A Rudraksha means-‘tears of Rudra’ in Sanskrit. It is a sacred bead, which is fashioned into rosary in Hinduism. Hindus regard the Rudraksha with great reverence and believe that it bodes good health and prosperity. It can be worn as a bracelet or as a chain.
The 3 Mukhi (face) Rudraksha consists of three natural lines on the surface. It is a symbol for Agni- the fire, which consumes everything. It helps the wearer handle and overcome any situation.
The ruling planet is Mars and days of wearing are Monday and Thursday. It is recommended for:
Children suffering from chronic fever
Gallbladder and liver disease
Stress and depression
Control of blood pressure
Influence on body organ is throat
Other Benefits of 3 Mukhi:
Just as fire destroys everything, this Rudraksha destroys one’s Karma.
It is believed that all past sins of the wearer are forgiven. It is a way of attaining Moksha.
It removes obstacles faced by a person due to past Karma.
It provides remission from the sin of committing an abortion.
It helps attain purity of soul and to live a life, free of guilt.
Protects from all sorts of diseases, accidents and blood poisoning.
Mantras:
Shiva Purana: Om Kleem Namaha
Padma Purana: Om, Om, Namaha
Skanda Purana: Om Dhum Dhum Namah
Om Namah Shivaya
Mode of Wearing:
Take the beads. Wash them with sacred Ganga water or unboiled milk.
Wear in the neck, chanting Mantra.
Who Should Wear?
Those who want to avoid the malefic effects of Mars.
Those suffering from the disease.
Those who are weak, lazy and have an inferiority complex
Those suffering from stomach disorders, skin diseases, eye defects.
Those who are depressed and need a boost of self-esteem.
Rules to Wear:
Wearers and devotees of Rudraksha enjoy peace, good health, and prosperity. But one must take some precautions:
The Rudraksha must be worn only after Siddhi (purification rites and chanting of Mantras).
Rudraksha mantra is to be chanted 9 times daily, after removing at night and wearing in the morning.
It must be kept in the Puja room at night and worn after the bath in the morning.
The wearer should not consume alcohol or non-vegetarian food.
He must speak only truth and visit Shiva temple.
Rudraksha must not be taken while visiting a baby or to the cremation ground.
Women must remove it during menstruation.
Keep Rudraksha clean and tidy. Pores of the beads can attract dirt and dust. Clean this with any soft material with fine bristles. Change the thread if it becomes dirty. After it has been cleaned, wash Rudraksha with holy water. This is to maintain its sanctity.
Keep Rudraksha constantly oiled. After the beads and chord have been cleaned, periodically apply oil and treat with incense. This is crucial when you have kept the Rudraksha in storage for a long time and want to use it again.
These are some safeguards for wearing and maintaining Rudraksh chains and bracelets. Since it is a sacred ornament, most Hindus are not affected by 3 Mukhi Rudraksha price. Don’t be confused by the shape and size of the beads. One has to buy the beads according to one’s gut instinct.
Lucia Patterson is the woman behind TheLegalGuides, a blog solely focused on legal guides, tips, and advice. Lucia loves essay writing and blogs at EssayWritingGuides from her college days.
If there is something that I have learned in life, it is about gardening. Well, almost everything if not all. And if there is one thing that took me some time to master, it was knowing how to harvest potatoes at home!
Potatoes are one of the most versatile and popular vegetables in the world. They can be cooked in many different ways, such as boiled, baked, fried, mashed, or roasted. Moreover, they are also rich in carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants.
But how do you grow and harvest your own potatoes at home? You see, potatoes are not like cilantro or other plants. These are tubers.
In this article, I will show you everything you need to know about how to harvest potatoes, from planting to storage.
So, if that is something that you are interested in knowing, then I have you covered! Keep on reading this blog till the end to learn more...
How to Plant Potato Seeds or Tubers?
The first step in how to harvest potatoes is to plant them. You can start with either potato seeds or tubers. Potato seeds are small, round, and black, and they are usually sold in packets.
Potato tubers are the actual potatoes that you eat, and they have eyes or buds that can sprout new plants.
You can buy certified seed potatoes from a nursery or garden center, or use organic potatoes from the grocery store.
Here are some if the steps that you must take to plant them:
Planting Potato Seeds
To plant potato seeds, you need to sow them indoors in pots or trays filled with moist potting soil.
Place them in a sunny spot and keep the soil moist but not soggy.
The seeds will germinate in about two weeks and produce small green shoots.
When the shoots are about 3 inches tall, you can transplant them outdoors in your garden or in containers.
Planting Potato Tubers
To plant potato tubers, you need to cut them into pieces, each with at least one eye.
You can do this a few days before planting to let the cut surfaces heal and prevent rotting. Alternatively, you can plant whole small potatoes with several eyes.
To prepare the soil, you need to loosen it and add some organic matter, such as compost or manure.
You also need to make sure the soil is well-drained and slightly acidic, with a pH of 5.0 to 6.0.
You can use a soil test kit to check the pH level and adjust it with lime or sulfur if needed.
Planting Potato Pieces
To plant the potato pieces, you need to dig a trench about 4 inches deep and 12 inches wide.
Place the pieces about 12 inches apart, with the eyes facing up.
Cover them with 3 inches of soil and water well.
As the plants grow, you need to hill up the soil around them to cover the lower stems and prevent the tubers from being exposed to sunlight, which can turn them green and bitter.
You can also mulch the soil with straw, leaves, or grass clippings to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
How to Care for Your Potato Plants?
The second step in how to harvest potatoes is to care for your potato plants. You need to water them regularly, especially during dry spells, to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. You also need to fertilize them every two weeks with a balanced organic fertilizer, such as fish emulsion or seaweed extract. Also, you can add some wood ash or bone meal to provide extra potassium and phosphorus, which are essential for tuber formation.
You also need to protect your potato plants from pests and diseases, which can reduce your yield and quality. Some of the common potato pests are:
Colorado potato beetles, which are yellow and black striped insects that feed on the leaves and can defoliate the plants. You can handpick them and drop them in a bucket of soapy water, or use an organic insecticide, such as neem oil or pyrethrin.
Potato leafhoppers, which are small, green, winged insects that suck the sap from the leaves and cause them to curl and yellow. You can spray them with a strong jet of water, or use an organic insecticide, such as garlic or hot pepper spray.
Wireworms, which are thin, brown, worm-like larvae that bore into the tubers and cause holes and tunnels. You can trap them with pieces of carrot or potato buried in the soil, or use beneficial nematodes, which are microscopic worms that parasitize and kill the wireworms.
Common Potato Diseases
One of the most common reasons why a potato cannot grow or survive is the diseases. If you were wondering what some of these can be and how to deal with them, I have you covered!
Some of the common potato diseases are:
Late Blight: It is a fungal disease that causes brown spots on the leaves and stems, and black or brown lesions on the tubers. It can spread rapidly and destroy the entire crop. You can prevent it by planting resistant varieties, avoiding overhead watering, and removing any infected plants and tubers. You can also use a fungicide, such as copper or sulfur, as a preventive measure.
Scab: This is a bacterial disease that causes rough, corky patches on the tubers. It does not affect the taste or edibility of the potatoes, but it reduces their appearance and storage quality. You can prevent it by planting resistant varieties, maintaining a slightly acidic soil pH, and avoiding excessive nitrogen fertilization.
Potato Virus Y: Lastly, this is a viral disease that causes mosaic patterns, mottling, or yellowing on the leaves, and misshapen or knobby tubers. It can reduce the yield and quality of the potatoes, and it can be transmitted by aphids or infected seed potatoes. You can prevent it by planting certified virus-free seed potatoes, controlling aphids, and removing any infected plants and tubers.
How to Determine When Your Potatoes Are Ready to Harvest?
The third step in how to harvest potatoes is to determine when they are ready to harvest. This depends on the type and variety of potatoes you planted, and the size and maturity you want.
There are two main types of potatoes: early and late.
Early potatoes are ready to harvest in about 10 to 12 weeks (about 3 months) after planting, and they produce small to medium-sized tubers that are tender and thin-skinned. They are best for boiling, steaming, or roasting.
Late potatoes are ready to harvest in about 15 to 20 weeks (about 4 and a half months) after planting, and they produce large, starchy tubers that are firm and thick-skinned. They are best for baking, mashing, or frying.
Early Harvesting
To harvest early potatoes, you can start digging them up when the plants begin to flower, or when the lower leaves start to yellow.
You can use a garden fork or a spade to gently lift the plants and tubers from the soil, or you can use your hands to feel for the tubers under the soil.
You can harvest as many or as few potatoes as you need, and leave the rest in the ground until you are ready to use them.
You can also harvest some of the young, tender leaves and stems, which are edible and nutritious.
Late Harvesting
To harvest late potatoes, you need to wait until the plants have died back completely, or until the first frost.
This allows the tubers to develop a thicker skin, which helps them store better.
You can use a garden fork or a spade to dig up the entire row of plants and tubers, or you can use a potato digger, which is a special tool that lifts and separates the tubers from the soil.
You need to be careful not to damage or bruise the tubers, as this can cause rotting or spoilage.
How to Dig Up, Cure, and Store Your Potatoes?
The final step in how to harvest potatoes is to dig up, cure, and store your potatoes. This is important to preserve the quality and shelf life of your potatoes, and to prevent them from sprouting, rotting, or shrinking. Here are the steps to follow:
Digging Up
After digging up your potatoes, you need to brush off any excess soil and remove any damaged, diseased, or green tubers.
Do not wash your potatoes, as this can remove the protective skin and invite bacteria and fungi. You can wash them just before cooking or eating them.
Curing
You need to cure your potatoes for about two weeks in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated place, such as a basement, garage, or shed.
This allows the skin to harden and heal any minor cuts or bruises and enhances the flavor and texture of the potatoes.
The ideal temperature for curing is between 50°F and 60°F, and the ideal humidity is between 80% and 90%.
You can spread your potatoes in a single layer on a newspaper, cardboard, or wooden crate, and avoid exposing them to light, which can turn them green and bitter.
Storing
You need to store your potatoes in a cool, dark, and dry place, such as a cellar, pantry, or closet. The ideal temperature for storage is between 40°F and 50°F, and the ideal humidity is between 65% and 70%.
You can store your potatoes in paper bags, cardboard boxes, mesh bags, or wooden crates, and check them regularly for any signs of sprouting, rotting, or shriveling.
You can also store your potatoes in a root cellar, which is an underground or partially underground structure that maintains a constant temperature and humidity.
Additionally, you can also store your potatoes in a clamp, which is a mound of straw, hay, or leaves covered with soil, that insulates and protects the potatoes from frost and rodents.
Wrapping It Up!
If you want to know about how to harvest potatoes, I hope that this blog has been of help to you. However, if there are any other queries related to the same, please feel free to let me know.
All that you need to do is scroll down till you reach the bottom of the page. Then leave your comments and suggestions in the box below. And I will be there to answer them all for you!
Read Also:
How to Harvest Lettuce: A Step-by-Step Guide for Fresh and Crispy Salads
Everything You Need To Know About Harvesting Basil!
Asparagus 101: When, How, And How Often To Harvest?
So you’ve decided on joining the ranks of America’s finest craft brewers and create your very own handcrafted, completely original product from the ground up. Good for you! It’s a big first step to take for any small business or venture, especially when it comes to the intricate and detail-intensive process of brewing alcohol for consumption.
Obviously a lot goes into making beer, but even more goes into making a good one. Think about the last six or seven glasses or cans you’ve drank and really decide if any of them actually hit the spot, quenched your thirst, or tickled your pallet. Probably not. That’s because most commercial alcohol is absolutely garbage compared to even the smallest craft brewery’s offering, these days.
Alcohol has been fermented and drunk for recreational, medicinal, and religious purposes since the literal beginning of recorded time. The early cavemen gathered grain, fruit, vegetables, and other food in large clay jars and let them ferment under the hot sun for days or weeks until delectable nectar was produced from the slurry. Click here if you want to know more about the history of beer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_beer
However, in modern times, the process has gotten a bit more complicated; and for good reason. Health and safety standards take precedence in food and alcohol-making facilities as these areas are prime for bacteria outbreaks like e-coli, swine flu, etc. Because of our advances in science, we’ve never before had facilities as safe and compliant in history as the ones that exist in most large-scale and craft brew houses alike.
But enough about the grandiose stage stuff. We’re here to focus on the approachable, beginner’s stages, and “I’m interested but kind of nervous and scared” level of commitment in the process. Don’t worry, though. This is where absolutely everyone starts, so there’s no shame in being nervous. You want to impress your friends and clients, not gross them out!
Brewing in 5 Steps
The DreamThe EquipmentThe IngredientsThe StaffThe Process
1. The Dream
If you’re not starting here then you’re not doing it right. You should be passionate about brewing and you should have the dream always in your heart and at the front of your mind. It’s an intense, life-consuming process and should be respected.
Outside of that, creating alcohol is in essence creating drugs. Not only is alcohol a drug, it’s one of the most dangerous drugs in the world. Follow this link for strategies on how to avoid impaired driving. You can both enjoy your business and also ensure the safety of your clientele, especially if you have a tasting room or area.
Most people give up after this stage once they get to the next step. If that’s true for you then maybe creating your own alcohol was never truly in the cards for you. Everyone has their own destiny and you’ll find yours eventually.
2. The Equipment
Now here’s where things get tricky. Here is where you’ll need to decide on the style and scale of your establishment. Is this a small, homey-style craft brewery with a few barrels at a time? Or is this the kind of place you see expanding into a factory setting with metal tanks, electrical monitoring equipment, and automated machinery?
Depending on what state you live in there are different permitting requirements for creating your own food and alcohol from your home or small business for the purposes of human consumption. Call your local county clerk’s office for more information and make sure to check the federal regulations on the sale of alcohol.
For larger, more industrial projects, you’re going to need a lot more than permits. You’re going to need large scale infrastructure or machinery like what ABS Commercial deals with. Brew masters all over the country have their preferred methods, but everyone needs to be using certified, food-grade surfaces, machinery, and materials for their production.
3. The Ingredients
Here’s where the game gets fun and interesting. This stage should be the whole reason you’re doing this to begin with. Perhaps you’ve had one-too-many glasses of beer that tastes like old dishwater rung out of a used rag into a cold glass, or maybe you’re just craving a profile that doesn’t exist to your knowledge in the general market.
For some easy, small batch stuff, check out these home brew recipes and see if there’s something you’d like to try out. They’re perfect for beginners. Otherwise, all you need to do to start is simply Google a base-profile beer you want to create. Is it a lager, an ale, an IPA, etc.? Once you’ve got the base figured out, you can start playing with things like your own ingredients.
Ideas and recommendations: try cinnamon and apple in a batch for a nice, Christmas-style beer that’s sure to appease the masses. You could also try pumpkin and nutmeg for another holiday-inspired alcoholic beverage that’s sure to delight.
4. The Staff
Once you’ve gotten to this stage, it’s time to decide the scale of the help you’ll need. Is this the sort of process you think you’ll be able to take care of yourself or is it something you’ll need to outsource some help from. Most breweries and alcohol businesses have teams of people working round the clock as most of the machinery is sensitive and dangerous, and thus shouldn't be left unattended.
If you’re planning on hiring and training a small staff, legally you will be required to pay them and establish your business as a corporation. This opens up a whole different can of worms that can only be figured out depending on what the state’s laws that you are in are. Unfortunately the United States differs greatly from state-to-state on these issues, further confusing the matter.
5. The Process
The process can be long and difficult, even for professionals in the industry. Every new type of beverage will be a different and new process for the team, or you, to learn. Remember, yeast is a living thing and can be temperamental. You and your team need to respect it for the life that it creates.
The Brewers Association of America has an up-to-date list of safety tips and guidelines to follow in your taproom or brewpub. These things need to be followed in order to ensure the safety of not only you and your team, but your clients and the public as well.
Craft breweries are springing up everywhere and the market is opening up for new entrepreneurs every day, so don’t miss out on the achievable opportunity of making a name for yourself in the beer world and start today!
Additionals:
Beginners Guide: Capping Explained7 Modern Day Beer Drinking Etiquettes You Should Know
Imagine a pub setting in the earlier days. Beer served in a pint glass with packets of greasy peanuts and a jukebox playing music in the background.
In recent years, the scene has changed. Now, you have hipster, craft ale, and gastropubs that are dominating the arena.
The common misconception of beer is that it's fairly straightforward. There's nothing sophisticated about the taste since the main goal is to get drunk. However, beer brewing is an art in itself.
Artisan brewers made it their life's mission to change the way beer is viewed and consumed. From simple, large beer pints, beer is now better served in unique beer glassware.
Sampling beer is a big part of beer culture now. One reason for this is the myriad of flavors that are available in the market today. Your grandfather simply didn't have the luxury of options when it came to beer or glassware!
With the pub culture constantly changing, what should you know when it comes to beer drinking etiquette?
Here are seven beer-drinking rules for most modern-day pubs:
Make Sure Everyone Has Their Beer
Before proposing a toast, make sure that everyone has their beer ready. Whether they are holding a can, small unique beer glassware, or bottle, make sure that everybody has a drink in their hand.
Say No to Warm Beer
“Thou shalt not offer warm beer.” The drinker can’t appreciate the aroma and taste if the beer is not served at the right temperature, which is between 3 to 5 degrees Celsius. Make sure to keep the beer chilled before serving.
Be Choosy with The Glass
It’s also discouraged to pour the beer in any glass. Each type of alcohol requires the right glass to enhance the flavor. While some of these glasses may look great, a beer would look out of place in a champagne glass.
Most beer drinkers know what kind of beer glass is appropriate to enjoy the aroma and taste of the beer. Be a gracious host and choose the right glass for the beer.
Keep the Foam
Never scrape the beer foam away. The foam keeps the taste of the beer. And as you chug it down, let the beer head touch your tongue. You can enjoy the flavor better when you do that.
Don’t Order Beer for Someone Else
Beers have different flavors and characteristics. In the same vein, beer drinkers have different tastes. So let others order their beer out of respect for their preferences. Let them decide the flavor they want.
Never Pour Beer in A Frozen Glass
In the same manner, don’t accept beer in a frozen glass. While beers taste best when chilled, it’s the beer that needs chilling not the beer glass. Freezing the glass kills flavor so you or your guest will not enjoy the taste.
Don’t Blindly Follow the Crowd
You drink beer for the aroma, taste, and experience. Don't succumb to peer pressure by blindly ordering what everybody else is drinking. If you want your beer sweet, light, or soft, go for it! Unless, of course, somebody else is picking up the tab.
Keep these rules in mind the next time you drink with your friends or the next time you host a party at your home. Also, if you have been using beer pints, get rid of them and order your beer glasses today at Cheers All. Enjoy shopping with their extensive beer glass collection that will leave you in awe.
Read Also:
The Best Red Wine That Suits Your Taste
The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Non-Alcoholic Spirits
