10 Excellent Tips on Successfully Planting Your Trees and or Shrubs

These steps are designed for the lower elevations of the desert southwest.

1. Water - This is the biggest problems of all. You will need to water all trees and shrubs on a daily basis for at least the first 2-3 weeks after planting them. 3-5 gallons or water per 5 ga. tree. This is very critical during the summer months.

2. To ensure successful planting do NOT fertilize right after planting your tree or shrub. Use a good root stimulator to stimulate root growth. Do not fertilize during the winter months. Use a good all purpose tree or shrub fertilizer right after the last frost ( usually after march in the southwest ) Water about twice per month during December, January and March. Typically you should fertilize once in the spring, summer and fall.

3. Most southwestern soils lack acid, use a good compost with some acidity to help root development during planting.

4. If you are using a drip system be sure that the emitter is directly over the root ball of the tree or plant. A couple of inches off may result in insuffcient water to your plant. Many plants have gone to “plant heaven” because of this one mistake.

5. Fertilize your tree or shrub with a good all purpose fertilizer anything close to a 16-8-8 analysis will work great. Leaves turning yellow are sometimes a lack of iron in the soil. Add a fertilizer with iron, liquid iron or ironite.

6. Remember most trees and shrubs need about 6 monts to about 1 year before they are established. Once established Almost all plants will require less water.

7. Native plants need as much watering as other plants during the first year. Once established they will usually thrive with much less water. Once a month during winter and about 1 per week during the dry hot summer months.

8. Be sure the root ball on all container plants are intact when planting them. Do NOT expose the roots. The plant will go in extreme shock and may die.

9. Remove and clear any and all weeds and rocks that may be in the area. Weeds will suck out water and nutrients from the soil. Large rocks or debris will hinder root development.

10. Continually check and observe your tree, shrub or plant making sure there are no signs of diseases or insect problems. Insects love new leaf growth. Diseases are usually fungal. Signs are usually wilting, slow growth, leaves turning yellow during the summer months. Not sure what the problem might be? Trim off a branch, limb or leaf and bring it in to your local nursery or greenhouse. They usually have the most knowledgable gardening employees around.

The above tips are generally for the Southwestern United States.

Following the steps above will help ensure a healthy tree shrub or plant for a lifetime of landscaping experience.

You can also read the article online at: http://guzmansgreenhouse.com/successful-planting.htm

Paul Guzman is the manager of Guzman’s Greenhouse and webmaster of http://guzmansgreenhouse.com Visit his site.
You are welcomed to use the article as long as you provide a link back to http://guzmansgreenhouse.com

Build a Rain Garden

Build a Rain Garden

There’s a new garden in town. It is (mostly) easy to install, looks good
year-round, requires almost no maintenance and has a terrifically upbeat impact
on the environment. No wonder rain gardens are such a great new gardening trend!

Storm water runoff can be a big problem in summer during heavy thunderstorms.
As the water rushes across roofs and driveways, it picks up oil and other
pollutants. Municipal storm water treatment plants often can’t handle the
deluge of water, and in many locations the untreated water ends up in natural
waterways. The EPA estimates as much as 70 percent of the pollution in our
streams, rivers, and lakes is carried there by storm water! By taking
responsibility for the rainwater that falls on your own roof and driveway, you’ll
be helping to protect our rivers, streams and lakes from stormwater pollution.

To reduce the excess water runoff, many towns are encouraging businesses and
homeowners to install rain gardens in their yards. Rain gardens are specially
constructed gardens located in low areas of a yard where storm water can collect.
The idea is to have the water naturally funnel to this garden. The rain garden
collects water runoff and stores and filters it until it can be slowly
absorbed by the soil. Rather than rushing off into a storm sewer or a local
waterway, the rainwater can collect in a garden where it will be naturally
filtered by plants and soil.

Installing a rain garden is easy.

You simply dig a shallow depression in your yard and plant it with native
grasses and wildflowers; things that are easy to grow and maintain in your area.

What makes a garden a rain garden? First, the garden will be designed with a low
spot in the middle to collect and absorb rain water and snow melt. This depression
can range from a few inches in a small garden, to an excavated trough that’s
several feet deep. Second, rain gardens are usually located where they’ll catch
the runoff from impermeable surfaces like sidewalks and driveways, or from gutters
and roof valleys. Third, rain gardens are usually planted with native wildflowers
and grasses that will thrive in tough growing conditions. Finally, rain gardens
are designed to channel heavy rains to another rain garden or to another part of
the garden.

Your rain garden should be located at least 10 feet from the house. The garden’s
size and location depends on the yard. The ideal situation would
be to locate the garden in a natural depression. You also can funnel water
from downspouts on gutters into the garden. The soil should be well drained
so the water doesn’t sit in the garden for more than two days. A special
“rain garden” soil mix of 50 to 60 percent sand, 20 to 30 percent topsoil,
and 20 to 30 percent compost is recommended. You can dig this mixture into
the soil to depth of 2 feet before planting.

Once you’ve identified the new garden’s location, remove the sod and dig a
shallow depression approximately 6-inches deep. Slope the sides gradually from the
outside edge to the deepest area. Use the soil that you remove to build up a
slightly raised area on the lowest side of the garden. This berm will help contain
the stormwater and allow it to percolate slowly through the rain garden.

If your rain garden is no more than about 6-inches deep, stormwater will usually
be absorbed within a one- to seven-day period. Because mosquitoes require seven
to 10 days to lay and hatch their eggs, this will help you avoid mosquito problems.

Your downspout or sump pump outlet should be directed toward your rain garden
depression. This can be accomplished by a natural slope, by digging a shallow
swale, or by piping the runoff directly to the garden through a buried 4″ diameter plastic drain tile.

Plant Selection.. The final touch.

The most difficult part of building a rain garden (if it can even be called that)
can be plant selection. Plants need to be tough enough to withstand periodic flooding,
yet attractive enough to look good in the garden. Deep-rooted, low-care native
plants, such as asters, and tough non-natives, such as daylilies, are best. If
properly designed, the rain garden can consist of a blend of attractive shrubs,
perennials, trees, and ground covers. Planting strips of grass around the
garden and using mulch also can help filter the water.

New plants should be watered every other day for the first two weeks or so.
Once they are well established, your garden should thrive without additional watering.
Fertilizers will not be necessary, and only minimal weeding will be needed after
the first summer of growth.

Our goal at Garden Simply is to make your organic garden work sustainable; be more productive, and ultimately more fun! Jodi Reichenberger provides education about enhancing you and your family’s health through good eating, organic gardening techniques, organic gardening tips, and an all around sustainable lifestyle; providing helpful organic pest control tips (Integrated Pest Managment or IPM)to help you make the most of your effort, and the lastest community gardening and sustainable gardening news out there. Join us!Sustainability is a community effort!

Gardening in the Shade

If you are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to garden in
the shade beneath the canopy of mature shade trees you will find
many advantages not found in the full sun garden. Shade trees
moderate temperatures during the hot summer months and provide
gardens with structure, privacy and year-round interest. Shade
gardens are generally easier to maintain than gardens in the sun
since there is less watering involved and fewer weeds to pull.
Shade is essential to the comfort of people and plants alike.
The number of plants which can grow in the shade is enormous; in
fact many plants would do well with at least some protection
from full exposure to the sun.

The first thing to do when planning a shade garden is to survey
the area. Observe the space over the course of a few days to see
what type of shade there is. Also, take note of the trees that
are creating the shade and what condition are they in. There are
three types of shade; dappled, part shade and deep shade.
Understanding the characteristics of each is important when
choosing plants for your garden. While there are many advantages
to gardening in at least some shade, deep shade conditions can
be difficult. Only once you know the type of shade your dealing
with should you begin selecting plants for your garden.

Dappled shade perhaps is the easiest type of shade in which to
garden. It occurs beneath deciduous trees where there are
drastic changes in the amount of sunlight reaching the ground
throughout the year alternating between a patchwork of shade and
sun in the summer and full sun during winter after the trees
drop their leaves. Many shade tolerant plants, such as trillium,
epimedium, anemone and various bulbs have adapted to these
conditions by flowering in the spring while there is still quite
a bit of light entering the garden.

Part shade occurs as the sun moves across the sky. It creates
situations such as full sun in the morning and shade in the
afternoon. Only the most sun loving plants will fail to survive
in part shade conditions. It’s perfect for those plants which
tolerate sun but little shade. Afternoon shade in this situation
is quite beneficial to plants as it will protect them from the
sun during the hottest part of the day. If the opposite is true,
shade in the morning and sun in the afternoon, some plants will
tend to look stressed as the coolness of morning shade gives way
to full sun during the hottest part of the day.

Deep shade occurs beneath evergreens or in narrow spaces between
tall buildings and can be a challenging environment in which to
garden. Soil beneath evergreens is usually poor due to the lack
of an annual leaf fall which in deciduous forests provides
layers of organic mulch. Plants selected for deep shade gardens
need to be shade loving not just shade tolerant. When choosing
your plants, remember there’s a big difference between plants
which can survive in the shade and those which thrive in it.
Summersweet (clethera), for example, thrives in the shade and
will grow full and lush while rhododendrons will end up looking
scrawny in the deep shade but healthy in dappled shade.

When planting in deep shade, beneath the canopy of evergreens,
adding compost to the garden will increase nutrients and the
soil’s ability to retain water. Before you begin planting, look
up to see if there are any branches which could pruned to allow
dappled sunlight into the garden. Though there are many
wonderful shade loving plants available, it may necessary to
selectively prune the surrounding trees to allow at least some
sun into the space.

Many plants which thrive in the shade, such as hosta, have
developed large leaves and interesting foliage as a way for the
plant to capture as much sunlight as possible. In the summer the
foliage of shade plants becomes the focal point of the garden.
Variegated foliage adds splashes of brightness and the illusion
of light among the sea of green. Use different shades of green
throughout the garden as well. Bright yellow greens illuminate a
shady space and deeper blue greens create a feeling of depth,
making a space feel larger than it is. Remember, colors appear
different in the shade. In full sun colors can seem washed out,
in the shade they are vibrant and more intense. Try to unify the
garden by repeating interesting patterns of color, texture and
form.

While there are few annuals and grasses which will do well in
shady conditions, there a number of shrubs, perennials, ferns
and bulbs which provide virtually unlimited planting
opportunities. From spring blooming bulbs and complex displays
of foliage during the summer to winter evergreens and early
flowering shrubs, shade gardens offer year round gardening joys
and far more possibilities and rewards than any other type of
garden.

Making Space for Sacred Space

When you read a great inspirational book, prayer, or article, don’t you think to yourself, “What a great idea! I should do more daily rituals, prayer, meditation.”? It always seems like a great idea, right? We know that sacred practices and sacred space bring peace, harmony, joy, and ease into our lives. Sounds like a great idea!

The problem is that the impulse to add more sacred activity into our lives only lasts for a few moments-then life intrudes and we forget all about it until the next time we read something inspiring. So how can we really make space for sacred space in our lives? Luckily it’s not as hard as you think. Check out these simple ways you can expand the sacred in your life:

1) Be Simple and Consistent: Consistency in creating sacred space is much more important than quantity. Choose one sacred practice you will do every day, and do it every day. Even if you just sit and breathe for 3 minutes in silence, you’ll feel the benefit of those 3 minutes throughout your day.

2) Clear Out the Clutter: Sacred space means actually having a space where you can be in the sacred. Dedicate one area of your house to the sacred by clearing out all the excess junk, creating an altar or space for sacred objects there, and keeping it fresh with incense, candles, or plants. Keep the area energetically clean with by smudging (get instructions by sending a blank email to cleansmudge@shamanschool.com).*

3) Have Great Beginnings or Endings: Putting sacred practice at the beginning or end of your day will make it easier to remember and do. Starting your day with sacred practice will bring you peace and awareness throughout the day. Ending your day with sacred practice will help you rest deeply and beneficially.

4) Take Your Sacred Space Outdoors: There’s nothing like nature to bring the sacred into our awareness. If you find it difficult to get out of your daily routine indoors, spend a few moments outdoors each day, greeting the sky and earth. You’ll be amazed at how fast you connect to the sacred.

5) Move in Sacredness: For those of us who can’t sit still long enough to meditate, walking can also be a way to create the sacred. Walking and praying, or walking and talking with our higher powers can create sacred space around you, plus you can take it with you everywhere you go!

Stephanie Yeh is co-founder of the Esoteric School of Shamanism and Magic (http://www.shamanschool.com). Through this online school she helps clients use magical and shamanic techniques to manifest their desires. She teaches clients to use a variety of soft magic (meditation, angels, animal totems, visualization) and hard magic (energy handling, sonics, spellwork, and tarot) techniques to improve many aspects of life and work, including career, health, relationships, and prosperity. Stephanie has created several online and video classes in conjunction with the telecourse format the school utilizes in her attempt to make this valuable information accessible to as many people as possible.

Stephanie is deeply committed to the study and experience of prosperity and to helping other people achieve and experience prosperity. Through the study and application of spiritual principles, which she is involved with through the Esoteric School and with the help of a strong 15-year network marketing business, Stephanie and her partner have helped many people achieve their prosperity goals. Through her site, Prosperity Abounds (http://www.prosperity-abounds.com), she helps others learn to create abundant health and wealth with spiritual and practical resources including Super Blue Green Algae from Cell Tech.

Currently Stephanie continues her quest to share information with her latest project, a free teleconference series sponsored by the Esoteric School on a variety of magickal and shamanic topics with guest speakers from different spiritual communities.

articles@shamanschool.com

Make the Most from Your Vegetable Garden

Make the Most from Your Vegetable Garden

All your hard work has paid off, and now you are presented with a dilemma, too many vegetables! After sharing your wealth with friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and anyone that happens to come to visit, there are alternative options of what you can do with your extensive supply of tomatoes, zucchini and other bountiful crops that will bring great joy to the community around you.

There are many different ways to approach this, the easiest would be to look up in your local phone book for organizations that you could donate your vegetables to. A good place to start would be food banks, women’s shelters and half-way houses. Don’t be discouraged if at first you are turned down, some community resources have to follow guidelines that will not allow them to accept fresh fruit or vegetables. You can also look up on the internet for locations near you that would find great joy in being the recipient of your sharing.

Another great idea is to do a “vegetable exchange” with other gardeners, you neighbor could have a bumper crop of beans or corn and not a great harvest on tomatoes, exchanging them will give you the best of both vegetables! The only thing of caution here is that it’s a good idea to exchange with people that have the same basic gardening ethics, if you grow organic vegetables then you may not want to exchange with someone else that prefers to use chemicals or pesticides in their garden.

Preserving your vegetables for the rest of the year is also a great option. There are many sources online that can walk you through step by step on how to preserve your vegetables, either by canning, freezing or making something more specific like salsa sauce with your tomatoes. You can use the same approach to this as the idea above as well, have a variety of vegetables gathered from people around you and have a harvesting party. Get each person to bring enough of something from their vegetable garden that each person that attends will have an item to go home with. (For example if you have zucchini, another has tomatoes, and yet another has beans, you would walk away with at least two other types of vegetables)

The first hint that you need to find alternative options is to realize that when your friends, family, and neighbors start running in the other direction and turning off all the lights and pretending they are not home when they see you walking towards them with more of your delicious vegetables, that there are alternatives that will not only help others in your community but make all your hard work in your vegetable garden go a little bit further in spreading the joy to others.

For more gardening tips you can go to www.gardening-tips-n-tools.com

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