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 on Thursday, July 19
- Saturday-Sunday: Moon in the sign of Leo -
- The worm season has arrived so be on the lookout for Budworms on Geraniums, Flowering Tobacco, and petunias. Tomato Hornworms is found on Tomatoes, The adult moth will be laying, green egg usually in the center of the plants.
Later in the Week
- Monday/Tuesday: Moon in the sign of Virgo - Plant Vines
- Honeysuckle is an evergreen vine that blooms during the summer months. They have long tubular, yellow and cream flowers that attract Hummingbirds. It spreads rapidly, so you’ll need a large support structure for it to grow on.
- Wednesday/Friday: Moon in the sign of Libra - Plant seasonal color
- Cosmos has a sizeable daisy-like flower that loves a warm location. It grows to three feet tall, so it's best planted at the back of a flower bed or in the center of a container for a focal point.
Other Things To-do
- Although daisy plants like Marguerites, and Euryops, tend to be everblooming, they should be pruned back several times during the growing season to keep them compact. Also, remove the spent flowers as soon as they turn brown to encourage more blooms.
- Add a wetting agent like EZ Wet to containerized plants that have been in the same container for a year or longer. The wetting agent breaks the surface tension that surrounds the soil particle and allows water to flow through the root ball. At this time of year, it is common for water to roll around and out the sides of the container.