Planting by the moon in January

Don't garden after 10:20 AM – lunar node at 3:24 PM (15:24)

VEGETABLE PATCH: In mild climates, sow faba bean and round pea, directly in the growing bed.

ORCHARD: Harvest the last apples, pears, and kiwi in mild areas, as well as persimmon and medlar (only if it has frozen for these last two) / If not done yet, collect scions from fruit trees that you'll use for grafting in spring: select sprigs that are as thick as a pencil with buds along the entire length, cut the tips off each stem and tie them into bundles; label them; bury them 3/4ths deep in sand at the foot of a north-facing wall (monitor them for deburring as winter ends, because they must be grafted before buds break).

Happy New Year!

LANDSCAPING: 2nd day, if not freezing, for planting flower trees and shrubs, and bare-root rose bushes / Recover chrysanthemum that have by now lost their flowers and transplant them to the garden / Repot cyclamen and heather that you've kept in pots and garden boxes since fall / Prune your bush roses back to around 2 feet (50-60 cm), as well as clematis and all summer-blooming shrubs, if it isn't freezing / Transplant hardy perennial flowers such as pansy, wallflower and primrose to a spot sheltered from wind to have beautiful edges in spring / Start forcing spring bulbs (tulip, narcissus, daffodill, crocus...) so you can have beautiful pot arrangements early on in the season.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2e day for preparing planting holes for artichoke.

Until 5:30 PM (17:30), fruit & seed day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day, in mild climates, to sow faba bean and pea, directly in the growing bed.

ORCHARD: 2nd day for harvesting the last apples, pears, and kiwi in mild areas, as well as persimmon and medlar (only if it has frozen for these last two) / If not done yet, collect scions from fruit trees that you'll use for grafting in spring: select sprigs that are as thick as a pencil with buds along the entire length, cut the tips off each stem and tie them into bundles; label them; bury them 3/4ths deep in sand at the foot of a north-facing wall (monitor them for deburring as winter ends, because they must be grafted before buds break).

VEGETABLE PATCH: Sow a few red radish, baby carrot, turnip and colored onion either on a hot bed or under a cold frame. / Select seed suppliers after planning out your 2023 vegetable patch. Buy them now when inventories are full and you've got more to choose from.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for sowing a few red radish, baby carrot, turnip and colored onion either on a hot bed or under a cold frame / Select seed suppliers after planning out your 2023 vegetable patch. Buy them now when inventories are full and you've got more to choose from.

Before 3:16 PM (15:16), root day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: 3rd day for sowing a few red radish, baby carrot, turnip and colored onion either on a hot bed or under a cold frame / Select seed suppliers after planning out your 2023 vegetable patch. Buy them now when inventories are full and you've got more to choose from.

After 3:16 PM (15:16), entering a flower day:

LANDSCAPING: Short opportunity, before the moon starts descending during the night, and if not done in December, to sow blue gentiana, Jupiter's helm, and, on a hot bed, begonia semperflorens (don't bury the seeds) and pelargonium. You can also start a few early batches of annuals, in a warm setting (heated mini-greenhouse or indoors): sunflower, hollyhock, nasturtium, cosmos, carnation, French marigold, sweet pea...

VEGETABLE PATCH: Sow cauliflower indoors, in trays.

LANDSCAPING: If not freezing, plant flower trees and shrubs, and bare-root rose bushes / Recover chrysanthemum that have by now lost their flowers and transplant them to the garden / Repot cyclamen and heather that you've kept in pots and garden boxes since fall / Prune your bush roses back to around 2 feet (50-60 cm), as well as clematis and all summer-blooming shrubs, if it isn't freezing / Transplant hardy perennial flowers such as pansy, wallflower and primrose to a spot sheltered from wind to have beautiful edges in spring / Start forcing spring bulbs (tulip, narcissus, daffodill, crocus...) so you can have beautiful pot arrangements early on in the season.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Prepare planting holes for artichoke.

Don't garden before 2:20 PM (14:20) – moon is at apogee at 9:19 AM

LANDSCAPING: If not freezing, transplant your Christmas tree outside if you bought one with its roots / Prune and trim deciduous trees, and remove balls of mistletoe if needed; spread pruning paste on large wounds / Plant ornamental ivy / Prune deciduous foliage hedges (compost trimmings or shred them to make RCW) / This time is also favorable for pulling weeds out from lawns: work when the soil is moist, with a weeding knife.

VEGETABLE PATCH: While pruning trees, select long and straight branches that you can repurpose into stakes for pole beans (hazelnut, bamboo...) /
Prune lemon verbena, keeping only 3 buds per sprig.

Until 1:36 PM (12:36), leaf day:

LANDSCAPING: 2nd day, if not freezing, for transplanting your Christmas tree outside if you bought one with its roots / Prune and trim deciduous trees, and remove balls of mistletoe if needed; spread pruning paste on large wounds / Plant ornamental ivy / Prune deciduous foliage hedges (compost trimmings or shred them to make RCW) / This time is also favorable for pulling weeds out from lawns: work when the soil is moist, with a weeding knife.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day, while pruning trees, for selecting long and straight branches that you can repurpose into stakes for pole beans (hazelnut, bamboo...) / Prune lemon verbena, keeping only 3 buds per sprig.

After 12:36 PM (12:36), entering a fruit & seed day:

ORCHARD: If not freezing, plant fruit trees, root-dip bare roots and make sure the graft point is an inch or so above ground level (2-3 cm): soil will settle under the tree and it's important that the graft point not be buried; place the stake an open hand's width away from the trunk to avoid wounding as the tree sways with the wind / Plant berry shrubs (raspberry, red currant, black currant...) / Prune and trim old fruit trees / Prune your grapevine: one of the easiest techniques is the "3-bud" pruning, where you cut each sprig back to the structural branch, leaving only 3 buds on each / Prepare cuttings from or marcot fig trees / Start treating against peach leaf curl: spray bordeaux mixture, or fermented nettle or horsetail tea.

ORCHARD: 2nd day, if not freezing, for planting fruit trees, root-dip bare roots and make sure the graft point is an inch or so above ground level (2-3 cm): soil will settle under the tree and it's important that the graft point not be buried; place the stake an open hand's width away from the trunk to avoid wounding as the tree sways with the wind / Plant berry shrubs (raspberry, red currant, black currant...) / Prune and trim old fruit trees / Prune your grapevine: one of the easiest techniques is the "3-bud" pruning, where you cut each sprig back to the structural branch, leaving only 3 buds on each / Prepare cuttings from or marcot fig trees / Start treating against peach leaf curl: spray bordeaux mixture, or fermented nettle or horsetail tea.

ORCHARD: 3rd day, if not freezing, for planting fruit trees, root-dip bare roots and make sure the graft point is an inch or so above ground level (2-3 cm): soil will settle under the tree and it's important that the graft point not be buried; place the stake an open hand's width away from the trunk to avoid wounding as the tree sways with the wind / Plant berry shrubs (raspberry, red currant, black currant...) / Prune and trim old fruit trees / Prune your grapevine: one of the easiest techniques is the "3-bud" pruning, where you cut each sprig back to the structural branch, leaving only 3 buds on each / Prepare cuttings from or marcot fig trees / Start treating against peach leaf curl: spray bordeaux mixture, or fermented nettle or horsetail tea.

Until 12:19 PM (12:19), fruit & seed day:

ORCHARD: 4th day, if not freezing, for planting fruit trees, root-dip bare roots and make sure the graft point is an inch or so above ground level (2-3 cm): soil will settle under the tree and it's important that the graft point not be buried; place the stake an open hand's width away from the trunk to avoid wounding as the tree sways with the wind / Plant berry shrubs (raspberry, red currant, black currant...) / Prune and trim old fruit trees / Prune your grapevine: one of the easiest techniques is the "3-bud" pruning, where you cut each sprig back to the structural branch, leaving only 3 buds on each / Prepare cuttings from or marcot fig trees / Start treating against peach leaf curl: spray bordeaux mixture, or fermented nettle or horsetail tea.

After 12:19 PM (12:19), entering a root day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: In mild climates and in light soil, plant long shallot and purple and white garlic; elsewhere, wait a little longer / Before the coming hard freezing, mulch your growing beds if not done yet, and turn heavy soil so that the freezing can make the clumps burst / Harvest parsnip and carrot.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day, in mild climates and in light soil, for planting long shallot and purple and white garlic; elsewhere, wait a little longer / Before the coming hard freezing, mulch your growing beds if not done yet, and turn heavy soil so that the freezing can make the clumps burst / Harvest parsnip and carrot.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 3rd day, in mild climates and in light soil, for planting long shallot and purple and white garlic; elsewhere, wait a little longer / Before the coming hard freezing, mulch your growing beds if not done yet, and turn heavy soil so that the freezing can make the clumps burst / Harvest parsnip and carrot.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 4th day, in mild climates and in light soil, for planting long shallot and purple and white garlic; elsewhere, wait a little longer / Before the coming hard freezing, mulch your growing beds if not done yet, and turn heavy soil so that the freezing can make the clumps burst / Harvest parsnip and carrot.

Don't garden before 11:35 AM – lunar node at 6:32 AM

LANDSCAPING: If not freezing, plant flower trees and shrubs, and bare-root rose bushes (if you can't plant because of freezing, while waiting for milder weather you can temporarily set your shrubs in a pail with sand or soil to keep the bare roots from drying out) / By now, chrysanthemum in garden boxes have lost their flowers, you can transplant them in the ground in the garden / Repot cyclamen and heather that you've kept in pots and garden boxes since fall / Prune your bush roses back to around 2 feet (50-60 cm), as well as clematis and all summer-blooming shrubs, if it isn't freezing / Transplant hardy perennial flowers such as pansy, wallflower and primrose to a spot sheltered from wind to have beautiful edges in spring.

INDOORS: Start forcing spring bulbs (tulip, narcissus, daffodill, crocus...) so you can have beautiful pot arrangements early on in the season / Plant canna and tuber begonia in a pot, indoors.

LANDSCAPING: 2nd day, if not freezing, for planting flower trees and shrubs, and bare-root rose bushes (if you can't plant because of freezing, while waiting for milder weather you can temporarily set your shrubs in a pail with sand or soil to keep the bare roots from drying out) / By now, chrysanthemum in garden boxes have lost their flowers, you can transplant them in the ground in the garden / Repot cyclamen and heather that you've kept in pots and garden boxes since fall / Prune your bush roses back to around 2 feet (50-60 cm), as well as clematis and all summer-blooming shrubs, if it isn't freezing / Transplant hardy perennial flowers such as pansy, wallflower and primrose to a spot sheltered from wind to have beautiful edges in spring.

INDOORS: 2nd day for starting to force spring bulbs (tulip, narcissus, daffodill, crocus...) so you can have beautiful pot arrangements early on in the season / Plant canna and tuber begonia in a pot, indoors.

LANDSCAPING: The descending moon is favorable for pruning and trimming: keep shaping deciduous trees, trim dwarf bamboo and hazelnut (remember to set straight poles aside for staking or weaving into wattles).

VEGETABLE PATCH: Prune woody herbs (thyme, savory, rosemary, sage), cutting last year's growth back by half / If not done yet, protect corn salad and spinach plots with winterizing fleece / Prepare soil in advance for asparagus: dig 10-inch deep trenches out (25 cm), they'll be planted in March.

Up until 1:53 PM (13:53), leaf day:

LANDSCAPING: 2nd day for pruning deciduous trees, trimming dwarf bamboo and hazelnut (remember to set straight poles aside for staking or weaving into wattles).

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for pruning woody herbs (thyme, savory, rosemary, sage), cutting last year's growth back by half / If not done yet, protect corn salad and spinach plots with winterizing fleece / Prepare soil in advance for asparagus: dig 10-inch deep trenches out (25 cm), they'll be planted in March.

After 1:53 PM (13:53), entering a fruit & seed day:

ORCHARD: Short opportunity to keep planting fruit trees and berry shrubs before the moon starts ascending again early tomorrow morning / Keep pruning fruit trees, grapevine, actinidia and berry shrubs (remove all canes that bore fruit on gooseberry and determinate raspberry; for indeterminate raspberry, only remove the portion of the cane that bore fruit; for other shrubs like red currant, cut off older branches and clear the center of the bush out) / Add fertilizer at the foot of fruit trees and brush trunks clean with a bristle brush to remove moss and lichen, and then lather with white oil.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Starting sowing eggplant, bell pepper and chili in trays indoors (68°F or 20°C); transplant seedlings to nursery pots when they have 4 leaves and keep indoors until transplanting outdoors in May / Sow faba bean in the plot, except in cold climates; ridge when plants are 1 foot tall (30cm) / In warmer areas, you can also sow tomato indoors / Also try sowing branch celery a little early, under a cold frame; transplant to the ground in April-May.

ORCHARD: If not done yet, you can still collect scions from fruit trees.

INDOORS: Sow passion fruit pips indoors in a warm setting.

Don't garden after 3:55 PM (15:55) – moon is at perigee at 8:57 PM (20:57)

Before 4:52 PM (16:52), fruit & seed day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for starting to sow eggplant, bell pepper and chili in trays indoors (68°F or 20°C); transplant seedlings to nursery pots when they have 4 leaves and keep indoors until transplanting outdoors in May / Sow faba bean in the plot, except in cold climates; ridge when plants are 1 foot tall (30cm) / In warmer areas, you can also sow tomato indoors / Also try sowing branch celery a little early, under a cold frame; transplant to the ground in April-May.

ORCHARD: 2nd day to collect scions from fruit trees.

INDOORS: 2nd day for sowing passion fruit pips indoors in a warm setting.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Keep sowing radish, short carrot and turnip on a well-exposed plot under either a cold frame or a tunnel, or even on a hot bed / On a hot bed or under a cold frame, also sow summer leek that you'll transplant in March.

Before 11:22 AM, root day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for sowing radish, short carrot and turnip on a well-exposed plot under either a cold frame or a tunnel, or even on a hot bed / On a hot bed or under a cold frame, also sow summer leek that you'll transplant in March.

After 11:22 AM, entering a flower day:

LANDSCAPING: Start your first batches of annuals, in a warm setting (heated mini-greenhouse or indoors): sunflower, hollyhock, nasturtium, cosmos, carnation, French marigold, sweet pea; also, again indoors, sow pelargonium and semperflorens begonia.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Sow cauliflower in trays, indoors.

LANDSCAPING: 2nd day for starting your first batches of annuals, in a warm setting (heated mini-greenhouse or indoors): sunflower, hollyhock, nasturtium, cosmos, carnation, French marigold, sweet pea; also, again indoors, sow pelargonium and semperflorens begonia.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for sowing cauliflower in trays, indoors.

Before 3:15 PM (15:15), flower day:

LANDSCAPING: 3rd day for starting your first batches of annuals, in a warm setting (heated mini-greenhouse or indoors): sunflower, hollyhock, nasturtium, cosmos, carnation, French marigold, sweet pea; also, again indoors, sow pelargonium and semperflorens begonia.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 3rd day to sow cauliflower in trays, indoors.

After 3:15 PM (15:15), entering a leaf day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: If not freezing or if crops are protected under a tunnel or winterizing fleece, harvest corn salad, spinach, lettuce and wild chicory, as well as white and Milan cabbage and Brussels sprouts.

INDOORS: In the house, germinate lentil, soja and chick pea in a saucer or germination tray; savor these sprouts for their high vitamin and mineral content / In a tray, sow golden purslane, keeping a wide distance between seeds / Try sowing a small batch of hardy lettuce in your lean-in if temperatures reach 60°F (15°C) during the daytime; indoors, sow head lettuce and cardoon.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day, if not freezing or if crops are protected under a tunnel or winterizing fleece, for harvesting corn salad, spinach, lettuce and wild chicory, as well as white and Milan cabbage and Brussels sprouts.

INDOORS: 2nd day, in the house, for germinating lentil, soja and chick pea in a saucer or germination tray; savor these sprouts for their high vitamin and mineral content / In a tray, sow golden purslane, keeping a wide distance between seeds / Try sowing a small batch of hardy lettuce in your lean-in if temperatures reach 60°F (15°C) during the daytime; indoors, sow head lettuce and cardoon.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 3rd day, if not freezing or if crops are protected under a tunnel or winterizing fleece, for harvesting corn salad, spinach, lettuce and wild chicory, as well as white and Milan cabbage and Brussels sprouts.

INDOORS: 3rd day, in the house, for germinating lentil, soja and chick pea in a saucer or germination tray; savor these sprouts for their high vitamin and mineral content / In a tray, sow golden purslane, keeping a wide distance between seeds / Try sowing a small batch of hardy lettuce in your lean-in if temperatures reach 60°F (15°C) during the daytime; indoors, sow head lettuce and cardoon.

Don't garden after 11:00 AM – lunar node at 4:03 PM (16:03)

VEGETABLE PATCH: In mild climates, sow faba bean, snap bean and round pea; run the hoe along each row soon after germination / If not done yet in January, sow eggplant, tomato, bell pepper and chili pepper in trays indoors (68°F / 20°C), as well as pickle, cucumber, melon, watermelon, squash and zucchini.

ORCHARD: Harvest strawberry tree berries, the fruit of Arbutus unedo, to prepare delicious jam / It's still time to collect scions from your fruit trees, bury them partly at the base of a North-facing wall while waiting for the right time to use them in cleft grafting (March-April) / Remove mummified fruits from fruit trees.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day, in mild climates, for sowing faba bean, snap bean and round pea; run the hoe along each row soon after germination / If not done yet in January, sow eggplant, tomato, bell pepper and chili pepper in trays indoors (68°F / 20°C), as well as pickle, cucumber, melon, watermelon, squash and zucchini.

ORCHARD: 2nd day for harvesting strawberry tree berries, the fruit of Arbutus unedo, to prepare delicious jam / It's still time to collect scions from your fruit trees, bury them partly at the base of a North-facing wall while waiting for the right time to use them in cleft grafting (March-April) / Remove mummified fruits from fruit trees.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for sowing, under shelter, monthly cycle radish; mix the seeds with those of carrots (for forcing); you'll harvest the radishes in a month and at the same time work on thinning the carrots out / If not done yet, either in the open (for warmer climates) or under shelter, sow spring and summer turnip; protect your sprouts from slugs and thin after the sprouting / In a tunnel, sow white onion sparsly to eat raw in spring; also include colored onion and leek.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for sowing, under shelter, monthly cycle radish; mix the seeds with those of carrots (for forcing); you'll harvest the radishes in a month and at the same time work on thinning the carrots out / If not done yet, either in the open (for warmer climates) or under shelter, sow spring and summer turnip; protect your sprouts from slugs and thin after the sprouting / In a tunnel, sow white onion sparsly to eat raw in spring; also include colored onion and leek.