The Magic Is in the Trees
Written by Khadeeja Inman
Have you ever taken a second to look around you to catch the view? Try it! Close your eyes for a moment, breathe in the fresh air, listen to the birds sing their sweet melodies, and burrow deep into the Oak, which they call their homes. All of these sights, feelings, and experiences could not be made possible without trees. In efforts to conserve, commemorate, and teach about the beauty and benefits of trees, we celebrate Arbor Day on the best day for planting trees in your regional area. Arbor Day is enormous for a metropolitan city like Atlanta, primarily because of this time around, we have brilliant minds like Ms.Tabitha Schwartz and the whole team at the Trees Atlanta Kendeda Center. With the new knowledge of what is hindering the growth of individual trees, I am sure we can all be more helpful to the environment.
Upon our visit to Trees Atlanta, I honestly was not sure what to expect. I knew that there would be cute baby trees (everybody loves little things!), but I didn’t know that I would learn so much about how trees could be so big and not just in size. According to research collected by Ms.Schwartz, I learned that the amount of trees that are planted and survive has been stable for over five years! Although they can not save every tree, they have maximized their efforts to highlight the trees that need a little bit more love and attention during certain times of the year. The two types of trees that are impacted the most are a part of the Malus (similar to Apple trees) and Cornus (similar to Dogwood trees) genera.
The world is always continuously changing, but trees have always supported and inspired us in forms of literature, art, and even religion. With all this said, it begs the question, “with all that trees do for us, can’t we do a lot more for them?”. Let us follow the example of the crew at Atlanta Trees and help trees continue to flourish! Let’s join together as a community and keep these beautiful and beneficial beings blossoming. The magic of life and its history lies in the past and how it is applying to our future. After all, what is older than a tree (a family tree?! lol).
My First Home Garden
by Lakesha Woods
by Lakesha Woods
Never thought I'd be so interested in gardening, but I've found a new love for it. It’s not so much about growing my own food (although there is a benefit) but going outside and putting my gloves on and digging in the dirt seems to calm my nerves - it feels relaxing.
My daughters and I wanted to
start a garden above the ground. So we went to Walmart and purchased the above ground garden kit by Greenland Gardener (Garden Bed Kit).
The price for the kit was pretty reasonable; it was about $32 with tax. Now
don’t be confused by the word kit. It only consist of 4 planks that's it – no dirt,
no seeds … just the planks. The good thing is that the kit is easy to assemble.
You won’t need any tools to connect the planks. They come pre-made with slots
that allow each plank to connect with one another, forming a perfect square. If
you’re reading this article and considering starting an above the ground
garden, make sure you save lots of newspaper. You’re going to need the
newspaper to line the bottom of the kit.
I’d credit our biggest problems with the garden to lack of knowledge. We didn’t have a fence and in North Carolina we have plenty of hungry dear and rabbits. Let’s not forget about the bugs! Then there was the yellowing of the leaves on our cucumber plants.
From my experience growing cucumbers, I’ve learned that the Epsom salt does indeed work, but you have to be careful with how much you use. You only need 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt to 1 gallon of water. Spray the mixture on the leaves – soaking them. Then pour the mixture in the soil so the roots will absorb it. Magnesium sulfate absorbs quickly but the roots will hold on to the nutrients for a while.
Next up inside Home & Gardening we’ll be checking out all of the latest patio furniture trends - everything from pools, decks, barbecue grills, breakfast tables and more!
Enjoy Life!