Spring has sprung!

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Hey ladies! The Robin has arrived! It is spring!  The robin has always been a sign of hope for me, for new life. And that's when it's time to get out the garden tools.



Are you planning a garden this spring? What do you plant in your garden?
A good time to start your garden is the middle of May, if the threat of frost has passed. To prepare the ground, if you have sandy soil you will need to get some peat moss  or topsoil so that your garden will not dry out so fast. If you have very hard ground for your garden you might want to consider a raised garden and bring in a load of topsoil.

For years I have planted a big garden. It was hard work but it has always energized me. It is such a joy to see the new growth and the fruit of your labor that you've put into it. Last year I did not have a garden and so I had to go pick blueberries for energy! This year I'm planning to kill my grass and plant a garden in my backyard.

Planting a garden is even one way of being a helpmeet to your husband. And a teacher to your children, teaching them how to work. When our children were little they got a piece of land and some seeds. They were responsible for taking care and tending to their piece of garden. The out come was always positive.


".....she works with eager hands
"She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
"She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks."
Proverbs 31:13, 16-17

Gardening is not an easy task. You have to be consistent in weeding your garden because weeds will come. I often compare my garden to my own life because sin always wants to sneak in too. So we have to weed our own heart like we weed our garden. And the bugs are like our enemy, the devil, sneaking in and threatening to devour your garden plants. So we have to be diligent and on guard at all times.


Galatians 6:6-8 "The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.…"

I would like to share with you some organic pesticides that I found on Pinterest that I plan on trying in my garden this year.

Here are 7 ways to use baking soda in the garden.

1. Make a Non-Toxic Fungicide
Mix 4 teaspoons of baking soda and 1 gallon of water. Use on roses for black spot fungus and also on grapes and vines when fruit first begins to appear.

2. Spray to Treat and Prevent Powdery Mildew
Powdery mildew is causing major problems with impatiens, but also can be a problem for other plants, like lilacs, cucumbers, squash and zinnias.

Spray Recipe: 1 tablespoon of baking soda, 1 gallon of water, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid

Mix all the ingredients together and spray plants weekly. Apply on overcast days to prevent any potential foliage from burning.

3. Discourage Gnats In Soil & Fungus on Leaves
Mix in 1 gallon of water, 4 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon biodegradable soap. Mix well, spray infected foliage or soil as needed.

4. Discourage Weeds
Pour or sweep baking soda in a thick layer into cracks on a sidewalk or patios. The baking soda should kill any small weeds already sprouted and prevent new ones from coming up.

5. Kill Cabbage Worms
Mix equals parts flour and baking soda and dust plants (cabbage, broccoli, kale) being eaten by cabbage worms. They much on the leaves and die usually in a day or two. Repeat as needed.

6. Kill Crabgrass
Simply wet the crabgrass, pour a heavy dusting of baking soda on the weed. The crabgrass should start dying back in 2 or 3 days. CAUTION: When applying baking try NOT to get it on your grass as too much baking soda can burn and kill it.

7. Clean Your Hands
After a day in the garden and dirt, clean your hands by rubbing and scrubbing wet hands with baking soda. Rinse.

I hope you enjoyed these baking soda tips and they come in handy helping you live a greener life!
(plantcaretoday.com)

You can also sprinkle baking soda on your cabbage to prevent worms from making your cabbage into the cottage cheese.

Eggshells make a wonderful and organic pesticide. It works to kill Japanese beetles, flea beetles, slugs, snails and other pests. It also provides calcium for your plants and vegetables. So start collecting your eggshells, crush them into fine powder and sprinkle it around your plants.

And here's at natural bug spray for the garden. 1 gallon of water, 2 cups of dawn soap, 2 cups of plain Listerine mouthwash, and a tsp. of cayenne pepper, mix together and put in a spray bottle and periodically spray your plants.


Please feel free to leave a comment and share ideas of your own.

Happy gardening!




"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Galatians 6:9

--
By: Aggie Heide

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