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March News 2004 |
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and Updates for March
2004 Welcome to our monthly "Newsletter". This is where we announce the most recent additions to our website along with "what's happening in our gardens", helpful hints, herbal tips, etc. Please check back often as we will be updating regularly. What's happening in our garden for March: JanOur kitchen renovations are finally finished just in time for the gardening season to begin. We seem to be setting new records lately for unusually warm weather which makes gardening chores a pleasure. Last weekend I moved several loads of beautiful compost and spread it over the soil in one of our greenhouses. My husband rototilled it in before I planted some early cool weather crops. I have also sown onions, tomatoes, basil and petunias over heating cables. Seeds will now be continuously sown over the next few months every spare minute I can get in between making soap. March is a busy month for gardeners but it is one of my favourites as the sun warms up and the days get longer. March "To Do" List: -finish up pruning chores before new growth begins. -mulch can be pulled away from plants in warm areas. -keep your eye out for slugs tidying up debris that they can hide under. -plant sweet peas, leeks, radishes, peas, spinach and mustard greens – lettuce can be directly sown by the end of the month. -if you have plastic row covers you can get a jump on the season by sowing broccoli, early cabbage and cauliflower. -fertilize conifers, vines, roses, small fruits and other shrubs. -if you are not composting garden and kitchen refuse start one now. The compost you produce is like black gold when it comes to amending the soil and is one of the most important aspects of organic gardening. -spread a 2” to 4” layer of compost on all flower, vegetable and herb beds. -when forsythia bloom do final pruning of hybrid tea and floribunda roses. Greenhouse Gardening for March: (for a cool greenhouse kept at 40 - 45F (5 - 7C) -plants in bloom for this month – pelargonium, jasmine, jade plant, cyclamen, begonias. -over heating cables sow peppers, eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, kohlrabi & mesculin. -sow summer annuals. -start begonia tubers into growth by placing over heating cables and watering very lightly. -repot and fertilize over wintered pot plants. -aphids can become a problem at this time of year – for organic control spray with a fairly strong blast of water from your garden hose to dislodge them. Indoor Sunroom or Conservatory: A list of plants presently blooming in our sunroom: -Phalaenopsis Orchids -Paphiopedilum Orchids -Cattleya Orchids -Maclellanara Orchid -Anthirium -Arabian Jasmine -repot houseplants. -move plants outside on a warm day and hose them off with a gentle spray from the garden hose to clean off the dust. Let air dry before moving them back inside. -start watering and fertilizing more frequently. Herbal Hints: -remove winter mulch around herb plants – add new compost. -trim back dead or twiggy growth and reshape plant. -sow parsley, basil, anise, lavandula, thyme and echinacea over heating cables. Dry Skin Spritzer: 1/2 cup distilled water 1/2 cup rose water few drops lavender and geranium essential oil Mix together well in a spray pump bottle. Store in fridge. Handmade Soap News: Part 8 – Soap is not found in nature but can be created just like we create other useful items whether it be food or household items. The 3 basic steps of Handmade Soap 1) Making wood ash lye. 2) Rendering or cleaning of fats. 3) Mixing of these 2 mixtures together to make the handmade soap – this simple process is called ‘saponification' although the chemical reaction is rather complex. The modern handmade soapmaker no longer has to make her own wood ash lye nor do we need to render or clean fats. On the contrary, I use all quality cold pressed vegetable oils which produce a superior handmade soap. Natural Cleaning Products: Jewellery Cleaner 1/4 cup household ammonia 1/4 cup warm water 1 Tbsp grated handmade soap Combine the ingredients and let the mixture sit until the soap dissolves. Soak your jewellery in the cleaner for about 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse well and wipe it dry. Organic Gardening Tips: Organic Rose Fertilizer 1 cup alfalfa meal 1 cup fish meal 1/2 cup bonemeal 1 cup Rock Phosphate 1 cup Potassium Meal (greensand and kelp) Combine in a large bucket. Sprinkle around the base of your rose bush and gently scratch into soil. Enough for 1 large rose bush. Health and Wellness Oatmeal & Honey Facial Mask (for dry skin): Mix enough rose water to 2 Tbsp organic ground oats to make a very thick paste. Add 1 tsp good quality liquid honey. Blend well and smooth onto face and throat. Avoid eye area. Leave on 5 to 15 minutes then rinse well with warm water. Thanks for visiting! Susan |
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