Fall Gardening Tips

Summer 2017 came and went in a blink of an eye.

It wont go down as the best Summer weather ever but it was a great one for my garden.

All that rain and cooler temperatures kept my garden beds very green and lush.

Seems almost criminal to cut them back but the time has come.

I started by cutting back my tiger lilies, African Zinnia and Shasta daisies a few weeks ago.

They had already begun to turn brown and wilt.

Being extra careful not to cut off the emerging buds below.

Here are some websites to help you better identify which perennials you should cut back and when.

Naturework.com has great information on which perennials you should pinch and prune

Better Home & Gardens has a great list on which perennials to cut back

and

Fall 101 at Gardens Alive tells you the don'ts of Fall pruning

Everything in my garden is pruned back with the exception of  my Gardillas,

Echinaceas and

  Rudbeckias.

They will turn to seeds and hopefully give me some new plants in the Spring.

Next is the worse chore of all, weeding. The beds had alot more weeds this year because of the rain and it was a constant battle keeping them under control. Come Fall I make sure to remove as many as possible so they dont develop a deeper root system or spread.

 A mini garden rake is a great tool for this. It helps to ease stubborn weeds out by loosing the roots, making it easier to rip them out.

Now for the most important step of all and the one thing I highly recommend.

MUCLH!

This is 2 yards of it and approximately 6 hours of labour. 

So I can get these 6 Benefits of mulching.

Grillo Services has this great article that explains how

Mulch In The Fall For Healthy Plants In The Spring.

Last Spring I noticed a huge difference in my plants and garden beds. Less weeding, healthier plants and bigger flowers. As well as it looks cleaner with the mulch.

Here are the beds now, cut back, de-weeded and mulched.

There are a few plants that you can harvest seeds from for next year.

I collect my Cosmos and Zinnias seeds.

The flowers dry into these seed balls . 

Which I cut and store in a marked envelope.

Here is a more extensive list to help you harvest your seeds.

Top 10 Plants for Harvesting Seeds

Now to enjoy thus glorious time of the year.

Saved the best tip for last,

ENJOY IT ALL....from the cutting back, weeding, mulching, seed saving or  doing nothing at all.

Life is about doing what you love, being happy, finding joy and being grateful for what you have.

Lucky for me gardening is all of the above.

Happy Fall y'all!

The Ultimate Guide to Growing Organic Tomatoes

I have to confess that my green thumb does not extend to vegetables or indoor plants. Herbs, shrubs, and flowers are my specialty. One year I tried to grow tomatoes and was not very successful. The following year the bugs killed it and now I go to the farmers market and call it a day. There are many people that have that patience and green thumb for vegetables. I am so not in this group and that's okay but if you do then this guest post by Jackie Edwards is perfect for you. 
Happy Growing! 

The Ultimate Guide to Growing Organic Tomatoes

What garden is complete without a vine of fresh, juicy tomatoes just waiting to be plucked and eaten? As a delicious and nutritious addition to almost any cuisine, it’s no surprise that tomatoes are the world’s most popular fruit. Tomato plants are hardy and relatively easy to cultivate, making them an ideal addition to any organic vegetable garden.

Types of Tomatoes

When deciding what type of tomato you want to grow, you may feel a bit overwhelmed by all of the different varieties you can find. You should take into consideration not only personal taste preferences, but also how a species grows, when it matures, its full size, and whether or not the strain is disease resistant. You can find both determinate breeds, which ripen all at once, and indeterminate tomato plants, which continue producing new fruit on the vine until the first frosts start to arrive in early winter. There are almost endless varieties of tomato, from tiny Sungolds to hefty Brandywine pinks, but there are a few main categories that plants fall under:

●     Cherry and Grape Tomatoes: These plants produce cute little fruits that are crispy, sweet, and go great in salads. Their size makes them ideal for potting and small spaces, while their hardy nature makes them easy to grow in cooler climates.

●     Salad Tomatoes: Larger than cherry tomatoes, this plant produces fruit that is tart, acidic, and perfect for slicing. Despite the name, they’re great in much more than just salads. Use them to make a loose tomato sauce, slice them for sandwiches, or make a delicious tomato soup.

●     Beefsteak Tomatoes: A popular tomato variety, this plant's name really does the plant justice. It produces fruits that are large and meaty, but they require a long summer growing season and may not thrive in gardens further north.

●     Roma Tomatoes: Also known as paste tomatoes, these fruits are sweet and firm, with more meat than juice. They’re perfect for Italian sauces and as a roasted topping.

Planting and Transplanting

No matter what variety of tomato you choose, you should plant seeds two to three weeks after the last frost, around mid-spring to early summer. It should be long enough after the last frost of the summer that the soil is warm enough for germination to happen. Plant seeds 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch deep in starter compost, preferably in a seed tray. Once you see the first leaves sprouting, transplant the seedling into a small pot. You should keep moving your plant into larger pots as it grows so that a healthy root system has room to develop. As the plant grows older, you may have to stake it for extra support.

Soil

If you’re planting your tomatoes from seed, start your plant in some specially crafted soil designed for germinating plants. You can switch to regular potting soil when the plant begins to mature. Use quarter strength fertilizer when you move your plant to your garden, and then again every one to two weeks once it starts producing fruit. If your plant’s leaves start turning a purple color, it means they aren't getting enough nutrients from the soil, and you should reapply fertilizer regardless of whether the plant is fruiting or not.

Sunlight

Tomato plants need plenty of sunlight in order to produce fruit. Without enough light, plants can become leggy and unhealthy. Tomato plants should get at least eight hours of direct sunlight each day, whether they’re kept indoors or outdoors.

Water

Seedlings need plenty of water as they grow, preferably from the bottom of the container so that no leaves are damaged. After the plant has sprouted, soil should remain moist to the touch, but not soggy. Too much water in the soil can lead to root rot. With proper care and a little bit of TLC, you can grow delicious organic tomatoes in your garden to enjoy in salads, sandwiches, and other meals.

After all of Jackie's tips, I am inspired to try again.  Make sure to check out  Backyard Boss's tips for growing tomatoes for more great tips.

Organic Aromas Nebulizing Essential Oil Diffuser for Aromatherapy product review

It has been raining for about a week with snow forecasted for today and all of my garden beds have been converted into large puddles, streams or ponds.

This wet weather even has the garden decorations looking sad.

Pretty sure the only ones loving all this rain are the flowers. As they say:''April showers brings May flowers".

We'll just tweak that to May downpour makes flowers more.

Not as catchy a saying but accurate. 

Then there is: ''Every cloud has a silver lining" and for me, it was discovering the Organic Aromas Nebulizing Essential Oil Diffuser.

The rain has us trapped indoors breathing in Winter's recycled air and the moisture has the previous owner's smoking habit weeping through the walls. I despise the smell of cigarettes and have tried everything to eliminate it. From washing the walls and ceilings with bleach to wiping them down with strongly scented cleaners. Burning incense, wax tarts, scented candles, oils, plug-ins, and sprays.  When I use the cleaners or try to burn something within 15 minutes my husband extinguishes it and opens the windows because his eyes and throat start burning.

His reaction prompted me to do some research to find out why and what could be the cause. I was really shocked to find out that my beloved sprays, plug-ins, candles, tarts and oil burners were nothing more than dangerous chemical cocktails. Filled with phthalates, formaldehyde, dichlorobenzene, silica, toluene and benzene. Even more shocking was finding out that the toxins released from paraffin candles are the same as those found in diesel fumes.  Along with the learning disabilities, hormone disruption, behavioral and numerous health problems that have been linked to the exposure of high quantities of lead. So instead of making my home smell good, I have been poisoning my family without knowing. Add to that the dangers of open flames, soot stains, and spilled wax.

Makes me wonder why they are even allowed to sell these products at all let alone without properly labeling them. 

To read more about the hazardous effects check out these articles;

EPA -Candles and incense as potential source of indoor air pollution

Are your candles toxic?

Are you breathing in toxic fumes from your candles?

Now for the silver lining in this chemical cloud.Knowing that this will not be changing anytime soon, I began researching non-toxic ways of perfuming my home. 

The one product that caught my eye was the Organic Aromas Nebulizing Essential Oil Diffuser for Aromatherapy. 

Not only does it have great reviews, but the diffusers are gorgeous.

It was literally love at first sight.

Isn't it beautiful!

The diffuser arrived very well packaged, was super easy to assemble and came with a free sample of their signature blend. 

What makes the Organic Aromas Nebulizing Essential Oil Diffuser so great is that it doesn't use water to dilute the essential oils. It doesn't alter them with heat, fire, electricity, or corrode them with unhealthy plastics or release any toxic chemicals. 

It purifies the air by helping to kill any fungus or bacteria, especially when combined with powerful antibiotic essential oils like oregano, cinnamon, and clove bud.

As well as helps to reduce the dust particles floating around because of the ionizing effects. The negative ions attach themselves to the positive ions, causing the dust particles to fall to the ground. So they are no longer airborne polluting the air.

Using Bernoulli's principle, the nebulizer works by breaking down the essential oils into less than 5 microns (micro-particles) then projecting them into the air making them easier to inhale.

With so many benefits to essential oils, I would need a couple more blog posts to be able to list them all. Lucky for us a few people already have.

Dr. Axe's 101 Essential Oil Uses & Benefits

10 Amazing Benefits Of Aromatherapy

How aromatherapy can improve your health and how to use it effectively

Essential Oils Profiles

As though the health benefits were not enough, the Organic Aromas Radiance Nebulizing Essential Oil Diffuser has this incredible rainbow led light.

A touch sensor light switch so you can turn it on or off at with the touch of the finger.
Covers up to 800 sq ft, is entirely safe, extremely quiet, makes no mess and requires no heat.
Did mention its beautifully handcrafted?

 Each diffuser comes a with FREE one-year complete parts and service warranty.

I honestly can not gush anymore over this amazing diffuser.

It has exceeded all of my expectations and would make the perfect Mother's day gift.

For more information on the different nebulizing diffusers, essential oils, and products go to;

Organic Aromas Website

Organic Aromas Facebook
Organic Aromas Instagram

Just gotta love when the silver lining turns golden!

Disclaimer: I received the Organic Aromas Radiance Nebulizing Essential Oil Diffuser with a bottle of Organic Aromas Signature Blend Oil for the purpose of this review. Although this post is sponsored, all opinions and love are my own.