Days are worked out for America/New York, at local noon.
The Moon is in Gemini, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is waning — tradition harvests root crops under a waning Moon so they store longer.
The Moon is in Gemini, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is waning — tradition harvests root crops under a waning Moon so they store longer.
The Moon is in Leo, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is waning — tradition harvests root crops under a waning Moon so they store longer.
The Moon is in Leo, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is waning — tradition harvests root crops under a waning Moon so they store longer.
The Moon is in Virgo, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is waning — tradition harvests root crops under a waning Moon so they store longer.
The Moon is in Virgo, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is waning — tradition harvests root crops under a waning Moon so they store longer.
The Moon is in Gemini, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is waning — tradition harvests root crops under a waning Moon so they store longer.
The Moon is in Gemini, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is waning — tradition harvests root crops under a waning Moon so they store longer.
The Moon is in Leo, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is waning — tradition harvests root crops under a waning Moon so they store longer.
The Moon is in Leo, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is waning — tradition harvests root crops under a waning Moon so they store longer.
The Moon is in Gemini, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is in Gemini, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is in Leo, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is in Leo, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is in Virgo, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is in Virgo, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is in Gemini, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is in Gemini, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is in Leo, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
The Moon is in Leo, a dry, barren sign that lore favors for harvesting rather than planting.
Old almanac lore, not science. The last column is the next time each phase shows at noon in your time zone.
| Phase | What you see | Almanac lore | Next |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Moon | The Moon is dark and almost invisible. | Old almanac lore treats it as a time to rest, plan and start something quietly. | Nov 7 – Nov 10 |
| Waxing Crescent | A thin sliver lit on the right (northern hemisphere), growing each night. | Lore calls it a time to set intentions and begin building. | Nov 11 – Nov 14 |
| First Quarter | Half the disc is lit; the Moon is high at sunset. | Lore calls it a time to act, decide and push through obstacles. | Nov 15 – Nov 18 |
| Waxing Gibbous | More than half is lit and still growing. | Lore calls it a time to refine, adjust and get ready for the peak. | Nov 19 – Nov 22 |
| Full Moon | The whole disc is lit and rises around sunset. | Lore calls it a time of peak, completion and celebration. | Nov 23 – Nov 25 |
| Waning Gibbous | More than half is lit, but shrinking each night. | Lore calls it a time to share, give thanks and pass things on. | Oct 28 – Oct 30 |
| Last Quarter | Half the disc is lit again, on the opposite side from the first quarter. | Lore calls it a time to let go, review and clear away what no longer works. | Oct 31 – Nov 2 |
| Waning Crescent | A thin sliver before dawn, fading toward the next New Moon. | Lore calls it a time to rest, finish up and prepare for a new cycle. | Nov 3 – Nov 6 |
Scroll the list to see which days in the next 60 are lined up for lifting carrots, beets, potatoes and other root crops, each with its reason beside it. Add any day to your phone calendar so it is there when you head out to the garden.
By traditional Moon-sign and phase lore, 90 days from Wed, Oct 28 to Sun, Apr 25 rate good or better. The nearest is Wed, Oct 28; the top pick is Wed, Oct 28.
We take the Moon’s sign and phase at local noon in America/New York. If the Moon changes sign within two minutes of noon, the day is rated on the less favorable side.
No. It follows old almanac lore about the Moon. The Moon positions are real astronomy; the meaning given to them is tradition.
In Moon lore, the best phase for harvesting root crops is the waning Moon. Tradition links lifting roots under a waning Moon with keeping them longer in storage. Gardeners differ on how strictly they follow this, so treat it as a custom, not a rule.
Moon lore names six signs as best: Aries, Gemini, Leo, Virgo, Sagittarius and Aquarius. Lore describes them as dry, barren signs that favor harvesting rather than planting. This site lists no other signs as good and rules out no signs for this activity.
In Moon lore, the signs chosen for harvesting are the dry, barren ones, which are the signs favored for gathering a crop instead of sowing it. The phase is part of the difference too, since root crops are matched with a waning Moon. A day needs both the right sign and the waning phase to make the list.
Yes, a day on this list has to have the Moon in one of the six best signs and in the waning phase. A day with only one of the two does not make the list. Where the Moon changes sign within 2 minutes of local noon, the day is rated on the less favorable side.
No, it is a tradition. The Moon's position in the sky is real astronomy, but the meaning that lore gives to each sign and phase comes from old almanac custom. Use the dates as a guide if the custom appeals to you, and pick another day if the weather or your garden calls for it.
Fortuday