by Jeannie Travis
PLANTING TIME:
What people older Applachians call the dark night (dark of the moon) is the time from full moon to the new moon – or the shrinking of the moon. The other half of the season from the new moon to the full is known as the “light of the moon.”
New plants that grown underground, such as potatoes, turnips, onions and so forth, must be planted in the dark of the moon. For instance okra planted will all go to tops. Beans, peas, tomatoes and such that have their crop above the ground should be planted in the light of the moon. Potatoes should be harvested in the light of the moon or they will rot.
Beans shouldn’t be planted until after the first whipporwill calls, and should be planted in the morning, not the evening. The best planting time for lettuce is about February 14th. Cucumbers planted about May 1, watermelons about May 10th and turnips about July 25th.
Always avoid the first day of the New Moon for planting, also the days on which it changes quarters.
If you dig a hole in the ground to plant something, you will never have enough dirt to refill the hole if it is the shrinking of the moon.
In cooking, in the shrinking of the moon–watch your pot boil as you have a time keeping enough water in the pot, and you will burn your food.
Pick your apples and pears during the old moon and the bruised spots will dry up–if picked in the new moon the spots will rot.
Plant sunflowers with your pole beans. Saves time spent in cutting poles and also protects beans from frost.
Plant radish and cucumber seeds together to keep bugs off cucumbers.
When sowing carrot seed which is very fine, mix with radish seed. The radishes will be pulled and the carrots left to grow.
To prevent rust on garden tools, keep a thick rag soaked in kerosene handy for wiping off the tools when you come from the garden.
Plant parsley in small pots for your window sill. These pots of green keep spring in your kitchen all winter, will be an ever–ready garnish for meats, and you can seel the surplus at your annual church bazaar. This is a good idea for growing chives for the kitchen also.
When planting pea seed in the spring, sow Zinna seed in the same row at the same time. Your flowers will bloom long after the peas are gone. This saves space and beautifies your garden at the same time.
When you plant turnip greens, mustard, etc., be sure to plant radishes, and marigolds in the garden to repel insects. Chives are also good to act as an insect control.
Lime and wood ashes mixed sprinkled dry on squash for bugs and snails will also work.
Sprays made from marigolds, chrysanthemums, radishes will work as repellants for worms and insects.