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: None; Day Light Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 11
- Saturday-Sunday: Moon in the sign of Capricorn - Prune, fertilize
- Now is the time to prune the early flowering trees such as Flowering and Evergreen Pear, Flowering Plums. Also, prune the flowering Magnolias and Japanese Quince.
Later in the Week
- Tuesday/Friday: Moon in the sign of Aquarius and Pisces: Harvest, cultivate, weed, compost and fertilize and water
- Fertilize Crape Myrtle as well as other trees with 16-16-16 to encourage the new growth. Crape Myrtles blooms only on the first or current year growth. Also, remove the old spent seed capsules still on the tree.
Other Things To-do
- Before arranging flowering stems and branches of trees and shrubs, you should split the bottom one inch and lightly crush the tissue with a hammer. This allows the branch to drink up the water. Remember to add a floral preservative to the water, or you can make your own: one tablespoon of sugar, one-quarter teaspoon bleach in one gallon of hot water.
- The area under Camellias should be kept clean of the old spent flowers. Good sanitation practices are our only method of preventing Camellia Petal Blight.
- And finally, when sowing seeds in the ground or flats, I like to line the furrows with toilet paper (TP). Since most seeds are a dark colored and tiny, they are easier to see against a white background.