Can I make time slow down?

It has been suggested that I slow down and let time catch up to me. Well, I don't think I can do that. I'm afraid if I slow down that means my batteries are running low (I'm borrowing this from someone else) and I might die. So, we'll just have to live life at whatever speed were're at.

Back to gardening. Most of my tips are good for anywhere but some slight adjustments might be needed. Let's take prunning for example. I've had two comments on prunning. There is nothing wrong with prunning shrubs and trees and it is almost impossible to kill a plant or tree by prunning. Just remember not to prune right after the tree or shrub puts out new growth. Prunning during this time makes the plant spend all that energy for growth and the plant receives no benefit from photosynthesis because you have prunned the leaves. . Thus putting the plant in stress. Stress is the number 1 killer of plants.

If you live in an area that has ice and snow then you should prune before the ice and snow but after the plant goes dormant (about a month after the leaves fall off). This type of prunning should be done for the purpose of lightening the tree because of bad growth patterns. Prunning before spring is for the purpose of shaping the shrub or tree. Any subsequent prunning , like before summeror before fall, is also for shaping or for releaving some stress in the plant. Never prune within two months of winter if you can help it. Because if you do then the plant will also go into shock because all the new growth will be burned by the cold weather.


During the winter the plants spend all thier energy below ground growing new roots. When spring comes the plants with thier new roots send up more nutrients then the plant had the previous year thus allowing the plant to grow larger.

During the spring the plant uses photosynthesis to provide nutrients for the leaves, branches, and all the roots. During the summer the plant tries to stay alive by almost going dormant and in some cases will go dormant by dropping its leaves if it is too hot. The leaves loose water through evaporation and so have to drink up water from the ground to come out even. The more hot it is the more water the plant needs. More water has to come in from the bottom (roots) then leave the leaves. If there is more water coming in from the roots then leave the leaves then the plant has excess water to provide growth if not then the plant goes dormant to survive.

During the fall the plant thinks it is time to grow again until the temperature starts dropping. In the fall the plant goes dormant and sends all the water (nutrients) from above the ground down below ground to help the roots grow. And so the cycle begins again.

In the spring the water goes up. In summer the water goes up or might stop. In the fall water goes down. In the winter the water stays below ground.



The cycle of life, Jorge