Beware of poisonous pesticides

Cockroaches and mosquitoes can cause asthma, dengue and a host of other diseases. But do the pesticides that kill them pose equal, sometimes greater danger to our kid’s health? If used incorrectly, pesticides can be very harmful when ingested or inhaled, or absorbed by the skin. While all products carry warning labels, most consumers ignore them. Don’t.

Pesticides are useful, yes, but you have to be careful — and take far greater precautions than just asking your kids to leave the room when you spray. Ten minutes later, when they walk in, they can ingest the chemicals through a number of ways.

Moms do not have safer choices when it comes to pesticides but they may not necessarily be better in controlling the pest population. These include using the newer types of pesticides mentioned above — biochemical biopesticides — as these are naturally occurring substances that inhibit or regulate the replication of the pest species (e.g. pheromones).

Other non-chemical methods, which are also part of what is collectively termed as “integrated pest management” include mechanical trapping devices, natural predators and insect growth regulators. To check if the pesticide you’re using at home is safe, make sure that the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority has regulated the manufacturer.

Always use your common sense in buying products from the supermarket. Read the warning label carefully and follow directions. Keep them out of reach. Keep the lids tightly covered. Wash your hands and your child’s hands, toys an other objects often.

Get a new and better rug

Also, if your rug is old and overused, you need a new one. You need the clean living room rug that your children can play on top of without you having to worry about it being dangerous to them. But don’t just consider its cleanliness, think about the design, too.

Superior Rugs offer the beautiful area rugs at very affordable prices. From contemporary to traditional designs, they’ve got it all. What’s even better is they do their best to meet the expectations of their customers. They manufacturer their line and sell directly without a middleman and they give the best possible price for your money. If you’re in Central New Jersey you could stop by their store. Otherwise, visit their homepage for more information.

Improve your living room today to make it a safe place for your family.

Most of us have only a passing acquaintance with herbs — those sold in small jars at the supermarket! So why grow an herb garden? Because it will be cheaper in the long run, and it’s easy.

Many popular herbs — basil, mint, oregano, rosemary, thyme, Vietnamese coriander and lemon balm — propagate faster and more easily through stem cuttings. Others — parsley, Chinese coriander, fennel and dill — have to be grown from seed.

Here is a few tricks to help you grow stem cuttings. These work well even with many ornamentals.

Mini greenhouses

Collect small water bottles. Each one is the right size to cover one stem cutting. Cut off the bottom of the bottle, and after stem cuttings are firmly planted in their pots, cover them with a bottle each to provide each plant an instant, miniature greenhouse! It keeps moisture in and the wind out while still letting the sun through. Best of all, it’s one nifty way of recycling those bottles.

Soil-less gardens

Fill two-inch pots or disposable drinking cups with soil-less potting mix. The best brand for stem cuttings is called Plantastic, available in most lawn and garden centers nationwide. Avoid using fortified or enriched varieties at this point because these may be too intense for yet sensitive roots to emerge.

Moisten the potting mix thoroughly using water mixed with a tiny amount of liquid seaweed, an excellent organic fertilizer. Make sure your pots have adequate drainage holes. Next, get yourself some three- to four-inch stem cuttings. Select branches that are fairly young — not too tender and not too old that they have become too rigid or woody. Use sharp, clean scissors or pruning shears to do this.

Leave most leaves on but remove the bottom leaves from the stems. Scrape a few “wounds” into the cut end of the stems. This helps new roots to grow. Dip the “wounded” end into full-strength liquid seaweed for a dose of all-natural plant hormones that will stimulate growth.

Poke a hole in the center of the moistened potting mix using a finger, a pencil or any tool of your choice. Plant each cutting firmly into place.

Leaves intact

Cover each stem cutting with a bottle. It is best if the leaves don’t touch the bottle. If they do, trim the leaves so they are left on the stem to process the new plant’s food, but don’t brush against the bottle which could lead to diseases or rotting.

Place the pots (bottles and all) in partial shade, an area that receives bright but indirect sunlight. If you have moistened the potting mix thoroughly upon planting, it may be unnecessary for you to water the pots for a week or two. Check on your pots regularly to be sure. If water condensation inside the bottle becomes too think, remove the cap for about an hour to allow some of the water to evaporate, then replace the cap. If the potting mix dries out, water it gently, careful not to disturb the cutting.

(more…)