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: Waxing Half Begins Friday, August 1
- Saturday-Tuesday: Moon in the sign of Virgo - Plant Seasonal color
- This summer, enjoy the bold foliage and vibrant flowers of New Guinea Impatiens. They grow best in partly sunny spots, as full sun during the hottest part of the day can scorch them. New Guinea Impatiens will add a splash of color until the first cold night.
Later in the Week
- Harvest cucumbers, squash, and eggplant when they have reached the desired size. Leaving them on the plant too long prevents new crops from forming.
- Citrus trees can lose their fruit if they are inconsistently watered. When in containers, it's hard to overwater them, but you should remove any saucers. This allows excess water to drain freely from the bottom, which helps you water more often.
Other Things To-do
- Now is the ideal time to disbud chrysanthemum plants to produce larger flowers this fall. Disbudding involves manually removing 50 to 75 percent of the flower buds on each stem. This allows the plant to concentrate its energy on the remaining buds, resulting in larger blooms.
- Conserve moisture around surface-rooted plants, such as Azaleas, Camellias, Blueberries, and other shade-loving plants, by applying a two- to three-inch layer of mulch. Roses and other ornamentals will also benefit from mulching. This will keep their roots cool even on the hottest days.