, 22 and 23

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

Leaf
Days: 8, 26 and 27

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

Flower
Days: 5, 6, 7 and 25

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

Day by day

DayPhaseSignPartRatingTasks
1 Fri 46% Leo · barren Fruit Favourable for sowing Sow fruiting vegetables Grafting Watering Weeding Pest control
2 Sat 57% Leo · barren Fruit Favourable for sowing Sow fruiting vegetables Grafting Watering Weeding Pest control
3 Sun 68% Virgo · barren Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil Weeding Pest control
4 Mon 78% Virgo · barren Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil Weeding Pest control
5 Tue 86% Libra · fruitful Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out
6 Wed 93% Libra · fruitful Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out
7 Thu 97% Libra · fruitful Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out
8 Fri 99% Scorpio · most fruitful Leaf Favourable for sowing Sow leafy greens Transplant and prick out Watering
9 Sat 100% Scorpio · most fruitful Leaf Rest day — no sowing Weeding Working the soil Compost and preparation
10 Sun 98% Sagittarius · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
11 Mon 95% Sagittarius · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
12 Tue 90% Sagittarius · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
13 Wed 83% Capricorn · fruitful Root Favourable for sowing Sow and plant root crops Harvest for storage Feeding and fertilising
14 Thu 76% Capricorn · fruitful Root Favourable for sowing Sow and plant root crops Harvest for storage Feeding and fertilising
15 Fri 67% Aquarius · barren Flower Maintenance day Cutting flowers Pruning Weeding Pest control
16 Sat 58% Aquarius · barren Flower Maintenance day Cutting flowers Pruning Weeding Pest control
17 Sun 48% Aquarius · barren Flower Maintenance day Cutting flowers Pruning Weeding Pest control
18 Mon 38% Pisces · most fruitful Leaf Maintenance day Harvest for fresh use Feeding and fertilising Watering
19 Tue 29% Pisces · most fruitful Leaf Maintenance day Harvest for fresh use Feeding and fertilising Watering
20 Wed 20% Aries · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
21 Thu 12% Aries · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
22 Fri 6% Taurus · fruitful Root Favourable for sowing Sow and plant root crops Harvest for storage Feeding and fertilising
23 Sat 2% Taurus · fruitful Root Favourable for sowing Sow and plant root crops Harvest for storage Feeding and fertilising
24 Sun 0% Gemini · barren Flower Rest day — no sowing Weeding Working the soil Compost and preparation
25 Mon 2% Gemini · barren Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out Weeding Pest control
26 Tue 6% Cancer · most fruitful Leaf Favourable for sowing Sow leafy greens Transplant and prick out Watering
27 Wed 13% Cancer · most fruitful Leaf Favourable for sowing Sow leafy greens Transplant and prick out Watering
28 Thu 22% Leo · barren Fruit Favourable for sowing Sow fruiting vegetables Grafting Watering Weeding Pest control
29 Fri 32% Leo · barren Fruit Favourable for sowing Sow fruiting vegetables Grafting Watering Weeding Pest control
30 Sat 43% Virgo · barren Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil Weeding Pest control
31 Sun 54% Virgo · barren Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil Weeding Pest control

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

  • Leo(Fire · Fruit)1 May, 00:57
  • Virgo(Earth · Root)3 May, 04:39
  • Libra(Air · Flower)5 May, 09:54
  • Scorpio(Water · Leaf)7 May, 16:49
  • Sagittarius(Fire · Fruit)10 May, 01:49
  • Capricorn(Earth · Root)12 May, 13:09
  • Aquarius(Air · Flower)15 May, 02:01
  • Pisces(Water · Leaf)17 May, 14:18
  • Aries(Fire · Fruit)19 May, 23:33
  • Taurus(Earth · Root)22 May, 04:43
  • Gemini(Air · Flower)24 May, 06:39
  • Cancer(Water · Leaf)26 May, 07:04
  • Leo(Fire · Fruit)28 May, 07:48
  • Virgo(Earth · Root)30 May, 10:18

Times are UTC.

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Frequently asked questions

Which are the best days to sow in May 2009?

The favourable sowing and planting days in May 2009 are 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 — 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 2009?

Root crops (potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic) are traditionally sown under a waning Moon in an earth sign — in May 2009 that falls on 13, 14, 22 and 23.

Which are the rest days in May 2009?

Tradition treats the day of the new moon and the day of the full moon as days without sowing — in May 2009 those are 9 and 24 (Full Moon — 9 May · New Moon — 24 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.