9th Weekend Of The Spring Gardening Season

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: Mother's Day is Sunday, May 14: New Moon is Friday, May 19
  • Saturday-Sunday: Moon in the sign of Pisces - Water, Fertilize, turn a compost pile
    • Even though Azaleas and Camellias are still in bloom, you should start fertilizing them with organic Azalea, Camellia, and Rhododendron food. There are many bands available, but in containers, I'd use Osmocote. Osmocote releases slowly over four months, replacing the nutrients lost through watering. 

Later in the Week

  • Monday-Tuesday: Moon in the sign of Aries; Weed and control pests
    • Bonide Annual Tree and Shrub Control is applied for aphid control in large trees and shrubs like Birch. It's also used for Thrip control. One application last the entire growing season. 
    • Cultivating around vegetable plants is the easiest way to keep unwanted weeds from overtaking a vegetable garden. Also, set out the Yellow Sticky Cards now, especially around Squash, Melons, and Tomatoes, to monitor the White Fly population.
  •  Wednesday-Thursday: Moon in the sign of Taurus: Prune to control growthWhen your spring flowering shrubs and vines like Lilacs, Forthysia, Lilacs, and Wisteria have finished blooming, they should be pruned. First, I'd trim these plants for shape. Also, hedges such as Photina and boxwood are pruned to keep them dense and compact. 
Other Things To-do
  • If your early-season Tomato plants are struggling and showing little growth. They need to be replaced or lower your expectation for the season. Unfortunately, they're not going to catch up anytime soon. 
  • May is the month to plant watermelons, cantaloupes, muskmelons, and others. The key to growing good melons is a lot of sun, at least six hours, and a regular amount of water. The water intake increases the fruit's size; however, an overabundance of moisture will cause the melons to crack and rot.
  • When planting a butterfly garden, include several flat rocks. If possible, place the rocks so they face east. In the morning, Butterflies will rest on the rock and spread their wings in the morning hours. The wings act like a solar panels picking up heat from the sun and the heat that radiates off the rock.