The Citizen, 2005-10-20, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2005.
Tree care essential for cold weather months
(MS) — Many homeowners
operate under the misconception that
once winter weather arrives, they no
longer need to care for outdoor
plants. While you certainly won’t be
planting a row of zinnias when snow
is falling, you should care for trees
that could take a beating from
Mother Nature’s cold and icy wrath
(his time of year.
Just as people battle the snow and
wind, so do trees ... with one major
exception: Trees can’t hide inside to
avoid exposure to the elements.
Don't worry! There are a few steps
you can take to ensure your trees
will remain healthy throughout the
winter, and bloom heartily when the
warm weather resumes.
"While your trees seem to be in a
state of hibernation in the winter,
exposure to the tough conditions can
cause them major stress,” says Jim
Skiera, executive director of the
International Society of
Feng shui helps you
achieve home harmony
(MS) — Feng shui has been
dubbed “acupuncture for your
house.” In recent years, it has grown
in popularity in the west and around
the world.
Several corporate businesses and
thousands of homeowners and
apartment dwellers have designed
spaces according to feng shui
principles, and it has been rumoured
that the British Royal Family has
consulted with feng shui experts at
times.
Naysayers cannot fathom how
shifting the placement of furniture
can change your luck, or why
repositioning a mirror can improve
your wealth. However, proponents
of feng shui say that the ancient
Chinese practice can give the home
and your life the makeover it needs.
According to practioners feng shui
can bring warmth, harmony and
well-being to your home. By using it
correctly, you can create a home
environment that promotes the flow
of positive energy, while
discouraging the flow of negative
and destructive energy.
Feng shui is the Chinese system of
living harmoniously with the natural
elements and forces of earth. At its
core is a regard to chi (pronounced
chee). Chi is invisible energy that
runs through all things — animate
and inanimate.
In order to live well and prosper,
feng shui practitioners believe you
need a healthy flow of this force in
and around your home, chi is energy,
and when it is absent, life can be
‘blocked’ and filled with obstacles.”
Where positive (good) chi gathers,
life can be filled with opportunities
and luck. Therefore, you must assess
how the chi is running through your
home space and correct anything
that prevents the adequate flow of
the energy. Feng shui is the art of
creating living and working spaces
that are comfortable, supportive,
attractive and harmonious with their
environments. The main goal of feng
shui is based on the premise that
people lead healthier, happier and
more prosperous lives when their
interior space is in balance.
HOME IMPROVEMENT TIPS
USING THE PRINCIPLES OF
FENG SHUI
[here are two types of chi:
positive/good chi and negative chi.
Arboriculture (ISA). “Minimize
stress by helping your trees through
the cold months, a little at a time. If
you take care of your trees in the
winter, you’ll be rewarded in the
spring.”
Here are some winter tree-care
tips, courtesy.of the ISA:
Rely on mulch. Put composted
organic mulch under your tree in the
fall or early winter to help retain
water and reduce temperature
extremes in the soil. A thin layer of
mulch will act like a blanket and
give the tree’s roots a little extra
protection.
Give your trees a drink. Winter
droughts require watering as much
as summer droughts. If temperatures
permit, an occasional watering
during the winter on young trees can
be a lifesaver. But be sure to water
when soil and trees are cool but not
frozen.
Prevent mechanical injuries.
The goals in feng shui are to
deflect/diffuse the negative and
enhance the good chi. For example,
in the bedroom, place your bed
against the wall, but not in between
two doors and never exposed to a
window. The bed should have no
clutter underneath so that positive
energy can flow around it.
Love is very powerful. If you do
not have a'favourable attachment to
objects in your room, remove them
from your space. Only fill your
home with things you love and have
good energy attached to them.
Create good energy in all areas of
the home. For example, a dining
room cramped with stuff and clutter
can possibly create a feeling of
pressure in family relationships and
inhibit good digestion. Too much
heavy and dark furniture —
especially when squeezed into very
small space — also generates a
heavy dark feeling and blocks the
flow of energy.
Fix everything in the home that is
broken, chipped and not working.
T
Branch breakage or splitting can be
caused by
accumulation
rubbing by
ice and snow
or chewing and
animals. Prevent
problems with young trees by
wrapping their base in a hard, plastic
guard or a metal hardware cloth.
Wrapping trees with burlap or
plastic cloth can also prevent
temperature damage. Just remember
to remove the wraps and guards in
the spring to prevent damage when
the tree begins to grow. In addition,
when plowing or shoveling snow, be
mindful of trees nearby. Damage to
limbs and trunks from plow blades
or a sharp shovel can be detrimental
to trees.
Prune your trees. Winter is a good
time to prune your trees. Not only
are trees dormant in the winter, but it
is also easier to see a tree’s structure
when there are no leaves on the
branches.
"Proper pruning is vital to the
De-clutter the home. Clutter
prevents the flow of good chi,
symbolizing stagnant, choked
energy. To let the good chi in, keep
your home orderly.
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health of trees and plants, in part
because it helps relieve stress on
trees and keeps them growing,” says
Skiera. “Just be aware that each tree
is different, and pruning at the wrong
time or the wrong way can injure a
tree or make it susceptible to
disease.”
Pruning helps keep surrounding
areas safe for people and objects by
removing frail branches. But too
much pruning can create more
problems than it solves, Skiera adds,
advising homeowners to prune
annually and lightly instead of all at
once. When in doubt, consult a local
arborist for advice.
Here are a few pointers:
• General T
Carpentry
• Roofing
• New Buildings
& Renovations
• Always have a purpose in mind
before you cut. Removing dead or
diseased wood, providing clearance,
or improving shape and structure are
most common.
• Proper technique is essential.
Poor pruning technique can cause
long-term damage. Learn how to
make proper cuts. Small cuts do less
damage to a tree than large cuts.
Unlike people’s wounds that heal by
themselves, tree wounds do not heal,
they simply close. Smaller cuts close
more quickly. Make cuts just outside
the branch collar for quick-wound
closure.
• Avoid leaving stubs.
• Keep tools sharp and clean.
- I