| How to Grow Roses Posted: 11 Apr 2022 05:00 PM PDT Would you like to become a Rosarian? Roses, symbolic of love and beauty, have been growing wild and in gardens for thousands of years. To grow gorgeous roses, it's important to choose varieties that grow well in your region and take measures to help them thrive season after season. [Edit]Preparing for Planting - Choose rose varieties. Did you know there are 13,000 varieties of roses?[1] Some roses grow better in certain regions than in others. When you're choosing what type of rose to grow, take some time to research the specifics of your growing region, then look for roses that have characteristics you find appealing. Take their shape, size, and color into account when choosing varieties to grow. Roses fall into the following categories:
- Hybrid tea roses are beautifully shaped, colorful roses that often make appearances in flower shops and as part of bouquets.
- Floribunda roses are the most colorful of all the varieties. Each bush has many blossoms, rather than just one to a stem.
- Grandiflora roses are a cross between the hybrid tea and Floribunda roses, and they grow to be quite tall with several rose clusters to a stem.
- Climber roses can be trained to stretch vine-like along fences and walls.
- Miniature roses are intricate and tiny, perfect for planting in a container.
- Shrub and landscape roses are quite hardy, resistant to pests and disease. They come in many colors, shapes and sizes.
- Tree roses are roses that have been grafted to a long stem, giving them the appearance of trees. They require a bit more care than some of the other types of roses.
- Buy bare root or potted roses. Once you've picked out the types of roses you want to plant, decide in what form you want to buy them. Bare roots are the roots of roses that are planted directly into the ground. You can also buy young roses that have already been planted in a small pot, and transplant them to the ground or another pot. Either type may be purchased in a nursery. Rare rose varieties may be found online.
- Bare root roses are planted in early spring, giving them time to take root before sprouting several weeks later when the weather warms up.
- Potted roses can be kept inside during the winter, then placed outside in the spring.
- Get rose gardening supplies. Aside from the bare root or potted plant itself, you'll need a few other supplies to get your rose garden started. Go to your local nursery or check out online retailers to pick up the following:
- Pruning shears. Pruning roses keeps them healthy, promotes the growth of blooms, and keeps them in a pretty shape. Shears are essential equipment for growing roses. Get small curved-edge shears and larger lopping shears.
- Gardening gloves. Protect yourself from thorns with a thick pair of gloves.
- Fertilizer. Roses should be fed with fertilizer a few times a season. You can buy fertilizer specifically formulated for roses, but this is not strictly necessary.
- Mulch. Mulching rose beds can help keep pests away and distribute more nutrients to the roses. Get wood chips, pine needles, peat nuggets, or another type of mulch suitable for your area.
- Compost or rose planting mix. Mixing this with the soil when you plant the roses helps them grow.
- A shovel and spade. You'll need these to dig holes when you plant the roses.
[Edit]Planting Roses - Decide on a planting spot. You'll need a spot that gets at least 6 hours of good sunlight a day. Choose a spot that's not crowded with the roots or branches of other plants and trees.[2] The soil should be loose and have good drainage; if yours has a lot of clay, loosen it and add some gypsum pellets before planting.
- Roses do best when the soil has a pH of 6.3-6.8.[3]
- To determine whether a site has good drainage, walk around it after a good soaking rain. If the soil is damp, but not waterlogged, it should be fine. If you see puddles or large mud spots, you'll need to find another site or work on this one to make it more conducive to growing roses.
- Water the roses to prepare them for planting. If you're planting bare roots, soak them in a bucket of water for a few hours before planting. If you're planting a rose you bought in a pot, water it thoroughly before you prepare the planting bed.
- Prepare a large hole. You'll need one for each rose bush you're planting. Use a garden spade or shovel to dig a hole wide and deep. The measurements don't have to be exact, but a hole this wide and deep will be suitable for most roses. Mix the soil you removed from the hole with compost, and use some of it to form a small mound in the base of the hole. Add some bonemeal or rose fertilizer.
- If you're planting more than one bush, allow several feet of space in between, so the roots have room to grow and stretch.
- Plant the roses. Place the bare root or potted rose on top of the mound. Use a shovel to fill the hole back up with soil. The rose's bud union should be located about below the surface of the ground. If you live in a colder region, you may need to plant your roses deeper to protect them from low temperatures.
- If you're planting a potted rose, loosen the soil around its roots to expose them before planting it in the hole.
- Make sure the soil is firm around the roots; press down with your hands to remove any air pockets.
- Water the roses. Thoroughly watering the area where you planted the rose helps compact the soil against the roots, stabilizing the plant. Make sure it gets a good soaking right after you're finished planting.
- Add mulch to the rose bed. Place mulch over the area where you planted the rose. If you planted a potted bush, place the mulch around the stem. This will keep the temperature consistent and protect the roses during the early stage of growth.
- Grow your roses indoors, alternatively. You can also raise roses in a greenhouse. You'll need containers that are at least wide. Spread of small pebbles at the bottom of each pot to ensure good drainage and fill each with halfway with well-draining soil. Plant the roses just beyond the graft point and then water well.[4]
- Place your containers somewhere sunny in the greenhouse and arrange them so that the roses don't shade each other out. They will need at least 6 hours of direct sun per day.
- Prune the plants severely after planting, trimming each branch back about from the main stem.
- Water the plants so that the soil stays slightly moist, but don't allow the water to touch the stems or leaves. Mulch the containers with a 2-inch layer to retain moisture in the soil, and fertilize the plants with water-soluble rose food every two weeks once new growth begins.
- Keep your greenhouse temperature at around during the day and 40 degrees at night for optimal growth.
[Edit]Caring for Roses - Be aware of your variety's needs. Rose care will depend a lot on the variety you're raising. Some roses like William Baffin and Lady Hillingdon climbing roses are more drought tolerant, for example, while others need more water. Some varieties can withstand less sunlight than others. Rose varieties should also be pruned differently depending on the variety and your climate area.
- Be sure to read up on the variety of rose that you are raising and know what it needs in terms of care. A hybrid tea rose has to be pruned back much more severely than a floribunda, for example, while old garden roses need only light grooming.
- Water them frequently in the summer. In very general terms, roses need a lot of water to grow healthy. Don't let the soil dry out; when you see it getting dusty give the roses a deep watering. For established plants, and depending on your region, you'll need to do this about once a week.
- Fertilize the roses. After they are established, roses should be fertilized a few times per growing season. Use fertilizer (either liquid or granule) in early spring, when you see the first few leaves sprout. Use it again after the first bloom, and again if there's another bloom. Stop fertilizing the roses at the end of the summer, just before Labor Day.
- Some fertilizers are slow-release, so they don't have to be applied as often.
- Don't over-fertilize the roses; this can lead to disease.
- Try cow, goat or manure made of kitchen waste to help them to grow better.
- Prune the roses. Pruning roses keeps them both beautiful and healthy. The goal is to clear away crowded areas to open up the bush, which helps prevent rotting and disease. The pruning strategy differs according to the season, but the cut you make is always the same: prune just above a bud eyes, the areas where branches form. They look like small circular swells and are usually located above a set of mature leaves. Make a down-slanted cut on an outward-facing bud eye.
- It's very hard to over-prune a rose, since new growth is always directed to the next closest bud eye. Keep this in mind when you choose bud eyes to prune, as it will affect the shape of your rose bush. Remember that the key is to prune with an eye toward opening the bush's growth up to allow for air circulation.
- In the late winter or early spring, trim the dead canes away. Cut away the rootstock, also called suckers, which are smaller offshoots of the main plant that suck away the nutrients from the rosebush. Leave 8 or so canes, trimmed back to 1/3 of their height. This will promote healthy growth as the weather warms up.
- In the summer, remove deadheads, which are dead blooms. This encourages new blooms to grow.
[Edit]Protecting Roses from Weather and Disease - Protect the roses over the winter. Roses that are left tall may be damaged by heavy winds and frosts during the winter. Trim the canes down to . Tie them together with twine, to help protect them from inclement weather. Heap a mound of compost around the base of the bush, then top it with a layer of straw. When the weather warms to above 51 degrees, remove the compost mound.
- Spray aphids and spider mites off with water. These mites are quite common among most of the rose varieties. Using water is the most effective way to get rid of these pests. Use the hose to spray them away when you see them on your rose plants. Keeping the roses adequately watered also helps reduce pest infestations.
- Use insecticides sparingly. They can end up harming your roses and other plants in your garden, and kill bugs that are actually helping your plants.
- Remove leaves that look discolored and shriveled.
- If mites continue to be a problem, try making a solution of dish soap and water and spraying that on the rose leaves once a week.[5]
- You can buy natural rosemary oil pesticide to spray on the leaves; this discourages mites without killing beneficial insects.[6]
- Protect your roses from black spot and powdery mildew. Choosing varieties that are resistant to these common diseases, such as knockout roses, is your best bet. You can also protect your roses by using a fungicide at the beginning of the season. Go to your local nursery to ask about how to best protect plants from these diseases in your region.
- A good watering system is very important for any garden and especially for rose bushes, which can be sensitive when watered overhead.
- if you want, you can mix a little lemonade into their water on sunny days.
- Clip your roses once the bush is established to make a pretty bouquet for your home.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Make a Soda Bottle Volcano Posted: 11 Apr 2022 09:00 AM PDT Making a soda-bottle volcano is a classic science experiment that doubles as a great excuse to make an explosive mess. There are multiple combinations of materials that will lead to a fun explosion. Two of the classic soda-bottle volcanos are made with soda and Mentos candy mints(which can produce eruptions of up to 18 feet if done correctly) or a combination of baking soda and vinegar. Gathering a few household items can lead to a fun afternoon of volcanic explosions in the backyard. [Edit]Designing the Volcano - Find a base for your volcano. This can be a plastic cutting board, a piece of scrap wood, or any other sturdy, flat surface that can be spared for a while. Avoid cardboard, as it will likely be too flimsy to support your project.
- If you're working with scrap material, consider decorating the base to look like a flat landscape. You may want to paint it, cover it with moss, apply green felt to indicate grass, attach miniature trees, etc.
- Attach a full, unopened, 2-liter soda bottle to the base. Since you will build the volcano around the bottle, be sure to place it in the center of the base. How you attach it will depend on what your base is. If it's a kitchen cutting board, place a lump of clay or Play-Doh on the board and lightly crush the bottle into it for a loose hold. If you're using scrap wood, use a plastic/wood adhesive.
- A caramel-colored soda will probably look the most like lava when your volcano erupts, so avoid clear drinks. Both diet and regular soda work for this experiment, but diet soda erupts higher.
- If gluing the bottle, let the bottle reach room temperature. A cold, sweating soda bottle will never glue properly. Avoid using hot glue, which might melt the bottle and make a mess.
- If you're doing a vinegar and baking soda volcano, you will attach an empty bottle to the board.
- Build the volcano around the bottle. For a textured look, shape some chicken wire into a lumpy, mountainous cone around the bottle. Cover the chicken wire with papier-mâché. An alternative to paper-mâché is to sculpt some clay around the bottle. For a more solid look, shape green, gray, or brown play-dough or clay around the bottle.
- Avoid covering the cap of the bottle or you won't be able to activate the volcano. Ensure you have access to the opening so you can add Mentos or baking soda for the eruption!
- Paint the volcano. After you have let the paper-mâché dry, paint it with acrylic paint (which will also help seal out moisture). Use shades of brown and orange around the top and add some green to look like grass.
- You may even want to press pebbles, dirt, and moss into the surface to give it a more natural appearance.
[Edit]Using the Soda and Mentos Method - Gather the necessary materials. To make this type of volcano, you will need a two-liter bottle of cola, a roll of Mentos brand candy mints, and a large open area. Diet cola appears to work better than regular soda (it's also less sticky than regular soda). Sodas with caramel color look more like 'lava' when they erupt as compared to clear lemon-lime sodas.[1]
- This experiment is best done outside, but if you must be inside, lay down a large plastic tarp first.
- Position the volcano in a large, outdoor area and open the soda bottle. Avoid doing this experiment inside, as it will create a huge, sticky mess. Make sure your outdoor area is also uncovered since the soda can erupt quite high. Remove the cap from the soda bottle.
- Warn any spectators to stand back.
- Prepare a whole roll of Mentos to drop into the bottle. When Mentos come in contact with the soda, a reaction occurs that causes the carbon dioxide gas in the soda to push the liquid out of the bottle. The more Mentos you drop in all at once, the greater the eruption; however, this can be difficult.[2] There are a few different ways to deliver the Mentos into the bottle.
- Method 1: Make a paper tube with the same width as the bottle neck. It should be long enough to fit the number of Mentos you want to put inside. Place an index card over the bottle mouth, place the tube over the hole, and fill it with Mentos. When you are ready to erupt, you will slide the card out, releasing the Mentos into the bottle.[3]
- Method 2: Loosely scotch tape the entire roll of Mentos together. When it's time, you will drop the taped chain directly into the open bottle.
- Method 3: Insert into the bottle a funnel with a mouth that is wide enough to allow the Mentos to pass, but small enough to fit inside the neck of the bottle. You will drop the Mentos through the funnel and remove the funnel once the Mentos are in the bottle.
- Release the Mentos into the bottle and run. Getting all the Mentos to fall in the bottle simultaneously is quite hard. If done incorrectly, the volcano will only rise a few inches or so. Practice getting the Mentos to drop simultaneously a few times before wasting your bottle of soda. Once the Mentos drop into the bottle, run a few feet away to observe the eruption!
- If using the paper tube method, remove the card holding the Mentos in place and let them all slide into the bottle at one time.
- If using the tape method, simply drop the piece of taped-together Mentos into the mouth of the bottle.
- If using the funnel, drop all the Mentos into the funnel at the same time. Remove the funnel once they're all in and run back.
[Edit]Using the Baking Soda and Vinegar Method - Gather the necessary materials. For this volcano, you will need of vinegar, 200 mL of water, a squirt of dishwashing liquid, a large spoonful of baking soda, an empty 2-liter soda bottle, and red food coloring.[4]
- Do a little experimentation to find the proper amounts of each material to get the size of eruption you want.
- Use red-wine vinegar for the best lava coloring. Alternatively, you can also add red or orange food coloring to white vinegar.
- You can use a smaller plastic bottle, but will have to adjust the ingredients accordingly.
- Combine vinegar, water, and a squirt of dishwashing liquid. Add the ingredients to the volcano. The liquid soap breaks the surface tension of water, therefore creating a larger eruption.
- Place the volcano on a plastic-covered table or over a linoleum floor. This method won't make as big a mess as the Mentos method, but you definitely don't want to have to scrub the results out of a carpet or rug.
- If the weather is agreeable, place the volcano outside.
- Add a spoonful of baking soda to the mixture. The baking soda will react with the vinegar mixture and cause your volcano to erupt! If you want a larger explosion increase the amount of vinegar and baking soda used.[5]
[Edit]Warnings - If you drink soda and then eat Mentos, do not worry at all; the acid in your mouth and stomach will stop it from reacting with the soda in your belly.
- Don't use a 3- or 1-liter bottle, as the neck-to volume-ratio is too large. A 3-liter bottle results in about a 6-inch tall fountain and a 1-liter bottle it will just foam over the top.
- Stay away from the immediate area after starting the volcano. It will get messy.
[Edit]Things You'll Need Volcano and Base - Scrap wood or cutting board for a base
- Play dough or clay
- Alternatively, papier-mâché
- Chicken wire
- Strips of paper
- White craft glue
- Water
- Acrylic paint
Soda and Mentos Method - 2-liter bottle of soda (diet is preferable)
- Roll or box of Mentos (mint works best)
- A funnel, one index card, or scotch tape
Baking Soda and Vinegar Method - Empty 2-liter bottle
- Baking soda
- Red-wine vinegar
- Dish soap
- Water
- Food coloring
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Make Chili Oil Posted: 11 Apr 2022 01:00 AM PDT Chili oil can transform a meal, taking it from bland to deliciously spicy in one pour. It goes great with things like pastas, risottos, stir fries, seafood, and dozens of other meals. While it's sold in most grocery stores, it's also simple to make at home. If you have red chili pepper flakes and olive, you've already got everything you need. Spend a couple of minutes creating this easy yet game-changing recipe, and your stir-fries and sautées will never be the same. [Edit]Ingredients - 1 cup (236.59 mL) vegetable, peanut, or olive oil
- 2 teaspoons (9.86 mL) chili flakes
- 2 to 3 whole dried chilies
[Edit]Choosing Your Ingredients - Choose your chilies. All chilies are not created equal, so you have options when it comes to your chili oil ingredients. While Thai chilies are quite spicy, Ancho chilies will give your oil a smokier flavor.[1] California chilies are very mild, and guajillo chilies have spice with a citrus tang. Make sure you do a bit of research before selecting the chilies you'll use for your chili oil.
- Select your oil. Before deciding which oil to use for this recipe, you should determine that you'll be using the chili oil for. If you're going to be cooking with it, it's great to use more neutral oils like vegetable or peanut oils. However, if you're going to be using it as a topper for dishes, you might want to select something a bit more flavorful. In this case, a great olive oil or sesame oil can add an interesting flavor.[2]
- Experiment with flavors. Once you've figured out this basic recipe, don't be afraid to get creative. Try new chilies and new oils to create different types of chili oils. Once you've discovered which combinations you like most, you can officially create your own, homemade chili oil for every occasion.[3]
[Edit]Heating Your Ingredients - Heat two tablespoons (29.57 mL) of oil. For this recipe, you'll want to use a small, heavy saucepan. Set your stovetop to medium heat. For now, you'll only add this small portion of the oil to the pan. You don't need to get the oil sizzling – in fact, you definitely don't want to heat the oil this much. As soon as the oil is in the pan and the heat is turned on, you can move along to the next step.[4]
- Add the chili flakes and whole chilies. Cook these in the oil, stirring continuously. Don't walk away from the pan, because it will not take long for the chilies to be ready. Once they start lightly sizzling, you're ready for the next step.[5]
- If the chilies turn brown, you'll need to start over. The key is to heat them up enough so that their flavors will seep into the oil, but not to fully cook them.
- Pour in the rest of the oil. You'll want to leave it on the stovetop until the oil is warm, but don't get it any hotter than that. To see if the chili oil is ready, touch it with your finger. Begin touching the oil as soon as you pour it into the pan, while it is still room temperature. Touch it every thirty seconds or so after that, to avoid allowing it to get hot. As soon as it is warm to touch, remove it from the heat.[6]
- If you're worried you left your oil on the stove too long and it may have gotten hot, remove it from the heat and let it sit for a bit before touching it with your fingertip. However, you really want to avoid letting it ever get hot.
[Edit]Storing Your Chili Oil - Remove your oil from the stovetop. As soon as you've tested the oil and have confirmed that it's thoroughly warmed, you're ready to remove the pan from heat. Let it sit as it cools down to room temperature.[7]
- Pour your cooled oil into a bottle. You can purchase empty airtight bottles at most stores where kitchen supplies are sold. However, you can always clean out an empty bottle you have around the house. Repurpose an old olive oil bottle after thoroughly cleaning it with some water and dish soap.
- Store chili oil in a cool, dark place. Try a cupboard away from your oven or other heat sources.[8] Chili oil can be stored from about 9 months to one year.[9]
- Shake your bottle of chili oil sporadically to make sure the chilies are distributed throughout the oil.[10]
- Test your oil before using it. If you taste your homemade chili oil right after making it, it might taste pretty mild, but the chilies will continue to release heat after you bottle it up. So your chili oil can get gradually hotter the longer it sits! If you're pouring it into a stir-fry, make sure you do a quick taste test first.[11]
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Make a GIF Image With Microsoft Paint Posted: 10 Apr 2022 05:00 PM PDT GIFs are fun and easy to make in Microsoft Paint. They're useful because they have very small file sizes that don't take up much disk space and are easy to email. They are considered "lossless" since all original data from a compressed GIF file can be recovered when the GIF is uncompressed.[1] Although GIFs have a lower picture quality than some other file formats, they are still very effective at depicting images, text, logos, and small clips of video, especially with Microsoft Paint. This wikiHow article will show you how to make GIFs with Microsoft Paint 3D. - Open a file that you want to make into a GIF in Paint 3D. You can do this by navigating to your file in File Explorer, right-clicking it, then selecting Open With > Paint 3D. Or you can launch Paint 3D, then go to Menu > Open > Select your file.
- Paint 3D is just Paint with an upgrade and it can do the same things that old Paint used to do. You can create and edit 2D images or 3D images.
- If you don't have an image already that you'd like to turn into a GIF, you can start from scratch.
- Edit the image. If, for example, you selected a picture for a background, you can insert words or draw on it. Make sure you utilize all the tools appropriate for your images, like shapes, text, brushes, or stickers.
- Click . The menu option is next to an icon of a folder in the top left corner of your workspace.
- Click and . You'll see Save as in the panel on the left side of the page. Video will appear on the right under the "Save as copy" header.
- Click the drop-down menu and select "GIF (video)." Once you make this selection, you should see the options change below it.
- Adjust the quality, size, and animation of your GIF. You'll see these things listed under "Preview," and can make these changes to affect how your GIF will appear.
- As well as using the options in the panel on the right, click Adjust angle & framing from the panel above your preview for more options.
- Click . It's in the lower right corner of your screen and will save your GIF.
- If you are creating a text GIF instead and want the background to be transparent, go to Canvas and toggle the switch off next to "Show canvas."
- Since you can only make simple GIFs with Paint, you'll want to use a website or program like Photoshop, Carpstudio, or GIMP. Those other programs will help you create GIFs with moving frames.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Season Cast Iron Cookware Posted: 10 Apr 2022 09:00 AM PDT Cast iron is much beloved by serious chefs for its even heating and non-stick surface. And cast iron lasts nearly forever if you take care of it. Seasoning cast iron cookware is necessary to maintain its ongoing non-stick surface and to prevent the pot or pan from rusting. If seasoned correctly, your cast iron cookware can last a lifetime. [Edit]Crusty Cast Iron Cookware For crusty cast ironware that you inherited or picked up at a garage sale, this cookware may have some combination of rust and thick crackly black crud. It may look awful but rest assured that it can be restored fairly easily to good as new condition! - Place the cookware in a self-cleaning oven. Run one cycle. Alternatively, place in a campfire or directly on a hot charcoal fire for 1/2 hour, and heat until it turns a dull red. The crust will be flaking, falling and turning to white ash. After allowing the cookware to cool a bit (to avoid cracking the cast iron), use the following steps.[1]
- If you have more rust than crust, try using steel wool to sand it off.[2]
- Wash the cast iron cookware with warm water and soap. Scrub using a scouring pad.[3]
- If you have purchased your cast iron cookware as new, then it will be coated in wax or an oily coating to prevent rust. This will need to be removed before seasoning so this step is essential. Soak in hot, soapy water for five minutes, then wash off the soap and air dry.
- Dry the cookware thoroughly. It helps to put the pan in the oven at 350F for a few minutes to make sure it's really dry. Oil needs to be able to soak into the metal for a good seasoning and––oil and water don't mix.
- Coat the pot or pan inside and out with lard, Crisco (cooking fat), bacon fat, or corn oil. Over time, oils will make your pan sticky. Bacon fat is the best choice. Ensure that both sides of the lid are also coated.[4]
- Place both the lid and the pot or pan upside down in the oven at a high temperature (300ºF to 500ºF/150ºC-260ºC, depending on your preference). Heat for at least an hour to bake on a "seasoning" cover that will continue to protect the pan from rust and provide a stick-resistant surface.
- Place a sheet of aluminum foil or a large disposable foil roaster under the pan, on a lower rack or on the bottom of the oven, to catch drippings.
- Let cool to room temperature in the oven.
- Repeat. For best results, repeat steps three and four and five.
- Maintain the cast iron with ongoing care. Every time you wash your cast iron cookware, season it without fail.
- Place the cast iron cookware on the stove and pour in about a 3/4 teaspoon of corn oil (or other cooking fat).
- Wad up a paper towel and spread the oil across the cooking surface, any bare iron surfaces, and the bottom of the cookware.
- Turn on the burner and heat until smoke starts to appear.
- If using an electric stove, heat slowly as hot spots can crack the cast iron.
- Cover the cookware and turn heat off. Leave until cooled before placing in storage. Wipe off any excess fat before storing. If your cast iron gets sticky from using oil instead of bacon fat, use it over a campfire to make some bacon or other item which renders pig fat, and the stickiness will burn off.
[Edit]Second Cleaning and Seasoning Method - Use the self cleaning oven to strip down the cast iron cookware. Place the utensil in your self cleaning oven on the shortest cleaning cycle (usually 3 hours on most models). It will come out looking like the day it came out of the mold.[5]
- Allow it to cool overnight.
- Wash the residue off with water only in the sink, using a stiff abrasive pad.
- Dry the cast iron utensil off with a paper towel, and immediately place the cookware back in the oven at 350ºF/180ºC for 10 minutes or so.[6]
- Take the utensil out of the oven after the 10 minute drying time is complete. Lightly brush the utensil with a paper towel coated with Crisco (or other solid cooking oil). Liquid vegetable oil will do in a pinch, but it's better to save the liquids until after the initial seasoning.[7]
- It is important in this step only to lightly coat the cast iron with a thin coating of oil, just enough until it barely glistens. Do not allow any puddles or pools of liquid as this will cause problems at a later time.
- Place the cast iron cookware in the oven. Set to 500ºF to 550ºF/260ºC to 290ºC degrees. Have the cooking side of the cookware facing the bottom of the oven. This allows for any excess oil to drain off to the sides, and prevents pooling during the seasoning process.[8]
- The higher heating temperatures allow for the oil to truly "cook" as opposed to just "gumming up" at lower temperatures. Cook undisturbed for 1 hour.
- Note: During this step, it will be best to turn off any smoke alarms in the immediate area as the cookware may smoke quite a lot. Ceiling fans also aid in ventilation.
- Finally, after the cast iron cookware is finished seasoning for 1 hour or so, take it out of the oven. Immediately wipe it down with another extra-light coating of Crisco. Allow it to completely cool before storing.
- If you're washing the cast iron too aggressively (for instance with a scouring pad), you will regularly scrub off the seasoning. Wash more gently or repeat the oven-seasoning method regularly.
- If food burns, just heat a little water in the pan, and scrape with a flat metal spatula. It may mean that re-seasoning is necessary.
- Use flaxseed oil to season your cast iron for one hour at a time at , wiping a thin layer on each time for 5 to 7 times. This will bake on a rock hard, non-stick surface onto your cast iron!
- Also, after cleaning after each use it is always best to place it back in the oven on 350ºF/180ºC for 10 minutes or so, to ensure all water has vaporized from the surface of the cast iron.
- Some companies sell pre-seasoned cast iron pans. Do an online search for suitable brands.
- If your pan develops a thick crust, you're not washing it aggressively enough. Follow the "crusty pan" instructions.
- If storing your cast iron Dutch oven for any length of time, it is always best to place one or two paper towels or a spare dry dishrag in between the lid and the oven, to allow for sufficient air flow.
- It is extremely important to use a flat stainless steel spatula when cooking with cast iron. The steel spatula will keep the bottom of the skillet from becoming "bumpy" and will maintain a glass like surface.
- Don't wash cast iron often. The way to remove food that has just been cooked is simple: add a little oil and coarse salt to a still-hot pan. Scrub with a paper towel or some horsetail (a common weed if you are camping), then tip out everything and place the pan in storage.
[Edit]Warnings - Washing pans with detergent after they have been seasoned will break down the seasoning. Either wash without soap (if you're cooking similar foods with the pan, this is fine) or repeatedly oven-season your cookware.
- Do not cook tomatoes and other acidic foods in your cast iron cookware unless it has been well seasoned. Some chefs aren't that fussed though; the iron leached from the tomato acid is good nutrition for most people and provided you're seasoning the cookware properly, it should be fine.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Oil Paint Posted: 10 Apr 2022 01:00 AM PDT Do you want to paint beautiful, expressive paintings with oils? Here are some basics to guide you into the wonderful world of oil paints. Once you've mastered the basic techniques, the world is your canvas! [Edit]Starting Out - Choose your paints. Before you can even consider oil painting, you must get oil paints. Although there are dozens of brands of oil paint on the market, don't be drawn in by the attraction of budget supplies. Buying cheap, poor quality supplies will make your painting difficult, tedious, and frustrating. Paying a few dollars more will give you paints that require one coat instead of two or three for the same vibrancy and blend-ability.[1]
- The most basic collection of oil paints should include the following colors: cadmium yellow, yellow ochre, cadmium red, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, titanium white, and mars black. You can use a combination of all of these colors to make any hue on the color wheel.(eg. yellow and red to make orange)[2]
- You will find that you likely will run out of white paint the fastest, so buy a large tube of this while purchasing small or medium tubes of paint for the others.
- Avoid buying "student sets" of paint, as these will seem like a good deal, but offer the poorest quality supplies. Also avoid buying sets of paint that come with paint brushes, as the brushes will likely be of poor quality as well.
- Get the rest of your materials. Beginning painters often fall under the tendency to avoid getting certain supplies to save money. While this is a perfectly all right practice, there are a few basic painting essentials you will need to make oil painting enjoyable and easy.[3]
- Choose a few basic paintbrushes of a high quality material. You don't need many brushes to start out, but get a few of each kind. Start with differing sizes of round, flat, and bristle brushes.
- Synthetic brushes are made of a very soft, fine bristle while natural hair brushes are a bit rougher. Use both for different painting techniques.
- You will also need a palette knife for blending paints, a painting palette, canvas boards or stretched canvas, and some old rags and jars for cleaning your brushes.
- Oil paint is very thick directly out of the tube, and must be made thinner for the first layers using white spirits or turpentine, and a blending medium such as linseed oil or poppy oil for later layers. The rule is 'Thick on thin', and this prevents later cracking or separation of layers.[4]
- Optional supplies include an easel or drafting desk, an apron, a drop cloth, and a specialized box for carrying all your supplies.[5]
- Set up your work area. Because oil painting does require a lot of supplies, you will need a large area to use. Set up your easel or table in an area that is away from foot traffic and direct sunlight, if possible. If you have one, lay a drop cloth down to prevent any paint spills from ruining your floors.
- Oil paint can give off fumes, so make sure that your area is well ventilated with an open window or door.[6]
- If you are using an easel, adjust it to the correct standing or sitting position and angle. Make sure that it is sitting in such a way to make painting comfortable for you, not difficult.
- Put on old paint clothes to protect your nice clothes and skin. Oil paint is notorious for being exceedingly difficult to clean off, so make sure that you take precautions to avoid coming into contact with it.
- If you have long hair, pull it up into a ponytail or bun to make sure that it does not fall in the paint. Remove any rings or bracelets that you might be wearing.
[Edit]Assessing Your Painting - Create a rough sketch. Use a hard pencil to create a light sketch of your subject. You can do this directly onto the canvas or onto tracing paper, and transfer it using a carbon copy. When you're drawing your subject, keep in mind the composition and use of negative space.[7]
- Composition is the placement of items on the canvas. Choose the best placement so that the eye is drawn around the entirety of the canvas, rather than left to linger on a single spot.
- Negative space is the space around an object. If you are using an item in real life and are drawing it onto your canvas, draw difficult areas by looking at the space around the figure rather than at the figure itself. Consider what you will fill the negative space with once you start the painting in order to make your subject pop.
- Make note of overlapping figures, as these add depth to your composition. If your subject doesn't have any overlapping shapes, consider rearranging until you do. This will add realism to your painting.
- Find the light source. To create a realistic painting, you must have obvious patches of light and dark. Look at your subject and determine the angle at which the light is coming from, and where shadows and highlights are located.
- All light sources cast shadows, but if they are directly above the subject it can be difficult to see them. Try moving your light or your subject so that the shadows and highlights are more obvious.
- You may not have incredibly dark shadows or incredibly bright highlights. In fact, you likely will have a range of values that are all very near each other. Don't be concerned if your light source isn't creating a strong definition of shadows and highlights.
- Consider your colors. For new painters, it is often very difficult to match the colors of their subject to the colors they mix with their paint. This is because the brain provides an idealized color value; you see the sky is blue, so you mix blue paint, only to realize that your paint is much brighter and colorful than the actual sky. The trick is to get past the symbols of color our brain uses, and examine the actual colors being used. This will change the brightness of your paints.
- A painting set at night will be darker and richer than one during the day, which is most likely brighter.
- Check the color of the light source; on a bright sunny day, your subject will have a golden glow. On a gray day, the light is diffused through the clouds giving your subject a gray tint. You may also have actual colored lights - such as neon signs or tinted light bulbs - that affect the colors of your subject.
- Look at the movement of your subject. Are you painting a still life with little to no movement? Or is your figure in a field on a windy day, creating a lot of motion? Paying attention to the movement of your subject is important for planning your brush strokes. Realistic paintings have brush strokes that create movement, or a lack thereof.[8]
[Edit]Creating Your Masterpiece - Mix your paints. Oil paint is extremely forgiving in the sense that it takes many days to begin to dry. However, it is nearly impossible to mix the same paint twice so mix your paints in large batches and preserve between painting sessions so that you always have enough of the right color.
- Use a color wheel to help you find colors to mix. The color wheel shows primary, secondary, and tertiary colors and how to make them.
- Pure hues are colors that have not been mixed with either white or black. You can mix the primary colors to create the secondary colors.
- To create a tint, add white to your paint. This will lighten it and make a more pastel color.
- To make a shade, add black to any paint color.
- To make a tone, add white to a shade (any color with black added). Tones are the most widely used, as they represent most of the everyday colors we see.
- Begin painting. You can choose whatever painting technique you like, whether that be painting entire sections to completion or putting layers of paint over the entire canvas. When oil painting, though, use the thin-to-thick method in which you paint with thin paint before using thick paint.
- Try painting basic subjects. All figures are made up out of a few basic shapes: the cube, cone, cylinder, and ring. Paint these in the form of real subjects, such as a box or orange, or paint a flat form of each.
- To thin your paint, use a blending medium (linseed oil or terpentine) mixed with your paint. Don't use too much to start, but gradually add more until you get the consistency you want.
- It takes three days for a layer of paint to dry enough to add a second layer to the top, so be patient while you wait for your paint to dry.
- Try different techniques. There are dozens of ways to perfect your painting, but learning them all as a beginner can be overwhelming. instead, focus on picking up some of these techniques one at a time.
- Try blending your paints. This is the process by which you slowly fade two or more different colors (think of a sunset). To do this, add layers of paint so that they are directly adjacent to each other on the canvas. Then, use flat brush to smooth the paints together, working with the direction of the blend.
- Try creating a glaze. This is when you use a solution of 1/3 linseed oil,1/3 terpentine, and 1/3 varnish to create a transparent color. You can use this mixed with any paint color to create a see-through hue over dried paint.[9]
- Use stippling to create small dots. Use a natural bristle brush (dry often works best), and tap it vertically against your canvas. You can build up these dots to create a more opaque figure.
- Try using a palette knife to paint. This technique is great for landscapes and creating movement on your canvas. Scoop up a bit of paint on the bottom edge of the knife, and sweep it across the canvas to create thick layers of paint.
[Edit]Finishing Your Painting - Correct any mistakes. You have about three days (while the oil paint is wet on the canvas) when you can alter any mistakes or remove them completely with a damp rag. Before you decide the painting is complete, take a step back and look at your painting in its totality to see if any changes are needed.[10]
- Save unused paint. If you have a lot of paint left on your palette that was not used, save it for your next painting. Scoop it into small containers or into piles on your palette and cover with saran wrap.[11]
- Clean your paintbrushes. Oil paint will ruin your brushes if it is allowed to dry, so clean your brushes immediately after use. Use turpentine and an old rag to wipe away as much of the paint as you can, then rinse the brushes under warm water with a little washing-up liquid. To make sure all the paint has been removed, brush the bristles against the palm of your hand. Put the clean brushes, bristle-end up, in a jar or cup to dry. Provide the brushes adequate air circulation until they dry, putting in an open area––on a shelf or desk, for example, not in a closed cabinet or drawer.
- Wait. For oil paint to dry completely, it may take up to three months, or even longer if your painting has many thick layers of paint. Put your painting where it won't be disturbed or damaged and allow it to air dry for the necessary time.[12]
- Sometimes it is possible speed up the drying process for oil paints by storing the painting in a well lit, dry and warm room. Choosing paints that have a faster drying time can also assist in speeding up the drying time.
- Add a coat of varnish. When your painting has dried completely, add a coat of varnish to protect it and preserve the color. When the protective varnish has dried, you're done! Hang your beautiful creation for all to see.
- Ivory black is very slow to dry; avoid using it as an undercoat.
- Avoid using linseed oil as a medium for light colors, as they will yellow quickly.
- To clean oil paints off your hands: Use baby oil or olive oil. Pour some baby oil onto a wipe or a rag, and wipe your hands off. Don't wash your hands before the oil paint comes off, or else this method may not work. Oil paint comes off easily off hands when combined with other oil, and when the paint is all off, then wash your hands with soap and water.
- To keep the palette with oil paint from drying out, submerge in water or put in freezer.
- Don't put the palette in the water for too long or the paint on it will make it oily.
- Try wearing latex gloves to keep paint off your hands.
- When you use a new paint color, wash off your brush with warm water.
- When painting, try wrapping your strokes around the subject for a more 3D look. For example, when painting a flat surface like the ground, use horizontal strokes.
[Edit]Warnings - Keep paints and the carriers (mediums) away from your eyes and from sensitive skin. If you should get either in your eyes, flush with clear water for at least two minutes. It is best to use an eyewash cup or an eyewash station. If neither is available, a shot glass may work or let very gently running lukewarm tap water run directly on the eye. It is extremely important to immediately dilute the chemicals with copious amounts water. This action will minimize damage to sensitive eye tissues.
- Thinner may cause a reaction on sensitive skin. Wash the affected area multiple times with soap and warm water, then rinse thoroughly. If you develop an allergic reaction, consult a health care professional and follow their advice.
- Thinner and oil mediums are combustible (flammable). If available, store these chemicals in an approved solvent locker. Under no circumstance should you store flammable materials in enclosed areas. This would include paint that has been "cut" with any flammable substance and the rags that you used for clean-up.
- Oil paints and the carriers may be classified as hazardous materials in your area. Properly dispose of oil paints and carriers. Know and follow your national, regional and local regulations.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Make Dumplings for Soup Posted: 09 Apr 2022 05:00 PM PDT Few things are as comforting as a bowl of soup with dumplings. Fortunately, it's easy to mix dumplings to add your favorite soup or stew. Decide if you'd like to make simple flour dumplings or rich dumplings that include eggs. For dumplings with a little texture and herbed flavor, try cornmeal dumplings that have tarragon and parsley in the batter. Simply drop spoonfuls of any of these batters onto your hot soup or stew and simmer them until they're dry. [Edit]Ingredients [Edit]Quick Flour Dumplings[1] - 2 cups (240 g) of flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (8.5 g) of salt
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) of baking powder
- of vegetable oil
- of warm water
- Soup or stew of your choice, hot
Yields 20 dumplings [Edit]Rich Egg Dumplings[2] - ¼ cup (56 g) of butter, melted
- 1 cup (120 g) of all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) of salt
- Soup or stew of your choice, hot
Yields 24 dumplings [Edit]Herbed Cornmeal Dumplings[3] - 1/2 cup (60 g) of coarse yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup (60 g) of flour
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) of baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) of baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) of salt
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) of butter
- of buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons (7.5 g) of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon (4 g) of chopped fresh tarragon
- Soup or stew of your choice, hot
Yields 12 large dumplings [Edit]Making Quick Flour Dumplings - Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder. Put 2 cups (240 g) of flour into a bowl along with 1 1/2 teaspoons (8.5 g) of salt and 1 tablespoon (12 g) of baking powder. Whisk the dry ingredients until they're combined.
- If you don't have a whisk, you can use a fork.
- Stir in the vegetable oil and water. Pour of vegetable oil and of warm water into the dry ingredients. Use a spoon to mix the batter until it's smooth.
- If the batter is still dry, add of water at a time until the batter is smooth.
- Drop spoonfuls of the batter onto your hot soup or stew. You should have a pot of soup or stew simmering on the stove. Take a spoon and scoop about of the batter. Drop the spoonful of batter directly onto the hot soup or stew.
- You should get about 20 small dumplings.
- Try to leave at least 1/2 in (1.3 cm) of space in between each dumpling.
- Cover and simmer the dumplings for about 5 minutes. Put the lid on your soup or stew and leave the dumplings to cook. Covering the pot will help the dumplings steam a little.
- Check the dumplings and serve them. Remove the lid and insert a knife or toothpick into the center of a dumpling. It should come out clean without any of the batter sticking to the knife or toothpick. Turn off the burner and serve the soup or stew with the dumplings.
- If the knife or toothpick has batter on it, cover and cook the dumplings for another 2 minutes before you check them again.
- Refrigerate the leftover dumplings in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
[Edit]Cooking Rich Egg Dumplings - Bring a pot of water to boil. Fill a 5 to 6 quart (4.7 to 5.6 liter) pot about 3/4 full of water. Put the lid on the pot and turn the burner to high heat. The water should begin to boil and you'll see steam escaping from under the lid.
- Put the melted butter, flour, eggs, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Pour ¼ cup (56 g) of melted butter into the mixing bowl and add 1 cup (120 g) of all-purpose flour, 3 large eggs, and ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) of salt.
- If you don't have a stand mixer, you can put the ingredients in a mixing bowl and use a wooden spoon to beat the batter by hand.
- Mix the dumpling batter for 8 to 10 minutes on low speed. Turn the stand mixer to low (around a 2) and beat the batter until it's completely combined.
- If you're beating the batter by hand, mix it vigorously for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stir a little salt into the boiling water and drop in spoonfuls of the batter. Add a generous pinch of salt to the pot of boiling water just before you're ready to add the dumplings. Then scoop about of batter directly into the boiling water. Continue to drop in the remaining batter until you've made about 2 dozen dumplings.
- If you add the salt before the water boils, it can cause pitting in your pan.
- Cook the egg dumplings for 5 to 6 minutes. The dumplings will fall to the bottom of the pot when you add them, but they should soon float to the top of the water. Once they're floating, set a timer for 5 minutes and let the dumplings simmer during this time.
- You may need to adjust the burner temperature to prevent the water from boiling too vigorously.
- Transfer the dumplings to your soup and simmer them for 5 minutes. Turn off the burner and use a slotted spoon to lift the dumplings out of the water. Put them in the pot with your hot soup or stew and let them simmer uncovered for 5 minutes so the dumplings are completely cooked throughout.
- The dumplings will finish cooking as they absorb the flavors of the soup or stew.
- Put leftover dumplings in the refrigerator and store them for up to 3 days.
[Edit]Making Herbed Cornmeal Dumplings - Whisk the cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, flour, and salt. Put 1/2 cup (60 g) of coarse yellow cornmeal into a mixing bowl and add 1/2 cup (60 g) of flour, 1 teaspoon (4 g) of baking powder 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) of baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) of salt. Whisk the dry ingredients until they're combined.
- Cut 2 tablespoons (28 g) of butter into the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender, fork, or your fingers to mix the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
- If you prefer, you could combine the dumplings in a food processor. Just pulse the ingredients until they come together.
- Stir in buttermilk, parsley, and tarragon. Pour of buttermilk into the bowl. Add 2 tablespoons (7.5 g) of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and 1 tablespoon (4 g) of chopped fresh tarragon. Stir the batter just until the dry ingredients are moist.
- If you stir too long, the dumplings will be tough.
- Spoon the cornmeal dumplings onto hot soup or stew. Scoop of batter directly onto simmering soup or stew.
- Leave about 1/2 in to 1 in (1.3 to 2.5 cm) of space between the dumplings.
- Simmer the covered dumplings for 15 to 20 minutes. Bring the soup back to a gentle bubble and put the lid on the pot. Cook the dumplings until they're dry and cooked throughout. Then serve the dumplings in your soup.
- Store leftover dumplings in the soup for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Keep in mind that the dumplings may soften the longer they're stored.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Quick Flour Dumplings - Measuring cups and spoons
- Bowl
- Whisk or fork
- Pot with a lid
- Knife or toothpick
[Edit]Rich Egg Dumplings - Measuring cups and spoons
- Bowl
- Stand mixer with beater attachment
- 5 to 6 quart (4.7 to 5.6 liter) pot with a lid
- Slotted spoon
[Edit]Herbed Cornmeal Dumplings - Measuring cups and spoons
- Bowl
- Whisk
- Pastry cutter or fork
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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