SVCS

Planting by the Moon — August 2012

The favourable sowing days in August 2012 are 1, 8, 9, 10, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29 and 30. No sowing on 2, 17 and 31 (Full Moon — 2 August · New Moon — 17 August · Full Moon — 31 August).

What to sow when

Fruit
Days: 24, 25 and 26

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

Root
Days: 8, 9 and 10

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

Leaf
Days: 22 and 23

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

Flower
Days: 1, 20, 21, 29 and 30

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

Day by day

DayPhaseSignPartRatingTasks
1 Wed 99% Aquarius · barren Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out Weeding Pest control
2 Thu 100% Aquarius · barren Flower Rest day — no sowing Weeding Working the soil Compost and preparation
3 Fri 97% Aquarius · barren Flower Maintenance day Cutting flowers Pruning Weeding Pest control
4 Sat 93% Pisces · most fruitful Leaf Maintenance day Harvest for fresh use Feeding and fertilising Watering
5 Sun 87% Pisces · most fruitful Leaf Maintenance day Harvest for fresh use Feeding and fertilising Watering
6 Mon 80% Aries · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
7 Tue 71% Aries · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
8 Wed 62% Taurus · fruitful Root Favourable for sowing Sow and plant root crops Harvest for storage Feeding and fertilising
9 Thu 53% Taurus · fruitful Root Favourable for sowing Sow and plant root crops Harvest for storage Feeding and fertilising
10 Fri 43% Taurus · fruitful Root Favourable for sowing Sow and plant root crops Harvest for storage Feeding and fertilising
11 Sat 34% Gemini · barren Flower Maintenance day Cutting flowers Pruning Weeding Pest control
12 Sun 25% Gemini · barren Flower Maintenance day Cutting flowers Pruning Weeding Pest control
13 Mon 17% Cancer · most fruitful Leaf Maintenance day Harvest for fresh use Feeding and fertilising Watering
14 Tue 11% Cancer · most fruitful Leaf Maintenance day Harvest for fresh use Feeding and fertilising Watering
15 Wed 5% Cancer · most fruitful Leaf Maintenance day Harvest for fresh use Feeding and fertilising Watering
16 Thu 2% Leo · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
17 Fri 0% Leo · barren Fruit Rest day — no sowing Weeding Working the soil Compost and preparation
18 Sat 1% Virgo · barren Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil Weeding Pest control
19 Sun 4% Virgo · barren Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil Weeding Pest control
20 Mon 10% Libra · fruitful Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out
21 Tue 18% Libra · fruitful Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out
22 Wed 27% Scorpio · most fruitful Leaf Favourable for sowing Sow leafy greens Transplant and prick out Watering
23 Thu 38% Scorpio · most fruitful Leaf Favourable for sowing Sow leafy greens Transplant and prick out Watering
24 Fri 49% Sagittarius · barren Fruit Favourable for sowing Sow fruiting vegetables Grafting Watering Weeding Pest control
25 Sat 61% Sagittarius · barren Fruit Favourable for sowing Sow fruiting vegetables Grafting Watering Weeding Pest control
26 Sun 72% Sagittarius · barren Fruit Favourable for sowing Sow fruiting vegetables Grafting Watering Weeding Pest control
27 Mon 81% Capricorn · fruitful Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil
28 Tue 89% Capricorn · fruitful Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil
29 Wed 95% Aquarius · barren Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out Weeding Pest control
30 Thu 99% Aquarius · barren Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out Weeding Pest control
31 Fri 100% Pisces · most fruitful Leaf Rest day — no sowing Weeding Working the soil Compost and preparation

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

  • Aquarius(Air · Flower)1 Aug, 09:53
  • Pisces(Water · Leaf)3 Aug, 13:56
  • Aries(Fire · Fruit)5 Aug, 20:58
  • Taurus(Earth · Root)8 Aug, 07:29
  • Gemini(Air · Flower)10 Aug, 20:11
  • Cancer(Water · Leaf)13 Aug, 08:28
  • Leo(Fire · Fruit)15 Aug, 18:07
  • Virgo(Earth · Root)18 Aug, 00:35
  • Libra(Air · Flower)20 Aug, 04:46
  • Scorpio(Water · Leaf)22 Aug, 07:52
  • Sagittarius(Fire · Fruit)24 Aug, 10:49
  • Capricorn(Earth · Root)26 Aug, 13:59
  • Aquarius(Air · Flower)28 Aug, 17:40
  • Pisces(Water · Leaf)30 Aug, 22:31

Times are UTC.

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Frequently asked questions

Which are the best days to sow in August 2012?

The favourable sowing and planting days in August 2012 are 1, 8, 9, 10, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29 and 30 — 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 August 2012?

Root crops (potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic) are traditionally sown under a waning Moon in an earth sign — in August 2012 that falls on 8, 9 and 10.

Which are the rest days in August 2012?

Tradition treats the day of the new moon and the day of the full moon as days without sowing — in August 2012 those are 2, 17 and 31 (Full Moon — 2 August · New Moon — 17 August · Full Moon — 31 August). 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.