Your Garden Likes Coca Cola

I don't sell Coca Cola. Neither do I recommend drinking it. But it is actually a useful ingredient in solving common garden problems.

• If you want to get rid of slugs or snails, sink a cup or small saucer into the dirt until the rim is about even with the soil surface and pour half full of coca cola or similar soft drink. Slug and snails will crawl in, and never come back out! Lettuce and strawberries are especially susceptible to slugs and snails, though that is by no means the only goodies they will munch on in your garden.
• If you have acid-loving plants, such as azaleas, gardenias, blueberries, etc. pour some Coca Cola around the base of each plant to increase the acidity of garden soil. Doing this will also feed the microorganisms in the soil that create beneficial organic matter in your garden.
• Pour some over your compost pile once a week with a watering can to give those microorganisms a boost as well. Your compost will finish quicker and more thoroughly!
• For a general green-up tonic on your lawn, mix one can Coca Cola, one can beer, ½ cup liquid dish soap (no antibacterial soap!), and ½ cup ammonia, and use in a hose-end sprayer once a month for a green, bug free lawn. I see no reason why this could not be used on the garden as well, though I have not yet tried it.
• Use Coca Cola  in a garden sprayer and spray everything in your garden for increased resistance to bugs and to stimulate blossoming and fruit set. It seems the higher the sugar level in your plants the less attractive they are to bugs, and the phosphoric acid in Coca Cola is exactly what plants need at the bloom stage to produce a healthy set of flowers, which in turn can give an increase in fruit production.
• If you ever get caught by surprise by a skunk, wash first with Coca Cola, then soap and water. Repeat until all the odor is gone. It's cheaper than tomato juice, and they say it works just as well!
• If you get bit by fire ants or stung by any of the baser flying insects, try holding a wad of cotton soaked in Coca Cola on it for relief.
• If you are planning a picnic, put a small dish with coke out about an hour early, and some distance away from the picnic area to draw the yellow jackets etc. off to the side.

I have not personally tried all of these ideas. Let me know how they work for you! I understand that some of these tricks work because of the sugar, some because of the phosphoric acid, some because of the caffeine, and some because of the soda (carbonation). Therefore, a cheaper off-brand might work for some of these, but not necessarily all. Controlled experiments would be in order here.

Organic Weed Control

A few tips for weed control: I LOVE grass clippings. I use them all over the garden and in flower beds. Apply one layer as soon as possible after planting. On some crops it is good to add another layer in the middle of the summer because the first layer will have grown thin. Green grass clippings also provide nitrogen. And it does wonders for keeping the roots cool and moist.

Some people report good results with a vinegar spray. The recipe is: 1 gallon vinegar, 1/2 cup salt, and 1 tsp Dawn dish soap (to help the spray stick to the plants). Do not get this spray on any plants you want to save, as it will burn everything. It is best reserved for driveways, walkways, patios, and similar areas.

One great way to have less weeds is to sprinkle corn meal around your vegetables after they are growing. Corn gluten has been found to keep many seeds from sprouting. It will not kill weeds after they germinate, but it is very helpful to prevent germination if you mix it into the top inch or two of soil. Not only does it serve as a pre-emergent weed control, but corn meal is also an all-natural organic fertilizer. Gardens Alive! sells a product made from corn gluten for this very purpose. They call it "WOW" for With Out Weeds! It really works!

The Long-Range Forecast

One of my readers has kindly brought to my attention that posting the moon signs only from week to week makes it difficult to plan gardening activities in advance. For example, I might post one week that it's a great time to pull weeds and destroy all kinds of pests, but upon reading that, he has no idea how long it will be until there comes a favorable time to plant most common garden vegetables again, and thus doesn't know how to plan for the following week. I will therefore try to give a long-range forecast.

According to my information and based on my experience, all warm-weather crops should be planted before the end of July. Crops that do well in cool weather may be planted anytime from the beginning of August to about the middle of September, depending a little on how far north you live. Almanacs show that there's a real possibility of cold weather setting in sometime after the equinox, probably about October or November, effectively putting an end to all but the hardiest of crops. This will be followed by a period of several months of which the only recommended gardening activity will be browsing through seed catalogs.

All right! All right! I admit I got a little carried away. I'm teasing! Seriously though, I have an announcement to make. Now that spring is officially over and, at least around here, it is very difficult to start any more plants because of the heat and drought, I have decided to take a break from my weekly posting of the moon signs. True, there are still things like weeding, watering, fertilizing, mowing, and harvesting that a person could try to coordinate with the celestial signs, and there will no doubt still be some of my readers that want to plant more vegetables this year. I'm going to give you some general advice about how to do these things in accordance with the moon's phases. The only thing we'll be lacking is the specific dates that the moon is in fertile or barren constellations. If that really matters to you, let me hear from you.

Just about any calendar will tell you on what date the full moon and the new moon occurs. At least they used to. I'm not so sure they do like they used to. If your calendar does not, you can easily figure it out for yourself. Everyone knows what a full moon looks like. Full moon is when the moon reaches a point exactly opposite from the sun. On that day the moon rises right after the sun goes down. For about seven days after the full moon, you are within the period of time that is ideal for planting potatoes and all other root crops, trees, shrubs, etc. The idea is that anything planted when the moon is "waning" or diminishing will put most of its energy into establishing big, strong roots. Things to plant at this time would include all biennials and perennials.

Next comes a seven-day period (approximately) wherein it is best not to do any planting at all, but to destroy weeds and pests of all kinds. Mulching at this time to suppress weeds is most successful. Mowing or trimming during this time tends to slow top growth.

About two weeks after the full moon, the moon will have caught up with the sun and instead of being opposite the sun it will be traveling right with the sun. On the day that the moon rises with the sun and/or sets with the sun it is officially new moon. Since you can't see the moon at this time (the light of the sun makes the moon invisible) you might have to make a guess at the exact date. The best way to do this is to get up at dawn each morning as new moon approaches and look towards the east. Make a mental note of how high in the sky the moon is each morning when the sun rises, and you will soon learn how fast the moon moves against the backdrop of the stars. Once you see the moon rising just minutes before the sun rises, or you can't see the moon at all anymore you will be within 24 hours of the new moon.

Immediately after the new moon it is time to plant garden crops that bear their edible parts above the ground. The reason for this is that things planted when the moon is "waxing" or increasing, plants will devote more energy into making strong stems and developing healthy seed. Some people plant specific vegetables in the first week after new moon, and then others in the second week after new moon, but there's no clear distinction or hard and fast rules about which week works better. For more details, see some of my earlier posts. Mowing or trimming during this time will stimulate growth.

Blessings to all!

Notice!

Because of circumstances beyond my control, I won't be able to post the moon signs this weekend. I have a few other articles almost ready to go, but it will be at least a week before you're going to hear much from me.

Blessings to all in the meantime!!

P.S. Take some time off and go camping or fishing or something!

Next Week's Moon Signs

Here are a few tips for those who are interested in gardening by the moon.

This week starts off with the moon in Taurus, but moves into Gemini shortly after midnight (at 12:24 am CDT Sunday morning, June 17). Gemini is barren, dry, and airy. The moon is still waning and in the fourth quarter, so you should continue to focus on cultivating, turning sod, pulling weeds, mulching, and destroying pests. Harvest fruits and root crops for food.

New moon occurs on Tuesday, June 19 (at 10:02 am CDT). A few hours later, at 12:34 pm, the moon moves into Cancer. This sign is very fruitful and moist, and is considered the most fertile of all the signs in the Zodiac. Since the moon just passed new moon, plant such vegetables that produce the edible parts above ground. Focus on planting annuals of the leafy kind, generally which produce their seeds outside the fruit. Some examples are asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cress, endive, kohlrabi, lettuce, parsley, spinach, and sweet corn. Cucumbers, even though they bear their seeds inside their fruit, also do best if planted in the first quarter. Also plant grains at this time. This is not a strict rule, just general advice. Many plants seem to do equally well whether planted in either the first or second quarter, such as watermelons, hay, corn, and grains. Fertilize, irrigate, or graft while the moon is in Cancer. Trimming or mowing now will stimulate growth.

On Thursday, June 21 (at 10:47 pm CDT) the moon moves into Leo, which is barren, dry, and fiery. Because the moon is waxing, don't get too carried away with mulching, weeding, cultivating, or spraying, unless of course it's something that can't wait two more weeks. Don't prune any trees, vines, shrubs, etc. in Leo unless you really don't care if they die, although this may be less likely while the moon is waxing. This would be an excellent time to catch up on activities that do not directly affect planting or pest control. If you need more raised beds, make them now. You can even mix your soil and get the beds ready for planting. If you need trellising or protective covers, now's the time to make them. If you need to remove rocks from your garden, you could do that now too. Otherwise, just leave your garden alone. Go focus on hobbies or interests unrelated to agriculture. Studies show that seeds planted in Leo tend to do very poorly. This coming week will bring you more favorable days for starting seeds and transplanting.

The moon stays in Leo the rest of the week.

Blessings to all!

Next Week's Moon Signs

Here are a few tips for those who are interested in gardening by the moon.

This week starts off with the moon in Pisces and in the third quarter. Pisces is very fruitful, moist, and watery, and is especially good for root growth. You may plant biennials, perennials, bulbs and roots, trees, shrubs, berries, grapes, strawberries, beets, carrots, onions, parsnips, rutabagas, peanuts, radishes, rhubarb, turnips, etc., with the idea that whatever you plant now will focus its energy on the underground part of the plant. Some people recommend not to plant potatoes under Pisces or they may grow spindly. Also, this is a good sign in which to prune, irrigate, and fertilize.

On Monday, June 11 (5:41 am CDT) the moon enters the fourth quarter. It is generally recommended during the fourth quarter not to do any planting at all, but to focus entirely on cultivating, turning sod, pulling weeds, mulching, and destroying pests of all kinds, especially while the moon is in the barren signs of Aries, Leo, Virgo, Gemini, Aquarius, and Sagittarius. Use common sense, of course. If you have plants that are out-growing their pots, or for some other reason can't wait one more week, go ahead and transplant during the fruitful signs anyway.

On Tuesday, June 12 (at 11:21 am CDT) the moon enters the sign of Aries. This sign is barren, dry, and fiery. Cultivate and destroy weeds and pests. Trim plants or cut grass in order to slow its growth. Mulch to suppress weeds. Harvest fruits and root crops for food.

On Thursday, June 14 (at 11:22 pm CDT) the moon enters Taurus. This sign is productive, moist, and earthy. The next few days are the best days within the next two weeks to plant potatoes or other tubers, if you failed to plant them last week while the moon was in the third quarter. Trim or mow to inhibit growth.

The moon does not move into a different sign until after midnight Saturday night.

Blessings to all!

This Week In Pictures

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea) starting to bloom.

First tomatoes ready for picking this past week!

Lush and beautiful, our Sun Leaper tomatoes are some of our healthiest vines right now.

Gladiolus are finally blooming.

Bell peppers are getting big.

Rutgers tomatoes are starting to ripen.

The strawberry pyramid is getting established.