SVCS

Planting by the Moon — May 2019

The favourable sowing days in May 2019 are 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23 and 31. No sowing on 4 and 18 (New Moon — 4 May · Full Moon — 18 May).

What to sow when

Fruit
Days: 11 and 12

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

Root
Days: 21, 22, 23 and 31

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

Leaf
Days: 8, 9, 10 and 17

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

Flower
Days: 6, 7, 15 and 16

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

Day by day

DayPhaseSignPartRatingTasks
1 Wed 12% Aries · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
2 Thu 6% Aries · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
3 Fri 2% Aries · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
4 Sat 0% Taurus · fruitful Root Rest day — no sowing Weeding Working the soil Compost and preparation
5 Sun 0% Taurus · fruitful Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil
6 Mon 3% Gemini · barren Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out Weeding Pest control
7 Tue 8% Gemini · barren Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out Weeding Pest control
8 Wed 14% Cancer · most fruitful Leaf Favourable for sowing Sow leafy greens Transplant and prick out Watering
9 Thu 23% Cancer · most fruitful Leaf Favourable for sowing Sow leafy greens Transplant and prick out Watering
10 Fri 33% Cancer · most fruitful Leaf Favourable for sowing Sow leafy greens Transplant and prick out Watering
11 Sat 44% Leo · barren Fruit Favourable for sowing Sow fruiting vegetables Grafting Watering Weeding Pest control
12 Sun 56% Leo · barren Fruit Favourable for sowing Sow fruiting vegetables Grafting Watering Weeding Pest control
13 Mon 67% Virgo · barren Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil Weeding Pest control
14 Tue 77% Virgo · barren Root Maintenance day Transplant and prick out Working the soil Weeding Pest control
15 Wed 86% Libra · fruitful Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out
16 Thu 93% Libra · fruitful Flower Favourable for sowing Sow flowers and flowering veg Transplant and prick out
17 Fri 98% Scorpio · most fruitful Leaf Favourable for sowing Sow leafy greens Transplant and prick out Watering
18 Sat 100% Scorpio · most fruitful Leaf Rest day — no sowing Weeding Working the soil Compost and preparation
19 Sun 99% Sagittarius · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
20 Mon 97% Sagittarius · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
21 Tue 92% Capricorn · fruitful Root Favourable for sowing Sow and plant root crops Harvest for storage Feeding and fertilising
22 Wed 86% Capricorn · fruitful Root Favourable for sowing Sow and plant root crops Harvest for storage Feeding and fertilising
23 Thu 79% Capricorn · fruitful Root Favourable for sowing Sow and plant root crops Harvest for storage Feeding and fertilising
24 Fri 70% Aquarius · barren Flower Maintenance day Cutting flowers Pruning Weeding Pest control
25 Sat 61% Aquarius · barren Flower Maintenance day Cutting flowers Pruning Weeding Pest control
26 Sun 52% Pisces · most fruitful Leaf Maintenance day Harvest for fresh use Feeding and fertilising Watering
27 Mon 42% Pisces · most fruitful Leaf Maintenance day Harvest for fresh use Feeding and fertilising Watering
28 Tue 33% Pisces · most fruitful Leaf Maintenance day Harvest for fresh use Feeding and fertilising Watering
29 Wed 24% Aries · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
30 Thu 16% Aries · barren Fruit Maintenance day Harvest for storage Pruning Weeding Pest control
31 Fri 10% 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 May, 10:27
  • Taurus(Earth · Root)3 May, 20:22
  • Gemini(Air · Flower)6 May, 03:44
  • Cancer(Water · Leaf)8 May, 09:08
  • Leo(Fire · Fruit)10 May, 13:14
  • Virgo(Earth · Root)12 May, 16:23
  • Libra(Air · Flower)14 May, 18:53
  • Scorpio(Water · Leaf)16 May, 21:28
  • Sagittarius(Fire · Fruit)19 May, 01:21
  • Capricorn(Earth · Root)21 May, 07:57
  • Aquarius(Air · Flower)23 May, 17:54
  • Pisces(Water · Leaf)26 May, 06:13
  • Aries(Fire · Fruit)28 May, 18:33
  • Taurus(Earth · Root)31 May, 04:46

Times are UTC.

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Frequently asked questions

Which are the best days to sow in May 2019?

The favourable sowing and planting days in May 2019 are 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23 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 2019?

Root crops (potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic) are traditionally sown under a waning Moon in an earth sign — in May 2019 that falls on 21, 22, 23 and 31.

Which are the rest days in May 2019?

Tradition treats the day of the new moon and the day of the full moon as days without sowing — in May 2019 those are 4 and 18 (New Moon — 4 May · Full Moon — 18 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.