A Natural Guide to a Great Garden!
Planting by the Moon is such an easy way to have gardening success!
When you plant on a good Moon day the Earth accepts your seeds or plants…
and they thrive!
Plant on a poor Moon Day, the Earth rejects them and your plants grow poorly.
Follow the guide below for a bountiful, beautiful garden!
I’m so happy we’re continuing this series. By July, your garden is in full production, you’re harvesting every day, and it’s time to think about both keeping the summer garden productive and starting your fall garden. July is one of my favorite months for “plant a little, harvest a lot.”
Here’s your 
July 2026 Planting by the Moon Calendar for Zone 8A.
July 2026 Moon Phases
DateMoon Phase
July 1–6
Waning Gibbous 
July 7
Last Quarter 
July 8–13
Waning Crescent 
July 14
New Moon 
July 15–20
Waxing Crescent 
July 21
First Quarter 
July 22–28
Waxing Gibbous 
July 29
Full Buck Moon 
July 30–31
Waning Gibbous
These phase dates follow the 2026 lunar calendar.
Daily Moon Planting Guide — July 2026 (Zone 8A)
July 1–6 — Waning Moon
Focus: Roots, Maintenance & Fall Garden Preparation
Excellent time to:
- Harvest onions
- Dig potatoes
- Harvest garlic
- Plant sweet potato slips (early July)
- Divide perennial herbs
Garden Tasks
- Weed before weeds produce seed
- Deep mulch around vegetables
- Add compost around tomatoes
- Remove diseased foliage
- Prune tomato suckers if desired
Harvest
- Cucumbers
- Beans
- Squash
- Zucchini
- Basil
July 7 — Last Quarter
A wonderful maintenance day.
Perfect for:
- Pulling weeds
- Repairing trellises
- Turning compost
- Removing spent spring vegetables
- Cleaning tools
Avoid planting tender above-ground crops today.
July 8–13 — Waning Crescent
Focus: Build Soil & Prepare for Fall
This is an excellent week to prepare beds for your autumn garden.
Plant
- Sweet potatoes (early in the period)
- Perennial herbs
- Berry bushes (container-grown)
Start Preparing Beds For
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Kale
- Collards
Herbal Harvest
Wonderful time to gather:
- Lemon Balm
- Peppermint
- Spearmint
- Oregano
- Thyme
Dry herbs in a cool, shaded location.
July 14 — New Moon
Fresh energy begins.
Excellent day to:
- Start fall broccoli indoors
- Start cabbage
- Start kale
- Start collards
- Sow another planting of basil
- Sow another planting of dill
Perfect time for planning your fall vegetable garden.
July 15–20 — Waxing Crescent
Focus: Above-Ground Crops
Direct Sow
- Bush beans
- Pole beans
- Cucumbers
- Summer squash
- Zucchini
Continue planting
- Basil
- Dill
- Parsley
Flowers
Sow:
- Zinnias
- Cosmos
- Sunflowers
- Marigolds
These will provide beautiful late-summer color and nectar for pollinators.
July 21 — First Quarter
Growth accelerates.
Great day to:
- Fertilize tomatoes
- Feed peppers
- Side-dress corn
- Water deeply
Continue succession planting beans.
July 22–28 — Waxing Gibbous
Focus: Fruiting Crops & Fall Planning
Continue sowing:
- Bush beans
- Southern peas
- Black-eyed peas
Start seedlings for:
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Kale
Late July is the beginning of your fall garden season in Zone 8A.
Herbs
Plant:
- Basil
- Cilantro (late in the week if temperatures moderate)
- Dill
July 29 — Full Buck Moon
One of the best herbal harvesting days of the summer.
Harvest
- Lavender
- Peppermint
- Lemon Balm
- Bee Balm
- Yarrow
- Sage
- Thyme
- Oregano
- Echinacea flowers
Harvest after the morning dew has dried but before the afternoon heat. This helps preserve the essential oils and drying quality.
Garden
Harvest:
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Cucumbers
- Squash
- Green beans
Farm Fun
A perfect evening for:
- Moonlit garden walks
- Herbal tea tasting
- Drum circle
- Pollinator observation
- Sharing the first sunflower bouquets
July 30–31 — Waning Gibbous
Begin shifting toward:
- Root development
- Soil improvement
- Preparing August planting beds
Excellent days to compost spent crops and begin thinking ahead to autumn.
What to Plant During July (Zone 8A)
Vegetables
Bush beans
Pole beans
Southern peas
Black-eyed peas
Cucumbers
Summer squash
Zucchini
Sweet potatoes (early July)
Start Indoors for Fall
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Brussels sprouts
- Kale
- Collards
Herbs
Continue planting:
- Basil
- Dill
- Parsley
- Lemon Balm
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Sage
Flowers
Direct sow:
- Zinnias
- Cosmos
- Sunflowers
- Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia)
- Marigolds
- Celosia
These are excellent nectar sources for bees and butterflies during the hottest part of summer.
July Herbal Harvest Notes
July is one of the richest months for gathering medicinal herbs.
Excellent Herbs to Harvest
- Lavender
- Lemon Balm
- Peppermint
- Bee Balm
- Yarrow
- Echinacea flowers
- Holy Basil (Tulsi)
- Oregano
- Sage
- Thyme
Gather herbs on a dry morning after the dew has evaporated. Dry them in a shaded, well-ventilated space to preserve their color, aroma, and medicinal qualities.
July Garden Wisdom for Zone 8A
By July:
Start thinking ahead, Fall planting begins in July for Winter Harvest!
Water deeply once or twice a week rather than lightly every day.
Keep 2–4 inches of mulch around vegetables to conserve moisture.
Harvest tomatoes every day or two to encourage continued production.
Plant a new row of beans every 2–3 weeks for an extended harvest.
Leave a few herbs and flowers to bloom—they’re invaluable for pollinators and beneficial insects.
July 29th Full Buck Moon
Keep up with what is happening at the Farm!