Many people would ask, why walk a Labyrinth?
photo credit: Zesmerelda

I would answer because it’s fun and relaxing. It’s always different and depending which labyrinth you walk its very scenic.

Most Labyrinths are located outdoors but many are inside. Quite a few are located in churches. The history of labyrinths goes far back and is amazing and rather mystical.

How do you walk a Labyrinth?

A Labyrinth is very easy to walk. There is only one opening and you will return and exit at the same spot. This is rather amazing when several people are walking the path at one time. You are all going the same way but because the path runs back onto itself you look like you are going different directions.

Its best to just clear your mind and let your thoughts go where they want. Sometimes you will surprise yourself with what feelings you have during the walk.

Some people suggest walking with your hands in an upward position like you are holding or receiving something until you get to the center of the circle. At the center it is a time to reflect. You can stay there as long as you wish. As you leave the center and follow the path to the beginning its suggested that your hands be down at your side as if you are letting go of all your cares that came in with.

I also has a friend that would pick up a small rock by the beginning of the path and leave it in the center. This was leaving her problems and worries behind.

I walked a temporary Labyrinth in Mississippi last fall and it was the most relaxing and beautiful experience. It was set up like most labyrinths using one of several paths. This was the Circle of Peace design. What made this different is that the paths can be marked in many ways but this path was marked with flowers on both sides of the path. A beautiful winding flower garden.

Outside of the circle were several sculptures and benches to relax. Being an avid gardener a garden theme that used this Circle of peace design made my mind spin with garden ideas.

I have a  funny feeling that there may be a Labrinth garden in my gardens next year.

Technorati Tags: garden art, garden therapy, labyrinth, theme garden

Soil feeds your plants. Without a good soil base your plants will do poorly. They may be thin, have yellow leaves, be more insect prone or just stop growing.
photo credit: chidorian

Soil differs from location to location. In my zone five area I have clay and rock, plenty of rock! Although the soil is a little high in acid it is very rich in nutrients. But every year I fight the return of rocks and if I make a new garden I am again reminded of how I need to improve my soil.

If your new to gardening or are making a new garden plot I suggest you take soil samples and have them tested at your local Extension Office. Soil kits can be bought at most garden centers and at most Extension Offices. Instructions will come with the kit on how to take samples but basically you take three or four scoops of soil from you new garden plot and place in a bag and drop off the samples to be tested. They will tell you what your soil consists of and what to add to make you plants grow better.

Soil needs the three basic nutrients; Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium.

Nitrogen is the building block of chlorophyll and several other important enzymes. If your soils lacks nitrogen your plants will have pale green or yellow leaves and in extreme case wither and fall over. You can easily add nitrogen to your soil by adding organic matter. More than 90 percent of all gardens are lacking the proper amounts of nitrogen.

So nitrogen fuels your plants.

Phosphorus distributes the energy that is stored up in the soil to the plants. Phosphorus can be added to your soil by mined phosphate rock, bone meal or phosphate fertilizers. Compost helps too.

I add bone meal to my garden each spring and my phosphorus level is fine!

Potassium (referred to as K on plant food) regulates the process of plant food creation so it is also very important to plant growth and health. you can add green sand or granite dust if your soil lacks potassium. Other sources are green manure crops like rye grass and buck wheat. Wood ash also helps. I add buckwheat and wood ash to my garden each year.

Once you know what your garden is lacking you can pick up a good fertilizer with these nutrients at any garden center.

Where to start

If your starting your garden layout now and know where you garden will be you can plant winter grass covers that you will work into the ground. Buckwheat or rye grass would be such grass covers. Plant the cover crops and when they are mature work them into the ground. They will decompose and add nutrients into the soil.

Another fast and easy way to help your garden out before you take the test is by adding compost materials such as leaves, grass clippings, straw, compost, or old matured saw dust or manure. I always add these materials in the fall and again in early spring.

It is very important to use old matured sawdust and fertilizer. Both if they are fresh are high in acid as they break down and will burn you seedlings. Also fresh manure may carry weed seeds ans you may add a problem to your garden if it has not aged!

How I set up a new garden

Rototillers can be hard on soil and there is mixed opinions on if you should rototill or hand dig. To tell you the truth, I use both methods. If the soil looks like its easily workable I prefer to dig the ground by hand with a process called double digging. If the soil looks like its heavy clay, rock or packed I get out the rototiller. My back can only take so much and it is faster.

I chose my spot by how close it is to a water source and how much sun the garden gets. An average garden should get at least six to eight hours of sun a day. My tomatoes and peppers I place in an area where they get more sun, 10 to 12 if possible.
photo credit: bucklava

I cut the sod of the top of the garden area and haul it to the compost pile. This way I know I have removed a lot of the weeds. The soil breaks down in the compost pile and I wither add it to the garden in the spring or use it in planters. Then I rototill or hand dig the area. Once the soil is broken up I add any compost items and work them in well. I have spare black plastic I keep on hand and cover the garden area to help heat the area and speed up the composting process. in the early spring I uncover the area and work the soil and add more compost matter, compost and any nutrients I need.

My garden is ready to go! Check out my first Square Foot Gardening post

Square Foot Gardening – Organic and Formal Gardening – Part One

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With parties coming up making a individual teacup decoration for your guests can be fun, simple and inexpensive. And they leave with a gift.

Old teacups are farily easy to find at sales. Especially if they don’t have a matching cup or saucer. I buy them up ahead of time and put away for gardening purposes, parties and gifts.  I pick them up for 10 cents to 25 cents. I don’t care if the cup and saucer don’t match, it just takes on the shabby sheak look if they don’t.

With the holidays coming up you could fill a cup with a piece of oasis and stick fresh cut pine or ground pine in. If you have dried flowers add a few. You could even add fresh flowers.

If you used all pine as a filler in the cup, add christmas ornaments or wrap small pieces of styrofoam up to look like packages and stick in. Add ribbon to the handle and scatter a few pieces of candy on the saucer.

Fill the teacup with candy. Its fast and festive!

Make a candle in the teacup. I used to do this and take them to craft shows. They sold very well and received a lot of comments.

Make a simple sachet using pine greens, cinnamon, clove, cedar chips and mini pine cones. Tie the sachet with ribbon and sit in the cup. If you dried flowers from your garden you can add these to the sachet mix also. Dried flowers can also be picked up at craft stores.

Teacup planter

One of my favorite gifts to give to company is a teacup planter. I use a teacup with a saucer. Fill the teacup with a sandy soil mix. I place a few pebbles in the bottom. Cacti plants work best in a small teacup. make sure not to overwater. I suggest just misting them so the soil does not get too damp and soggy.

Ivy also works well in a teacup planter.

One fun Centerpiece

At a party I went to the centerpiece was a old glass vintage punch bowl. The bottom of the bowl had been layed with the rock they use in fish aquariums. It was put in in such a fashion that it had a sand art look. The soil had been added at the last minute along with fresh small plants. The teacups were scattered on the buffet table and they each had a plant in with dried flowers and ribbon tied on the handle. it was an unique festive centerpiece.