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: Waning Half begins on Sunday, April 20: Easter, Sunday, April 20
- Saturday-Sunday: Moon in the sign of Capricorn - Plant and transplant for root growth.
- When transplanting ornamentals, including citrus, do so in the morning or evening when temperatures are cool.
- Beets, Carrots, Turnips, and Radishes are all sown directly into the open ground.
Later in the Week
- Monday-Tuesday: Moon in the sign of Aquarius - Harvest, cultivate, and weed
- After weeding out unwanted vegetation, apply a two to three-inch layer of mulch. This will help suppress additional weeds and retain moisture, protecting the ground from the upcoming summer heat.
- Wednesday-Thursday: Moon in the sign of Pisces - Fertilize, water, start or turn compost piles
- Camellias, Azaleas, and Rhododendrons should be fed monthly through October with Azalea, Camellia, and Rhododendron Food. Alternatively, Osmocote, a slow-acting fertilizer, can be applied now, with a follow-up application in August. Additionally, it is important to clean up all the flowers that have been spent at the base of the plants.
- Coffee grounds, along with the filter, can be added to a composter or pile. Coffee is a natural acidifier. The same goes for tea bags.
Other Things To-do
- Easter Lily plants should be moved outside when the flowers begin to fade. Continue to water and fertilize them until the leaves start to yellow. Once the foliage turns brown, store the pots in a cool, dry place. In February, remove the bulbs from the containers and plant them in a shady location.
- And finally, it's not too late to prune spring-flowering shrubs that have finished blooming.