God's Garden

 Matthew 6:32  " Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry  about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

    I love my backyard. Each year as it get's a little better than the year before. My perennials are maturing and bushing out, I have more experience with placement and care, and I am beginning to get the hang of growing flowers in the greenhouse. It is truly my happy place. It's dirty, sweaty, thorny work, but I love it. 

Then I leave my backyard and go on a hike. I see the lush greenery, the mossy trees and I think, WOW! God is a gardener at heart. I look at the variety of wild flowers and realize, His garden is perfect and basically cares for itself.
When I plant a seed and water it, If conditions are right it grows.  It was perfectly created by God to do what it does. I just get the joy of watching the magical process. God gave me gardening to bring me joy. 

Did God need Adam and Eve to tend to the garden of Eden? I think not. He let him them, because He loved them. He wanted to give them rewarding fun work. 
At times I forget that this garden that I enjoy so much, is beautiful because God made it beautiful. He allows me to play with His wonderful flowers, trees and plants. 

We have the same problem with our day to day lives. We forget who made our days. We get so wrapped up and worried about things that we have absolutely no control over. We spiral into thinking that we can manipulate what will happen obsessing it into being. We "water" the seeds we want, but we don't make them grow. We lose countless hours of peace and joy by ignoring God's wisdom and imperatives. 
Cast your cares on me (literally throw them!!) I am the one who make flowers (or plans) grow.

Fear Not!
Do not worry about.....
Be anxious for nothing!

We have disillusioned ourselves into believing that after God created the universe it somehow got our of His control and into ours. Our disillusions of grandeur are a lie of Satan. 

Don't be deceived. 

Trust the truth you know.

To trust like a child is to be in awe of our Father. He is right there beside you ALWAYS watching your steps.
Luke 18:17 “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 
Matthew 6:25-32
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 

 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 

 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Starting Seeds: Paper Towel Method

The paper towel (or coffee filter) method of starting seeds works great for large seeds, or hard shell seeds. It is not optimal for small seeds as they may not have the strength to root this way.

• Soak you seeds for 24 hours in hot water
• Place a paper towel in a strainer and strain out the water.
• We a paper towel and gently move seeds on to the new paper towel.
• Fold the paper towel over once, make sure it is moist all the way through.
• Place the paper towel in a baggie, squeeze our access air and place in a warm sunny place to germinate for 2-3 days.
• Using tweezers transplant rooted seeds to starter tray or pots, water and watch them grow.

The Master Gardener: Psalm 19:1

“The heavens declare the glory of God; 

and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”

(Psalm, 19:1)

I love to walk into my greenhouse and inhale that warm, earthy aroma that emanates from the warmth of the soil. I get such a kick out to finding new seedlings that have popped through the soil. It moves my joy meter from 2 to 10 just being there. I take my time going from plant to plant to see if there have been any changes, and check the moisture, or problems that need to be addressed.

For a few moments I feel a sense of pride at MY beautiful plants. Then I look over and a rosebush we have named Frankenstein.

I feel a sense of pride at MY beautiful plants

Frankenstein was a discarded cutting from a rosebush. He had been thrown onto the mulch pile with other discarded debris; No-one checked his soil depth or prepared his stem for propagation, no-one watered him or kept his temperature even. He was covered by snow, drenched with cold wind and rain and haphazardly left to rot. 
          On a warm day in spring I began digging into the mulch pile  to spread in my raised beds, and there lay Frank (Frankenstein). Frank had little offshoots, a good root system and looked as if he had been waiting to be transplanted to a spot where he bloom. He seemed to have no idea that he was suppose to be dead. Frank wanted to grow!

What a great reminder! 

God does not require my help to bring to life and grow beautiful flowers. 

He created the seed. 

He makes them grow, wherever and whenever he chooses.

 He is gracious and allows me to care for His creation and enjoy the beauty that comes from that care.  

He is the flower creator. 

He is the flower grower. 

Frank in his new home

It is good for me to remember that in everything I do, it is God that brings about the end result. Doing my best for Him should always be the outpouring of a grateful heart, not a pushing of a personal agenda. If my pride is tied to the outcome of my work, then my motives should be called into check. Humility and gratefulness should move me to be content with His outcome, whatever that is. My job is to do my best with whatever job he puts in from of me, for His glory.

Frank sits on the porch of my greenhouse as a reminder that God is the creator and the master Gardener of plants and souls. I am a grateful under-gardener enjoying His creation. 

How to propagate roses:

(derived from an article by Stephen Scanniello)

Before you can do any planting, you'll need to learn how to get the right cutting. The best time to do this is right after the flowers begin to fade, (probably early Fall). Once you've planned the timing right, follow these steps for taking cuttings and rooting roses:

1. Start by cutting a 6-inch long stem that has three or four leaf clusters (you want this stem to be about the thickness of a pencil). Every spot that holds a leaf is a growing point where branches or roots can form. Once you've made the cut, shave or whittle the end of the stem into a point. Remove all the leaves except one set at the top.

1. Next, dip the point into a rooting hormone and shake off the excess.

1. Stick the stem into a clean 4-inch pot that's been rinsed with a mild bleach solution and filled with perlite or damp builder's sand. Push it in as far as you can, then put the entire pot into a zip-top plastic bag to make a mini greenhouse. Place your plant in a shaded area—not full sun where it'll be too hot.

1. Be patient as the roots form. “You will see leaf growth quickly, but that’s the plant faking you out,” says Scanniello. “It’s not rooting yet so be patient and leave it alone.”

An alternate method of rooting a new rose is to put your cutting in builder’s sand inside a gallon-sized zip-top plastic bag. “That makes it easier to see the roots, "says Scanniello. Just make sure to set it down upright so that the plant isn’t getting squashed inside the bag.

 Hope Wirta