One thing my father always said was that spring doesn't c ome until Easter. That's been true around here more often than not. It makes sense since Easter is tied to the full moon and spring equinox.

I'm so far behind in preparing my garden beds due to the torrential rains we had the last few weeks that the best day for me will be the first day I have a bed ready.

The only moon signs I consider really barren and would not bother to plant are Aries and Leo, and as for the moon phases the day just before the new moon and just after the full moon are also not worth planting IMO. I would plant in any earth or water sign in either phase of the moon if the seasonal timing/weather is right. Since the moon phases are different every year, you would miss the seasonal dates for planting if you strictly followed a moon planting regime.

There's a technique I read about some years ago for forecasting weather, using a chart for your location at the full moon and new moon. The planets and fixed stars on the angles of the chart give weather indications for the two weeks following in your location - mars or pluto warm, neptune wet, uranus windy, saturn cold. If none of these is near the angles, weather follows the existing trend or is seasonal norm. It works pretty well afaict, and since the data is available ahead of time you can also look further ahead and make a prediction as to what kind of season you can expect in a given year.

This is all very interesting. I plant peas, spinach, lettuce, carrots and such when the ground isn't too wet with which to work and I plant the summer crops sometime after Easter. Living in the south is easy compared to what you all go through.

[QUOTE=bestofour;332951]This is all very interesting. I plant peas, spinach, lettuce, carrots and such when the ground isn't too wet with which to work and I plant the summer crops sometime after Easter. Living in the south is easy compared to what you all go through.[/QUOTE]

I agree except for our far greater disease and pest problems and the summer heat and humidity can be unpleasant much of the time. I would get too frustrated not being able to grow varieties because of not having a long enough growing season. I love being able to eat fresh tomatoes for 8 months of the year. I like our short winters because I get tired of broccoli, cabbage, greens, and cauliflower really fast.:P