SVCS

Planting by the Moon — August 2018

The favourable sowing days in August 2018 are 4, 5, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25 and 31. No sowing on 11 and 26 (New Moon — 11 August · Full Moon — 26 August).

What to sow when

Fruit
Days: 19 and 20

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

Root
Days: 4, 5 and 31

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

Leaf
Days: 16, 17 and 18

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

Flower
Days: 14, 15, 24 and 25

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

Day by day

DayPhaseSignPartRatingTasks
1 Wed 81% Aries · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
2 Thu 73% Aries · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
3 Fri 63% Aries · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
4 Sat 53% Taurus · fruitful Root Favourable for sowing Sow and plant root crops Harvest for storage Feeding and fertilising
5 Sun 42% Taurus · fruitful Root Favourable for sowing Sow and plant root crops Harvest for storage Feeding and fertilising
6 Mon 31% Gemini · barren Flower Maintenance day Cutting flowers Pruning Weeding Pest control
7 Tue 21% Gemini · barren Flower Maintenance day Cutting flowers Pruning Weeding Pest control
8 Wed 12% Cancer · most fruitful Leaf Maintenance day Harvest for fresh use Feeding and fertilising Watering
9 Thu 5% Cancer · most fruitful Leaf Maintenance day Harvest for fresh use Feeding and fertilising Watering
10 Fri 1% Leo · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
11 Sat 0% Leo · barren Fruit Rest day — no sowing Weeding Working the soil Compost and preparation
12 Sun 2% Virgo · barren Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil Weeding Pest control
13 Mon 7% Virgo · barren Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil Weeding Pest control
14 Tue 14% Libra · fruitful Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out
15 Wed 22% Libra · fruitful Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out
16 Thu 32% Scorpio · most fruitful Leaf Favourable for sowing Sow leafy greens Transplant and prick out Watering
17 Fri 42% Scorpio · most fruitful Leaf Favourable for sowing Sow leafy greens Transplant and prick out Watering
18 Sat 52% Scorpio · most fruitful Leaf Favourable for sowing Sow leafy greens Transplant and prick out Watering
19 Sun 62% Sagittarius · barren Fruit Favourable for sowing Sow fruiting vegetables Grafting Watering Weeding Pest control
20 Mon 71% Sagittarius · barren Fruit Favourable for sowing Sow fruiting vegetables Grafting Watering Weeding Pest control
21 Tue 79% Capricorn · fruitful Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil
22 Wed 86% Capricorn · fruitful Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil
23 Thu 92% Capricorn · fruitful Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil
24 Fri 97% Aquarius · barren Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out Weeding Pest control
25 Sat 99% Aquarius · barren Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out Weeding Pest control
26 Sun 100% Pisces · most fruitful Leaf Rest day — no sowing Weeding Working the soil Compost and preparation
27 Mon 99% Pisces · most fruitful Leaf Maintenance day Harvest for fresh use Feeding and fertilising Watering
28 Tue 96% Pisces · most fruitful Leaf Maintenance day Harvest for fresh use Feeding and fertilising Watering
29 Wed 91% Aries · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
30 Thu 85% Aries · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
31 Fri 77% Taurus · fruitful Root Favourable for sowing Sow and plant root crops Harvest for storage Feeding and fertilising

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

  • Aries(Fire · Fruit)1 Aug, 10:57
  • Taurus(Earth · Root)3 Aug, 19:53
  • Gemini(Air · Flower)6 Aug, 01:33
  • Cancer(Water · Leaf)8 Aug, 04:01
  • Leo(Fire · Fruit)10 Aug, 04:17
  • Virgo(Earth · Root)12 Aug, 03:59
  • Libra(Air · Flower)14 Aug, 04:57
  • Scorpio(Water · Leaf)16 Aug, 08:54
  • Sagittarius(Fire · Fruit)18 Aug, 16:44
  • Capricorn(Earth · Root)21 Aug, 04:00
  • Aquarius(Air · Flower)23 Aug, 16:55
  • Pisces(Water · Leaf)26 Aug, 05:34
  • Aries(Fire · Fruit)28 Aug, 16:36
  • Taurus(Earth · Root)31 Aug, 01:30

Times are UTC.

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Frequently asked questions

Which are the best days to sow in August 2018?

The favourable sowing and planting days in August 2018 are 4, 5, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25 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 August 2018?

Root crops (potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic) are traditionally sown under a waning Moon in an earth sign — in August 2018 that falls on 4, 5 and 31.

Which are the rest days in August 2018?

Tradition treats the day of the new moon and the day of the full moon as days without sowing — in August 2018 those are 11 and 26 (New Moon — 11 August · Full Moon — 26 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.