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Creative Landscaping
by The Business Review |
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The art of creative landscaping is a job for an experienced professional. Long considered to be one of the local area's leading landscape contractors, For Heaven Scapes, located in Alpharetta, phone (770) 480-5500, has earned an excellent reputation throughout the area.
These professionals use spirituality and the 5,000 year old Chinese art form of Feng Shui to create heavenly designs customized to express your individual tastes. Feng Shui, meaning wind and water, incorporates energy, color, shapes, unique designs and individuality. This concept is applied to the exterior of your home or business with the addition of a new lawn, shrubs, trees, flowers, rocks and many other distinctive decorator items which only a true artisan can install properly. Their years of experience and their dedication to doing a professional job are your guarantees that your grounds will look better than ever before. When you call For Heaven Scapes to do your landscaping, you get more than just a job. You get the environmental designs of an expert. The ecology isn't forgotten when this skilled company is on the job, and they specialize in producing "natural" effects. They are experts in all phases of landscaping, whether it be for residential or commercial properties.
Let their specialists design and create that especially distinctive look that is presently missing from your home or business. Landscaping is something best done by professionals. Rely on the Integrity of the professionals at For Heaven Scapes for all your landscaping needs.
Printed with permission of Business Review 2005-06 June:3884-0004AJC. Northside-GA
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Gardening With The Moon
by Jennifer Resuta
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The moon influences all that contains water - the tides of the ocean, our bodies, and the vital essence of plant life.
Anyone who deals with the public can attest to the fact that there are more crazy phone calls or weird situations around the full moon. Most of us have at one time or another felt the effects of the moon on our emotions or sleep patterns. Did you know that more births occur around a full moon? Farmers and Native Americans have been using the phases of the moon to help increase crop yield and reduce disease in their crops for hundreds of years.
Using the phases of the moon to plant, irrigate, weed, harvest, cultivate, and even start a compost bin can improve the results of your efforts. It is important however, to choose the correct phase of the moon as well as the most beneficial sign for your activity.
In my own recent experiences, I planted fescue sod in a relatively shady backyard in Atlanta on two separate occasions. The first pallets were put down on days when the moon was in Scorpio, the second most fertile moon sign. For the second phase, of the installation, due to time constraints, I had to lay the sod when the moon was in Leo, which is the most barren of the possible moon signs. As you would expect, even during the hottest summer days of 2003, the first section thrived and survived the heat. Even with a sprinkler system, the second batch of sod was weak and became diseased and died out.
The moon travels through each of the Zodiac signs approximately once a month, staying in each sign about 2.5 days before moving on to the next one.
There are four elements: each one is associated with a sign of the Zodiac. The most fruitful of the elements are water signs: Cancer, being the absolute best sign to plant under. It is the most fertile time in the Zodiac.
Seeds germinate quickly and rain is common. Leo is associated with the fire element and is the driest and most barren of times. No planting should done, nor trimming of vines or trees that you want to continue to grow vigorously. It is a good time to cut down trees and vines when you do not want re-growth to occur. Pisces days are good days to prune, irrigate, and plant grains as well as leafy vegetables. Cultivation should be done on Virgo, Sagittarius, Gemini or Leo days.
There two phases of the moon cycle. The waxing, or increasing phase begins with the new moon. The waning or disappearing phase begins with the full moon. Crops that produce their yield above ground should be planted during the waxing (increasing) moon, which is particularly good for crops and have their seeds on the outside, such as asparagus, cabbage, broccoli, celery and spinach. Lettuce is one of the exceptions to this rule. Farmers know that lettuce sown when the moon is waning (disappearing) is usually well-developed, producing a voluminous and juicy head. On the other hand, if it is sown with a rising moon, the plants rapidly go to seed or "bolt" without forming a good head.
Sowing with a waning moon (disappearing) puts off the formation of seed heads. Flowering is usually undesirable in below-ground crops. The reverse is true with many above-ground crops such as sweet corn and beans (lettuce is one of the many exceptions).
The second week of the moon cycle (between the 1st quarter and the full moon) is best for crops that produce seeds on the inside, like peppers, tomatoes, peaches, cucumbers, and melons.
A moon-phase calendar is a helpful tool and can be purchased at many metaphysical bookstores.
Other sources for information on the moon's phases and signs:
• Moon's Phases and Signs: The Gardener's Almanac (Hard copy of the Farmer's Almanac)
• www.almanac.com (The Old Farmer's Almanac)
• www.plantingbythemoon.co.uk
• www.organicpathways.co.nz
Jennifer Resuta is a master gardening, who works on both large and small gardens and landscapes throughout Atlanta. This article appeared "Oracle 20/20" magazine, volume 13, issue 3, January 2003.
If you have more questions about gardening by the moon please feel free to contact Jennifer Resuta at 770-664-4400 or forheavenscapes@yahoo.com. She is always happy to answer your questions and if she doesn't have the answer, she will find it for you!
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Preparing For Fall
Feeding Our Fine Feathered Friends
by Jennifer Resuta |
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Nothing brings more joy to a gardener than to attract all kinds of beautiful songbirds to their yard in the fall and winter. Everyone has the ability to attract and keep all kinds of colorful and interesting species of birds in their yards' during the colder months. The key however, is consistency.
Birds quickly become dependent on you for a source of food and water once you start putting it out. Water needs to be clean and consistently available. Doves and other species are not terribly careful about where they defecate and the water can become contaminated in one day. Tipping out the old and pouring enough new clean water to rinse out debris, then replenish with fresh clean water. Refill whenever the level gets low. Birds prefer a shallow water source, two inches deep or less. Using a heater to keep water from freezing during winter months is not recommended. Instead, change the water often or add tepid water to the frozen to thaw it out.
Now is the time to clean your feeders as birds can contract diseases from dirty feeders. An easy way to do this is to fill a large bucket with vinegar and warm water. Plunge the feeder into the bucket and leave it to soak. This will loosen dried on mold and seed hulls. After an hour or so scrub it with a brush. Vinegar and water will kill most bacteria. Rinse the feeders well with clean water and dry prior to refilling with seed. Cleaning feeders on a bright sunny day will speed drying time. Dry with a clean duster. Changing the location of feeders is also important, as the ground can become contaminated with mold and seed hulls, which can make birds sick. If you find it impossible to move your existing feeders, at least clean up the area underneath by removing seed hulls and debris with a rake. Mowing beneath your feeders or changing mulch could also be sufficient.
Hummingbirds usually leave our area around the second week of October. Keep your feeders full and free of mold until then. Keeping hummingbird feeders up later does not keep them here past their nature migration date. They know instinctively when to leave.
In order to attract a variety of birds, it is important to offer different foods at different locations (i.e. cardinals and doves prefer to feed from the ground.) Doves’ favorite food is millet, the small round seed found in inexpensive seed mixes. If you can only offer one type of food, black-hulled sunflower seeds attract the largest number of birds.
Offer different types of feeders if possible. Tree clinging birds, like woodpeckers and nuthatches need special feeders because of their feet. They prefer a wire mesh on which to cling and love shelled peanuts. Titmice and chickadees would also be attracted to a peanut feeder. Several inexpensive feeders are available on the market that attach easily to your window for viewing. Make sure that you keep the feeder full. Birds will notice a new feeder and survey it carefully prior to using it. Be patient. If a feeder has been offered in a new location and there has been no activity in two weeks, perhaps the birds feel vulnerable and need some cover to dart into from predators.
Hawks will watch for easy prey at bird feeders. They are opportunist. Consequently, feeders should be located near shrubs where the birds can flee quickly when they feel threatened. Piles of twigs and branches left on the ground near feeders also offer shelter for birds from predators.
Suet is a great source of energy for insect eating birds during the winter months. There are many types available at reasonable prices in supermarkets and birding shops. Woodpeckers are especially fond of suet and will come from miles around to dine a your backyard table.
Bread is not a good food source for birds as we once thought. It offers bulk without enough fat to keep birds fueled. In winter you can offer bread only if it is fried in bacon fat and cooled prior to serving.
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10 Reasons to Plant Trees Now
by The National Arbor Day Foundation |
Properly planted trees can cut your air-conditioning costs by 15-35%.
Trees produce the oxygen we breathe, and remove air pollution by lowering air temperature, through respiration, and by retaining particulates.
Birdsong will fill the air as trees provide nesting sites, food, and cover for countless species.
Studies of comparable houses with and without trees place a markedly higher value on those whose yards are sheltered by trees.
Trees hold the soil in place and reduce polluted runoff into our waterways.
Trees can slow cold winter winds, and can cut your heating costs by 10-20%.
They remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the major contributor to the threat of global warming. Trees planted near our homes and in your communities moderate temperature and reduce the need for air conditioning and heating produced by burning fossil fuels, a major source of excess atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Trees mark the changing seasons, and add grace and seasonal color. Trees make a house feel like a home.
Planting and caring for trees can be a great family and community building activity.
It’s easy! Join the nonprofit Arbor Day Foundation and receive 10 trees FREE. With easy-to-follow planting instructions.
Thank you to the National Arbor Day Foundation for this information. To join and receive 10 free trees send $10.00 for membership: contact the National Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Avenue, Nebraska City, NE 68410, or join online at www.arborday.org
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