Gardening by the Moon Weekend To-Do
An idea as old as agriculture, based both folklore and superstition but there are scientific ideas to back it up.
- Lunar Phase: 4th Quarter begins July 31,
- Saturday-Sunday: Moon in the sign of Tauras- Fertilize, prune to limit growth,
- Prune hedges often to keep them dense and compact.
Later in the Week
- Monday-Thursday: Moon in the sign of Gemini/Cancer - Harvest, cultivate, weed, control pests, prune, and water.
- Citrus in containers will drop their fruit, and the leaves will curl and turn yellow from irregular watering. With new plantings, water three to four times per week and more frequently with older plants in the hot afternoon sun
- Conserve moisture around surface rooted plants like Azaleas, Camellias, other shade-loving plants, and roses by mulching. A two-inch layer of mulch will keep the roots cool even on the hottest day.
Other Things To-do
- When deadheading roses, be sure to cut the flowers off close to a leaf bud. Black stem tips will naturally occur from leaving excess stem tissue.
- And finally, be sure to keep the area under fruit trees clear of fallen and rotting fruit. All this debris is a perfect breeding ground for problems later on. Yellow Jackets are a big problem in the fall.