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Angels in My Garden Week 20 May 18, 2010
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federal government has sponsored research that has produced a tomato
that is perfect in every respect, except that you can't eat it. We
should make every effort to make sure this disease, often referred to as
'progress', doesn't spread.” Andy Rooney Hello Fellow Gardeners, It's time to put your tomato seedlings outside. If you want to be extra cautious you can get them used to their new environment by putting them outside during the day and taking them in at night for a couple of days and then letting them spend the entire day and night outside for another day or two before planting them in the garden. Make sure the soil is nice and moist and crumbly; it doesn't hurt to mix in a trowel full of compost. Make a big hole, about the diameter of a soccer ball, to plant them in; bury the bottom set of leaves under the soil and fill in the rest of the hole around the plant, leaving a little saucer-like depression for watering. Remember the tomatoes and other vining plants should be planted in the northernmost section of your garden. To ease the stress of being transplanted, give the tomato plants some water right after putting them in the ground. In my experience tomato plants always look somewhat sad and droopy right after transplanting, but they rally and start to grow like crazy after several days. You can
also plant your beans now. If you are still harvesting peas in
the section where you're planning to eventually put the beans, I suggest
you keep harvesting the peas for as long as they're producing. Don't
worry about the beans; you can plant beans up until the end, of July You're probably harvesting radishes by now. If you harvest the whole square, don't forget to re-plant it with a different vegetable. Carrots, beets or leaf lettuce will work. As you've no doubt noticed, radishes grow quickly and if you're a real radish lover you may want to plant another square. You can probably get away with it if the weather stays on the cool side like it's been. But radishes grow best in cooler temperatures so if we have a heat wave, don't be too surprised if the second crop doesn't do as well. You'll be able to plant radishes again later in the season for a fall harvest. Maryland
and DC gardeners can put in their cucumber seeds, but those of us in
western PA should probably hold off another week or two. I hope you are all enjoying your gardens. Please don't hesitate to send questions. If I don't know the answers, I'll do my best to find them. Reflection: There's a gentle rain falling today which means that I won't have to water the garden. It causes me to reflect on how Mother Earth provides exactly what we need with each season. As the ancient healing arts of Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine reveal, the foods that grow best in each season are the very ones that our bodies need at that time of the year - light, juicy fruits like tomatoes, melons and cucumbers in the hot summer months, substantial root vegetables that “stick to your ribs” like potatoes, turnips and parsnips for the fall and winter. The Grandmothers' Council, a group of 13 indigenous grandmothers from all 7 continents and all 4 of the worlds' races, who have been gathering for the past few years to pray for the earth and for the people, are asking all of us to join them today, May 18th, to offer prayers for the HEALING OF THE WATERS OF THE EARTH. So let's take a moment to join them in prayer and give thanks to the Angel of Water for giving our gardens exactly what they need today.
The Angel of Water, She who makes the rain To fall on the arid plain, Who fills the dry well to overflowing. Yea, we do worship thee, Water of Life- From the heavenly sea The waters run and flow forward From the never-failing springs. In my blood flow A thousand pure springs, And vapors, and clouds, And all the waters That spread over all the seven Kingdoms. All the waters The Creator hath made Are holy. The voice of the Lord Is upon the waters: The God of Glory thundereth; The Lord is upon many waters. Angel of Water, Holy messenger of the Earthly Mother, Enter the blood that flows through me, Wash my body in the rain That falls from heaven, And give me the Water of Life. Essene Gospel of Peace, Book 2, page 36 Until next week, Peace be with you, Rose Mirabai Lord In case you missed any of the previous lessons,
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