Published on: 28 March 2019
Last Updated on: 04 November 2024
The lighting you choose for every room in your home impacts the overall mood and appearance of the space. In the same way that light from the sun energizes your body, the light coming from bulbs inside your house will also affect your focus and energy. Therefore, in choosing lighting fixtures for your home, you need to consider the purpose of each room and the most suitable lighting to install.
How to Choose LED Lights for Every Room in Your Home:
1. Brightness and color of LED lights:
There are LED bulbs that emit blue light which helps increase focus and alertness. Those that emit yellow light, on the other hand, induces a feeling of relaxation and calmness. LED bulbs with lower temperatures typically produce a warmer, yellow light and in contrast, lamps with higher temperatures have a cool white glow similar to the appearance of daylight.
2. LED lights for bedrooms:
Bedrooms are supposed to be more relaxed and peaceful. In choosing an LED bulb to retrofit a bedroom, look for bulbs with a color temperature from 2,700 to 3,000 K. These tend to be warmer and produce a calming atmosphere. If you are unable to fit an entire room with new LED bulbs, you can retrofit an old lighting fixture using an LED bulb that is compatible with the existing installation such as an E27 LED bulb.
3. LED lights for a home office:
In a home office, you will want lighting that helps in maximizing productivity. As mentioned earlier, LED lights with a touch of blue help you feel more alert and awake. That is why in most office and commercial spaces, bright white LED lights mimicking daylight are often used. In selecting a place for installing LED bulbs, make sure that these are not directly above computer screens to avoid unwanted shadows or glare.
4. LED lights for living rooms:
The living room is typically a multi-purpose space used in entertaining and relaxing. As such, there needs to be a mixture of light sources to create the proper atmosphere and ambiance depending on the occasion. As much as possible, avoid bright LED lights for living rooms and try to incorporate features such as dimmer switches and spotlights. If you will be adding adjustable spotlights or recessed downlights, install them near walls and corners to avoid shadows.
5. LED lights for dining rooms and kitchens:
Dining room lighting should not be too bright as it can be too distracting to the diners. Install LED lights with warmer temperature and dimmable features to adjust the ambiance of the room according to the time of day. On the other hand, kitchen lighting needs to be functional; thus, blue-light LED bulbs are perfect for kitchens.
Adjustable spotlights are also perfect if you want them over specific work areas so that you can concentrate bright light only when needed. If you have a breakfast bar or a small dining area in the kitchen, make sure that there is separate lighting overhead to have a layered lighting scheme that complements the purpose of each area.
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Getting a gift for a guy can be a real challenge; obviously, the present will depend on his individual preferences, on whether he’s your bae or just a friend, but nonetheless, there are some universal gifts you can simply never go wrong with.
To help you pick out the perfect gift and spare you the torture of making lists in your head, we’ve put together a checklist that will definitely stir you in the right direction.
Without further ado…
Vacation Coupon/Ticket
There is no person on this planet who wouldn’t jump through the roof to get a voucher/coupon/ticket to their favorite destination, or, come to think of it, any destination. Everyone loves traveling and, as irony will have it, so little people actually do something about it. Often we either don't have the time or the budget, or someone to go with. Therefore, surprise your man with two tickets – one for him and the other one for someone dear to his heart. It may even be you, you never know!
Gadget Love
For some reason, men are suckers for all kinds of gadgets which certainly helps: you can pay closer attention to what it is that your friend's been talking about lately and buy it for him! However, gadgets can get incredibly expensive, so if his needed gadget is out of your price range, buy him a store coupon in his favorite gadget store, set it to a certain amount you've planned on spending and give it to him. He'll love it!
Fashion Statements
You've probably noticed that male fashion has taken a huge spin in the positive direction and we've now got so many fashion conscious man that it's absolutely amazing! If your friend is one of the guys who likes to look good and has nothing against spending a little more on his outfit, then a fashionable statement piece is an absolutely wonderful gift!
Leather gifts for men are our favorite as leather will, obviously, never go out of style and it's giving the entire outfit the edge it lacked. For instance, surprise your guy with a cool leather rocker bracelet from this website or a good leather bag/rucksack of classic cut or a wallet. Awesome, right? What, he’s into leather belts? Even better!
Read More: 5 Perfect Fashion Clothing Choices For Petite Women
Book Love
Every intellectual knows the worth of a good book, and we're sure your friend would, too! Depending on his preferences, buying a book he'll be using for work, or simple enjoyment will be everything he needs and be sure he'll always think of you when he sees it on the shelf (after he's read it, of course)! Make sure you write a dedication that will make his heart melt!
Vine/Food Tour
Who doesn't love the sweet enjoyment of food and vine! Give your friend a gift like no other and take him to a wine or food tour in a nearby restaurant or vineyard he's never been to. Make it a whole day adventure that he'll never forget! You may even organize something like a wine cake or a dish made especially for him big day. Hey, and don't forget to take a lot of photos – after all, this is going to be an exceptional experience!
Throw Him a Surprise Party
Yaaaaaaaay! Nothing is as awesome as a surprise party when they least expect it! It doesn't necessarily have to be in his apartment but maybe in his favorite restaurant or club! Gather all of your closest friends (obviously, call them at least two weeks ahead so they can plan everything ahead) and organize it so that your friend saves the date too without knowing what happening. Then, take him to the place where the party is and voila! You've given your friend the cutest gift ever!
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The ancient Chinese firmly believed that there is a spiritual connection between our fates and inanimate objects that surround us. According to them, everything in our surrounding radiates a certain kind of energy, so your furniture and equipment pieces in combination or in a certain position can affect almost any aspect of your life. One of the easiest places where you can follow feng shui principles is your bathroom. Why? Well, in the bathroom, it is quite easy to combine four natural elements and, this way, clear your entire place of the negative chi.
Feng Shui and Our Mindset
Setting your chi right may improve your finances, help you make up for lost opportunities and even act favorably towards your health. Sure, some may be skeptical about this, but even modern psychology recognizes a certain value behind this ancient decoration art form. Namely, our mindsets are influenced by everything in our vicinity.
Sometimes a cabinet, a flower pot or even a floor mat may seem out of place. As soon as we wake up, we go to the bathroom, so if the first thing you see is a thing out of place, it’s not unreasonable to believe your day may start on a wrong foot. This perfect positioning has found its appliance in all spheres of our life, including the business world. This, more science-backed version of the feng shui most commonly goes under the name office ergonomics.
The Position of the Bathroom
When first buying a house, you might want to make sure that the very position of the bathroom is in agreement with the rest of your home. What you want to avoid is having a bathroom that is in the center of your home. Other things you should try to avert are that your bathroom is near or facing the front door or that it’s in the same position regarding your kitchen. You want your bathroom out of your relationship and money feng shui areas.
Making Your Bathroom into a Money Area
However, when it comes to money, you can easily make your bathroom into a money area. With the right use of wood, water and earth colors, a bowl of multicolor crystals and 8 stalks of lucky bamboo, you are bound to improve your wealth situation. On top of it all, this kind of layout can be extremely aesthetically pleasing. This may help you achieve that spa-like feeling you planned for our bathroom in the first place.
Turning Elements to Your Advantage
Finally, you can try and turn the natural elements to your own advantage with just a few simple tricks. For example, seeing how the toilet flushes water in a downward spiral, it is easy to see how energy may leave your bathroom in the same manner. This is why people sometimes decide to separate it from the rest of the bathroom with a door of its own, or at least, a curtain. Experts dealing in bathroom renovations claim that this unorthodox design practice is rapidly gaining on its popularity. Furthermore, the influx of sunlight and fresh air improve the energy flow, and starting your day in a bathroom like this is bound to invigorate you from the very morning.
While most of these feng shui improvements aren’t that difficult to make, they have the potential to turn your life around. Paying just a bit more of attention can turn your home’s most hazardous area into your greatest asset. To make the long story short, organizing your bathroom with the use of feng shui is bound to bring your good luck or prosperity. For all those who still have some small dosage of suspicion in their mind, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
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If you are a gardener like me, you must have thought about harvesting greens that you eat at restaurants at your house. One of these days, I was with my friends from my university, and we were discussing the importance of eating veggies for staying healthy. And they could not figure out the best ways to effectively do so. Reading my previous blog about cilantro, Laila asked me, “how to grow and harvest asparagus?”
Well, surely asparagus is one of the most delicious and nutritious vegetables you can grow in your garden. But what a lot of people do not know is that it's also one of the easiest once you know how to harvest asparagus properly.
In this article, I will cover everything you need to know about harvesting asparagus, from when to start, how to cut, and how often to do it. Additionally, I will also share some tips on how to store and freeze asparagus, as well as the benefits of eating this green wonder.
So, keep on reading till the end to learn more...
How Does Asparagus Grow?
Before I dive into the seemingly difficult process of how to harvest asparagus, let me help you grow it.
Asparagus is a perennial plant that grows from a crown of roots that can live for up to 20 years. The crown produces spears, which are the edible part of the plant, every spring.
The spears grow rapidly, sometimes up to an inch per day, and can reach a height of 6 to 10 inches. The spears are harvested before they open into fern-like leaves, which are edible and tough.
Asparagus grows best in well-drained, sandy soil with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. It prefers full sun and moderate temperatures and needs regular watering and fertilizing.
Asparagus can be grown from seeds or crowns, but crowns are easier and faster to establish. Crowns are planted in trenches about 12 to 18 inches apart and covered with 2 to 3 inches of soil. As the spears emerge, more soil is added until the trench is filled
Benefits of Asparagus
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Asparagus is not only tasty, but also healthy. It's low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants just like spinach. It can help lower blood pressure, regulate blood sugar, support digestion, and prevent urinary tract infections.
Asparagus also contains a compound called asparagine, which is a natural diuretic that helps flush out excess fluids and salts from the body. Asparagus is also a good source of folate, which is essential for pregnant women and fetal development
When to Harvest Asparagus?
The first year after planting, you should not harvest any asparagus spears, as they need to grow and strengthen the root system.
The second year, you can harvest a few spears for a short period, about two to three weeks.
The third year and beyond, you can harvest asparagus for a longer period, up to eight weeks, depending on the climate and the health of the plants.
The best time to harvest asparagus is in the early morning when the spears are crisp and tender. You should harvest asparagus when the spears are about 6 to 10 inches tall, and before the tips start to open up. If you wait too long, the spears will become woody and bitter.
How to Plant and Care for Asparagus?
Asparagus is a long-term investment that can reward you with years of delicious harvests. However, it requires some planning and preparation before planting.
Here are some steps to follow to plant and care for asparagus:
Choose the Day
Choose a sunny and well-drained spot in your garden, preferably with sandy or loamy soil. Avoid areas where water tends to pool or where weeds are hard to control. Asparagus also needs plenty of space, so make sure you have at least 4 to 5 feet between rows and 12 to 18 inches between plants.
Prepare the Soil
Prepare the soil by adding organic matter, such as compost or manure, and adjusting the pH to 6.5 to 7.5. You can use a soil test kit to check the pH and nutrient levels of your soil. You may also need to add some fertilizer, such as 10-10-10 or 10-20-10, to boost the phosphorus and potassium content.
Dig it Deep
Dig a trench about 8 to 12 inches deep and 12 to 18 inches wide. You can make the trench longer or shorter depending on how many asparagus crowns you have. Asparagus crowns are the dormant roots of the plant that you can buy from nurseries or online. They usually have one-year-old or two-year-old crowns, which are more reliable and productive than seeds.
Fertilize
Spread some fertilizer along the bottom of the trench, about 2 pounds per 100 square feet. Then, cover the fertilizer with 2 to 3 inches of soil, forming a ridge in the center of the trench.
Placing the Plant
Place the asparagus crowns on top of the ridge, about 12 to 18 inches apart, with the buds facing up. The crowns should be slightly below the soil surface, about 1 to 2 inches deep. Do not bury them too deep, as this will delay the emergence of the spears.
Focus on the Crown
Cover the crowns with another 2 to 3 inches of soil, and water well. As the spears grow, gradually fill in the trench with more soil, until it is level with the ground. This will help protect the crowns from frost and weeds.
Add Mulch
Mulch the bed with straw, leaves, or wood chips, to conserve moisture and prevent weeds. You can also add some organic fertilizer, such as fish emulsion or seaweed extract, every few weeks during the growing season, to encourage healthy growth.
Keep in Mind
Do not harvest any asparagus spears in the first year, as they need to establish a strong root system. In the second year, you can harvest a few spears for a short period, about two to three weeks. In the third year and beyond, you can harvest asparagus for a longer period, up to eight weeks, depending on the climate and the health of the plants.
How to Harvest Asparagus?
Now, coming to the most important part that you wanted to know about. Let us talk about the ways to harvest asparagus!
To harvest asparagus, you need a sharp knife or a pair of scissors. You should cut the spears at the base, about an inch below the soil surface.
Be careful not to damage the crown or the emerging spears. You should also avoid cutting too many spears from one plant, as this will weaken the plant and reduce the yield. A good rule of thumb is to leave at least one-third of the spears on each plant.
You should harvest asparagus every day or every other day, depending on how fast the spears grow. You should stop harvesting asparagus when the spears become thinner than a pencil, as this indicates that the plant is running out of energy.
You should then let the spears grow into ferns, which will replenish the crown and prepare it for the next season.
How to Store and Freeze Asparagus?
Unlike lettuce, which you can store for more than a week, asparagus is best eaten fresh, as it loses its flavor and texture quickly. If you can't eat it right away, you should store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
To keep it fresh, you should trim the ends of the spears and stand them upright in a glass of water or wrap them in a damp paper towel and put them in a plastic bag.
If you want to preserve asparagus for longer, you can freeze it. To freeze asparagus, you should first wash and trim the spears, and then blanch them in boiling water for two to three minutes, depending on the thickness.
Blanching is a process of briefly cooking and cooling the vegetables to stop the enzyme activity that causes them to spoil.
After blanching, you should drain and cool the spears, and then pack them in freezer bags or containers, leaving some space for expansion. You can freeze asparagus for up to a year, and use it in soups, casseroles, or stir-fries.
How to Prevent and Treat Asparagus Pests and Diseases?
Asparagus is generally a hardy and resilient plant, but it can still suffer from some pests and diseases that can affect its growth and quality.
Here are some of the most common problems that affect asparagus plants, and how to prevent or treat them:
Asparagus beetles
These are small, black or red beetles that feed on the spears and the ferns, causing them to wilt and turn brown. They can also lay eggs on the spears, which hatch into larvae that chew on the stems and leaves.
To prevent asparagus beetles, you should keep the area around the plants clean and weed-free, and remove any old or damaged spears. To treat asparagus beetles, you can hand-pick them and their eggs, or spray them with insecticidal soap or neem oil.
Fusarium wilt
This is a fungal disease that infects the roots and the crowns of the plants, causing them to rot and die. It can also cause the spears to become yellow, twisted, and stunted. Fusarium wilt is more likely to occur in poorly drained, acidic, or infested soil.
To prevent fusarium wilt, you should plant disease-resistant varieties, rotate crops, and avoid overwatering or injuring the plants. To treat fusarium wilt, you should remove and destroy any infected plants, and apply fungicides to the soil.
Rust
This is another fungal disease that affects the ferns, causing them to develop orange or brown spots and pustules. Rust can reduce the vigor and yield of the plants, and make them more susceptible to other diseases. Rust is more likely to occur in humid, wet, or shady conditions.
To prevent rust, you should plant resistant varieties, space the plants well, and prune any excess or infected ferns. To treat rust, you should apply fungicides to the ferns, and avoid watering them from above.
Crown rot
This is a bacterial disease that causes the crowns and the bases of the spears to become soft, mushy, and foul-smelling. Crown rot can spread quickly and kill the plants. Crown rot is more likely to occur in wet, compacted, or poorly drained soil.
To prevent crown rot, you should plant healthy crowns, improve the drainage and aeration of the soil, and avoid overwatering or injuring the plants. To treat crown rot, you should remove and destroy any infected plants, and disinfect the tools and the soil.
Bonus: How to Cook and Enjoy Asparagus?
There are many ways to cook and enjoy asparagus, from steaming, boiling, roasting, grilling, to sautéing. The key is not to overcook it, as it will become mushy and lose its flavor.
You should cook asparagus until it is bright green and crisp-tender, which usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the method and the thickness of the spears.
You can season asparagus with salt, pepper, butter, lemon juice, garlic, herbs, cheese, or any other condiments you like. You can also pair asparagus with eggs, bacon, ham, chicken, fish, pasta, rice, or salad. Asparagus is a versatile and delicious vegetable that can complement any meal.
Wrapping It Up!
Asparagus is a wonderful vegetable that you can grow and harvest in your own garden. It's easy to care for, once you know how to harvest asparagus properly.
You should harvest asparagus when the spears are about 6 to 10 inches tall and before the tips start to open up. You should cut the spears at the base and leave some on the plant to grow into ferns. It would be best to store asparagus in the refrigerator for later use.
And yes, you should also enjoy the many benefits and flavors of asparagus, by cooking it in various ways and pairing it with different dishes. Asparagus is a springtime delight that you don't want to miss.
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