Feng Shui Garden Tips and Tricks by Jakob Jelling

In this article, we will list a number of feng shui garden tips that can help you turn your garden into a powerful generator of positive Chi energy.

We hope that you find our advice useful; however, the most important tip is to listen to your intuition.

A special feature of a classical feng shui garden is having a pond, pool, or fountain in the center of it. Any body of water (natural or artificial) will increase the good Chi energy in the garden. The most crucial point is to keep the water clean, clear, and fresh. Stagnant water attracts the destructive Sha instead of the positive Chi energy. The traditional feng shui says that the optimum home location is on a small hill next to a splashing brook or small river, which brings Chi into the house.

Try to ensure that the garden’s view from the windows is attractive in every season. The garden should be set up to be welcoming for you and your guests. Try to avoid having tools, bikes, or garbage containers in your garden, as they disrupt the harmony. It is advisable to have a bench next to your entrance door – it’s practical and attractive. A harmonious space in front of your house will promote the Chi, and help it flow from your garden into your home.

A feng shui gardens can have beds with herbs and shrubs with berries. Try to give time and thought to the choice of trees. Everyone can feel affection to a particular tree, which will make you feel happy. Sitting on a bench under your favorite tree will recharge you.

A garden should be surrounded by a protective (limiting) area. Its functions are to create a beautiful landscape scene, mark the garden’s boundaries, and hide it from prying eyes. It can be a high wall or a small hedge - the choice is yours.

We perceive the nature in a garden with every sense: the color of flowers, the aromas of herbs, and the rustle of leaves. Each of these can bring joy. Let your garden be dominated by flowers, trees, herbs, and plants that you personally like and enjoy.

The garden’s light is also very important – any type of light enhances the Chi energy flow. Consider using artificial lighting, especially for the pathways, in the dark. The light should not be too weak, but it probably should not turn night into day either. You can use practical lighting, as well as decorative lights to underline the magical beauty of your pond or plants.

Handmade works of art can boost the appeal of a garden and emphasize its individuality.

Listen to your intuition and you will find the best solution for your garden. The boosted Chi energy will boost the sense of harmony and wellbeing in your feng shui garden.

Feng-shui is a traditional Chinese teaching with a millennial history. This teaching explains how to live in harmony with nature. The roots of this doctrine go deep into Chinese culture and Taoism. The art of feng shui is to help people manage the flow of chi energy with maximum benefit.

Growing Your Own Herbs for Tea - ArticleCity.com - Free Articles ...

If you love herbal teas, as I do, you know they are just a little bit pricey. However, growing your own herbs is easy and so much fun!


Here are just a few of the herbs you might want to consider for a tea garden:

Chamomile: Remember the favorite tea of Peter Rabbit? Only the flowers of this fragrant herb are used when making tea. Chamomile tea can be enjoyed by itself or you might enjoy adding mint or lemon verbena.

Lemon Balm: This herb is lemony with a touch of mint and makes a soothing cup of tea. It's easy to grow (almost too easy) so remember to keep it clipped back.

Lemon Verbena: An excellent herb to grow in a sunny spot, it makes a delicious tea. You might try combining it with orange mint or spearmint.

Mints: There are many mints available. Generally, they are aromatic plants and they are aggressive. It may be a good idea to plant mint in a pot and then put the pot in the ground so it doesn't take over your herb garden. Spearmint, peppermint, orange mint all make wonderful teas, alone or along with chamomile or any of the lemon herbs




.

Herb teas can be made with fresh or dried herbs and can be enjoyed either hot or cold.


For one cup of hot tea, use one teaspoon of dry herbs or up to 3 teaspoons of fresh herbs. Bruising the leaves of fresh herbs will help release the flavor. Pour boiling water over the herbs in a glass or china pot. Metal pots can sometimes leave a metallic taste. Let steep for 5 or so minutes. Strain and enjoy with a little honey to sweeten.

Sun tea can be made simply by filling a jar with water, throw in a handful of crushed fresh herbs, and set in the sun for 3 or 4 hours. Stir in a little honey to sweeten, pour over ice and enjoy.

Trying different combinations of herbs is fun. Remember you can also add spices you have on hand, such as cinnamon, cloves, etc.

There are many benefits to growing and making your own herbal teas. gardening itself is very relaxing and rewarding. With herbs from your garden you can soothe away your troubles with a cup of chamomile tea or make yourself a refreshing cup of peppermint tea after a hard day at work.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Look in the perfumes of flowers and nature for peace of mind and joy of life. --Wang Wei

10 Free Gardening Products - free article courtesy of ArticleCity.com

One of the pleasurable spin-offs in organic gardening is finding alternative ways of coming up with the same, if not better, end result.....

Household throwaways can be valuable to the alternate enthusiast. Here are ten recyclable ideas to make gardening a little less hard on the pocket!

1. Hedge clippings: Instead of burning or direct composting, beg, borrow or even buy, if the quantity justifies the price, an electric garden muncher.

Branches up to an inch in diameter are posted into a slot and the machine munches them up into small chips. Spread these chips thickly around shrubs orgarden-grows"> fruit trees to help keep moisture in, and control the temperature of the soil.

2. Food Waste: All food waste must be composted. Composting is becoming quite an art form, and special composting bins can be bought, or very simply made.

There are many different theories and each gardener will find his or her preferred way. Keeping the compost fairly warm is the overall key to a good result. Or, if you're in no hurry, simply keep adding to a heap, and dig out the bottom when required. Sieve before using and the compost will be ready for planting small plants and evengarden-grows"> seeds.

3. Old carpets, large damaged cardboard boxes; and similar materials can be laid over the vegetable plot in autumn to help prevent those early spring weeds appearing. Spread over a whole patch and weigh down with stones or logs. Lift off on a sunny day in early spring a few days before digging.

4. Paint trays: Keep old roller painting trays and similar containers for seed trays. Punch a few holes in the bottom for drainage. Add a little fine gravel before filling with seed compost. Seed trays shouldn't be deeper than 15cm.

5. Yoghurt pots: All plastic yoghurt or dessert pots can be washed and saved for re-potting seedlings. Make a hole in the bottom of each and add a little fine gravel before filling with compost or soil..

6. Glass jars: Glass jars with sealable lids are excellent for storinggarden-grows"> seeds, beans and peas for planting next year. (Safe from mice as well) After washing the jars, dry in the oven to remove all traces of moisture before storing yourgarden-grows"> seeds. Collect dark glass jars, or wrap paper round clear jars to preventgarden-grows"> seeds being damaged by light.

7. Ice Lolly sticks: Make perfect row markers in your seed trays or greenhouse beds. The wooden ones won't last for ever but you can at least write on them with pen, pencil or crayons!

8. Wire coat hangers: Make mini-cloches with discarded or broken wire coat hangers. Pull into a square shape. Place the hook in the soil and push down gently until the natural bend in the wire rests on top of the soil. Place another a short distance away in your seed bed to create two ends of a cloche. Now throw over a sheet of plastic and hold down with logs or stones.

Note: this will work only when creating very small cloches.

9. Clear plastic: Keep any clear plastic containers that could be placed upside down over a plant. Cut a mineral water bottle in half to make two handy individual cloches. Large sheets of clear plastic from packaged household items are fine for throwing over mini coat hanger cloches.

10. Aluminium bottle tops: Keep aluminium tops from milk or juice bottles, and also coloured foil around beer or wine bottles. Thread together to maka bird scarer. Simply thread with thick cotton and hang on yourgarden-grows"> fruit bushes before the birds find the newgarden-grows"> fruits.

Look out for other tools for the garden from kitchen throwaways such as: old kitchen spoons and forks for transplanting tiny plants in the greenhouse. Leaky buckets for harvesting small quantities of potatoes, carrots etc; light wooden boxes for harvesting salads through the summer, and transporting pots etc;

Keep an eye on that rubbish bag and turn today's throwaways into tomorrow's tools!

Winterizing Tips for your Lawn and Garden - free article courtesy ...

Your outdoor plants have worked hard for you all summer, making your yard a place you’re proud to call home. Properly winterizing your lawn and garden is an important step toward healthy soil, lush grass, and happy plants next year. Remember to take care of your outdoor accessories, including your lawn equipment, gardening tools, and all of your lawn and garden decor. A little time spent this autumn will make your gardening and landscaping efforts easier and more enjoyable next spring!

Let’s start with the easy jobs - First remember to store all of your lawn and garden decor including fragile planters, gazing balls, and your deck furniture. Unglazed terra cotta planters left filled with soil outside will often break in the freezing temperatures so it is best to clean them and place them in a storage area where they are protected from the elements.

Autumn is the time to find your birdfeeders and to start stocking your winter feeding pantry. Soon your many feathered friends will be flocking to your feeders for that nutritious morsel. Remember to keep your feeders full through the winter as the birds need reliable food sources through the winter months.

Now that you’ve done the easy tasks, let’s move on to the more mundane winterizing chores. Start by simply cleaning up the vegetable garden. After the first hard frost, remove the year’s annual plants and the dead vegetation. You can add this material to your compost pile, but make sure you’re not adding material from diseased or pest-infested plants. You’ll want to pull perennial weeds before you mulch your garden down for the winter.

The best part of fallgarden-grows"> landscape chores is planting the spring-blooming bulbs. Crocus, tulips, and daffodils are a beautiful addition to the early springgarden-grows"> landscape.

In the yard there’s the major job of raking leaves. These are great either in the compost pile or as direct mulch on the garden. Perennial flowers may be smothered by a heavy layer of mulch, however. Also, wait to prune your trees until later in the winter.

After the ground freezes you can mulch your perennial flowers and newly planted trees. Certain shrubs will need to be wrapped in burlap to protect them from wind damage, sun scald, and other winter injury.

Moving on to the mechanical tasks of winterizing your lawn and garden - While you might try to procrastinate on these jobs until spring, you’ll be well rewarded for the maintenance you perform this fall. Drain the gas from your lawnmower and string trimmer. Actually it’s best to let your mowers and trimmers simply run out of fuel. If you don’t want to ‘waste’ that little bit of fuel, add a gas conditioner before the long winter. Be sure to follow directions. Also, take the same care with your gardening equipment such as your rotary tiller.

Clean all of your landscaping equipment before you store it away for the long, cold winter. Wash with soap and water, clean the air filter, and change the oil. You’ll find that first lawn mowing job in the spring a little bit easier if you take time to sharpen the blades now. You can protect that freshly sharpened blade by applying a little spray oil to the blades. You can also apply light spray oil to other moving parts such as cables and the throttle controls.

Lastly, drain all of the water from the garden hoses and turn off the taps. Be sure to store your insecticides, herbicides, and fertilizers in a safe storage area that will not freeze. Make sure these materials are kept away from children and pets!

Going Green Gardening � Fun

Going green is a very popular trend in today’s society and for good reason. You see it in the grocery stores with reusable bags, banks are consistently trying to get their customers to go green by banking electronically and some stores are converting to more online coupons, offers and sales. There are also ways to be more earth-friendly at home. I’m going to cover here plenty of tips on how to go green in your garden.

There are plenty of things you can do to conserve energy, reduce waste, reuse and recycle materials while gardening. Taking a second look at your watering practices may allow you to cut down on utility expenses while also conserving one of earth’s most precious resources. When shopping for plants, select those suited to your region’s moisture conditions such as native plants that naturally thrive in your locale. If you live in an area with limited rainfall, choose drought-tolerant plants for the best success. Group moisture-loving plants in the same area and near the water source. By concentrating the watering chores into one area, you conserve water and reduce maintenance. To save water and use the water that replenishes earth naturally, use rain barrels to collect rain water and then use it to water your container plants or garden. An easy way to conserve moisture in your soil is to cover with organic mulch such as wood chips or other natural materials like seashells or ac!

orns. Reuse those green piles of pest-free plant debris, herbicide-free grass clippings, fall leaves and noninvasive weeds by mixing with a bit of soil and fertilizer to make a rich, organic compost pile. Another easy way to deal with those fall leaves is shredding them and covering your lawn with the thin layer it will produce. Use twigs and branches from pruning to create decorative fences, arbors, trellises and even garden art. Mow your lawn high and often, removing only one-third of the grass blade at each mowing. And don’t throw away those grass clippings. They add nutrients, organic matter and moisture to the soil. In fact , a season of clippings is equal to applying one pound of actual nitrogen fertilizer per 1, 000 square feet. To keep from washing away into storm sewers and polluting our water, make sure to sweep off grass clippings, chemicals and fertilizers from sidewalks, drives and other hard surfaces. And if you want to avoid using chemicals all together, try digging out weeds by hand. You’ll burn more calories and use fewer pesticides. And if this is not an option for you try using environmentally friendly products. One way to do this is by using corn gluten; but if you want to find a spray, look for ones that contain ingredients such as vinegar, soaps and plant oils to burn the tops off of unwanted plants. To bring in some night light try using our own resource, the sun. Use solar power to light up your landscape, power your water fountain or run your irrigation system. In order to bring down your carbon footprint even more, try using electronic-powered equipment instead of gas-powered mowers, for example , because they can produce as much pollution as driving a car 100 miles. Consider permeable pavers or stepping stones when adding new walks to your landscape. And lastly but certainly not least, reuse and recycle your old tools by donating them or turning them into creative lawn ornaments and garden art.

These tips should give you a good start in transitioning to a greener lifestyle. Starting out in your garden will only increase your desire to keep it up and maybe carry over to other aspects in your home and lifestyle. While thinking green in your garden saves you money you can use that savings to decorate it with beautiful lawn décor.

How to grow a verticle upright squash plant and other vines in a small garden space

3 Easy Steps to Growing Plants from Seed

Growing your own plants from seed can be one of the most exciting and worthwhile gardening activities. And of course it is a really inexpensive way to grow the number of plants you need for your garden or containers.

In this article I am going to deal with growing seeds from packets purchased at a garden centre – as this is the easiest way to start. These packets will have a picture on the front and growing instructions on the reverse, including germination times and the best time of year to sow. The instructions are important so do keep the packet safe even if you have used all the seeds!

1. Equipment you need:

- Clean pots or seed trays, with drainage holes and not too flimsy
- Seed compost or multi-purpose compost is just as effective
- Clear plastic bags or cling film or propagator
- Vermiculite – can be used to give the seeds a light covering instead of compost
- Dibber or pencil and widger or teaspoon
- Small watering can with fine rose
- Plant labels – white plastic ones are cheap

2. Sowing the seed:

- Fill your pots or seed trays with the compost to about 1 cm below the rim and water the compost well
- For small seeds, tip them into the palm of your hand and then lightly tap it with your other hand to sprinkle the seeds thinly on to the compost
- For large seeds, push the seed into the compost until it is just covered by its own depth of compost
- Cover the seeds thinly with a little compost – do not cover very fine seeds
- Seal the pots or trays inside a large loose plastic bag or propagator, or cover with cling film
- Place them in a warm, light place – on a windowsill but out of direct sunlight
- Water gently if the compost starts to dry out

3. Germination and pricking out:

When the seeds start to germinate, the first thing you will see growing are the seed leaves – two small round leaves that look very much the same on all plants. Then the first pair of true leaves appear and you can recognise that these tiny leaves are like those on the mature plant. This is the time to move the seedlings into new pots.

- Fill clean 9 cms pots or seed trays with fresh compost and water well
- Gently loosen each seedling from its pot/tray with a widger or the handle of a teaspoon, holding the seedling by its seed leaf
- Make a hole in the new compost with a dibber or pencil and gently lower the seedling into the hole, making sure that all the roots are tucked into the hole and the seed leaves are just above the surface
- Carefully fill the hole to cover the roots
- You can space the seedlings in a seed tray about 3-4 cms apart; otherwise plant them individually into pots
- Water carefully, either by soaking the pot or tray, or using a small watering can with a fine rose
- Place in bright light, but not direct sunlight, and check regularly
- Keep watered, but not too wet
- Once the roots fill the pots or trays, then it is time to plant them either into your containers in the garden or into the garden border.

It’s not as complicated as you might think, but it does require a little thought and care – the equipment must be clean to prevent disease or infection; don’t over-water; provide enough light; handle gently; and check regularly.

And that’s all there is to it!

Beginners Vegetable Gardening : How to Begin an Indoor Garden

Container Gardening Should Include The Herbal Plant Scented Geraniums

Planting an herbal garden that includes scented geraniums is not common to container gardening. Most gardeners think of scented geraniums as a floral plant, not an herbal plant but the species, called pelargonium, is an herb with many uses. This delightful herb has many different aromas and gorgeous colors to delight your senses. The scented geranium is best used in container gardening for two reasons. One, you can control the soil and moisture, and two you can bring it indoors when a frost is imminent.

The scented geranium was found in Africa in the 1600's and shipped to England where it became most popular. The gardener of King Charles I grew a variety of scented geraniums in the royal greenhouse. The Victorians thought they were geraniums rather than an herbal plant but if you look at their asymmetrical leaves you can see the difference between scented geraniums and regular geraniums.

The scented geranium is truly a herbal plant for all seasons. It grows and has a lovely aroma throughout the spring and summer and when the chilly winds of autumn threaten this sturdy herbal plant will gladly co-exist inside with you. Nothing could be better when container gardening includes scented geranium with their exquisite flowers, lovely scented leaves, and sturdy characteristics for year round enjoyment of your senses.

True to their name scented geraniums come in a multitude of fragrances. Seemly, the favorite is the rose scented geranium but others are gaining popularity quickly. Some of the more robustly planted are the apple scented, peppermint scented, wood, like cedar or balsam, nutmeg and citronella (also know as the mosquito buster. ) You can plant a whole container garden with this one type of plant and have a beautiful diversity. Their leaves alone will contrast interestingly to give you a spectacular container garden. The tiny smooth leaves of the nutmeg scented geranium, or Lady Mary, to the large musk scented leaves of the Lady Plymouth.

The rose scented geraniums are gaining popularity for calming and are increasingly used in mediation and for healing purposes. The plant truly releases a delicious rose scent when rubbed against or crushed. Just brush the leaves to release their scent or make a soothing rose geranium tea to help you relax.

There are many culinary uses for the scented geranium to delight your taste buds. Chop up the leaves and mix with your other favorite herbs such as chives or chervil or thyme to make interesting flavored butters or dips and spreads. A really clever way to use the leaves is to line a baking pan when making pies, puddings or cakes to impart a wonderful flavor to your desserts. Use them for desserts, syrups or custards for another unique flavor. You can even make flavored sugar by layer dry, fresh leaves with sugar. Let them sit a few days, remove the leaves and store the sugar in an air tight container. This can be used in teas, baking goods, or as a sugar scrub. They are delightful in baths and infused in water to rinse your hair.

The scented geranium is a great as a room freshener or added to potpourri. Try adding some to your vacuum bag or put them in a mesh bag and add them to your dryer for a new fresh scent for your clothes.

Scented geraniums are grown from cuttings taken from the mother plant. Cut three to four inches just above a leaf. Strip the lower leaves off and place in a rooting medium, such as a mix of sphagnum peat moss. Place your cutting in bright light and keep it moist. When roots have been established it is time to place it in your container garden. Make sure the soil is porous and fast draining.

When the scented geranium is indoors it is necessary to feed it once a week to ensure full leaf growth. Pinching back the plant not only encourages bushy growth but releases a delicious aroma into the air. Keep the soil evenly damp; do not over water them as this will kill them. They can come back from overly dry situations but not wet ones.

Now it is time to add this multi-talented plant to your container garden. Just one word of caution, once you get to know the scented geranium your herbal garden will never be without it.

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.


Tomatoes