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Potatoes, taters, spudscall them what you will, potatoes are a staple in the diet of many people all over the planet. Potatoes are a nutritious, versatile vegetable, and they’re incredibly easy to grow. But before you run out to the garden with your shovel and hoe, there are a few things you should know about planting potatoes.

You may have heard old timers say that potatoes should always be planted on Good Friday. This old wives’ tale is absolutely absurd. Good Friday does not fall on the same calendar date each year and can fall anywhere from early March to mid April. If folks in New England or the upper Midwest tried to plant potatoes on Good Friday, many years they’d be digging through rock-hard soil that was still frozen solid.

Do not plant potatoes too early, while the ground is still icy. If the ground is too cold and wet, the seed potatoes will delay sprouting until the growing conditions are more favorable. This is usually in early March to late April, depending on the climate. Potatoes do tolerate cool soil and a light frost, but not much growth will take place until the soil warms up a bit.

You won’t find potato seedlings or packets of potato seeds for sale at your local garden center. Instead, potatoes are grown from seed potatoes. A seed potato is nothing more than an ordinary potato, with at least one “eye”.

Back in the day before supermarkets, when gardens supplied most of the food put on the table, the last of the potatoes in the storage bin come spring were used for seed potatoes. Wise gardeners set aside their blemish-free, healthiest potatoes for seed. Seed potatoes can be planted whole, or they may be cut into pieces with at least one eye per piece. Seed potatoes with more eyes will grow to produce a larger quantity of potatoes but the potatoes will generally be smaller. Seed potatoes with fewer eyes will produce fewer potatoes, but those potatoes will tend to be larger.

If you choose to cut your seed potatoes into smaller pieces, divide them a day prior to planting. This allows the cuts to heal over slightly, which helps to prevent soil-borne diseases from infecting your potato crop. Always choose seed potatoes that are free from blemishes.

Plant your whole or cut seed potatoes two to three inches deep in good, rich soil. Rows of potatoes should be about three feet apart and the potatoes within the row should be planted twelve inches apart. If your potato crop has suffered from scab in the past, toss a small handful of dry pine needles in the holes beneath your seed potatoes. Along with moving your potatoes to a different section of the garden each year, this will help prevent further scab infection. Potato scab appears as rough patches on the skin of the potatoes.

Depending on the warmth of the soil, potato plants will begin to emerge from the soil anywhere from one to three weeks after planting. When the plants are about a foot tall, use your hoe to mound six to eight inches of soil continuously along the entire row of plants. This is called hilling. Hilling ensures that the potatoes will grow deeply under the soil, away from sunlight which would cause them to become green. Potatoes that suffer from greening will be bitter and the inedible green parts must be discarded.

Keep the potato plants evenly watered while they are growing. A dry period followed by a rainy spell will cause some potato varieties to develop a hollow core. Yukon Gold potatoes seem to be especially prone to this problem.

Another potential problem with potatoes is the Colorado potato beetle. The larvae and adult beetles will feed on the potato foliage, and a heavy infestation can damage the foliage enough to reduce your harvest considerably. Watch for the beetle’s yellow eggs on the undersides of leaves and crush the clusters whenever you see them. Larvae are a deep orange color with a row of black spots on both sides, while the adults are a paler orange with black stripes on the body and black spots on the head. The larvae and adults can be picked off the leaves and crushed if there are only a few. An infestation can also be controlled with Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt. Bt is an organic control that is very safe to use. Look for Bt that is specifically for potato beetles. It is sold in many garden catalogs and garden centers.

Once your potato plants have bloomed, you can begin to harvest small “new” potatoes. Depending on the variety of potatoes you’re growing, this is about eight weeks after planting. In the fall, after the foliage has begun to dry and die back, the entire crop can be dug. Before storing them in a cool, dry and dark place, make sure the surface of your freshly dug spuds has dried a bit. Spread them out in a dry spot out of direct sun, such as a garage or shed, for a day or two before putting them in storage.

Freshly dug, crisp potatoes taste better than any you’ll buy at a grocery store. Grow some yourself and discover how easy and fun it is to produce a staple crop of delicious potatoes for your family.

You are welcome to use this article on your website or in your newsletter as long as you reprint it as is, including the contact information at the end. Website URLs must be active links.

Kathy Anderson has been an avid gardener for many years and has grown
tomatoes by the acre, along with many other vegetables, flowers and
landscape plants. Kathy recommends http://www.freeplants.com as a
great place to learn more about gardening. Article provided by
http://gardening-articles.com. If you use this article the above links
must be active.

[tags]potatoes, planting potatoes, potato scab, potato beetles, seed potatoes[/tags]

There’s nothing quite like decorating the Christmas tree to mark the start of the festive season. Whether you’ve decided to have a real tree or an artificial one, everyone can enjoy the ritual of hanging the lights, draping the garlands and swags and trimming the tree with your favorite Christmas ornaments.

So as the moment approaches to bring out your favorite ornaments from their year-long storage, it’s time to decide what sort of tree decoration you want. For some people, trimming the tree involves a carefully thought out design. Perhaps your theme will be a single color this year — maybe all white, silver or gold. On the other hand, your decorations and ornaments may represent an eclectic mixture of shapes, patterns and styles to create an effect that’s uniquely you.

One rule about choosing Christmas tree decorations is that there are no rules! Don’t let the style police dictate the way you deck your holiday evergreen: this is one time, at least, when you’re free to let your personal taste and style reign supreme.

Whatever your choice, there are some basic principles to help you decorate your tree with pizzazz. Once it’s safely set up on its stand, have your ornaments, lights and accessories ready to one side. Here’s an order of steps to make the task easier:

1. Put the lights on first. Don’t try to wrap a cord of lights around a tree that already has ornaments hanging on it. Placing some of the lights further back on the branches will emphasize depth and leave more room for other items.
2. Make sure you have enough lights to create the effect you want. You can go with all one color or have a contrasting multicolored effect. Your other decorations will reflect the lights to create a dazzling display.
3. Try to distribute the lights evenly across the tree to avoid a ‘bunching’ effect. You can find lighting sets that are arranged as a net that can be draped over the tree. These can produce a very regular distribution, although this kind of wiring can be harder to disguise within the branches.
4. If you like to use garlands, beads or tinsel, work from the top of the tree downwards. Once again, try to space them evenly and avoid a ‘layered’ effect.
5. Hang your ornaments last. That way, you’ll be less likely to knock delicate items from their branches.
6. Think about the effect that different arrangements would create: for example, you could distribute your larger pieces evenly across the tree and then fill the spaces in between with smaller items — or perhaps create clusters of shapes and sizes in areas that will be more prominent.
7. Don’t forget to crown your tree with your favorite topper - an angel, a star or some other special ornament. Then stand back and admire your handiwork!

Whether you’re young in years or simply young at heart, the magic of dressing a Christmas tree never ceases to bring joy and wonder to mark the start of the holiday season.

What sort of Christmas decorations will you have this year? Are you looking for a real Christmas tree or an artificial one?

Visit All-Your.Info/Christmas-Trees for trees, Christmas tree ornaments sets and accessories.

[tags]Christmas tree,Christmas,decorate,decorations,ornaments,lights,Xmas[/tags]

Decorating your home doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, maybe all you need are a couple of well placed art prints.
A plain wall can really look boring, but having a quality framed art print on your wall can really add the
needed finishing touch to create the illusion of a perfect room. Just imagine a room with a bare wall versus
a living room with a large art print of a beautiful scenic image of nature like a national park, a waterfall, or maybe the Grand
Canyon. Today, thanks to the Internet, in scenic art prints alone you can literally choose between thousands of art prints online and have them delivered to your door. Scenic images are available for beaches, oceans, castles, sky lines, lighthouses, meadows, rainbows, seasonal nature scenes, tropics, sunsets, and my favorite, western art.

In choosing a work of art for your home wall, you, of course, have to consider the function of the room you are
shopping for and your own personality. While your teenager might want a poster of the latest movie like Pirates of the Caribbean on their wall put up with thumb tacks, you’ll probably want something a bit more elegant for your living room. If you have a home library, you might want a historical piece, perhaps showcasing one of the Presidents, American history, education, or world culture fine art prints. Perhaps something by one of the great artists like Vincent Van Gogh would be fitting for your home.

Obviously the atmosphere you want to represent in your home is of key importance. If you want a western feel to your home then art featuring horses, cattle herding, canyons, wagon trains, and of course western sunsets should be right up your alley. It’s all a matter of capturing your personality with the look and feel of your home.

If it’s a garage or work area it doesn’t hurt to add an poster of a classic car. Images of Elvis Presley, James Dean, or other classic 1950’s images really go well in areas like this.

If you’re a collector at heart then you might consider a vintage art print. These are considered art today, but once they were simply ads for products like soap, Coca Cola, travel, and magazines.

For the collector of entertainment related items, like movie posters and comic book characters, take note that these posters have never been hotter. Original movie posters are becoming extremely collectible. Movie posters are great for the contemporary home or family rooms.

Shopping online for art prints offers a wider selection than you can possibly imagine. There is no other logical way to shop for
fine art, particularly if you are searching for a that perfect art print or poster or have an item already in mind you’re looking for.

This article is by http://www.posterlovers.com
the home for art prints and posters find what you are looking for to decorate your home.

[tags]Decorating, home, art prints, posters, wall, living room, scenic, image[/tags]

This is an interesting article about manufacturer’s warranties and buying your flooring online! There have been a few concerns addressed by customers about warranty protection. When you purchase specialty hardwood flooring, cork flooring, and laminate flooring products online very few flooring manufacturers have a policy regarding the purchase of their products via the Internet. When you do find a merchant that has a policy, the wording can be a little confusing. In an initial review of their warranty details you somehow get the impression that if you purchase on online it voids your warranty, but nothing could be further from the truth! It is illegal, in fact, for any manufacturer to void a warranty based solely on the premise that your purchase was made online.

Whether you purchase your hardwood flooring from a bricks and mortar store or from an online retailer, if the manufacturer is not an authorized distributor there will probably be no warranty protection. So therefore, if you’re purchasing laminate flooring online, ensure that the merchant you deal with is an authorized distributor of that flooring product.

Any warranty claims are usually a result of damage caused by faulty installations rather than the material itself being faulty. When you’re undertaking your next flooring project it would be a good idea to keep this point in mind. If you are a “do-it-yourselfer”, remember to follow the installation procedures of the manufacturers very closely. If you have any doubts at all in your abilities, by all means hire a flooring professional to install your floor. Rest assured, as long as you deal with an authorized distributor of a specific flooring product such as bamboo flooring, cork flooring, or hardwood flooring, there is no problem. Online encryption is a security feature offered by most vendors to make your online purchasing experience even safer and more secure. Purchasing online and getting fantastic deals are what it’s all about! Happy shopping!

By Terry Price- Remember to visit: http://www.hardwood-flooring-discount.com/bamboo-flooring.html for some excellent information on laminate flooring, cork flooring and more! http://www.hardwood-flooring-discount.com/119-discount-pergo-flooring.html

[tags]hardwood flooring, cork flooring, laminate flooring, bamboo flooring[/tags]

When I think of decorating a room with posters, I think of the 70’s with black light, velvet and the famous Farrah Fawcett poster.

Times have changed and decorating with posters have also changed. Poster has now become a theme based decorating style. Not just poster of the latest hottie from a magazine. Here are some poster theme ideas.

Movie theme.

Movie posters have been around for forever. For the movie buff, movie poster can be based on era, director, actors, or even genre. An example would be Steven Spielberg. You could start out with ET and finish up with War of the worlds.

Sports

Mohamed Ali tribute of poster is a great example. There are so many sport posters to pick from. Poster themes could include boxing greats, baseball or even chronicle the life of Lance Armstrong.

Americana

There are some fabulous Americana posters available for a patriotic look. There are poster of the Declaration of Independence, George Washington crossing the Delaware and the Flag.

Cars

Car posters have been around as long as cars. You could have the history of the Corvette in a very decorative manner with the entire posters available now. You don’t have to have the large looking posters and turn your room into a garage.

Vintage Advertisements

These have probably have came the farthest regarding decorative posters. You can find some of the best vintage advertisement art in posters. Some examples are the Martini & Rossi Art Print, Sourse Brault and the Caf

Today is Thursday the 23rd of June and we’re almost halfway through the summer can you believe it. It seem to me that you wait and wait to get past the winter (at least here in the Northeast) then some years a wet soggy spring and finally your rewarded with sunny warm weather.

Once it arrives you run madly around getting your yard ready for outdoor activities. You dash off the the local nursery to purchase a few new perennials (that you hope will grow) several varieties of annuals to fill up the pots for the steps, Oh yes and don’t forget the hanging baskets.

Now you don’t mind paying (in some cases) ridicules prices for these beautiful flowers after you’ve waited it seems like forever just to be able to put them out and admire them.
I’m sure that most of you (this author is not included here) have already gotten your yard, gardens, patios and decks spruced up and have already been enjoying this wonderful summer season.

No, well if you happen to be a late starter (this is where yours truly comes in) it’s not to late. In fact here is my list, maybe you can use it to get ready and start having fun.

Let’s see, Saturday morning arrives, time to check the to-do list.

1) Drag out pots and planters, clean then fill with potting mix (you did remember to pick up some right) then plant annuals.

2) Weed and prepare ground for new Perennials

3) Put up hangers on porch and put shepherds hooks into ground, hang up hanging baskets.

4) Get patio furniture out of storage and clean off.

5) Clean up spilled dirt (from annual planting) put away tools used for hangers.

6) Place pots of flowers on steps.

7) Water everything, roll hose back up.

Sweep patio or deck, place furniture around, put up planters.

9) Sweep once more.

10) Mow the lawn.

11) Make dinner, fire-up the grill

Hold up a minute, need to check and see if I’ve started relaxing and having fun yet.

Well so goes the life of a “Last Minute Lucy”.

Of course all of us late starters don’t really seem to mind, after the initial marathon weekend getting everything in order (ever notice we can’t seem to spread things out) we now have the whole summer to sit back and enjoy all our hard work.

Oh, did I mentioned it’s about halfway through summer, sorry just thought I’d remind everyone once again.

I personally do not care how long it takes me to get things done outside, just having the opportunity to be outside in the warm sunshine is enough (maybe that’s why I take so long, it give me more excuses to be out there).

So enjoy all those outside chores and activities, before you know it, it will be time for fall clean up. That by the way is only about three months away, so you might what to start thinking about it now.

This article is shareware. Give this article away for free on your site, or include it as part of any paid package as long as the entire article is left intact including this notice. Copyright © 2005 Bonnie Carrier

Bonnie P. Carrier is the creator of Savvy Home Decorating & Savvy Outdoor Decorating. She is the mother to two grown daughters and a very spoiled 4yr old Blue Merle Sheltie named Toby. Stop by both site for indoor and outdoor decorating ideas.

http://www.savvy-home-decorating.com

http://www.savvyhomedecorating.com

[tags]summer,gardening,[/tags]

Tips and advise when buying your bathroom suite:

Your bathroom is probably the most intimate space in your home. Many people invest excessively in renovating their bathrooms in the belief that the reflection of their personality can be found in the design of the bathroom. When your guests use your bathroom, they take the time to look around and examine the style and accessories decorating the bathroom. Your wealth and style will be reflected from the perfection of work and the material you use.

Below are some tips and advise when considering buying a bathroom suite or adding accessories.

POTTERY:

Also known as sanitary ware, ceramics, porcelain and ware.

There are four basic areas that affect the quality of pottery and its expected lifespan:

The depth of the glaze:

The glaze is the glass-like surface coating which is fired onto the pottery in the kiln when it is made.

The glass enables the pot to be waterproof and protects it from chemicals, such as bleach etc, over its life.

The thicker the glaze generally the longer the life. Once this glaze goes, wears out, the pot becomes porous, absorbs water and eventually cracks.

The more you use and clean the pottery the faster the glaze wears out.

To make the glaze thicker you have to apply it a layer at a time and each time fire it in the kiln. This process results in breakages within the kiln.

For example, if I fire 100 pieces of pot once I may get 99 back in one piece, so the 99 pays for the 100.

If I then fire the 99 again I may get 80 back in one piece, so now 80 have to pay for 100.

If I then fire the 80 I may get only 50 back in one piece, so now 50 have to pay for 100. You get the gist of this by now.

If you assume that each layer of glaze lasts approximately 5 to 7 years you can soon see how the system works.

If you glaze once you get a less expensive cost to manufacture but the product does not last as long in a house. The thicker the glaze the longer the pottery lasts.

Quality of the clay:

The quality of the clay that is used to make the pottery is very important.
The reason for this is that the finer the clay the smoother the finish will be on the item being made.

If you use a poorer grade of clay it will have more grit in it and the surface will have a more rippled appearance.

You may also find that because of the increased grit content the pottery is heavier than an item of the same size made with a finer grade of clay.
The finer the clay the more tonnes of rough clay you have to use to refine down to make it.

It is therefore less expensive to produce pottery with a coarse grade of clay.

The overspray or colour:

The white colour, or whatever colour it happens to be, is applied to the pottery before the glaze.

Each manufacturer mixes their own colour to try to match it to the colour of the acrylic baths.

The white colour of the acrylic bath is a worldwide standard set by the acrylic manufacturers.

You need to be aware of this if you client tries to mix and match pottery from different manufacturers.

Its usually acceptable to have a toilet and basin from one supplier made to match the bath but if you put a basin
from one supplier and a toilet from another and then the bath together it will stand out like a sore thumb.

The thicker the colour is applied, the less fading on the edges takes place and the colour is even over the whole of the item.

The colour as with the glaze is applied in layers and then has to be left to set before the next coat can be applied.

The fewer coats the quicker the product can be made and the less cost is involved.

The design of the item:

The more intricate the design the more expensive the mould is to make and the more chance there is that you will not always remove it from the mould without damage.

Plainer shapes are usually less expensive. You should also note that basins, toilets and bidets are made as matched sets.

You will often find that the foot of the pedestal on the basin matches the foot of the toilet pan and that the back of the basin matches the toilet cistern lid.

One general point to be made is that pottery is often sold in what is known in the trade as a four-piece set.

That is a basin, pedestal, pan and cistern. Unfortunately the retail customer sees the set as two pieces: the basin and the toilet.

If you use the term four-piece set to a retail customer they may think you mean a basin, toilet, bath and bidet.

So always explain what you mean by four pieces if you should choose to use the term.

Written by Neal Baker on behalf of http://www.bathroomsensuite.com and
http://www.bathroom-furnitureuk.co.uk,
online retailers of bathroom furniture, bathroom suites and bathroom accessories in the UK.

[tags]bathrooms,bathroom suites,bathrooms ensuite,basins,bowls,bathroom furniture,tolets,bidets,baths[/tags]

Imagine coming home from a hard days work and wanting to get through your daily routine so you can enjoy the rest of the evening. Then, you abruptly realize that the fridge is not cole, or the microwave is not heating your food, or that the washing machine isn’t washing your clothes. What do you do now?

Agreeably, most of us will open the phone book or search the Internet hoping to find an honest and well-adept repairman that is readily available. Of course, we pray that the repairman we choose will not just end up ripping us off.

To keep this from occurring when selecting a repairman, try using these six tips to get the service you need without getting taken for a ride.

A) Make note of the manufacturer and model of your appliance and a short description of the issue (a single paragraph should do) prior to you picking up the phone. This data will not only aid the repairman to identify the problem; it also makes you appear like a smart consumer. Keep in mind, knowledge is power.

B) Try to locate a factory authorized service center first. This is a must if your machine is still under guarantee. Factory authorized means that the maker stands behind the repair and will normally arbitrate in any disputes. Because a lot of competition exists in the appliance market, the last thing the maker wants is an unhappy consumer who purchases a competitor brand.

C) Ask acquaintances you know for referrals. All right, this one is pretty fundamental. But, with all of the accessories we use every day, somebody you know has required to have one of them repaired. Take advantage from their experience, good or bad.

D) Review the yellow pages for repairmen who accept credit cards. Credit cards provide an additional layer of security for you. If you are not happy with the fix and the repairman refuses to resolve your concerns, you can notify your credit card representative and submit a charge back to the merchant. This will require additional paperwork on your part, but can afford you a superior position when negotiating a dispute. Be aware, however, that using this plan too often can leave you in bad standing with your credit card company. Review their policies on charge backs first.

E) Since you have the yellow pages open, compare the ads. Yellow page ads are not inexpensive. Only the most successful or competitive companies can manage the big display ads. Although this doesn’t specify the level of service you get, it does reveal which companies invest in advertisement and which anticipate to still be in business in a year or two.

F) When you do get started making calls, ask the identical questions of each company. A fair start would be:

i) How many years have you been in business?
ii) Do you use original factory parts?
iii) Are you insured for any damages the machine may cause after the repair?
iv) Do you offer a written warranty on parts and labor?
v) Do you maintain any corporate references?
vi) Have your repairmen received any factory training?
vii) Has your company at all been taken to small claims court to settle a dispute?

By using the tips listed above, you should be able to help weed out or identify some of the dishonest, incompetent, or just plain bad appliance servicemen. These tips will also help you locate the the good servicemen that you can count on for a long time to come.

J. Purdy operates Home Improvement Stores and Home Inspectors. For information and resources on home improvement, be sure to visit his sites today: http://www.home-improvement-stores.net

[tags]home,improvement,inspector,inspectors,stores,shopping,remodel[/tags]

Many people consider window treatments as finishing touches to the room’s decor, and usually pay little or no attention to this interior detail. Sometimes when you start improving your blinds or curtains, the budget often runs low. However, window treatments should never be neglected, as they play an important part in emphasizing the individual character of the place.

In modern apartments, especially in lofts and penthouses with large windows, window treatments should be given a lot of attention, at the earliest possible design stage. Choosing the right color and style of window treatments will make the room not only welcoming and comfortable, but will also highlight its size and ambience, giving perspective to the place.

White is often a color of choice for many decorators, because it is really hard to go wrong with white. Timeless and versatile, white provides a unifying base for the most window designs. Remember, though, that there are different kinds of white, which a skilled decorator may mix in one room altering the feel from warm to cold to increase the impact from your window blinds or curtains.

Today home decorating makes a comeback from the minimalist era when whites and beiges were abound putting a long-time spell of pure minimalist designs. The most sought-after design of modern window treatments is fresh, minimal, translucent and light-colored, but today people seek window curtains and blinds that can give real character and individuality to the room.

Variety of paint shades and fabric textures allows blending blinds and curtains perfectly with the furniture to match the apartment’s light and mood. Venetian blinds are now available in a range of vintage-inspired muted colors or even in bright plain colors. With carefully placed color accents, you can avoid making the room too impersonal.

In terms of decor trends, curtains have gone in two opposite directions: they became either more “feminine” made of embroidered and patterned fabrics with rich draping; or minimal as Calvin Klein suit, made of natural fabrics in neutral tones. To add a personal touch, you may choose to place curtains on elaborate cast metal rings or find an antique details in flee markets.

When choosing the color of your window blinds or curtains, think about what light is your apartment getting from outside. The light in apartments changes throughout the day and through seasons as well. In a single apartment, when choosing window blinds or curtains, thought should be given to the orientation of rooms and the warmth of light that will enter them. Rooms that receive light early in the day, or not at all, usually need some warming up with color. Rooms that benefit from the afternoon or sunset sun will receive reddish light and therefore need less artificial warmth. The new finishes on blinds, such as brushed aluminum, produce a nice cool effect on windows that need cool light from the outside.

There are some optical tricks that have to be considered when you pick your window curtains or shades. Denser window treatments, such as Venetian blinds, curtains and vertically striped fabrics can improve the look of the room with low ceiling. Roman and Venetian blinds can create a warm relaxed atmosphere.

Expert decorators say that window treatment must receive the same attention and investment as any other piece of furniture, especially if your windows overlook a spectacular landscape. If the view from your window leaves little to imagination, you can improve the situation by decorating the window with forgiving blinds in carefully chosen colors.

Kathryn writes articles on a number of different topics. For more information on Curtains and Blinds please visit Blinds and Covers Guide and for additional articles on window treatment ideas please visit the article page.

[tags]window treatments,curtains,blinds,shutters[/tags]

When your kid gets to be a teenager, that little kids furniture and bedroom d