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: Waning Half, Friday, September 4
- Saturday-Monday: Moon in the sign of Aries - Harvest, cultivate, and weed
- Bell peppers have numerous surface roots, so it’s crucial to carefully cultivate around them. Also, harvest them with scissors or pruning shears. Tearing them off will damage the mother plant.
Later in the Week
- Tuesday - Wednesday: Moon in the sign of Taurus - Plant, transplant, and fertilize
- Container plants need frequent fertilization because constant watering washes nutrients from the soil quickly, especially for plants that have been in the same container for two years or more.
- Thursday-Friday: Moon in the sign of Gemini - Harvest, cultivate, and weed
- Summer squash comes in various shapes, but it's best picked when young. As they grow larger and mature, their skin hardens, seeds form, and the edible flesh becomes less desirable. Even if you can’t consume all the squash, it’s important to keep the vines picked. If you leave the fruit to go to seed on the vines, the plants’ energy and productivity will decline.
Other Things To-do
- Junipers and other conifers don’t need much water during the summer, but you should occasionally wash off the foliage. The dirty film and warm summer temperatures create the perfect hiding place for mites.
- It’s natural for dieback to develop in the center of lemons, limes, oranges, and other citrus fruits. Now is a great time to remove dead twigs, stems, and branches. Repeat as needed.