I've fallen in love with zinnias this summer. They're hearty enough to take the heat, and make great bouquets. If you cut off the deadheads, my gardener friend tells me, they keep producing prolifically.
I planted more seeds today, because my center herb and flower garden is lopsided. One quarter is alive with blooms and all kinds of bees and butterflies. The other three have an odd mix of volunteers and the odd herb or flower.
I know it's a waning (diminishing) Moon, which is not the best time to plant. And the Moon is in air sign Gemini, a barren sign in traditional terms, and not ideal either. However, as I wrote in Lunar Gardening, air signs, especially Libra, are known to be favorable for seeding flowers and herbs.
With rain intermittent, and not as drenching as we'd like here, I often defy the Moon cycles if I see a dark cloud. Or if the forecast is for several strong summer showers in the afternoons.
Do you follow lunar gardening? Or are you looking at other conditions mainly, like when the mood hits. There's a blue-black cloudscape forming all around, which was partly my motivation. Also, I was just craving more blooms!
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Since I planted by the moon this sring and everything died before reaching maturation . I won’t anymore . I’ll plat by my mood was much more enjoyable and they did better when I did.
I do my gardening when I have enough time and/or energy! Have to pass on a little tip – my lovely pink rose bush was overwhelmed with aphids and caterpillars. I was advised to spray the bush with rescue remedy (10 drops in a garden spray bottle), it’s worked like a charm! All the nasty invaders have gone, and another batch of beautiful roses are coming out – my third lot this summer! Also sprayed my lemon tree, which had a nasty sticky fungus, is all cleared. Seems to encourage growth as well.
Thanks for the tip Liz. Wouldn’t have thought RR would drive the bugs away like that — it being a soother. Good to know.
I sprayed coffee on the tomato plants today, to get those funny beetles with long legs to fly away (don’t know their name) – husband read about it on line. They did fly away, we’ll see if they come back.
One big thing I learned this year that worked is spraying 1 part lowfat milk to 3 parts water on squash when it gets white spots (mildew) on it after a lot of rain. It really worked and the summer squash has had a second round of productivity.
We tend to plant on the weekends. This is when we have more free time. We also plant things that are on sale at the time. I tried starting seeds once by the moon and it didn’t work out so well. I find that love & water does more for plants the watching moon cycles.
My tip for the day, the BEST fertilizer is Epsom salt. I know, I know, sounds weird. Read the bag, it even says it is good for fertilizer. You cannot overdose plants with it. Accidentally dump the whole bag on one plant, no problem. Every time we put Epsom salt down, our plants triple in size!
Happy gardening!
Just found this list of natural fertilizers with epsom salts on the list.
A comment caught my eye about letting predators do their ‘thang.’ I do feel bad spraying because so many other beneficial bugs are around – ladybugs especially. Found out you can order them through the mail, but haven’t tried it yet because of the heat wave.
Thanks for the great tips, Ashley and Molly! I hate spraying plants, too. And think I could do with some Epsom salts meself!