Did You Know?
The best time to prune evergreens is
from December to March during the winter dormant season.
It is recommended to not prune heavily in the spring because
cuts made during the growing season will result in very dense
growth on top. The dense upper growth can shade the lower
foliage so much that it will die.
Proper pruning
will allow more air and light to penetrate the plant. The
cuts made to an emerging branch will allow side branches to
develop lower in the plant which gives the plant denser growth
but does not increase size.
When starting your garden seedlings indoors, plant the seeds in egg shell halves.
Simply crack the shells around the roots of your plants & transplant them
outdoors--the shell is a natural fertilizer!
Take four or five empty eggshells and put in 4 cups of water. Let stand for 24 hours. Water the plants with this mixture. It will help revive sick house plants.
Nicotine Spray: To help control caterpillars, aphids and destructive worms.
Take one handful of tobacco and place in 1 gallon of water. Mix and let stand 24 hours.
Dilute the solution to the color of weak tea. Do not spray on tomato, pepper, eggplant or any other plants that are members of the
Solanaceous family, since nicotine can kill them.
Wondering when you should transplant trees and
shrubs? We were advised by our local landscaping "guru"
that it's OK to transplant in any month with an "R" in it.
September, October, November, December, January, February, March,
April. Never in May, June, July or August.
When your hands are badly stained from gardening, add a
teaspoon of sugar to the soapy lather you wash them in.
Plant a few sprigs of dill near your tomato plants to
prevent tomato worms on your plants.
Marigold plants help prevent rodents.
Forgot to plant your bulbs last Fall? Select a level spot in your lawn. Buy large bags of potting soil, spread
about an inch of it where you want to plant the bulbs. Place bulbs that are
in good shape firm and not shriveled on the soil and cover with 5 inches of
potting soil and water. If you don't want this location to be permanent. In
the spring as soon as they finish blooming plant bulbs permanently.
Ingredients: 1 Can of Beer
1 Cup of Epsom Salts
1 Cup of Ammonia
2 Cups of Water
Directions: Mix all four ingredients and
put in your lawn sprayer/applicator (the type you attach to your hose.)
Spray your lawn. Works great!
~~~~~
Reduce Mosquito Breeding Areas
Homeowners can reduce mosquito breeding areas
(especially as Spring approaches) by checking their property and eliminating
areas which could lead to standing water or places where small puddles or
pools of water tend to collect and make perfect mosquito breeding areas:
Swimming pool covers, tarps or other covers; leaves in rain gutters and
spouts, outdoor flowerpots and containers used for gardening and yard work,
and old tires. Be sure to clean out your gutters from last Fall's
leaves, put old tires in the garage or shed, and empty outdoor flowerpot
containers after a rain to eliminate any standing water.
The best way to garden is to put on a wide-brimmed straw hat
and some old clothes. And with a hoe in one hand and a cold drink in the other, tell somebody else where to dig.
Zone Hardiness -- The part of the country a plant is most likely to die
in.
The way to a green thumb is through dirty fingernails.
Q: What are strawberries when they are sad?
A: Blueberries.
Q: What tree is always unhappy?
A: The blue spruce.
HINT: If you haven't yet - you must try DAHLIAS.
They will provide you with a wonderful long lasting
'burst' of color and they come in all sizes,
from 2" to over 12" in diameter.
"One acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen. This is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people."
- U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
"There are about 60-to 200- million spaces along our city streets where trees could be planted. This translates to the potential to absorb 33 million more tons of CO2 every year, and saving $4 billion in energy costs."
- National Wildlife Federation
"Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent and can save 20 - 50 percent in energy used for heating."
- USDA Forest Service
Peonies do not need ants to bloom. That is just an old wives' tale. Ants feed on the sap of the unopened bloom. Once the flowers open, the ants will go away.
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Fall in Western Pennsylvania
Photos by Linda & Rich Hemphill, ButlerWebs
Trees which change color in the fall are known as
deciduois. They loose their leaves and grow new ones each year.
The color changes are caused by falls' cooler
temperatures and shorter periods of daylight. These cause the buildup of
cork-like cells at the base of the leaf stem. These block the flow of
nutrients between the leaf and the tree. Chlorophyll, which makes the
leaves green, is no longer produced. As the green fades, two chemicals,
carotin and xanthophylls, which cause leaves to turn yellow, are
unmasked,. Red leaves occur only when the leaves contain certain sugars or
tannins. The red color further depends a lot on sunny days and cold (below
45 degrees) nights, which cause the cork-like cells to form before these
substances can drain away. Once trapped in the leaves, they combine with
other substances to produce anthocyanin, the red pigment that gives the leaves
their color.
Fall color can vary from year to year in any one
region. In some years, early frosts kill the foliage. Also, a warm,
cloudy autumn can produce dull colors.
Among the first trees to change color are:
Red Maple (leaves turn red)
Downy Serviceberry
Tulip Tree (bright yellow)
Eastern Redbud
Sugar Maple (either red or yellow)
Sassafras (bright yellow)
Oaks
Ashes
Source: Newspaper Article by Chris
Henderson in the Progress News
As I gaze out towards the distant
hills,
At Nature's Autumn store,
My slightly saddened heart just thrills
To harvest time once more.
The vivid landscape tells the story
In crimson, green and cold.
It tells of God in all His glory,
And love that's bright and bold.
I think of God, His gift galore,
And breathe a thankful prayer.
I'm not as homesick anymore,
For God is everywhere.
Plant three rows of peas:
1. Peace of mind
2. Peace of heart
3. Peace of soul
Plant four rows of squash:
1. Squash gossip
2. Squash indifference
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash selfishness
Plant four rows of lettuce:
1. Lettuce be faithful
2. Lettuce be kind
3. Lettuce be patient
4. Lettuce really love one another
No garden without turnips:
1. Turnip for meetings
2. Turnip for service
3. Turnip to help one another
To conclude our garden we must have thyme:
1. Thyme for each other
2. Thyme for family
3. Thyme for friends
Water freely with patience and cultivate with love. There is much fruit in
your garden because you reap what you sow.
~~~~~
I hired a carpenter to help me restore an old farmhouse, and after he had just finished a rough first day on the
job, a flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and now his ancient pickup truck refused to start.
While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching tips of the branches with his hands. When opening the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles, and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.
Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree, and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.
"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job and in my life, but one thing's for sure, troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again.
"Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick
'em up there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before."
~~~~~
Ping and the Emperor
This is a story of a young man named Ping who lived
in a far away country and an Emperor who was getting old and he needed to find a successor. So, he devised
a way to find his successor that would have courage and be honest.
The Emperor sent out a tiny seed to all the young men in the country. Now, this seed was to be planted
and nourished to the best of each young man's ability.
Ping really wanted to be the new Emperor. When he received his seed he went out and obtained a very
beautiful pot, fertile soil and planted his seed. He watered it and nurtured it and watched it.
BUT, nothing happened.
He moved his plant to another area with more sun, thinking it needed a different light. He watched
it and watered it and nourished it and still, nothing happened.
He went to his father and asked him what he could do. His father suggested putting it into another
container and continue to nurture it.
Still nothing! He was so disappointed and the time was drawing near to go before the Emperor and
present his plant.
The day finally arrived to present his plant to the Emperor and Ping was so
embarrassed because everyone there had beautiful plants.
Some had beautiful flowers, some with beautiful green foliage and they all were so very beautiful. He was
so embarrassed and disappointed that he sat in the back with his empty pot so he wouldn't be noticed.
The Emperor started to look over all of the plants and he was not smiling. In fact he was frowning. He
kept looking and all at once he saw Ping's empty pot and he called Ping up to the stand.
Now, the Emperor had boiled all of the seeds before he sent them out, and so none of the seeds would grow.
You see, the Emperor wanted someone with courage and someone that was honest to take over his Kingdom and
he found it in Ping.
Source: 7/13/03 Newsletter from www.AGiftOfPoetry.com
- Words from the heart (for every occasion including weddings, birthdays and anniversaries.) You can also sign up for free newsletters at
www.agiftofpoetry.com.
~~~~~
For more Inspirational & Motivational
Items, be sure to see our
General Webs for: Inspiration & Motivation
Sometimes hidden in each flower,
Lies a mystery to behold.
Legends passed down through the ages,
Fables, sagas tales of old.
Deep within a tiny blossom,
Some would merely call a weed.
Nature blessed us with a treasure,
Nestled deep inside a seed.
As that bud began unfolding,
Johnny jump-up was it’s name.
A "Trinity Flower; Our Lady's Delight,"
All and one the very same.
With it too was birthed a story,
Of the colors it displayed.
And the symbols that they stood for,
In it’s heavenly array.
How nature took its artists palette,
And combined the perfect hue.
On the petals of that blossom,
Purple, white and yellow too.
And orchestrated them together,
In such perfect harmony.
Stop and ponder at its beauty,
Should you get a chance to see.
For all of Johnny jump-ups colors,
Sing a sacred psalm of praise.
To the glory of the Godhead,
Who they stand for, petals raised.
Shy yet regal in it’s standing,
A "trinity flower" thus ordained.
Clearly so by nature's homage,
Note the blessing it contains.
For natures treasures often hidden,
Are sometimes masked yet in full view.
Receptive souls find what they’re seeking,
Pearls of wisdom, riches too.
If you're walking in a garden,
And you see this bud unfold.
Grasp the beauty of the Godhead,
It’s such a wonder to behold!
Yellow's signifies the Father.
And His glory evermore.
Purple's a divine image,
Of the sorrow Jesus bore.
White portrays the Holy Spirit,
Entwine the three and you will see,
Johnny Jump-up's petals bearing
Nature's hidden mystery.
Add a fuel stabilizer
to avoid gummy evaporated-gasoline deposits that can
clog the carburetor and run the engine dry of
gasoline before storing your mower for the winter.
Source: House
Smart by Lou Manfredini article entitled "Get More
From Your Mower" in USA Weekend March 14-16, 2003
Did You
Know? The average life span
of America's lawnmowers and other yard machines is no
more than three years. Source:
House Smart by Lou Manfredini article entitled "Get
More From Your Mower" in USA Weekend March 14-16,
2003
Today the most common date for the state observances is the last Friday in April, and several U.S. presidents have proclaimed a national Arbor Day on that date. But a number of state Arbor Days are at other times to coincide with the best tree-planting weather, from January and February in the south to May in the far north.
For information on what date Arbor Day is celebrated in your state, see The
National Arbor Day Foundation's Web site's special page: Arbor Day Dates Across America
~~~~~
The
Lazy Gardener A delightful page we found on Newsdump.net
Check it out - well worth the visit!
With lots of other "stuff", too!
Main Street Seed And Supply Bay Farm Services, Inc.
401 Main Street, Bay City, Michigan 48706
989-893-3577
Toll Free: 1.866.BAY.FARM ( 1.866.229.3276)
Web site: www.mainstreetseedandsupply.com Main Street Seed and Supply has over
100 different types of flower seeds available for your garden.
Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that crushed
it.
In the garden, Autumn is, indeed the crowning glory of the year, bringing us the fruition of months of thought and care and toil. And at no season, safe perhaps in Daffodil time, do we get such superb colour effects as from August to November.
-- Rose G. Kingsley, The Autumn Garden, 1905
