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Taking care of Air Plants

Did you know the reason why this unique plant is nicknamed “Air Plants” because they get the majority of their nutrients from the air? Their true name is Tillandsia. Although air plants used to be a rare greenery, these hardy plants have become popular in the past couple years, so you can find them at almost any garden center—or even in the check-out line at the grocery store. There are also a number of online nurseries specializing in air plants.

These low-maintenance plants are the perfect little companions for home, work or school. They require very little up-keep, and are a nice green addition to brighten any setting regardless of the season.

They should not be placed in soil, and they love bright, indirect sunlight, or artificial light, and require good air circulation. A good sign for whether or not they are thirsty is the curvature of the leaves of your Air Plant. They will curl in as they are getting a little too dry. Their roots are only there for anchoring them as they grow, but are not necessary to maintain, and can be trimmed down without harm to the plant. If the tips of the plant begin to dry out, it is a sign that they might be getting too much direct sunlight or are a little dry.

If one of your plants looks severely dried out, pull off the bottom dried parts and place the plant in a bowl of water for several hours. In the winter, if your home’s heater is on, your air plants may look a little dry. Simply mist them with water (concentrating on the base of the plant) every few days to keep them looking fresh. When taking care of the plant Water/mist/soak more often if it is hot and dry, and less often when it is cold, dark or damp.

Many of the 3D printed planters that are listed at Flymeawaycreations shop works great with air plants! One of the newest planters that were just added this month (November) A cute whale works great holding small or medium size air plants! You can follow the link below to see the whale planter and many more 3D printed planters at the shop!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/643329634/whale-planter-for-air-plants

Gardening with Praying Mantis

The praying mantis is probably the largest insect you’ll see in your garden, and this predatory species is always on the prowl, eating pretty much any other insect that moves. The appearances of these insects can instantly spark curiosity among people who are able to see it. One of the things that people usually ask about praying mantises is their habitat. This is because many kids want to know if they would be able to find praying mantises in the backyards of their own homes.

I have several gardens throughout my yard and I’ve made the commitment to organic gardening. Attracting ladybugs and praying mantises is allowing me to get rid of pests without using chemicals. Beneficial insects often visit your garden by themselves if they can find an abundant food source. If ladybugs and praying mantises haven’t found your garden yet, attract them by providing water, ground cover and fragrant, colorful plants. Bushes are the preferred habitat for newly hatched praying mantis, so landscapes that include plenty of shrubbery usually have an abundance of this predatory insect.

Provide beneficial insects with ground cover for protection. During the day, insects need protection from predators, particularly birds and larger insects. Grow a low-growing plant, such as thyme or oregano, to give insects the cover they need. Alternatively, cover the soil with a layer of straw mulch or cut leaves. Also, practice organic pest control. Refrain from using any type of chemicals, including pesticides, in your garden. Pesticides kill most types of insects indiscriminately, making it impossible for praying mantises and ladybugs to live in the garden.

In gardens, praying mantises can feed on flies, mosquitoes, moths, and even roaches. They also prey these insects from day to night. There are a lot of kinds of moths that are responsible in damaging the appearances of leaves because they chew away the edges. Mantises can help control moth population in your garden!

I had the opportunity to see a praying mantis visiting one of my gardens a few weeks ago. I didn’t see it at first until I went into the house and turned around and it leaped onto my front door!

Herbal Tea Garden

Our family is expanded our southern tea choices to a few herbal teas over the past few weeks. Herbal teas can come in a wide range of tastes and flavors and make a tempting alternative to sugary beverages or water. In addition to being delicious, some herbal teas have health-promoting properties.

A tea garden is a delightful hobby. It will offer you with the delight of fresh herbal teas. You can drink a single herbal tea on its own, or you can try mixing together 2 or 3 different complementary herbal flavors with your southern sweet tea or Green tea! You can grow herbs for tea in relatively little space. If you choose to only include 1 or 2 tea herbs in your garden. It’s easy to grow your tea garden in the kitchen or inside near a window. Flymeawaycreations has several planters that work great starting out your tea garden. One planter that the shop offers is 3D printed Pyramid hanging planter or the Vintage metal lace planter. These planters can be hung by a window and offer a great way to showcase your herbal plants!

Most types of tea herb will thrive in fertile, well-drained soil. You can purchase fertilized soil at a garden supply center, or add your own compost to enrich the soil in your garden. There is a variety of herbs that create a smoothing tea. Such as peppermint plant, its tea is a perennial favorite for many people. Peppermint is generally easy to grow and enjoys semi-shaded spots. This herbal plant is great to plant indoors and especially is does not need full sun all day to thrive, so it can be planted in any room with partial sun light.

Have you consider planting lavender? Lavender leaves are a delightful, softly fragrant tisane that is perfect for making a soothing cup of tea. Lavender grows well when placed in in full sun. Plant your lavender in well-drained soil. It prefers not to be over-watered, so only water the lavender when its soil is completely dry. The lavender buds and flowers are both used for tea. Similarly to peppermint tea, lavender tea is recommended for reducing tension in your body and soothing headaches. I love making Lavender lemonade as well, you can check out my self-awareness blog to find the recipe to create this flavorful drink!

Lastly, chamomile is one of the more common herbs used in teas. It is a delightful apple-scented herb, which is traditionally used to induce calm and sleep. Chamomile needs full sun to semi-shade. Chamomile flowers are easily grown from seeds. The flowers are the preferred part for making the tea! The tea is a caffeine-free alternative to black or green tea and for its earthy, somewhat sweet taste that is loaded with antioxidants that could help lowers your risk of several diseases, including heart disease and cancer.

By following the links below you can see the different types of hanging planters that the shop offers to help start your Herbal Tea Garden inside!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/604127762/hanging-planter-3d-printed-pyramid

https://www.etsy.com/listing/188713701/hanging-metal-planter

Holiday Promotion ideas for Business

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The holiday season is upon us. And it provides many unique opportunities for different types of shops to market towards customers. There are ways you can promote your business throughout the coming months. I have listed a few ideas you can use to market your business this holiday season, which I hope could work for you!

The holiday shopping season is a great time to bring in some repeat business. Try offering coupons with a purchase of an item, and then the customer could have the choice to come back at a later date to purchase another item for themselves or that special someone.

Donating to a cause is another unique way to promote your business for the good. Perhaps donating a small percentage to a local charity or an organization shows your customers that you care and it also spreads your business name to others.

Another creative way to promote during the holiday season is selling at craft fairs! This way you can show your items in front of more eyes by showcasing them at special shows or events throughout the holiday season. I love selling locally, if you have not tried this way… you should try!… Check out my Selling at Craft Fair blog for great tips!

Lastly, create a 12 Days of Christmas Sale this could encourage shoppers to shop more than once at your shop during the holiday season. You can host a special sale where people can get specific products or deals for twelve days leading up to Christmas. You can even throw in some fun themed days to really get people into the spirit. ( Flymeawaycreations shop will be offering this technique)

Today everyone is on social media and sharing posts with their followers on Instagram, so why not create a specific hashtag that people can use to show off how they use your products in holiday gifts, recipes, parties and more. If you are still looking for more ways to increase engagement on Instagram throughout the holidays, try using popular hashtags!

#ChristmasShopping

#HolidaySavings

#BlackFriday

#CyberMonday

#Gifts

#StockingStuffer

#WishList

#ChristmasCountDown

#ChristmasPresents

In the end, when using hashtags and promoting tips, remember to have fun with it! Find hashtags and creative promoting ways that express your personality and create interest in your brand. You can follow & visit Flymeawaycreations shop by visiting the links below:

www.Flymeawaycreations.com www.instagram.com/Flymeawaycreations www.facebook.com/flymeawaycreations

Gardening with Bees

During the spring and summer you will notice many bees in the flower gardens. Bees love bee balm, cosmos, Echinacea, snapdragons foxglove, and hosta in the summer. I have many of these flowers throughout my flower bed gardens. As for the fall season zinnias, sedum, asters, witch hazel and goldenrod are late bloomers that will tempt foragers.

Bees need to store up pollen and nectar to survive winter hibernation. The first step to having fall blooming flowers is planting your flowers in the spring!

A few fall blooming flowers are Basil, Borage, and Lemon Balm.

Basil can be left to flower in the fall, attracting many kinds of pollinators. It will also allow you to collect your own seeds! (I have several Basil plants planted in flower pots and throughout my garden.)

Borage, also called ‘bee bush’ is a self-seeding annual that will enchantment any garden area with an abundance of star-shaped purple flower that will bloom all season long and delight the bees. It will grow best in full sun.

Lemon Balm: is a delightful plant in the mint family. Its fall flowers will attract many pollinators in the fall. Although mints tend to take over an area with runners, lemon balm simply expands by clumping. It can easily be divided and spread around the garden. I love to grow it near vegetables, for the lemon scent repels pests, and it can be cut to use as fertilizer. It also makes the most wonderful tea.

These flowers above are just the beginning to create a fall blooming Bee garden, you can visit this helpful website to learn more about bees and planting for them.

https://thehoneybeeconservancy.org/plant-a-bee-garden/

A member of Flymeawaycreations shop created a pair of cute candles that represent honeycombs, which are made from bees wax. You can check out these adorable candles by visiting the shop at

www.Flymeawaycreations.com

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