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Remember first to consider the importance of a care program which includes monitoring and keeping insect and disease problems in line along with restraining weed competition. Then you need determine if fertilizer is needed. Then you will consider the various methods of applying fertilizer.

Methods of Application
Fertilizers may be put on either directly or indirectly for trees and shrubs. When sod is fertilized, tree and bush roots that stretch into the sod area absorb some of the fertilizer, and are consequently indirectly fertilized. Sod fertilization rates should be supplemented only if trees and bushes are demonstrating symptoms of nutritive deficiency.

Direct application of fertilizer may involve incorporation into the backfill soil or placement in the planting hole at planting time. However, the most common form of direct fertilizer application, broadcasting, is generally the most effective, especially relative to cost. Simply broadcasting the desired fertilizer over the soil atop the tree and shrub roots and watering it in is usually adequate. Compacted soil should first be aerated or raked.

The most sensible and efficient way to fertilize large trees is to scatter granular fertilizer on the surface of the soil and allow rain or irrigation water to transport the nutrients to the roots. Evenly broadcast the fertilizer over the area to be fertilized - that area covering the outer two-thirds of the distance between the trunk and the drip line and extending at least 50 percent of the crown radius beyond the dripline.

NOTE: Definition: The dripline is the area directly located under the outer circumference of the tree branches. This is where the tiny rootlets are located that take up water for the tree. Trees should be watered here, not by the base of the trunk, or the tree may develop root rot.

An alternative method is to position granular fertilizer into holes in the ground that are four to twelve inches deep. These holes are constructed in a regular pattern at 2- to 3-foot separations, in the same expanse as broadcast fertilizer is applied. Divvy up the fertilizer amongst the holes. This process does not insure homogeneous coverage to all feeder roots, particularly in the upper few inches of the soil surface where the bulk of the roots occur. Strong concentrations of fertilizers in these holes can in addition injure roots located next to the hole.

A commonly used commercial method is to inject liquid fertilizers into the soil. A special injection rod is used and the fertilizer solution is injected under pressure. A comparable probe mechanism called a ‘root feeder’ is sold at most garden centers. The long probe attaches to a garden hose and water-soluble fertilizer cartridges distribute nutrients and water directly into the tree root zone. The tip of the injection needle should be inserted 4 to 12 inches into the soil at 2- to 3-foot intervals. Fertilizers suitable for liquid injection are typically more expensive per unit of nutrient and are frequently more difficult to apply than granular fertilizers.

Spikes are another alternative for tree or shrub fertilization. These are pounded into the soil with a heavy hammer and can only be used successfully when the soil is moist. The spikes do not evenly distribute fertilizer around the tree’s or shrub’s major feeder roots. These spikes are an expensive alternative. Their reputation is based on simplicity and ease of application.

Foliar feeding is a quick-fix solution when a nutrient deficiency has been found. The leaves, buds and green wood are capable of a little nutrient absorption. Foliar nutrient sprays are applied with a pressure sprayer or siphon sprayer attached to a garden hose. The greening from foliar spraying is fairly quick but not long lasting. More often than not deficiencies of micronutrients including iron, boron or manganese are corrected by seasonal foliar applications.

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You may remember hearing something horrible about the bathroom once and how, if you can keep your toothbrush in the same room as your toilet, every time you flush your toilet droplets of toilet water go on your toothbrush! Supposedly they say, you might as well be brushing your teeth with toilet water. Naturally, people immediately go out and buy all the materials to redo their bathroom and they build a wall between their toothbrush and the toilet. Well, maybe they aren’t that extreme but it does bring up some concerns about the bathroom.

Bathroom remodeling is a major industry these days. The question is, is it really necessary? Everyone seems to be into tearing their house apart and putting it back together again, usually starting with the bathroom or the most inconvenient place possible. Is it possible to have a simple bathroom that is pleasing to all members of the family without investing enough to put several kids through college? I set out to find out. Here are some great remodelling tips:

1 Shower/Tub: Try cleaning these parts of the bathroom first. If you have to buy a new one, don’t spend more than 200 bucks.

2 Toilet: If it works in the bathroom, don’t fix it. If it doesn’t, replace it.

3 Sink: If it’s cracked, keep it under $150 tops.

4 Vanity: You can usually fix up your bathroom with a nice one from Home Depot or Lowes at a very low cost.

5 Lighting: Recessed lights are always very important in the bathroom

6 Floor: Try linoleum for most bathroom floors as it cleans up easily.

7 Painting: The cheapest remodel of all for your bathroom is to slap a new coat of paint on it.

So, is remodeling your bathroom really about replacing things that don’t work anymore or is it more about changing something in your life to make you feel better about yourself? For that matter, isn’t home remodeling in general all about that?

Taking a wider view, bathrooms go back to before the Roman empire and everyone knows abut the Roman baths which were great big pools of water where the whole community bathed together. For them it was a social occasion: time to discuss the events of the day and so forth. In places like England and Europe it’s not even a bathroom; it’s a water closet or the loo, and it doesn’t always include all these luxurious fixtures you find in a bathroom in America. Sink, toilet, and bathtub/shower all in the bathroom together is mostly an American invention, it turns out. Not that I don’t think it’s a good one.

Truth is, my current bathroom is in three different rooms: toilet in one, shower in another, sink outside of both. It’s not always as convenient as I’d like. I’m always wrapping myself in a towel to go from one room to the next. But I think I’ll stick with the current arrangement; remodeling my bathroom as a route to reinventing myself sounds expensive. At least my toothbrush isn’t in the bathroom with my toilet. There’s really nothing to worry about as long as you keep your toilet clean enough.

This article was written for Find This Online an online resource guide that offers a variety of articles written on different subjects. Visit us at Here for more articles on bathrooms.

A bright LED flashlight should be considered if you are looking for a good self defense tool. These days, self defense seems to be on the minds of many people. One only needs to look to the coverage many self defense tools are getting from the media.

A tool that has escaped recent media coverage has been a good flashlight. With the advances in LED (light emitting diode) technology, a good LED flashlight can be placed in a pocket or a purse and is just as bright as or brighter than flashlights used by police officers.

LEDs have found their way into our lives and we see them and use them everyday and probably never notice them. The next time you stop at a traffic light, take a closer look. You will notice many smaller dots of light that form the bigger light. Those little dots are LEDs. They are brighter, last longer and consume much less power than the old bulbs that used to be in there. So how can LEDs used in traffic lights be used for self defense?

LEDs have replaced incandescent bulbs in many applications; flashlights are no exception. Because LEDs are brighter and consume less power, a flashlight can be much smaller than in the past, but produce much more light than its bigger brothers. By adding a good LED flashlight to your self defense arsenal, you are discouraging a would-be attacker right from the start. Just having a flashlight in your hand can help deter an attacker; the attacker realizes you are aware of your surroundings and paying attention.

Because LEDs are essentially micro chips, they can be programmed to perform different functions. Strobe lighting has been added to many LED flashlights. It has been proven that shining a strobe light into the eyes of an attacker will disorient an attacker, sometimes to the point of becoming physically sick. There is also a chance that a strobe light will trigger a seizure in people with seizure disorders. The bad guy should have thought of that before he attacked.

Strobe lights have an effect on the eyes that stop the eyes from focusing properly in low light, allowing the user to create distance from the attacker or to move in to take control of the attacker. Most attacks occur in low light and surprising an attacker with a blinding strobe light can give you sufficient time to run and yell for help or move to another tool if need be.

As an owner of an LED flashlight, it is appropriate to have your flashlight in your hand any time you are in low light, while walking at night, while in a parking garage or just walking to your front door. The same cannot be said for a handgun, a tazer or pepper spray.

We all want to believe we will have our hands on a device and ready to go; but while carrying an arm load of groceries, children, purses and the like, getting to a self defense device in an emergency is difficult, if not impossible. Although each of those tools is effective in performing its task, holding a flashlight at the ready is much less cumbersome and offensive and there is real useful benefit as well.

If you are attacked, you already have your frontline of defense in your hand; just point and push the button. The effects are not permanent or damaging, but could be sufficient to create distance to get another tool ready to defend yourself. Hopefully, the blinding effect of the strobe light will have been enough to convince the attacker to retreat and find another target.

As you consider what tools you need to defend yourself, consider investing in a high quality LED flashlight with a strobe first and then add tools from there. You will gain the benefits of having a light source with you when you need one, even for non-emergency situations and you will have a front line of defense to defend yourself if you are attacked.

Rick London has been a police officer for sixteen years and is co-owner of www.tacticalleds.com. Rick has written numerous articles regarding LED flashlight technology and the application of LEDs to tactical LED flashlights used in law enforcement and public service.

Polyvinyl chloride, also known as PVC is one of the most widespread thermoplastics used not only in the construction industry but in everyday life. The construction industry predominantly uses PVC for pipe and window fittings. But where did this wonder material come from? Who have we got to thank for this jewel in the construction industry’s crown?

Fundamentally it was the work of the B.F. Goodrich Company, who throughout the twenties discovered new ways to use PVC plastic. Before this work was carried out PVC was generally regarded to be a brittle and unworkable plastic that would not have many uses at all. Thanks to the introduction of plasticizing agents however, the malleability and usability of PVC was improved, now pipe, containers, and fixtures could all be manufactured from this material.

The combination of plastic and vinyl that makes PVC makes items made from this material extremely durable. This is why it has been adopted for use as pipe in the construction industry, ultimately it is difficult to damage and will not need replacing for a lifetime. PVC pipe cannot rot; it will never rust and is hard wearing in extremis. Pipe made from PVC is used for water systems, sewerage and also wiring applications underground.

Even after the work of B.F. Goodrich, PVC was rarely used for around another decade due to the fact that many industries found it difficult to find suitable applications for the plastic. After the amazing strength of PVC was understood however, industries started to embrace its use. The first uses were not strictly in construction, originally the strength of this plastic made those in tyre manufacturing realise its benefits.

During the nineteen fifties the PVC pipe was born, the construction industry rapidly realised the benefits for water piping systems as it was cheaper as well as more durable than the widely used copper pipe. The reason piping became a reality was due to the invention of the extruder; this machinery allowed PVC to stretched and formed into pipe. After this stage PVC pipe became the material of choice for those in construction, especially for building water systems in residential and commercial properties.

The main benefits of PVC over copper are its strength and durability. Not only is it strong but it also has the ability to cope with stresses and tensions that metals simply cannot handle. This made it the ideal piping material in areas prone to earthquakes, as even in earthquakes, ruptures were a rare occurrence.

Being a smooth material, it is also resistant to the build up of bacteria as there is little for organisms to cling to. This once again made PVC the ideal choice for water systems, especially in drinking water applications. Understandably, as the quality of tapped water became better in the latter half of the last century, a means of transporting this water hygienically was needed; PVC pipe filled that criterion perfectly.

Without PVC pipe it is doubtful that building projects today could be plumbed as quickly. Its ease of assembly over copper is startling while the benefits of strength, durability and longevity make it the ideal building material. Strong enough to stand up to the rigours of everyday life whilst being long lasting enough to ensure that refits are not a common occurrence. Whatever can be said about this material, it has changed the way we look at construction.

Industry expert Thomas Pretty looks into how PVC pipe has been developed and used in the construction industry.

At one time a futon was the logical choice for a bed in a dorm room or a small apartment. Now more and more people are opting to have a futon in their living room or rec room so that they have extra sleeping space for when company comes and spends the night. A futon doubles as a sofa and a bed because you can pull it out into a full size bed. A futon mattress is flexible so that it folds easily into a sitting position when not in use as a bed.

There are several factors to keep in mind when choosing a mattress for a futon. You have to think of the firmness, which refers to how resistant the mattress is to pressure when someone lies on it. You want it to be firm enough so that when you lie down you can’t feel the springs underneath. The rigidity of the mattress is another factor you have to look at. This refers to how well the mattress retains its square shape and how well the cover will fit after the mattress has been used several times. The flexibility of the mattress is important as well. Since you have to fold it up to convert it from a sofa to a sleeper, this should not be a cumbersome task that requires more than one person.

Next you have to take a look at the different types of mattresses that you can buy for a futon. These are:
- Traditional mattress with a foam interior covered by cotton. The filling for this type of mattress is usually cotton or polyester and is constructed using different layering techniques. This is a great choice if you will be using the mattress all year round because the cotton fabrics keep you warm in winter and cool in summer. These mattresses have a great degree of flexibility, which means they are very easy to fold.

- Innerspring mattresses. These mattresses closely resemble the type of mattress that you have in your bed because they contain springs. The grid of springs inside the mattress helps to eliminate noise when one moves about when sleeping. These are best suited for a futon that you do not have to fold several times to convert it from a bed to a sofa. It is also an excellent choice if the futon is to serve as a bed for a long period of time.

- Memory or latex Foam mattresses. The mattresses made with memory form conform to the shape of your body when you lie on them. They are made of several layers of high-density polystyrene foam or could be made from latex in an egg carton style. The open cells in the foam allow for the movement of air when you lie on them. This is what causes it to react to your body shape and not bounce like other mattresses do.

You can coordinate the cover of the mattress to match the dor of your room. In addition, there are many different styles of futons to choose from so that it can become a very comfortable piece of furniture that looks great in any room of your home.

For more information on the futon mattreses, the size of a full mattress, and other mattress related topics visit http://www.BedMattresses.info This site allows you to easily find out the size of full mattress as well as other mattress sizes.

Hooked rugs have advanced in the world, from the kitchen floor to the wall as works of art. There’s a new generation of hookers whose work will never see the bottom of a shoe. For an increasing number of hookers (yes, that’s what they call themselves), hooking is like painting. The wool is their paint and the hook is their paintbrush.

Similar to paintings, there is now a wide array of hooked rug designs, from stark modern forms to folkloric scenes, subtle landscapes, and expressionistic self-portraits. But it wasn’t always that way. Rug hooking was simply a way to use scraps of cloth too worn for even rag duty.

Farmers, fishermen and their wives, who emigrated from northern Europe and settled in Canada and along the New England coastline, probably introduced the craft to North America. Originating from Scotland, England, France, Scandinavia and Germany, they brought with them the tradition of handmade rugs, many of which are now considered a noteworthy category of folk art. Then, as now, all that was required was a hook, some rag strips or yarn, and a foundation material attached to a simple stretcher of four wood slats lashed together.

Dating to the early 19th century, these hooked rugs (different from yarn sewn or rag rugs) originated in the New England states and Canadian Maritime Provinces. They were primitive and utilitarian, done with pictorial, floral and geometric designs, often portraying a subject from the maker’s life: a home, farm, barnyard animals, pets, birds and flowers. Wool, flannel, and cotton pieces were cut into 1/4 inch-wide strips and then pulled in loops through a stiff woven backing such as burlap.

While these rugs were made with the same skill as schoolgirls’ embroideries or samplers and fine needlework, hooked rugs were utilitarian, fashioned to hide dirt or wood floors or to be laid before the hearth. They were “the art of poverty,” They weren’t found in fine houses. If a rug was attractive, so much the better, but they were meant to provide warmth, and the women who produced them used what-ever fabric scraps they had and hooked them up quickly. When the rugs fell apart, they were thrown away.

The naive creator-inspired designs thrived from 1830 to 1850, and circa-1860 pattern makers began printing and selling pre-stenciled rug kits on burlap, mass-produced and lacking the freer, less technically correct original motifs. The stenciled rugs were more symmetrical, less fanciful and more realistic, but many women added their own individual touches, and several rugs based on the same pattern could each look very different.

By the late 1800s, patterns were being stamped onto the burlap (showing the hooker what areas to fill in and in which color), allowing more complicated designs to be created and reproduced. Rug hooking became a booming craft industry over the next half-century, especially in the Northeast.

The evolution of the hooked rug from craft to art occurred as hookers began to explore and create more one-of-a-kind works. Today, these rugs have gained appreciation among collectors and interior designers. Hooked rugs dating to the 1800s and early 1900s can now command thousands of dollars. Prices for the oldest and rarest of these 19th-century rugs have now reached the financial stratosphere. Interest and admiration of this craft was dormant until a pioneering 1976 exhibition of hooked rugs, organized by Joel and Kate Kopp (formerly of America Hurrah) at the Museum of American Folk Art in New York. Whether as a hobby or a family heirloom, hooked rugs are back in America.

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