Wine Cellars

What a Mung Bean Plant Looks Like

The mung bean plant (Vigna radiata) is a close relative to cow pea, and is developed for dried and bananas beans for human consumption. Mung bean components are also grown as forage for livestock. Mung beans are similar in look to other kinds of beans, and are often known as golden gram, green graham and chop suey beans.

Mung Bean Plant Appearance

Mung bean plants resemble other kinds of garden beans. The plant height may vary significantly from 1 to 5 feet tall, depending on variety. The plants grow 3 -to 4-inch-long pods and every hold 10 to 15 seeds. A typical mung bean plant produces 30 to 40 pods per plant with several pods growing at every leaf axil. As the pods mature, they turn dark brown to black. Mung beans create pale yellow flowers near the surface of the plant in clusters of 12 to 15.

Growth Habit

Mung beans can get an upright or vine growth habit depending on variety. These highly branched plants have been warm season annuals of the legume family with three leaves comparable to other kinds of legumes. Plants are self-pollinated, therefore they do not rely on wind or insects. The mature seeds are round or oblong, and vary in colour from yellow to brown and to mottled green or black, depending on variety.

Mung Bean Growth Requirements

Mung beans need growing conditions similar to soybeans. The plants thrive in well-drained sandy loam with a pH between 5.8 and 7.2. Mung beans require a sunny location, since the crops are day-length sensitive; short days speed up long and flowering days delay bloom production. The beans are generally ready for harvest after 90 to 120 days of frost-free ailments. Mung beans have been harvested by pulling up the entire plant and hanging it upside down to dry.

Mung Bean Uses

Mung beans are employed in both refined and complete form in a variety of foods. The whole seeds are used to create sprouts for salads and other dishes as well as beans for soups. Processed forms of mung beans act as bean flavoring for soup bases and bean flour. Whole mung bean seeds are expensive and not cost effective for use as livestock feed; however, after bean processing and cleaning, leftover substances, such as cracked seed and splits, are used to feed livestock.

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Furnishings

How to Repair Cracked Limestone

Limestone is a soft, sedimentary stone made up of calcium. It can contain modest cracks called fissures at or beneath its surface. Over time, normal wear and tear can cause these fissures to open up broader into bigger cracks. If a crack appears in stone, it may detract visually from the rocks, and maybe weaken it also. Filling the crack using epoxy resin tinted to match the shade of the bunker both masks that the crack and gives the stone back its tensile strength.

Vacuum or sweep the crack in the bunker to eliminate any loose stone debris or dust. The crack needs to be totally clean and free of any loose stuff for the repair to hold.

Wipe acetone over the crack with a soft fabric. This cleans the crack and also prepares the surrounding stone to take the epoxy restoration.

Mix up the epoxy resin using the pigments till it matches the color of the stone. Put a few of those mixed epoxy to the syringe.

Inject the epoxy to the crack with the syringe. Begin at the far end and pull the syringe toward yourself as you push the plunger. Fill the crack until it’s level with the surrounding stone. If you overfill the crack, scrape the excess epoxy immediately with a craft stick or razor blade. Allow the repair harden for 24 hours.

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Wine Cellars

The Crops Not to Plant Following a Potato Crop

Increasing your personal potatoes can be a rewarding endeavor that’s also fun for kids as they dig up the tubers. As a result of the numerous varieties now available, potatoes can be grown in just about any climate as long as they have a sunny place with loose, healthful soil. Although it can be tempting to use the same garden bed annually for potatoes, the tubers and a lot of different crops should not be planted in those beds for at least one or even two decades.

Potatoes

A garden bed used for potatoes one year should not be used the following year for another harvest of potatoes. One issue with growing potatoes in precisely the same bed year after year is that potatoes are heavy feeders. Increasing another harvest of potatoes in the former year’s potato bed depletes the soil of nutrients, leading to low yields or reliance on fertilizer. Another problem is infection. If the very first crop of potatoes develops a disorder, then the next year’s harvest in precisely the same bed often has a much worse case of the disease. Repeated usage of land for potatoes was one of the main causes of the spread of blight that resulted in the Irish potato famine. Like illness, potato-destroying pests in the soil abound in the event that you severely plant their preferred food at precisely the same soil.

Solanaceae Family Members

Potatoes are part of the Solanaceae familymembers. This family also includes crops such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Because of their close family ties, those plants are all susceptible to the same diseases and pests. Even if your potatoes did not show signs of infection, the soil in which they grew still could harbor specific fungi that can make a mess of the roots of tomatoes the following growing season. All these family members have also comparable mineral needs, and pepper crops grown in the same soil that was used for potato plants that the former year might suffer from mineral deficiencies or have a low yield.

Root Vegetables

Although other root crops might have different nutrient needs and are not closely linked to potatoes, planting them following potatoes might be asking for trouble. Potatoes have a tendency to attract grubs and other underground pests that nibble on and invade the tubers. If you plant root crops such as beets, carrots or turnips after potatoes, then the pests will enjoy them just as much as they enjoyed your potatoes. Because the pests have had time to proliferate in the soil, the issue might be worse than it had been along with your potato crop.

Suitable Crops

Crop rotation might appear complex, but it’s only a few basic rules. First, do not plant a comparable plant just two years in a row. This means not putting other root crops or other members of the Solanaceae family following potatoes. Second, remember this rhyme for alternating the crops in your garden beds: beans, roots, greens, fruits. It’s a simplified form of crop rotation that works for most home gardens. Beans include peas and green beans that add nitrogen to soil. Roots include potatoes, turnips and beets. Greens can be any harvest harvested because of its leaves, ranging from cabbages to lettuce. Fruits include tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers and corn. Keeping crops within this rotation can help to reduce nutrient depletion soil and reduces the chance of pests and diseases running rampant. So, following your potatoes, then place that garden bed aside for something leafy.

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Tropical Style

What Is Best Way to Plant Ficus Trees in the Yard?

Ficus trees (Ficus spp.) Aren’t cold hardy, and as a result are more commonly grown inside than outside. You can develop these trees outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 or 10 through 11, depending on the species. Grown outside, these trees can reach massive sizes, from 50 to 60 feet high and having a spread of 100 feet.

Select the Right Spot

Your ficus tree will have to be planted in a place where it is not exposed to full sun all year. A sun-dappled yard, lined with big trees, will offer the right conditions for a youthful ficus to develop. Ficus like warm temperatures and high humidity. Both of these conditions might be difficult to supply in coastal regions, where temperatures tend to be moderate, and inland regions in which the atmosphere is dry and temperatures more intense. Most important for ficus is well-draining soil. Low-lying areas that are often wet and flooded aren’t suitable for ficus growth.

Give the Ficus Space

Whatever location you select for your ficus, you’ll have to make sure it has room to propagate and develop. Ficus roots could be pronounced across the bottom of the back, disrupting nearby sidewalks and other structures. These trees have also a spreading habit, often growing to be broader than they are tall. Ensure there is sufficient room for the tree to achieve its entire size without crowding out smaller trees or plants. You’ll need to present your tree at least 30 feet of room on all sides.

Amend the Soil

Ficus trees require moist soil that drains well. You can improve soil drainage in the area in which you wish to plant the ficus tree by amending the indigenous soil with organic matter like compost. Additionally, 1 cup of superphosphate added to every square yard of amended soil will help root growth. These soil alterations will help your tree get off to a good beginning, but as the tree matures, roots will spread to regions of that have yet to be amended. If your natural soil is often waterlogged, eventually this will kill the tree. To prevent this situation, plant the tree on land that has some ability to drain naturally. Obviously wet soil isn’t suitable for ficus trees.

Transplanting

The best time to transplant your ficus tree is in late spring when new growth has formed. The hole for the root ball should be no deeper than the root ball itself. When the tree is set in the ground, the roots should not fall lower to the soil when they did if they were in the container. The amended soil has to be packed to the hole around the root ball. Afterward, water the tree deeply. While it is becoming recognized, water the ficus twice every week to keep the soil moist.

Container Ficus

If you are a gardener who would like an outdoor ficus tree for most of the year, however your climate is too cold, consider planting your tree in a container which can be left outdoors during the spring and summer, and brought inside in late fall. The container has to be lightweight for effortless transportation, and you should use container-formulated growing medium to ensure proper drainage.

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Tropical Style

Problems Potting Seedling Trees

Seedling trees are still tender and subject to damage from handling when transplanting. Planting seedlings in plant pots allows the gardener to transfer the trees to secure areas when the weather turns harsh. The dirt and other growing states can be controlled when potted. Being mindful of potting issues before transplanting seedling trees helps the gardener prevent them.

Storage

The best time to plant seedling trees is as soon as they arrive, but sometimes that doesn’t occur. When the roots are exposed to air and sunlight, the roots can dry out and die. Set the tree seedling in a trendy location and keep the root ball moist while waiting to be transplanted. Spray the roots down with room-temperature water, and do not submerge the root ball for extended amounts of time. This denies the tree seedling oxygen and can drown the skin.

Container

The ideal container size is important because it directly affects the water-holding ability. Pick a plant pot only a few inches larger than the preceding container. A container also large allows too much water to surround the roots, while you too little doesn’t hold enough water and dries out too fast for the tree roots to absorb enough moisture.

Drainage

The plant pot must have drainage holes so that the water runs freely throughout the container. Without drainage holes, water stands at the plant pot surrounding the roots drowning the tree. If you cover the drainage holes using mesh stuff to hold the dirt inside the container, then ensure that you do not use fine mesh, or mesh using extremely small holes. Check to ensure that water flows through any mesh used to cover the holes at the plant pot.

Soil

Tree seedlings need lightweight dirt to live in containers. Don’t use garden soil, which can harbor garden pests and plant diseases. Heavy soil doesn’t allow the young roots to grow and distribute correctly. Create a fantastic soil mix for tree seedlings by mixing equal parts of sand, peat moss and bark or perlite. This mixture keeps the dirt loose and also carries enough moisture to maintain the roots healthy.

Roots

While transplanting the tree seedling, analyze the roots to see whether the plant is experiencing being tightly packed. Look for curiously dead and growing roots. Prune away the larger roots with hand pruners. Loosen the others by running your fingers through the root ball. Invite the roots to grow outwardindications Spread the roots out naturally when putting the seedling from the plant pot. Don’t point the roots upward.

Watering

Lousy watering habits are a frequent source of tree seedling death. Water the tree seedling intensely, right after transplanting in a container, and then only as required afterward. Water when the top of the soil feels dry to the touch, but do not let the soil become bone dry.

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Home Painting

How to Paint a Wrought Iron Indoor Glass Top Coffee Table

Wrought iron brings a touch of the rustic outdoors in your living space, but also much rustic isn’t always such a fantastic thing. Chipped or peeling paint — or even actual rust — may mar the effect you’re aiming for. Luckily, it’s not hard to paint wrought iron, and today’s metal paints offer you a veritable rainbow of color options.

Remove the glass top of the coffee table, and then place it aside in a safe place. Glass is heavier than it looks, so enlist a helper to move the glass. If the glass top doesn’t come off, wrap it in newspaper and tape it firmly using painter’s tape.

Spread a drop cloth on your own work space. If you’re spray painting indoors, cover the wall behind your work area also.

Squirt a little bit of dish soap into a little bucket of warm water. The specific amount does not matter; 2 to 3 squirts in about 1 quart of water should be sufficient. Wash the wrought iron using a sponge dampened in the soapy water. Get into all scrollwork and crevices. Rinse the table, then wipe it down and allow it to dry completely.

Sand the wrought iron using an emery cloth to remove any rust or flaking paint that washing didn’t eliminate. Go over the table base with a tack cloth to remove the sanding dust.

Wear a painter’s mask and masks, and be sure that the room is well ventilated. Shake the use of metal primer well for a moment or so and then coat the table foundation in long, even strokes. Let the primer dry for the time mentioned on the label.

Sand the dry primer quietly using 220-grit sandpaper to get a smoother finish. Wipe the table down with a tack cloth.

Put on your protective gear and spray on the table base using paint that is especially formulated to be used on metal. Let the paint dry completely. Employ your second coat within one hour of finishing the first coat to get the best results.

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Tropical Style

Is it OK to Water Your Own Tomato Plants at Night?

Tomatoes can be negatively affected by water. Water on the fruit and leaves can lead to disease. The timing of watering is of equal concern because certain diseases known to infect tomatoes are a larger threat during the evening, when temperatures are cooler.

Diseases

Watering at night can increase the probability of your tomato plant having problems with disease. Tomato diseases that are certain are the biggest threat whenever there are conditions and temperatures that are mild. This scenario can be created by watering at night.

Overwatering

It can negatively affect production and growth when tomato plants get water. Temperatures are cooler and less water will evaporate from the soil. In case you don’t take the evaporation rates into consideration the incidence of over-watering cans increase.

Tricky Tomato

Following a warm day, leaves of a tomato plant may start to show signs of wilting. If allowed to sit overnight at the cooler temperatures, the leaves will perk up. them, When the leaves have not perked up by morning.

When to Water

Watering early in the day is the most appropriate for tomatoes. It allows time for the plants to dry out before the day and reduces the amount of water lost from evaporation. This is also the practice for preventing diseases on your tomatoes.

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Home Painting

How to Care for Sheer Linen Drapes

Sheer linen drapes enable diffused light into a room while providing privacy. Linen, made from the flax plant, which supplies a durable selection for otherwise delicate sheers because even the thin fabric can withstand daily wear. Linen sheers need minimal care except for periodic cleaning. Dust and dirt might dirt the sheers, but it is possible to wash them in the home as needed so they remain looking their finest. Linen does wrinkle easily, especially after washing, so plan to tackle the wrinkles immediately following a cleaning.

Assess the distance between the hooks if you use a clip-on style hook. Note the measurement so it’s possible to replace the hooks following cleaning in the same distance. Measuring is not required for rod pocket sheers or those with sewn or grommet hook holes.

Set the washing machine to the warm water setting and allow it to fill. Add a mild laundry detergent to the wash water and stir it with a paint stirrer or laundry stick until it dissolves.

Press the sheers into the water following the device fills with water. Only add two or three drapes, or enough to get a half load.

Run the washing machine on the gentle cycle for three minutes, which is long enough to take out the dirt from the sheers but won’t make the fine linen to tangle.

Turn the machine putting to your rinse cycle to get a final rinse. Adjust the temperature to cold water. Rinse and drain your machine, but turn it off before the spin cycle.

Eliminate the linen sheers from the machine. Dry in a tumble drier with two little terrycloth towels, setting the drier on the permanent press setting. Run the dryer for several minutes to eliminate most of the excess moisture.

Replace the curtain hooks and hang the sheers instantly while they’re still damp. Straighten pleats and corners. Linen dries with fewer wrinkles when it is hanging.

Place an ironing board close to the curtain and drape the curtain over the board while it’s still hanging. Press the damp linen with a iron to the medium heat setting to eliminate any wrinkles. Linen releases wrinkles readily when it is damp.

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Tropical Style

Plants that are beneficial for Windowless Offices

Although green plants are not a substitute for a window, plants bring a little bit of the natural environment to a windowless office, with benefits that stretch beyond their ornamental qualities. A study by Washington State University’s Manager of Horticulture implies that plants produce a much healthier environment and increase productivity by lowering employee stress and exhaustion. Though most plants need a few hours of daily sunlight, a few hardy plants withstand low light.

Cast-Iron Plant

Cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior) is a tough, reliable, low-light plant that reaches heights of 18 to 24 inches at maturity. The plant tolerates a number of conditions, including owner negligence, moist dust and leaf. Ideally, cast-iron plant is watered frequently enough to keep the potting mixture evenly moist but not soggy. Cast -iron plant thrives in normal daytime temperatures and cool nighttime temperatures of about 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chinese Evergreen

Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema) is a showy, low-maintenance plant which adapts easily to low-light conditions. The leaves of Chinese evergreen range from light green to dark green, with grey or silvery streaks based on the range. Size of this plant from 1 to 3 feet — also varies. Chinese evergreen prefers evenly moist soil and nighttime temperatures of 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Snake Plant

Named for its stiff, spiky leaves, snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata), also known as mother-in-law’s tongue, is an impressive plant which tolerates nearly any light level and normal room temperatures. The green leaves, together with bands of dark green, white or yellow, attain heights of up to 4 feet. Snake plant is a drought-tolerant plant which requires very little water, particularly during the winter.

Passion Lily

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum) is a flexible plant which displays deep green, sword-like leaves, reaching adult heights of two feet. The plant blooms sometimes throughout the year, even in low-light conditions. The blooms, which continue as long as six weeks, are white when they appear, eventually turning light green. Peace lily is a low-maintenance plant that prefers evenly moist soil and normal room temperatures.

Dracaena

Dracaena (Dracaena marginata) is a tough, elastic plant which eventually grows a thick trunk and a tree-like shape, reaching heights of up to 8 feet. Dracaena comes in many varieties, including corn plant (Dracaena fragrans), appropriately named for its corn-like leaves; dragon tree (Dracaena marginata), with narrow, maroon-striped leaves; gold dust dracaena (Dracaena godseffiana), with rounded, gold and white speckled leaves; and striped dracaena, (Dracaena deremensis), that displays shiny leaves with grey and white stripes. Dracaena thrives in evenly moist soil and normal room temperatures.

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Home Cleaning

How to carry out a Safe Upholstery Cleaning for Home Needs

Whether it’s an elegant tufted headboard or the couch you couch on every evening, wash the fabric effectively without harsh substances by sticking to goods you probably already have in the home. Decide whether your furniture’s fabric is water- or solvent-cleanable by looking for a “W” or “S” on the label or reading the maintenance manual provided by the maker. To get “W” or water-cleanable fabrics, vacuum thoroughly, treat stains and clean using steam or sudsy water. If you’ve “S” or solvent-only upholstery, vacuum, treat stains and absorb smells with baking soda or kill bacteria with vodka. Test every product suggested in a hidden area before using it on your upholstery.

Eliminate the Dirt

The majority of the dust covering your upholstery is loose dirt and dust which you can suction off with your vacuum cleaner. If your upholstery has tufted areas or deep seams, use a can of compressed air to blow the dust and dirt out. Then, fasten the upholstery attachment to the hose of your vacuum and vacuum left to right across the fabric, starting from the top and working your way down. Finish by scrubbing in the direction you desire the fibers of this upholstery to lay. Fix your method to your particular piece of furniture: Utilize a crevice tool to enter hard-to-reach-areas; remove cushions to vacuum all sides and underneath; or put your vacuum to the smallest possible setting and then cover the attachment with an old piece of pantyhose when cleaning delicate fabric.

Treat Visible Stains

Identify and treat discoloration right once you vacuum; scrubbing first prevents grinding loose dirt to the fabric while you spot treat. For most stains on water-cleanable upholstery, combine equal parts light, fragrance-free dish soap and water and whip the combination until frothy peaks form. Incorporate a white cloth or soft brush in the solution and gently exercise any stains, then rinsing with a wet, clean rag when you’re done. Treat tough stains, including wine spills, soil marks and grass stains, on water-cleanable and marks on solvent-only fabrics with 3-percent hydrogen peroxide. Wet the corner of a white rag and then dab the stain until it lifts. Plain vodka employed in precisely the same manner works beautifully also, especially for oily stains. In some cases you can clean overall discoloration from solvent-only fabrics using the whipped soap, however analyze the option in a hidden area.

Deep Cleaning Water-Washable Upholstery

Utilize a steam cleaner along with the suds made when you add a few drops of mild dish soap to water to offer water-washable upholstery a comprehensive cleaning. Steam cleaning uses steam sprayed from a nozzle to kill odor-causing bacteria. If you choose to wash with dish soap, mix the water and soap until suds form on the surface. Slide a soft brush in just the suds and gently apply it to the upholstery with gentle strokes. Rinse well with a wet sponge when you’re done, dry the upholstery fast by turning on fans and opening windows, fill out a spray bottle with half distilled vinegar, half water. Apply this evenly to the upholstery and allow it to dry; the vinegar dissolves some lingering soap deposits.

Deodorizing Solvent-Washable Upholstery

Solvent-cleanable fabrics often require harsh cleaning chemicals for cleaning. However, if you vacuum thoroughly and treat stains using vodka or peroxide, then all that is left is to remove odors. Sprinkle baking soda evenly above the upholstery, wait a minimum of two hours and then vacuum it up. To get heavily-soiled fabric, spray the upholstery down first using economical plain vodka. Apply it in an even layer, allow it to dry and then proceed with the baking soda system. Meanwhile, the vodka kills germs and refreshes the fabric without leaving any unpleasant residue.

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