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: Sunday, June 16, Father's Day, Monday, June 17, Full Moon, Friday, June 21, Summer Solstice
- Saturday-Sunday: Moon in the sign of Sagittarius:
- Bonide Wilt Stop helps prevent leaf scorch on Japanese Maples. It's best applied in the morning before a heat spell. Wilt Stop coats the leaf with a transparent membrane that reduces the excessive loss of moisture through evaporation on hot days. It's applied monthly now through August.
Later in the Week
- Tuesday/Friday: Moon in the sign of Capricorn/Aquarius - Plant root crops including onions, harvest, cultivate, weed
- Another chance, this week to plant radishes, carrots and other below ground edibles.
Other Things To-do
- June is the last month to fertilize turf until after Labor Day. Feeding during July and August is discouraged as fungus problems can develop from the lush growth. I'd use a complete fertilizer that will release nitrogen over an extended period.
- You need to loosen the metal name tag found near the base of rose plants when removing the spent flowers. All to often the tag(s) go untouched and eventual they griddle the stem, causing it to die.