How do you plant by the signs? I had a tomato plant a while back that grew to 8' tall and never had a single tomato. There I was with my mouth watering and no tomatoes. ---------- > From: Ruby Elrod <relrod@wilmington.net> > To: SW_VA-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: Remedies vs. astrological signs > Date: Saturday, February 27, 1999 12:48 PM > > "Educated" people say that planting by the signs is an old wive's tale, but > if you have ever planted a garden, you had better dig out that old Farmers > Almanac. My mother planted green beans once and she said they had the > biggest blooms, but not one bean. Her father told her she planted by the > sign of the flowers and not by the sign of the vegetables. She was a > believer from then on, always planted by the signs, and always had the best > garden. > > Ruby > -----Original Message----- > From: Pat Oneal <peon@icx.net> > To: SW_VA-L@rootsweb.com <SW_VA-L@rootsweb.com> > Date: Friday, February 26, 1999 11:53 PM > Subject: Remedies vs. astrological signs > > > >For those of you who plant small vegetable gardens, this might be of > >interest: > > > >Signs were used for home remedies as well as planting crops. > >The family farm was one of bounty. My grandfather provided produce for the > >wholesale market in Middlesboro, KY, in the early 1900s. Legend has it that > >a local tongue-wagger remarked that he would "miss the day of resurrection > >because he'd be off and gone to the market in Middlesboro." > > Crops were planted according to the astrological signs. According to > Mama, > >in early spring a layer of manure was spread over the potato bed and a > layer > >of rich dirt was spread over the manure. The time to plant potatoes was > >half way between the old and new moon. If they were planted at the > >beginning of the new moon, farmers discovered the potatoes would grow to > the > >surface of the ground and sunburn. If planted during the old moon, they > >burrowed deep in the ground, making it difficult to dig them when > harvesting > >the crop. Sweet corn was planted when the signs were in the arms and > during > >the new moon. Signs had to be in the head when planting cabbage, and > >cucumbers were planted when the signs were in the arms and feet, otherwise > >called the Twins. My grandmother planted her bed of beets when the signs > >were in the heart, thus, producing the best beets in the valley. Pap > >planted sugarcane in white sandy loam during the full of the moon, and he > >was credited with producing top quality molasses from the cane. (There's > >More!) This aught to tell the younger readers that there was a time when > >the Moon was used for something besides romancing and for astronauts to > land > >on! > >Although I am involved in genealogy, these stories certainly have been > >enlightening to me in that I am learning how our ancestors had to use their > >ingenuity to survive. Pat > > > > > > > > > > > >==== SW_VA Mailing List ==== > >#2 A large database of SURNAMES and the researcher's email address can be > found at > >http://www.fortunecity.com/millennium/quarrybank/194/swabc.htm > >You may have your SURNAMES included by posting them and your address to the > >LIST and NOT to the sysop/owner. > > > ==== SW_VA Mailing List ==== > #9 As of 2/27/1999 we have 485 members. Traffic can get heavy so check your > mailbox often. We should regulate traffic so it don't get out of hand. > There is an average of ten members coming and going each week. > -sysop >