Planting by the Moon: December 2026

Updated November 4, 2026 · Astrodamus editorial team

Moon gardening calendar for December 2026 (US Eastern Time): the days to sow, plant, prune and harvest by the Moon's phase and sign. Above-ground crops: December 10 (6:00 AM–2:12 PM), 15, 16, 19 (3:30 PM–10:00 PM), 20, 21 (6:00 AM–12:26 PM). Root crops, tubers and bulbs: December 1, 5, 6, 24 (6:00 AM–7:09 PM), 27 (5:13 PM–10:00 PM), 28. Rest days with no planting: December 8 (new moon), 23 (full moon).

Times are Eastern Time (New York): EST, UTC−5, in winter and EDT, UTC−4, during daylight saving time. The Moon changes phase and sign at the same instant everywhere, so only the clock time differs: in Central Time subtract 1 hour, in Mountain Time 2 hours, in Pacific Time 3 hours.

The Moon in your birth chart

Garden days in December 2026

• Sowing and planting above-ground crops: December 10 (6:00 AM–2:12 PM), 15, 16, 19 (3:30 PM–10:00 PM), 20, 21 (6:00 AM–12:26 PM); best: 15, 16
• Root crops, tubers and bulbs: December 1, 5, 6, 24 (6:00 AM–7:09 PM), 27 (5:13 PM–10:00 PM), 28; best: 5, 6, 24 (6:00 AM–7:09 PM)
• Flower bulbs: December 2 (3:04 PM–10:00 PM), 3, 4 (6:00 AM–5:40 PM), 30, 31
• Grafting: December 10 (6:00 AM–2:12 PM), 15, 16, 19 (3:30 PM–10:00 PM), 20, 21 (6:00 AM–12:26 PM)
• Repotting houseplants: December 10 (6:00 AM–2:12 PM), 15, 16, 19 (3:30 PM–10:00 PM), 20, 21 (6:00 AM–12:26 PM)
• Watering by tradition: December 5, 6, 7, 15, 16, 17, 24, 25
• Fertilizing: December 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
• Pruning trees and shrubs: December 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
• Weeding and cultivating: December 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27
• Pest control: December 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
• Harvesting for storage: December 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
• Rest days, no planting: 8 (new moon), 23 (full moon)

Moon gardening calendar by day

Calculated with Swiss Ephemeris, US Eastern Time · How we calculate →

How this calendar is made

The calendar follows the rules of traditional moon gardening. The Moon's phase and sign are calculated for every day in Eastern Time, and the same rules turn them into recommendations for every month.

• Waxing Moon (new moon to full moon). By tradition this is the time to sow and plant crops that bear above the ground: leafy greens, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, beans, berries, trees and shrubs. Grafting and repotting houseplants also go here.
• Waning Moon (full moon to new moon). The time for root crops, tubers and bulbs: carrots, beets, potatoes, radishes, onions and garlic. It is also the traditional time for pruning, pest control and harvesting crops you plan to store.
• New moon, full moon and eclipses. On these calendar days (Eastern Time) tradition gives plants a rest: no sowing, planting, transplanting or pruning.
• Fertile signs. Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are the most fertile; Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn are also good for sowing and planting. Libra favors flowers.
• Barren signs: Aries, Gemini, Leo, Sagittarius and Aquarius. These days are for weeding, cultivating, pest control and harvesting rather than sowing.
• Void-of-course Moon. Tradition avoids starting plantings while the Moon is void of course. Sowing, planting, repotting and grafting are listed only when at least 2 hours between 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM ET stay free of it; when the day is cut short, the open window is shown in brackets next to the task.
• Watering and fertilizing. Tradition singles out the water signs (Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces) for watering; on other days water by the weather and the soil. Fertilizing goes on days when the Moon is in a fertile sign or in Libra.

When the Moon changes sign between 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM ET, the tasks are listed separately before and after the change; an overnight change counts toward the sign the Moon spends the day in. Outdoor timing still depends on your USDA hardiness zone and your local frost dates, so use the Moon to pick days within the season that suits your area.

Frequently asked questions

See also: lunar calendar for December 2026 with void-of-course hours for every day.

Every phase with exact times: Moon phases, full moon calendar and new moon dates. More guides in the astrology library; for the Moon in your own chart, build a free birth chart in the app.