Best Days Calendar: Best Days by the Moon | Farmers’ Almanac

Best Days for Parenting

We love hearing from our readers, especially those who have experienced success with our calendars. Recently, one of the greatest responses was from our parenting community who found the Best Days for weaning and potting training especially helpful! Here is a testimonial from Haley in Tennessee, via TikTok.

How Are Farmers’ Almanac Best Days Calculated?

The Farmers’ Almanac has included lunar and zodiac-based timing information since its earliest editions.

Two important pieces of the Best Days formula are:

1. The phase of the Moon

The Moon moves through a repeating cycle from New Moon to Full Moon and back again. Traditionally, waxing and waning phases have been associated with different types of activities.

Learn more about the Moon phases and how they work, or check the current Moon phase calendar.

2. The Moon’s position in the zodiac

As the Moon travels around Earth, it appears to pass through the 12 signs of the zodiac. In traditional almanac lore, different zodiac signs have long been associated with particular qualities, plants, activities, and parts of the body.

See where the Moon is today with our Zodiac Calendar.

These traditions have been passed down through generations of farmers, gardeners, outdoorsmen, and Almanac readers. They should be viewed as traditional guidance rather than a guarantee of results.

What Can You Find in the Best Days Calendar?

The Best Days Calendar covers far more than gardening. Depending on the month and lunar conditions, you can find recommended dates for dozens of activities.

Gardening and Harvesting

Look for favorable days to:

• Plant and transplant
• Kill plant pests
• Mow to encourage or slow growth
• Prune
• Pick apples and pears
• Dry fruits and vegetables
• Harvest crops

If gardening is your main interest, also use our Planting Calendar: Gardening by the Moon, which provides more detailed guidance for planting and garden chores.

You can also learn more about the tradition in our guide to Gardening by the Moon.

Fishing

Generations of anglers have paid attention to the Moon when deciding when to head to the water.

Our dedicated Fishing Calendar combines lunar information with Farmers’ Almanac tradition to identify Best, Good, Fair, and Poor fishing days, along with recommended morning or evening periods.

Remember that local weather, tides, water temperature, barometric pressure, and fish behavior can be just as important as lunar timing.

Outdoor and Farm Chores

Traditional Best Days include dates for activities such as:

• Cutting firewood
• Digging holes
• Mowing
• Painting
• Setting eggs
• Farm and livestock chores
• Picking fruit
• Preserving food

For gardeners and homesteaders, the calendar can serve as a simple monthly planning tool.

Hair and Personal Care

One of the most popular Best Days traditions involves cutting hair according to the Moon.

The calendar identifies dates traditionally considered favorable for:

• Cutting hair to encourage growth
• Cutting hair to slow growth
• Certain personal-care activities

These recommendations are based on traditional lunar lore rather than medical or scientific guidance.

Parenting Traditions

Farmers’ Almanac readers have long consulted the Best Days Calendar for traditional dates associated with:

• Weaning
• Potty training
• Other family milestones

Every child develops differently, so these dates are intended as a fun Almanac tradition rather than medical or developmental advice.

Celebrations, Travel, and Everyday Life

You may also find Best Days for:

• Hosting a party
• Getting married
• Traveling for pleasure
• Buying a home
• Asking for a loan
• Cooking and baking
• Beginning certain projects

That variety is one reason the Best Days Calendar has remained one of the most enduring features of the Farmers’ Almanac.

Best Days and Gardening by the Moon

Gardening by the Moon is one of the oldest traditions associated with lunar calendars.

A common rule of thumb is that the waxing Moon, when illumination is increasing, has traditionally been associated with growth above the ground, while the waning Moon has often been associated with roots, pruning, harvesting, and other below-ground or maintenance work.

The full Farmers’ Almanac system is more detailed because it considers both the lunar phase and the Moon’s zodiac position.

For specific planting recommendations, visit the Farmers’ Almanac Planting Calendar.

Do Moon Phases Really Affect Everyday Activities?

The Moon unquestionably influences Earth in measurable ways—most famously through ocean tides—but many of the additional associations found in traditional lunar calendars are based on centuries of folklore, observation, and agricultural tradition rather than established scientific evidence.

The Farmers’ Almanac preserves these traditions because they have been used and enjoyed by generations of readers.

For many people, following the Best Days Calendar is simply another way to pay closer attention to natural cycles and plan ahead.

Whether you follow every date or just consult it for fun, the calendar provides a connection to a tradition that stretches back generations.

How To Use the Best Days Calendar

Using the calendar is simple:

1. Choose an activity from the categories above.
2. Find the upcoming recommended dates.
3. Check the Moon phase and Moon’s zodiac sign if you want to understand the lunar conditions behind the recommendation.
4. Consider real-world conditions such as weather, frost dates, tides, soil conditions, and your own schedule.
5. Check back regularly because the calendar changes throughout the year.

You can also bookmark the Farmers’ Almanac Daily Planner for a quick daily look at Best Days, Moon phases, zodiac information, gardening guidance, and weather.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Days Calendar

What are the Farmers’ Almanac Best Days?

Farmers’ Almanac Best Days are dates traditionally considered favorable for particular activities based primarily on the Moon’s phase, its location in the zodiac, and our long-standing Almanac formulas.

What are the best days according to the Moon?

The answer depends on the activity. A day considered favorable for planting may be different from a day recommended for cutting hair, fishing, harvesting, or performing outdoor chores. Use the calendar above and select your activity to see upcoming dates.

What is the best day to plant according to the Moon?

Planting recommendations vary depending on the crop and lunar conditions. For detailed dates, use our Gardening by the Moon Planting Calendar.

What are the best days to go fishing?

Fishing conditions change throughout the month. Visit the Farmers’ Almanac Fishing Calendar for upcoming Best, Good, Fair, and Poor fishing days.

What are the best days to cut your hair?

The Best Days Calendar lists separate dates traditionally associated with cutting hair to encourage growth and cutting hair to slow growth. Select the Health + Beauty category above to find the next recommended dates.

Does the Farmers’ Almanac use astrology?

The Best Days formula uses the Moon’s astronomical phase along with its traditional position within the zodiac. Zodiac associations are part of longstanding almanac and agricultural folklore. You can see the Moon’s current position on our Zodiac Calendar.

How often is the Best Days Calendar updated?

The calendar follows the changing lunar cycle throughout the year. Check back regularly for upcoming Best Days, or use the Farmers’ Almanac Daily Planner for today’s information.

Plan Your Days With Farmers’ Almanac

For generations, Farmers’ Almanac readers have looked to the skies before planting a garden, heading out to fish, beginning a project, or tackling an important chore.

The Best Days Calendar keeps that tradition alive.

Check today’s recommendations above, explore the Moon Phase Calendar, follow the Moon through our Zodiac Calendar, or visit the Daily Planner to put all of the Farmers’ Almanac calendars in one place.

Join the Discussion

Do you have any success stories? Share with us here. We would love to hear from you!