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: 2nd Quarter begins Friday, February 19; Valentine Day Sunday, February 14; Presidents Day Monday, February 15
  •  Saturday-Sunday: Moon in the sign of Pisces - Plant seasonal color
    • Now is the time to replant color bowls with Cinerarias, Iceland Poppies, Primulas, and Primroses for some very different color combinations. You rejuvenate the existing soil of color bowls by adding All-Purpose Organic Fertilizer. I'd add two to three handfuls per 8" diameter. 

Later in the Week

• Monday-Thursday: Moon in the sign of Aries/Taurus - Cultivate, weed, control pests, leafy vegetables, harvest, and plant seasonal color.
  • It is getting close to the critical 'Popcorn or Pink Bud Stage' with Peach and Nectarine trees. Copper Fungicide Spray is applied just before the buds open to prevent Peach Leaf Curl. Additionally, we need dry weather while the trees are blooming, so the fungus doesn't infect the buds.

Other Things To-do

• Extend the life of cut roses and other cut flowers by first removing the foliage from the stems' base as the vegetation will foul the water in the vase. And second, recut the stem 1/4-inch daily. And Finally, change the water daily to eliminate the bacteria growth. With Carnations, remove apples, bananas, and other ripening fruit from the room as the ethylene gas given off causes the flowers to droop or flag.
•  A variety of fruit trees can be grown in small gardens by planting three trees in one hole. These trees are spaced two feet apart in a triangle. Although they will have three separate trunks, you will prune them like there was only one canopy, so it is important to have compatible trees in the same hole. This is not a problem if you plant three different types of the same type of fruit: three apples, three cherries, etc. Ask your nursery professional for