When you buy fruits and vegetables online, it’s best to consume them within days of purchase. Online supermarkets can guarantee the quality of the produce they sell. Once you buy them and they arrive at your doorstep, however, it’s all up to you to maintain freshness. The same goes for any produce you buy from markets or ones you harvest from your garden or farm.

Cooking or consuming fruits and vegetables as soon as possible ensures that you get the highest amount of nutrients. If you store produce for a long time, not only do their nutritional value decrease. They also decline in flavour and texture. Worse, when the food goes bad, you’ll end up with a lot of waste.

If you happen to over-buy produce and/or won’t be able to consume them on time, one of the best things to do is to preserve them. Preserving fruits and vegetables also gives you new ways of eating or cooking them, which can make mealtimes more enjoyable. Kids will certainly be excited or at least more curious about fruits and vegetables.

Here are some easy ways to preserve the fruits and vegetables you buy:

Just when you thought you know everything there is to know about cannabis plants, you stumble upon new bits of information that help you better understand how the plant works. Whether you’re a grower or just a plain cannabis patient, it is always good to learn new things about the plant you are taking.

Finding out more about the different parts of cannabis plants like terpenes, cola, trichomes, and more can make you become more aware of how the plant you’re taking or planting can affect you. Knowing about these things can also give you better insights that can make you identify what type of plant is best for your needs. Read on to know about the various parts of the cannabis plant that makes it such a wonderful healing alternative.

7 Parts of The Cannabis Plant You Should Know About

Terpenes

Ever wonder where cannabis gets its distinct scent? Or what makes each type of cannabis strain different from the other? Terpenes are the part of the plant that is responsible for secreting the oils that get you feelings of euphoria, relaxation, focus, and stress-relief. Terpenes are what gives certain strains specific effects. It’s what determines whether a certain strain will be a sativa, indica, or hybrid type.

Cola

Cola is the part of the cannabis plant where you will find female buds or flowers bloom. There are different types of colas to be found in one plant. Each bud or flower comes with its own cola, and each plant comes with several colas. The number of colas each plant can grow highly depends on its strain and how the plant was grown.

Calyx

The Calyx, bud, or flower is the part of the cannabis plant that is smoked or turned into oil. A calyx is made up of small pistils, nodules, and sugar leaves. It is also covered by crystalic trichomes that gives it its shiny shimmering look. This is the most consumed part of the cannabis plant for recreational and medical use. Just like the cola, the number of calyxes a cannabis plant can grow highly depends on the type of strain and how it was grown.

Pistil & Stigma

The pistil and stigma are two different parts of the cannabis plant, but both function to collect pollen from the plants. The pistils are these small hair-like parts that can change color. You will find that pistils can change into a range of colors including red, yellow, orange, purple, red, and brown. The pistil’s color is what can help you determine the age or stage or maturity of the plant.

Trichomes

If you have touched a cannabis flower or bud before, you will notice small crystal-like substances that coat the entire bud. Those small crystals are what you call trichomes. Trichomes are the resin that comes from the glands of the flowers, leaves, and stems. They also help produce the strong aromatic smell of the plant and they’re where you get those fine terpenes and cannabinoids that make you feel relaxed, focused, euphoric, and happy when you consume the plant.

Stems

The stems are the part of the plant that holds the entire plant together. It’s the part that connects everything together. Unlike the cannabis flowers and leaves, stems cannot be consumed through smoking or ingestion. Though cannabis stems are not consumed for recreation nor medication, they are still very useful materials. Cannabis stems are often processed into different materials like paper, canvas, clothing, and construction material.

Sugar Leaves

When you look at an entire cannabis plant, you will find that it has a lot of seven-fingered leaves. The large leaves you will find in a cannabis plant is what’s called fan leaves. Sugar leaves on the other hand are the small pieces of leaves you will find growing around colas. They are the parts that surround the base of growing buds or flowers. Sugar leaves got their name because they are coated with lots of crystalized trichomes that look like small sugar particles.

Whether indoors or outdoors, plants need to be watered. Unfortunately, the water that you're using to fill up your watering can, that is from the tap or from your water softening system isn't exactly the best solution and we’ll touch upon that in greater detail in this article.

So how do we water our plants without feeding them all those harmful chemicals? One answer to that is distilled water. But is distilled water good for plants? You're about to find out right here in this write-up.

What Is Distilled Water?

Distilled water is the result of a process known as distillation where evaporation and condensation occur to separate unwanted impurities and chemicals and produce water in its purest form.

But what about tap water? Well, that’s a big no-no. That's because tap water is filled with fluoride, chlorine and a host of other chemicals that can harm plants.

Besides tap water, hard water can also pose a threat to plants, especially those that are sensitive to minerals in this type of water. Hard water is typically a well water issue but it can also be a municipal water distribution issue as well.

So if you get your water from a well, then you might need to install a water softening system for your house. These systems remove the hard mineral buildup from your well water. As such, you’ll be able to use your shampoos and soaps for bathing and it won’t stain your sinks or appliances.

Unfortunately, water softeners aren’t exactly good for plants either. The reason for that is because water softener systems use salt like potassium or sodium to reduce hardness in the water. These types of salts can damage your plant if used consistently over time as they can trick your plants into believing that they absorbed water, which ultimately leads to dehydration. And since often water contains high levels of sodium, you must avoid watering your plants with it. Another reason why water softening systems shouldn’t be considered is because they get rid of two of the most important nutrients plants, including magnesium and calcium.

Distillation also occurs in nature when water from the river or ocean evaporates from the ultraviolet rays of the sun and then condenses in the air, creating rain clouds. Through this process, the following impurities for contaminants are removed:

• parasites
• bacteria
• organic chemicals
• inorganic chemicals
• viruses
• volatile gases
• heavy metals
• and other contaminants.

As a result, you are provided with something that is close to pure water from nature which is natural, clean, but most importantly healthy. 

Using Distilled Water for Your Plants

Whether you're using tap or distilled water, proper watering of plants is highly essential. If you don't water the plants properly, then it could lead to a weakening of the roots which deteriorates the plant, making it susceptible to diseases. That's why you need proper instructions and guidance on how to water your plants, whether indoor or outdoor.

Houseplants usually come with directions about proper care from nurseries. These directions are also printed on the plastic stakes which have been placed in your plant's pot soil. But not every plant comes with nurturing instructions, so you must look that information up in either a book or better yet, online. Some plants require more water than the others, such as blooming plants that have plenty of foliage on them. Of the ones that require less water are woodland and tropical plants than those in the dryer regions.

Seasons also affect the amount of water that your plants require. For instance, during warmer seasons, plants require more water. That’s because the hot temperatures evaporate water much more quickly. Plants are also impacted by temperatures indoors and also outdoors. Indoor plants, for example, will require more water even during the winters as the heating system in the house will cause the water to evaporate quicker.

If you’re going to use distilled water on plants, make sure that it is of room temperature. And If you're making your own home-made water and are leaving it outside to distill it, be sure to get it back inside your house and then have it adjust to your room's temperature. But make sure not to give your plants distilled water or any type of water of extreme temperatures, which is either very cold or very hot. Giving your plants extreme temperature water would not only shock their roots, but could even damage, or worse, kill them.

You can also acquire freshwater from a process known as reverse osmosis. To understand the differences between this process and that of distilled water, head on over to American Home Water and Air.

How to Make Some Distilled Water of Your Own

Getting your hands on distilled water isn't really hard, in fact, it is possible to make some of your own from the comforts of your home. Either boil tap water or catch rainwater in a barrel or bucket. By far the best candidate for naturally distilled water is rainwater, so long as it isn't too acidic. And if you find that the rainwater in your area is indeed acidic, then tapwater is your next best option as the acid can obviously damage the plants.

To make your own distilled water, you need to boil it in a closed vessel with a smaller bowl that's either floating or suspended above the water. You can cool the lid of the vessel using ice or cold water. From this process, the tap water that you collected will boil and evaporate, which forms a steam that rises to the lid. When the steam touches the cool lid, it will condense, forming pure water droplets that are then collected within the bowl. And voilà, you have your own distilled water. You can even use a chemistry lab distilling apparatus (tube) to achieve the same results.

So can you use distilled water for plants? Yes, you can. Even though plants require some minerals to grow helpfully, there isn’t much hope that we can put in the hands of the modern world where pollution runs rampant. So it’s best to take your chances with distilled water.

As gardeners, our plants are everything. They light up our lives and all we really want is to see them thrive. No frills are necessary. In extreme cases, nothing more than some soil with herbs can be good enough. However, that does not mean we can’t make the most out of our decorations.

Aside from the actual process of growing plants, creating a DIY garden that is the pride of the neighborhood is the most exciting part. There are so many ways to make your garden pop just by choosing a creative layout. With some DIY ideas, your creativity can go further.

Try the following 3 DIY projects to take your garden to the next level.

Raised Garden Beds

While raised garden beds may not be the most innovative project, the format provides room for infinite creativity. Every single gardener has raised garden bed ideas, whether they’ve decided to implement them or not. You can simply raise a section of your garden to make it a statement, or do something more exciting by using cool DIY materials.

Perhaps the most oft-seen raised garden beds are those with bricked perimeters. This touch really makes your garden pop, while retaining a hint of subtlety. But if you want to go even further, you can use unusual mediums, like corrugated iron, or even an old tire.

Whatever you use, having a raised garden bed should fit perfectly into any plans for sectioning different areas

Hanging Gardens

Hanging some plants is certainly an excellent way to make extra space in an already crowded garden. But it is also a simple way of making your garden more exciting. Instead of all your plants on or near ground level, you can weave between herbs and flowers growing right below your eyes.

The fun part of creating a hanging garden is figuring out the best platform to hang your plants from. If you're doing it in a small greenhouse, it’s easy enough, but in a general garden, you need to get creative for it to look good, as it could end up looking awkward and utilitarian.

This is where your DIY skills come into play, as you build hanging plants into the layout of your garden, uplifting the entire plot with this feature.

Signs

All good gardens need some signs to demarcate the different herbs and vegetables, if not the flowers and other plants. You can simply tie a tag to a stick. Or you could get your creative juices flowing and find a way to fit these signs into a theme for the whole garden.

Vintage signs are always eye catching, and you can do a lot with small chalkboards as well. Chalkboards are also great if you enjoy changing things up every so often, adding a small drawing or two.

If you're passionate about the stories behind your plants, you can go further and include some real information. This way, any visitors will get a feel for your passion (and learn something).

DIY ideas will uplift your entire garden. It is all about the plants, but the right decor will bring out the best in them.

Mice are a problem, especially when they dig up and munch on your recently planted sweet yellow corn — that’s so darn frustrating! Aside from chewing your garden apart, rodents also carry bacteria and spread such diseases as salmonella, tularemia, leptospirosis, etc.

Have you noticed some eaten potatoes and carrots in your vegetable garden? Then you’re most likely dealing with the mouse problem. If you don’t do anything about it, chances are high that those pesky little critters will eventually switch from tunneling your lawn to breaking into your home.

If that doesn’t sound appealing to you, you’re welcome to read this post. Today, we will elaborate on mouse traps, along with other effective ways to keep rodents out of your garden space. Read on and make the most of the expert recommendations provided below.

Keep Your Lawn Mowed

If the grass in your garden is tall enough, be ready that mice will freely run around your property without even trying to hide (the perfect hiding place is already there). If you’re planning to start a war against mice, make sure you keep your garden grass mowed, and then switch to other ways of dealing with these pesky critters.

Relocate Compost Bins

Compost is great for gardening. However, it attracts mice to your garden like nothing else does. Make sure you relocate your compost bins from the border area of the house to the space across the garden. Also, do your best to avoid storing your compost in wooden containers. Otherwise, you’re simply inviting rodents to savor a nutritious meal (and potentially stay with you forever).

Dispose of Garden Waste

Stave off from keeping piles of shrub trimmings, fallen leaves, and/or cut grass in your garden. Transform your garden waste into compost or simply get rid of it as soon as you can. As an alternative, get it out of your garden space/yard where it is nothing but a standing invitation for the constantly-hungry rodents. This way, mice won’t have places to hide, which will contribute to the success of your pest control venture.

Keep Pet Food in the House

If you’re a pet owner, make sure that you store your dog and cat food (as well as birdseed) away from the garden. Have pieces of loose food thrown around your yard or garden? Pick it up, or you’re going to make your property look way too friendly and comfy for most types of rodents out there. Consider feeding your pets inside the house. If that’s not very convenient to you, always clean up after your dog or cat buddies finish their meals.

Focus on Sealing Holes

Mice are skilled at squeezing through the smallest holes ever, so make sure you work on sealing up any possible entrances. That way, you will prevent rodents from making themselves comfy in your home. Wood or metal are among the best materials for sealing holes.

Opt for Mice-Repellent Trash Bags & Containers

Mice easily chew their way through soft plastic, so opt for a metal trash can in the first place. There are even trash cans made expressly to keep out rodents and other pests. Make sure your trash can has a secure lid capable of keeping mice out. In addition to this, you can purchase mice-repellent trash bags to go with your bins for even more protection. Put the trash cans on concrete instead of the grass.

Clear the Base of Your House

If you want to keep mice at bay, cutting back ornamental plants and moving them away from your house siding is a must. Do your best to clear the space around your house from shrubberies, bushes, and all sorts of herbaceous borders. Plant them away from your house if you really need them. Paving the area with rocks/pebbles would be a fine (read as: mice-proof) alternative. That way, you will keep rodents from colonizing your home.

Set Store-Bought Traps

The time-tested traditional wooden mouse traps are invariably effective. However, it is recommended to use several types of mouse traps. The thing is, mice often learn how to avoid certain kinds of traps. As an alternative, get a cat. In many cases, mice can smell cats around the house and, therefore, want to avoid meeting the enemy at all costs.

Cutting to the Chase: It’s Time to Call a Professional

If you’re sick of mice roaming around your garden freely, call a professional. Before you do that, however, ask your friends or family members if they can recommend any reliable rodent control companies near you. Make sure you call them to learn about their prices and licenses. This is important since you need trusted pros who are good at the latest techniques and know the best ways of keeping mice out of your garden.

A weed eater is a great tool for the yard or garden, especially when the summer months are approaching. Weeds, no matter how hard we try, can be very hard to control, and some grow aggressively and extremely fast. If, like many people, you don’t like to use chemical weed-killers, then the weed eater is a great choice. Easy to use, effective and versatile, these devices will soon recoup their cost in terms of time saved and weeds removed!

What is the best type of weed eater for you? There are electric weed eaters available that are suitable for very small yards and gardens. These are light and effective as long as your weeds are not too well-established. They are also limited in scope by the length of the cable or, if rechargeable, by the life of a charged battery. So, the better choice for an average to bigger garden or yard is a gas-powered weed eater. Then there’s the choice you have: 4-cycle or 2-cycle? Let’s explain what we mean and what the benefits are of each.

4 or 2-Cycle – What’s the Difference?

First, a bit of confusion to clear up: the ‘2-cycle or 4-cycle’ refers to the way an internal combustion engine – that’s a gas engine to you and me – works. It is often referred to as 2 or 4-stroke, which means exactly the same thing.

Such an engine works by pistons opening and closing, and in doing so, igniting the fuel at a certain ‘stroke.’ In a 4-cycle engine, there are 4 motions to go through every ignition; in a 2-cycle engine, there are just 2. Your automobile engine, for example, is likely to be a 4-stroke, as that is the most efficient for such engines. However, you may have power-tools that are 2-stroke, as they are less complicated. Let’s have a look at the factors that differ in terms of weed eaters.

Differences Between 2 and 4-Cycle Weed Eaters

Price - a 4-stroke engine is a more complex machine than a 2-stroke version, so you can rely on a 4-cycle weed eater being more expensive than a 2-cycle. However, there might not be much in it, and you should look around for deals, as you never know where bargains can be found!

Power – 2-cycle gas engines can be very powerful – more powerful, in fact – than 4-cycle engines of the same size. This is due to the complex way in which engines operate and dissipate their energy. For large areas, a 4-cycle weed eater will get through more space in less time.

Fuel usage – see above; as the 2-stroke engine produces more power, so it will use more fuel. It is also a less efficient type of engine, so this is exaggerated. Once again, there might be very little Difference, so check with the maker’s details.

Weight – you want to be handling a machine that is a comfortable weight, especially if you have large areas of weeds to clear. Due to the size of the motor, a 4-cycle weed eater will often – but not always – be heavier than its 2-stroke equivalent, so check with the manufacturer details for confirmation.

Noise – 2-stroke engines are, by their very nature, noisy. This is once again due to the way they do the job as opposed to the 4-stroke, which is smoother and therefore quieter. It’s up to you which you choose.

Eco-friendly – This is perhaps the defining factor for people who like to be green, as the 2-stroke engine uses oil as well as gas to power it and is more polluting as a result. If you’re an eco-friendly home, a 4-stroke engine is the one for you.

That’s a few of the important factors to look at, so which is best for you?

Our Conclusion

Whether you choose a 2-cycle or 4-cycle weed eater is purely down to the size of the area you need to clear, and the number of weeds that you have to deal with. There are merits to each, so we won’t single one out for recommendation here, but we will say shop around, check for the best deals and compare performance and price, and find yourself the best weed eater for your budget.