| How to Grow Shallots Posted: 14 Oct 2021 05:00 PM PDT Shallots are a member of the allium family and are closely related to garlic, onions, and chives—they're basically like fancy onions. They're delicious and easy to use in a variety of recipes. They're also super easy to grow. Whether you grow them from seed or from a bulb, all they need is enough sun and water and they'll grow into happy, healthy plants. To make it even easier for you, we've answered some of the most common questions that folks have about what it takes to grow shallots. [Edit]How long does it take to grow shallots? - From seed, shallots are ready for harvest after about 100-120 days. Shallot seeds are produced by the flowering top of the plant and are small and dark in color. They can be started indoors or sown directly into the grown. Shallots grown from seed produce up to 4 bulbs and are ready for harvest after about 100 days.[1]
- Shallots grown from seed produce fewer bulbs than shallots grown from cloves.
- Shallots grown from cloves are ready after about 60-120 days. Cloves are the separate sections of a shallot bulb. It's actually much more common to plant a clove instead of a seed to grow a shallot because they're more likely to reach maturity and they'll produce more bulbs by the time they're ready for harvest.[2]
[Edit]What month do you plant shallots? - Plant seeds about 4 weeks before the average last frost in your region. Shallots can tolerate frost, but they'll thrive and grow into healthy productive plants if you time your planting according to the last frost. Look up the average last frost date in your area online and plant your seeds in the soil about a month before it.[3]
- For instance, if the last expected frost date in your area is April 5, then plant the seeds around March 5.
- Plant bulbs in fall or early to mid-spring. Shallot bulbs are a little hardier than seeds so they can be planted a little longer before the last expected frost. Break bulbs into individual cloves and plant them about deep so the tops are just covered. Space the cloves about apart in rows spaced apart.[4]
- You can also actually cut larger cloves into smaller pieces and plant the individual pieces. Just make sure the head of the clove has some root on it.
[Edit]How do you plant shallots? - Plant seeds about deep. Make a small hole in the soil and drop a seed into it. Plant your seeds in rows spaced out apart and water the soil when you're finished.[5]
- Break bulbs into cloves and plant them about deep. Bury them in the soil so the tops are just covered with the pointy end facing up. Space the cloves about apart in rows spaced apart.[6]
- Space your shallots at least apart. Shallots need a decent amount of room so their bulbs can develop and grow. Stick to at least of space for seeds or cloves so they can grow and develop into healthy bulbs.[7]
[Edit]When can I transplant shallot seedlings? - Transplant the seedlings about 4-5 weeks before the last expected frost. You can start shallot seeds as early as 10-12 weeks before the last expected frost date. About a month or so before the frost date, transplant them into their containers or into the ground so they can start to grow into mature plants.[8]
- Starting shallot seeds in seed starting trays or small pots is a great way to let them grow into more established seedlings before you transfer them to grow in the ground or in larger containers
[Edit]Do shallots need full sun? - They prefer full sun, but will tolerate partial shade. If you're planting your shallots outside, try to choose a location with good drainage and full sun. For pot plants, choose a bright, sunny spot such as a windowsill. While shallots thrive in full sun, they can still grow and produce healthy bulbs in partial sunlight.[9]
[Edit]How do I care for shallots? - Choose an area with good drainage if you're planting outside. Shallots can rot if they sit for too long in over-saturated soil. Look for an area in your yard that doesn't hold water after a storm to identify locations with good drainage and plant your shallots there.[10]
- Water the soil enough to keep it moist but not saturated. Shallots prefer moist soil, but you may not need to water them every day. Check the soil to see if it's dry. If it is, water it. If it's still slightly damp, don't add more water so you don't overwater them, which could potentially cause them to rot.[11]
- The amount that you need to water your shallots can vary depending on your climate. For instance, if your soil dries out faster, you may need to water them more often.
- Give the shallots a heavy feeder fertilizer in the spring. Heavy-feeders are plants that need lots of minerals and nutrients to thrive, such as tomatoes, cabbage, onions, and shallots.[12] After you plant your shallots, give them a heavy feeder fertilizer according to the directions on the packaging to help them grow into healthy, strong plants.[13]
- You can find a heavy feeder fertilizer at your local garden supply store or nursery. You can also order it online.
[Edit]Can I plant shallots from the grocery store? - Yes! Simply break the bulb apart into individual cloves. Plant the cloves deep enough to just cover the tops with the pointy end facing up. They'll start to grow into entirely new plants that you can harvest somewhere between 60-120 days.[14]
- Avoid choosing shallots with sunken or soft spots on them.
[Edit]Can I grow shallots in pots? - Yes, you can grow 2-3 shallots in an 8-inch (20cm) pot. Choose a pot that's at least 8 inches (20cm) deep and fill it with quality gardening soil. Stick to no more than 3 cloves or seedlings per pot so they have plenty of room to develop a healthy root system.[15]
- Make sure the pot has drainage holes as well so your shallots won't get waterlogged and potentially rot.
[Edit]How do I harvest shallots? - Dig out the bulbs once the leaves begin to turn brown. Dying leaves that are falling over are a sure sign that your shallots are ready to be harvested. Loosen the soil with a small shovel or hand trowel and remove the bulbs.[16]
- Allow the bulbs to cure for at least 3 weeks. Place the harvested shallot bulbs in a shady, well-ventilated location and let them dry out. After about 3 weeks, pull off the dried tops and store them in a cool location until you're ready to use them![17]
- If you're choosing shallots from the grocery store to grow, double-check the description to make sure they're true French shallots and not multiplier onions.
[Edit]References |
| How to Revive a Friendship Posted: 14 Oct 2021 09:00 AM PDT Reviving a friendship is totally possible, so don't give up on your friend. It's normal for friendships to change over time, but sometimes change is a good thing. Your friendship might even come back stronger than it was before! Reach out to your friend so you can start reconnecting. [Edit]Sparking Communication - Send your friend a message or text to break the ice. Don't wait for your friend to reach out. Write out a short message to start a conversation. Ask your friend a question or send a funny meme. If it's been a while, tell your friend you miss them and want your friendship to be like it was before.[1]
- Try something like, "Hey! How have you been lately?" or "I saw on Insta that you went to that new coffee shop. How was it?"
- If it's been a really long time, try something like, "Hey! I've been thinking about you a lot lately. I really miss all the good times we had. I really wish we could be that close again."
- If you had a fight with your friend, send a longer message via email. It'll give your friend time to think about what you have to say and decide if they want to write back.
- Keep the conversation going if they respond. Add on to what your friend says, and ask follow-up questions. Talk about what's going on in your lives, how you're feeling lately, and what you're working toward in the future.[2]
- For instance, let's say you asked your friend what they've been up to lately. They might reply with, "I've been filling out applications and finishing up my summer reading. Hbu?" You could reply, "I've been running a lot. Did you read any good books this summer?"
- If you had a fight, ask your friend to meet up in person to talk, if possible. If not, chat over the phone or in a video call.[3] You could text, "Do you want to chat tomorrow at the park?" or "Can we do a video chat?"
- Apologize if you and your friend had a falling out. Clear the air when you start talking again so you can start your friendship fresh. Talk to your friend about what went wrong. Then, tell your friend that you know you did something wrong and explain that you're sorry. Promise to do your best not to hurt them again.[4]
- You might say, "I know I hurt your feelings. I'm really sorry, and I promise to be a better friend."
- If you don't know what you did wrong, ask about it at the beginning of your talk. You could say, "I feel really bad about hurting your feelings, but I'm not sure what exactly I did wrong. Please tell me so I can fix things."
- Give your friend time to respond to you. Waiting for a response can be agonizing, but there's nothing you can do to make your friend reach out. Be patient as your friend decides how to respond. By giving them their space, you're showing them you really care about how they feel.[5]
- Hopefully, your friend will respond right away. Just in case they don't, plan some fun distractions for yourself while you wait. You might hang out with another friend, play a game, take your dog for a walk, or read a book.
- If you've drifted apart, it's possible your friend's life has just changed a lot. They might be busy with responsibilities that they have to prioritize, like school work, a job, or household chores. Try not to take their silence personally because it might not be about you.
[Edit]Reconnecting as Friends - Treat the friendship like it's brand new at first. If it's been a while, you might notice your friendship feels awkward at first, and that's okay. Pretend like you're just getting to know each other. Don't try to pick up exactly where you left off. Give your friendship time to grow, and it might come back stronger than ever.[6]
- For instance, you might miss watching movies with your friend every Friday night or swapping memes all day on social media. Hopefully, you'll be able to do that again soon, but it might take time to get to that point. When you first start reconnecting, stick to activities you'd do with a new friend, like playing a game or getting coffee together.
- You'll probably reconnect a lot faster if it hasn't been very long since your friendship faded. However, try to take things slow at first so you and your friend don't feel overwhelmed.
- Spend some time catching up to find out what's new. Enjoy reconnecting with your friend by swapping stories and talking about your lives. Ask your friend about what they've been doing recently and about any new interests they might have. Show excitement over what they have going on in their life.[7]
- You might ask questions like, "Have you done anything exciting since we last spoke?" "What's going on in your life these days?" or "Are you still drawing your comic books?"
- Send your friend old pics and memories to remind them of good times. Choose photos of fun times you had together or silly photos you took for fun. Keep your texts short and playful so they give your friend a warm, fuzzy feeling. Just send one photo or anecdote at a time so your friend doesn't feel bombarded.[8]
- For instance, you might send your friend a photo of you together at a sports event, of you two hanging out at your house, or of you two engaging in a shared interest.
- You might text a memory by saying, "Remember when we dropped water balloons off the stairs? That was a total mess!" or "Remember when we sang karaoke last year? I still think we were the best duet that night!"
- Accept your friend's decision if they don't want to be friends again. It's super painful to lose a friend, so you may be feeling really sad. Give yourself time to grieve the loss, but don't pressure your friend to revive your friendship if they aren't ready. Instead, focus on your other friends and meeting new people.[9]
- Talk to someone you trust about how you're feeling so you can get support. You could say, "I lost a good friend today, and I'm really sad about it. We had a lot of fun together, and I can't believe our friendship is over."
- Take extra special care of yourself! Losing a friend hurts a lot, so reach out to other friends or family members who can support you.
[Edit]Being There for Your Friend - Make plans with your friend so you don't lose touch again. Act now instead of saying you'll make plans later.[10] Make a list of activities you and your friend both like to do. Include activities you both used to do together and new things you can try together to make fresh memories. Then, start scheduling your hangouts.[11]
- For example, you might make plans to get coffee, watch a movie, walk around the park, play mini golf, try a new restaurant, make a craft, attend a book club, take a class, go to a paint and sip, or play board games.
- It's not enough to just say, "Let's hang out soon." Plan your hangout right now so you don't forget.
- Do a video chat if you can't hang out in person. You don't need to see each other in-person to have a fun time together. Download a video chat platform if you don't have one. Then, schedule a call with your friend.[12]
- Facetime, WhatsApp, Skype, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams are all great platforms for video calling.[13]
- Keep it simple by having a drink or dessert together over video chat.
- If you want to do an activity, watch a movie, play a video game, or draw together over video chat. Alternatively, get moving by going on a scavenger hunt over video chat.
- Celebrate your friend's important events and achievements. Show your friend you really care about them by keeping up with their life. Remember their birthday and wish them happy holidays. Additionally, check in with them to see how things are going so you can cheer them on toward their goals.[14]
- Text them things like, "How was school today?" "How'd your presentation go?" or "When's your next game?"
- If you normally exchange presents on special occasions, take time to pick out or make something special for them so they can tell you really thought about your gift.
- Focus on creating new memories together, not on the past. Your friendship might not be exactly the same as it was before, but don't let that get you down.[15] Instead, enjoy the friendship you have now. Do fun things with your friend, talk to them often, and try new activities. In time, your friendship can be even better than before.[16]
- Create a habit of making new plans after each activity you do with your friend so you always have something coming up.
- Don't worry if you and your friend can't see each other in-person very often. You can still have a strong friendship virtually! Just remember to text them often and schedule regular video calls.
- It's okay to disagree with your friend if you've had a fight in the past. Focus on the future and agree to let the past stay there.[17]
- Treat your faded friendship as a learning experience. Try to figure out what you could do differently in future relationships so your friendships stay strong.[18]
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Do a Bridge Exercise With an Exercise Ball Posted: 14 Oct 2021 01:00 AM PDT Are you looking for a new glute and core exercise for your routine, but don't want something too intense? If you have an exercise ball, bridges make a great addition to your workout! You can perform bridges by placing your legs or your back on the ball, but they work the same muscles so pick whatever position feels the most comfortable for you. We'll walk you through how to properly do bridges for both positions along with a few variations to make your workout even more intense. [Edit]Bridges (Legs on Ball) - Lie flat on your back. Try to do this exercise on a padded floor or lay out an exercise mat so you're a little more comfortable. Lie down on your back and look straight up toward the ceiling.[1] Keep your arms at your sides so your palms are flat against the floor to help stabilize your body during the exercise.[2]
- Place your calves on top of the exercise ball. Lift your legs up and roll an exercise ball underneath them. Position the middle of your calves on top of the ball so you're bending at the hips. Make sure you keep your lower back flat against the floor. Leave some room between your thighs and the ball so you can properly perform the exercise.[3]
- The exercise ball adds more resistance to the exercise so you develop better body control.[4]
- If you want to work your core even harder, only rest your feet on top of the exercise ball instead.
- Get an exercise ball that's the proper size for your body. If you're between 5'1"–5'7" (155–170 cm), get a ball. If you're 5'8"–6'1" (173–185 cm), then get a ball that's . For people 6'1" (188 cm) or taller, get a ball.[5]
- Lift your hips until your back and legs form a straight line. Take a deep breath in as you tighten your core muscles and your glutes. Press your legs into the exercise ball and slowly lift your hips off of the floor. Keep your head, arms, and shoulder blades against the floor. When your back makes a straight line with your thighs, stop and maintain your position.[6]
- Breathe freely the whole time you're performing the exercise so you don't hold your breath.[7]
- The exercise ball makes you less stable, so you engage your core and glute muscles even more to hold still. Make sure you go slowly when you're first starting off so the ball doesn't slip out or roll away.
- Hold your position for 3 deep breaths. Slowly take 3 deep breaths in and out and try to keep your body straight. Avoid letting your hips sag or arching your back since it could cause you to strain your muscles.[8]
- Even though you can use your arms to help stabilize yourself, don't use them to completely balance yourself. Otherwise, you won't work your core as much.
- Lower your hips back to your starting position. Using a slow and controlled motion, relax your muscles and drop your glutes back onto the floor. Try to keep the ball as still as possible as you lower your hips. Take a short rest between your reps so you don't feel too fatigued.[9]
- Complete 3 sets that are each 10 reps for a full workout. During your first set, aim to do 10 full reps of your exercise, but don't get discouraged if that's too difficult. Even aiming for 5 reps is a great start.[10] Take a short break between your sets so your muscles have a chance to relax before starting your next one.[11]
- You should start to feel fatigued by the end of your last set, so don't push yourself if you're in pain or struggling to complete all your reps.
- Lift your arms off the floor to engage your core more. If you're looking for an easy way to build your core muscles, try raising your arms off of the floor or crossing them over your chest. Since you can't press into the floor with your palms to stabilize yourself, your abs will work a lot harder to keep your body stable.[12]
- Lift 1 leg off of the ball to make the exercise more intense. If regular bridges start feeling too easy, try balancing on a single leg instead. Lie on the floor with the ball underneath your legs. Raise your left leg off of the ball and try lifting your hips off the floor to get into the bridge position. Hold the pose for about 3 counts before lowering yourself back down.[13]
- Alternate your legs after each rep so you work both sides evenly.
- Roll the ball closer to you with your feet to work your core and hamstrings. Tighten your core muscles and glutes and push your hips up to straighten your back like you're doing a regular bridge. Dig your heels into the ball and engage your hamstrings to roll the ball until your knees are bent to 90-degree angles. Hold your position for 3 counts before slowly rolling the ball back to the starting position and lowering your hips.[14]
- Try starting with your heels on the ball instead of your calves so it's more of a challenge lifting your hips.
[Edit]Bridges (Back on Ball) - Sit on the floor with your shoulders against the exercise ball. Find a comfortable place to do your exercise, like on a mat or padded floor. Lie down so your feet are flat on the floor and slightly wider than shoulder-width. Position your exercise ball behind you and lean back against it. Only rest your upper back and shoulder blades on the ball, or else you won't engage your core while you're performing your exercise.[15]
- Keep your feet slightly wider than you would if you were doing a bridge exercise on the floor.[16]
- When you're choosing an exercise ball, get a ball if you're between 5'1"–5'7" (155–170 cm), a ball if you're 5'8"–6'1" (173–185 cm), or a ball if you're 6'1" (188 cm) or taller.[17]
- Place your hands on your sides or across your chest. Keep your arms tight against the sides of your body and put your hands on your hips. If that's not very comfortable when you're first starting off, just cross your arms in front of your chest so they're not in your way.[18]
- Do not use your arms to push or lift yourself up during the exercise, or else it won't work your core or glutes as well.
- Lift your hips so your thighs and back form a straight line. Take deep breaths the entire time you're performing the exercise. When you're ready to start, engage your core and glutes. Then, press your heels into the floor for support and slowly lift your hips off the ground until your knees form 90-degree angles. Roll backward onto the ball so your thighs form a straight line with the rest of your body.[19]
- Be careful not to roll the ball too much while you're getting into position, or else you could fall off. Do your exercises in a slow and controlled way if you're doing them for the first time.
- Hold your position for 5 counts. Be careful not to drop your hips while you're doing your exercise. Take slow, deep breaths while you try to keep the ball as still as possible. Slowly count to 2 while you hold the position before you move on.[20]
- If you have trouble maintaining your position, reach your arms straight down to the floor and gently support yourself with your fingertips.[21]
- Drop your hips back down to the floor. After 2 counts, relax your muscles and ease yourself back onto the floor. Carefully roll your body forward and off of the ball, making sure the ball stays in the same place. Once you get back into your starting position, you've finished your rep.[22]
- Do about 4 sets that are each around 10 reps. Start your next rep 1–2 counts after you finish your first one. Try your hardest to get through all 10 reps of the set before getting off of the ball and taking a short break. After about 1 minute of rest, start your next set.[23]
- It's okay if you can't complete all of your reps or sets right away. Just push yourself to work as hard as you can without hurting yourself.
- Keep a dumbbell on your hips to build your glute strength. Choose a weight that you're comfortable lifting and supporting, but if you're just starting off, try using . Set the weight on your hips and get into your starting position. When you're ready, press your feet into the floor and slowly raise your hips up to the top position. Hold still for 2 counts before easing back into your starting position over 4 counts.[24]
- When a weight starts feeling easy to use, try using the next size up to keep it challenging.
- Perform leg lifts to work your glutes even more. After raising your hips and straightening your body, reach your arms down and touch the floor with your fingertips. Slowly bring your left leg up so your thigh is vertical, but so your knee stays bent. Lower your foot back to the floor and then repeat the exercise with your right leg.[25]
- When you feel comfortable doing the exercise, try keeping your hands on your hips so you have to stabilize yourself with your core even more.
- Rotate your upper body to feel the burn in your obliques. Get into the bridge position so your back is in line with your thighs. Extend your arms up above you and lock your fingers together. Keep your arms straight and turn your shoulders to the left so the ball rolls. Push down into the floor with your left leg to stabilize yourself. Hold your position for 1 count before turning back to the starting position. Alternate sides with each rep to get a balanced workout.[26]
- Focus on your form and control while you rotate your body so you're less likely to hurt yourself.
[Edit]Warnings - Be careful not to roll the ball too far while you're performing this exercise, or else you may fall off of it.[27]
- If you feel lower back pain while doing this exercise, make sure you aren't arching your back when you lift your hips.[28]
[Edit]References |
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