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: Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 3
- Saturday-Tuesday: Moon in the sign of Scorpio/Saggataurus - Plant onions.
- Red, Yellow, and Brown Onion sets are available for planting. Also, the sweet Bermuda Onion plants are available at independent garden centers
Later in the Week
- It's still possible to plant bulbs. Actually, it is one of the better times of the year to do so, as the ground is still warm from the summer heat.
- Compost piles really benefit from the falling leaves so it’s make sense to bag and store them while they are dry. They’ll come in handy during the spring and summer months when there is a shortage of the brown component.
Other Things To-do
- Now is the time to reduce the mowing height on your lawn mower. During winter, Ryegrass and Bluegrass should be mowed at 1 1/2 to 2 inches while fescue is cut at 2 to 2 1/2 inches.
- You can rip green tomatoes off the vine with a simple ripening chamber. All you'll need is a cardboard or plastic container that has a lid. The tomatoes are placed on a pad of newspaper so they do not touch one another, and then the fruits are placed with another layer of newspaper and covered in the box. The chamber traps the escaping Ethylene gas, ripening the tomatoes. You should check the tomatoes every five to seven days, removing those that have turned color.
- Good time to visit your favorite garden center to see the fall color on display with trees. Liquidambars, Raywood Ash, Pistache, Maples, and Pin Oaks are making quite a show. Although you can plant later, now is the time to make mental notes on your likes and dislikes.