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: New Moon  Friday, January 27

• Saturday-Sunday: Moon in the sign of  Scorpio/Sagittarius - Prune, water, harvest,  cultivate, weed and control pests
  •  Camellia Petal Blight is a fungus disease that causes the center of the flowers to rot when they open. Good cultural practices are recommended, as there are no chemical controls.  So, keep the area under the plants clean from spent flowers and other debris.  Also,  light cultivation under the plants disrupts the fungal spore producing structures.

Later in the Week

Wednesday/Thursday: Moon in the sign of Capricorn - Graft, prune and fertilize

•  Avoid pruning apricots during damp, wet conditions.  Apricots require seven to ten days of dry weather so the pruning wounds can callus over; otherwise, they’re an entry point for problems later on.

Other Things To-do

When pruning roses, do not be concerned about pruning to an outside bud if none are present. Instead, simply prune the rose(s) back to a uniform height. In three to four weeks, you can come back and finish up when the buds are present.