| How to Prepare Soil for Fruit Trees Posted: 21 Aug 2017 05:00 PM PDT There's nothing better than the delicious, refreshing taste of fruit plucked from your very own backyard orchard. Once your fruit trees are established, they'll be relatively easy to care for and maintain. But first things first! Before you get to planting, you'll need to improve soil consistency, drainage, nutrient composition, and pH balance. It's less work than it sounds, and proper soil preparation will give your fruit trees the best chance of producing a delicious crop. EditImproving Soil Consistency and Drainage - Check soil drainage. Break out your shovel and dig a hole in your planting area. You only need to go down about a foot (30.5 cm). After that, fill the hole with water. The water should drain within 3 to 4 hours, at which point you should fill the hole again with water.
- If the hole does not drain within 3 to 4 hours during the first and second water filling, your soil won't likely drain well enough to support a fruit tree.
- If your hole drains completely in less than 3 hours, the soil may be too sandy. To improve this, add organic matter to the soil as described in the following steps.
- Soil that drains poorly can be improved with a drainage system, planting mounds, or raised beds, all of which are described in the following steps.[1]
- Install French drains for slow draining soil. A layer of thick, sticky clay underneath your topsoil could be clogging things up. Removing this layer isn't really a cost effective option, so a DIY French drain system may be the best solution for slow draining soil.
- French drains are a kind of underground drainpipe installed to improve drainage. Once they're put in and the grass regrows, they'll be all but invisible.[2]
- Generally, French drains are installed by digging a sloping trench through areas of poor drainage to a drainage area. A drainage pipe and coarse backfill, like gravel, are inserted in the trench, then covered with dirt.[3]
- Mix in organic matter for fast draining soil. Soil that is sandy or coarse may drain too quickly for your trees to receive enough water. Use well-composted organic materials in the backfill for tree holes to increase moisture retention while the roots establish.[4]
- After mixing in organic materials thoroughly, test drainage with the previously described hole-drainage check (water should drain in 3 to 4 hours).
- The amount of organic materials you'll need to add to the backfill will depend on the severity of your drainage problems.
- Protect the root crown of your trees with a mound. The upper part of the root system slightly underneath the soil line is called the root crown. This part of the tree is vulnerable to excess moisture. By raising the planting area with a mound, the root crown will be better protected.
- Mounds are made by backfilling soil into holes to create a gentle slope rising to the tree in the center. The tree's soil line should be 6 to 12 in (15.2 to 30.5 cm) higher than surrounding soil.
- For mounds that are 6 in (15.2 cm) high, you should also use a width of at least 2.5 ft (.76 m).
- For mounds that are 10 or 12 in (25.4 or 30.5 cm) high, use a width between 3 and 4 ft (.9 and 1.2 m).
- Avoid making steep slopes with your mounds. Gentle slopes will prevent the soil from eroding.[5]
- Build a raised bed to protect root crowns if you've got the tools. A raised bed is a simple wooden box that holds in soil around the tree, keeping its soil line high. This pretty much eliminates the erosion that will eventually happen with mounds, which is a definite plus.[6]
- Break up soil at the planting site for better root growth. Soil that is packed tightly will resist root growth. Your trees roots will establish better in an area widely cultivated with a shovel and rototiller. Do not cultivate lower than the recommended planting depth for your tree.
- Holes for trees, generally, should be double the width of the roots. The depth shouldn't be greater than the root ball, except when the soil is really compacted, then you'll want a little extra room.
- If you notice a lot of clay while breaking up the soil in the planting site, use a shovel to cut channels into the sides of the hole. This will encourage outward root growth.[7]
EditTesting Soil Nutrients and pH - Purchase a soil testing kit. These can be bought at many hardware stores, home centers, or even some general retailers, like Walmart and Target. Some tests include strips, vials, and mild reagents to test your soil and interpret the results, other tests send samples to labs for analysis, some kits do both!
- Test your soil in fall or early spring. Technically, you can test your soil whenever you feel like it, but choosing your moment has its benefits. Testing in fall or early in spring will give you time to make adjustments to your soil before planting.
- Also, shoot dry conditions when testing your soil. Moisture in your sample can sometimes throw readings off.[8]
- If you live in a part of the world where your growing season doesn't start in spring and end in fall, perform your test instead at either the start or end of your growing season.
- Clean tools before using them to take a sample. A mild soap and water will be more than enough to prepare your tools. Rinse all soap thoroughly from the tools, as it can give a false reading. Dry the tools with paper towel, and you're ready to take a sample.
- Similarly, wash, clean, and dry a bucket for harvesting samples. Lay out some newspaper on a flat, out of the way location; this is where you'll set out samples to dry.[9]
- Take samples from the planting area. You want a good cross-section of the planting area. Dig five holes spaced out evenly around where you'll be planting. Each hole should be 6 to 8 in (15.2 to 20.3 cm) deep. Harvest soil samples by cutting a half-inch (1.3 cm) slice from the side of each hole.
- Harvested soil goes right in the bucket. When you've harvested all your samples, mix them together. When the soil is well mixed, lay it out on the newspaper you prepared earlier to dry.
- When necessary, use the sample container that came with your kit to collect the required amount of soil (usually, it's about a pint).
- pH tests often only require you to add a reagent to a sample. The interaction between these two should create a vivid change in color, indicating the pH level according to the kit's pH color chart.[10]
EditFertilizing and Balancing pH - Reduce soil acidity when necessary. Acidic soil can take a long time to really balance out. This can be done by mixing limestone (or garden preparations with limestone in them) in with your soil. Add limestone in fall every year for a few years and you should notice an improvement.
- Unfortunately, most of the eastern half of the US has acidic soil. This doesn't necessarily mean your soil won't support fruit trees, but it may benefit from amending it with limestone.[11]
- Raise the pH of soil that's too basic. Sometimes referred to as "alkaline soil," soil like this is found in much of the central and southwestern US. Add in a soil conditioner to your dirt, like one containing sulfur or gypsum.
- Soil conditioners are available at most hardware stores and home centers. Try Sphagnum peat moss as an organic alternative.
- If you have access to compost materials, apply these regularly to decrease alkalinity. Be sure to take readings as you balance to make sure you don't make the soil too acidic.[12]
- Avoid fertilizing before planting. It's very easy to overload the root system of fruit trees. Their roots are sensitive to direct exposure to fertilizer. Never add fertilizer or manure directly to the hole in which you'll be planting a fruit tree.[13]
- Fertilize from the top of the soil after the first pruning of the season and as close before budding as possible.
- If you tree starts budding sooner than expected, you can still fertilize up through June. Late summer and fall will put trees at risk of frost damage.[14]
- Use nitrogen light fertilizers for established trees. Nitrogen will make your trees grow in a way that will require more pruning but will actually decrease fruit bearing wood. Each tree will have its own unique needs, but most fruit trees require high phosphorus, potash, and iron.[15]
- If installing drainage, heaping up mounds mounds, or constructing raised beds sounds like too much work, you can always plant your tree somewhere with better drainage.
EditThings You'll Need - Garden tools (shovel, rake, hoe)
- Rototiller (optional)
- Soil testing kit
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations
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| How to Spot a Fake Lacoste Polo Posted: 21 Aug 2017 09:00 AM PDT Lacoste polos are popular and pricey, so they are often replicated. Someone may try to sell you one at full price, but the features of the shirt can help you distinguish whether it is real or fake. A real Lacoste polo will have a detailed crocodile logo patch on the front left side. It'll also have two vertically sewn buttons, high quality stitching, and specific information listed on the tags. EditChecking the Crocodile Patch - Look for detailed features like claws and teeth. The official logo is a deep, dark green with noticeable teeth and claws. The top jaw is smaller than the bottom jaw and is angled upwards. The crocodile's tail should be rounded and point in the same direction as the jaw, not at the crocodile. The eye should also look more slit-like than rounded.[1]
- If the crocodile looks cartoonish and lacks detail, the shirt is a sure fake.
- Lacoste's Vintage brand is an exception. The crocodile will be high-quality but the same color as the shirt.
- Make sure the logo is on a white background. The logo is a patch that is lightly sewn on from behind. You won't see the stitching when you look at it from the front. Look out for stitching around the patch's border, loose threads, or needle hole marks. These are signs that the polo is a fake.[2]
- On a few brands, such as the Vintage brand, the crocodile may be printed directly on the shirt.
- Make sure the logo is under the second button. The crocodile will be in the middle of the left side of the shirt. It should be between the bottom stitching on the collar and the second button. Low-quality fakes often align the crocodile with the bottom stitching. That stitching may also appear crooked.[3]
- A few real Lacoste versions also align the crocodile with the bottom stitching, so don't depend on this one observation.
- Turn the shirt inside-out to see the faint outline of the patch. The outline of the crocodile's body should barely be visible. There won't be any colors, threads, or obvious stitching. If the finish doesn't look clean, the shirt is a fake.[4]
EditInspecting the Buttons - Look for two vertically-sewn buttons. One button will be at the top of the collar. The other will be partway down it. Each button should have two holes with thread passing up and down through them, not side to side. The buttons should not appear crooked. The threading should appear to hold them tightly in place.[5]
- See if the buttons look identical. Mother of pearl buttons are all unique. You may notice a rainbow shimmer from a distance. When you look close, you should notice that each button has its own pattern. They may also have some marbling on the back. Plastic buttons are mass-produced and look identical.[6]
- Feel the buttons to make sure they're mother of pearl. Real Lacoste polos have mother of pearl buttons instead of plastic ones. Plastic buttons feel softer and warmer but with hard edges. They'll also lack the dip in the center that real Lacoste buttons have.[7]
- If you still aren't sure, try tapping the buttons against your teeth or biting down on them. Mother of pearl buttons should feel harder and denser than plastic buttons.
- Avoid buttons that have Lacoste printed on them (update: 2017 Lacoste shirts now may have this print on the buttons depending on the style). Buttons on authentic Lacoste polos do not have the brand name printed on them. Letters on the buttons is a sure sign that the buttons are plastic and fake.
EditStudying the Shirt Tags - Make sure the shirt is sized with numbers. Lacoste polos are designed in France, which sizes in numbers. Above the crocodile, you should see a red number such as "4." If the polo uses words like small, medium, or large, it is a fake.[8]
- Look for a detailed crocodile on the tag. The crocodile should be an olive green color. Again, it will have noticeable claws, teeth, a red mouth, and white scales on its back. Make sure the crocodile's outline looks smooth instead of lumpy. An authentic one also won't have rough lines disrupting the coloring.[9]
- High-quality fakes look similar, but study them closely. They won't be quite as detailed. The crocodile may look a little squashed. The white eyes and scales tend to look rough and too close together.
- Find a second tag indicating the shirt's origin. If the polo has a second tag, it'll rest under the first one. The first line should say "Designed In France." These words should not be covered up by the first tag. The second line will say "Made In" along with a country, which is usually El Salvador or Peru. Lacoste polos made in France are rare.
- Not all polos have this second tag. Many polos now have a wide tag with the logo, so use other methods to identify them.
- Check the washing instructions tag inside the shirt. The tag is on the bottom and inside the shirt. When you find it, you will first see "100% cotton" printed in seven languages. On the back, you'll see washing instructions with the word Devanlay, which is the company's name. No fabric should cover the letters on the tag.[10]
- Fake shirts may have the washing instructions on the tag's front. The tags may also be roughly sewn in with threads that hang down or obstruct letters.
- The tag may be above small triangle cuts on the side of the shirt. Make sure these cuts are small and don't have loose threads hanging from them.
- Always be wary of a bargain. Authentic Lacoste polos retail for $60 or more in the United States. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- Fake polos tend to be associated with low quality, such as loose threads, shredded cuffs, or stitching that falls apart after a few washes. An authentic shirt may also show signs of damage, however, and some fakes may be high quality.
- Some legitimate resellers sell packages or clothing that has been damaged. These products are still authentic even though they tend to come at a discount.
- When in doubt, go online and compare your shirt to one from Lacoste's store.
EditSources and Citations
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| How to Bedazzle Shoes Posted: 21 Aug 2017 01:00 AM PDT If you need a little more bling in your life, consider bedazzling a pair of shoes. You can always buy them from the store, but can get very expensive, and it is often cheaper to just bedazzle them yourself. High heels and wedges are the most popular candidates for bedazzling, but you can also add some glitz and glam to more casual shoes, such as canvas sneakers or flip flops. The project can get a little time consuming, but the results are glamorous and totally worth it. EditPreparing the Shoes - Choose the shoes you want to bedazzle. You can bedazzle just about any type of shoe, from wedges to heels, canvas sneakers to flip flops. Plain shoes without a lot of embellishments (at least on the area you want to bedazzle) will work the best. News shoes will work the best, but you can use older ones as long as they are clean and in good condition.
- Because of how quickly they show wear and tear, flip flops and canvas sneakers should be new.
- Wipe the shoes down with a damp, cotton cloth. If the shoes are especially dirty, use rubbing alcohol instead. Be careful if the shoes are made out of leather, however; rubbing alcohol can discolor leather shoes.[1] You don't have to wipe down the entire show, but you need to wipe down the area you will be bedazzling.
- Plan out your design. You will be working with strong adhesives, so it will be difficult to fix mistakes. Take a look at your shoes and now and decide where you want the rhinestones to go. Because of how heavy the rhinestones can make the shoes, it's not recommended that you cover the entire shoe. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Cover the entire heel portion on a pair of high heels or wedges.
- Cover just the fabric part on a pair of canvas sneakers.
- Consider covering just the rubber toe cap on canvas sneakers. Keep in mind that the rhinestones may fall off.
- Cover the straps on a pair of flip flops. Depending on the material, be aware that the rhinestones may fall off.
- Buy your rhinestones. Silver or clear rhinestones will work with just about any shoe. You can also use colored rhinestones, but make sure that they look good on your shoe. You can use rhinestones that are all the same shape and size, or play around with different shapes and/or sizes. If you are using rhinestones that are all the same size, it would still be a good idea to get a few odd sizes in order to fill in any gaps caused by curves.[2]
- For a pair of high heels, wedges, or very expensive shoes, use tiny, high-quality rhinestones. Sizes between 5ss and 16ss will work especially well.[3] Large, plastic rhinestones will look tacky.
- If you are covering a pair of casual or inexpensive shoes, such as canvas sneakers or flip flops, you can use larger and less expensive rhinestones.[4]
- Buy or make a jewel setter, if needed. A jewel setter is a small, plastic stick with a ball of wax attached at the tip. If you can't find one, roll a small piece of wax into a ball, and stick it onto a toothpick. The ball should be about the size of a pinhead.[5]
- This is only necessary for tiny rhinestones. If you can easily pick the rhinestone up with your finger, you don't need a jewel setter.
- You can also use a pair of jewelry tweezers. They look similar to cosmetic tweezers, except that the tip is longer and thinner. You can find them in the beading section of an arts and crafts store.
- Pour the rhinestones onto a tray. If you can't find a tray, a clean, plastic lid would also work. Make sure that the flat, back side of each rhinestone is facing down, and the faceted side is facing up. This will make the rhinestones easier to pick up.[6]
- If you are working with a lot of rhinestones, pour out only a small amount first.
- If you are working with different shapes and/or sizes, it would be a good idea to sort them out first. Use different trays/lids if necessary.
EditApplying the Rhinestones - Apply a strong adhesive to a small patch on the shoe. Use a toothpick, skewer, or popsicle stick to apply the adhesive to a 1 by 2-centimeter patch on the shoe. If you are bedazzling a heel on a high heel or wedge, start on the edge or back of the heel; don't start in the middle or top.
- It is easier to work in small patches. It also prevents the glue from drying out too fast.
- Use a strong adhesive, such as E6000 or GemTac. Regular white school glue or tacky glue won't be strong enough for this.
- If the heel is covered in fabric, or if you are covering a canvas sneaker, you may be able to use a good-quality fabric glue instead.
- Pick up a crystal with the jewel setter. Lightly tap the wax tip against the top of the rhinestone. The rhinestone should stick to the wax. Don't press too hard against the rhinestone, however, or it will get stuck to the wax and not adhere properly to the glue.[7]
- Don't panic if you get some wax residue on the crystal. You will take care of that later.
- If you are working with large, chunky rhinestones, you can pick it up with your fingers instead.
- You can also pick up the rhinestone with a pair of jewelry tweezers. Grip it by the sides.
- Press the rhinestone into the glue. Once the rhinestone sticks, carefully lift the jewel setter away. Use an orange stick or a toothpick to push the rhinestone into place, if needed.[8]
- An orange stick is the same tool that manicurists use to push back cuticles. You can find it in the nail care section of more grocery stores and super markets.
- If you are using jewelry tweezers, be careful not to get any glue on them. If you did, wipe the glue off immediately.
- Apply the rhinestones to the rest of the shoe. Always work in small, 1 to 2-centimeter patches. You can place them right next to each other for the ultimate sparkly look, for further apart for something more subtle. If your rhinestones are all the same size, you may need to use an odd-sized one to fill in any gaps.[9] If you are using a variety of sizes in a random pattern, start with the largest ones first, then fill the gaps in with smaller ones.
- Apply round rhinestones in off-set lines, like bricks on a wall, to get the most coverage.[10]
- Applying square rhinestones in straight lines for a neat, geometric look.
- You don't have to cover the entire area with rhinestones. Use tiny rhinestones to make patterns, such as simply daisies.[11]
EditFinishing the Job - Wait for the glue to set. How long this takes depends on what type of glue you are using, so read the instructions on the package carefully. For example, E6000 will take 24 to 72 hours to set.[12]
- Drying times are not the same as curing times. If your glue has a curing time, then you must wait that long before wearing the shoes.
- Clean up any residue with acetone or rubbing alcohol. You can do this with a q-tip or a brush. If you are using a brush, make sure it's one that you don't care about, because it will ruin the fibers. Avoid soaking the area, however, or the acetone will dissolve the glue and cause the rhinestones to fall off.[13]
- Always test the acetone on a spare rhinestone, especially if it is made out of plastic. It can fog or dissolve certain types of plastic.
- If the rhinestone is made out of plastic, try scratching the adhesive off first. If it won't come off, try rubbing alcohol next; it is gentler than acetone.
- The adhesive will dry clear. If it is not very noticeable, it may sometimes be better to just leave it as it is.
- Buff the rhinestones with a soft cloth, if needed. This is only necessary if you got any wax or fingerprints on the rhinestones. Gently wipe them down with a soft cotton or microfiber cloth until the residue is gone.
- Treat the shoes with care. Some of the rhinestones may eventually fall off, especially if they are in an area that bends a lot (such as rubber toe caps on canvas sneakers or straps on a pair of flip flops). Even through the adhesive you used is very strong, avoid getting the shoes wet. This will help them last even longer.
- How many rhinestones you need depends on the size of the rhinestone and how much of the shoe you will be bedazzling. If you are covering the heel on a pair of wedges with tiny rhinestones, plan on using about 2000.[14]
- If you get some glue onto the rhinestone while applying it, remove it immediately. Wipe it off with rubbing alcohol and try again.
- Don't be afraid to switch from side-to-side or shoe-to-shoe, especially if the glue starts to get runny.[15]
- The rhinestones will make your shoes heavier.[16] Consider using a lighter shoe as a base.
- Avoid using cheap, plastic rhinestones on nice, expensive shoes. While cost-efficient, they will make your shoes look cheap and tacky.
- If you shoe already has embellishments on it, match the color of the rhinestones to them.
- Avoid using too much glue, or it will cause the rhinestones to turn foggy.[17]
- If you run out of space, cover it with an embellishment that works with the design of the shoe, such as a bow, brooch, or shoe clip.[18]
EditThings You'll Need - Clean shoes that are in good condition
- Flat back rhinestones (not "Hit Fix")
- Strong adhesive (ie: E6000 GemTac)
- Tray or lid
- Jewel setter or jewelry tweezers
- Toothpick or orange stick
- Toothpicks, skewers, or popsicle sticks
- Soft cotton or microfiber cloth
- Acetone or rubbing alcohol
EditSources and Citations
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