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, Wednesday, July 25
- Saturday-Sunday: Moon in the sign of Taurus - Water and fertilize
- With warm weather, be sure to refill your birdbath regularly, as many birds, especially hummingbirds, enjoy water on hot days. Not only do they drink it, but they splash in it to cool off.
- Feed poinsettia plants with an organic plant food monthly through September. Also, prune or pinch back up to 15% of new growth to keep the plant compact. In October, we begin the short day treatment to promote blooming in time for the holidays.
Later in the Week
- Monday-Tuesday: Moon in the sign of Cancer - Plant seasonal color
- Zonal geraniums are still being planted for color throughout the summer. With mild winters, geraniums survive easily, so you don’t have to replant next year.
- Cosmos produces large, daisy-like flowers with a single petal and light green, feathery foliage. They need little water and grow up to twenty-four inches tall in full sun.
- Perennials should be cut back after they finish blooming. This includes plants like Mexican Evening Primrose, Penstemon, and others. To add color to these areas, plant Vinca Rosea, Portulaca, Salvia, or Zinnias.
Other Things To-do
- Support maturing fruits like apples, peaches, nectarines, and others with 2x4s by placing the supports under the branches where they start to bend. Additionally, removing ripe fruits at the end of the branches will reduce weight and help prevent limbs from breaking.
- Honeysuckle is a great flowering vine for the summer. Its long tubular flowers are magnets for hummingbirds. Once established, it is drought-tolerant.