Q: Over time, organic matter, such as pine needles, compost or composted manure, can lower your soil’s pH. However, this can take many years and is only applicable if you have long-term gardening goals. This is a good option for organic gardening.  Organic matter is also useful for improving a soil's drainage and aeration. Because of the amount of organic matter used and the time needed to break it down into usable soil, this application is best for small plots. Another way to increase your soil’s acidity gradually is by adding sulfur. The effectiveness of sulfur depends on a number of factors, including moisture, temperature, and bacteria. Because these factors can be unpredictable, the ability of sulfur to lower a soil’s pH can take several months.  You can buy sulfur at most home and garden stores. Avoid using powdered sulfur because it is too fine for acidifying soil. The increase in acidity is due to a biological reaction involving bacteria. This compound instantly makes the soil more acidic due to a chemical reaction involving aluminum. Because of this, many amateur and small-scale gardeners prefer aluminum sulfate to organic compounds or plain sulfur. However, because it alters the pH of the soil so quickly, it can be more difficult to control the soil acidity.  You can buy aluminum sulfate at most home and garden stores. Because aluminum sulfate creates a chemical reaction in the ground, as opposed to a biological one, some farmers and gardeners are less inclined to use it over materials that produce acidity through a biological reaction. You will need to till the organic compounds, sulfur and aluminum sulfate into the soil to be effective. Organic compounds may need multiple applications depending on the soil pH. Be sure to test the soil before reapplying. Avoid over applying the sulfur or aluminum sulfate. If the sulfur or aluminum sulfate gets on the leaves of your plants, you will need to rinse it off with a hose. Failure to rinse them off can result in burns to the leaves and damage to your plants. Watering your plants will also help the compounds set.
A: Use organic materials. Consider applying sulfur. Think about adding aluminum sulfate. Till the materials into the soil. Rinse your plants after application.

Article: Distractions act as roadblocks in the communication process, causing you to misunderstand what your girlfriend is saying. When the two of you are having more serious discussions, power off your phone and television and give her your full attention. Distractions can also be mental or physical in nature. If you’re really tired or upset, for example, postpone the talk until you’re able to fully participate. When you actively listen, you try to understand the message rather than focus on preparing your response. The best way to do that is by “testing” your understanding of the message with a summary.  Paraphrasing means restating what you heard in a different way to verify the message. You might say, “Let’s see if I’m hearing this correctly. You’re saying…?” Pay close attention to your girlfriend’s message to see if you can spot any feeling statements.  When you hear her describe her emotions, attempt to validate how she feels to show you understand.  Your girlfriend might say, “My boss is giving me such a hard time. It seems like, no matter what I do, it’s never good enough.” Phrases like “hard time” or “never good enough” can give insight into her feelings. You might validate her statement by saying, “Sorry, sweetie, that sounds really frustrating.” Be sure not to invalidate your partner by making remarks like “Oh, you’re being too sensitive,” which might make her feel misunderstood. Your girlfriend communicates both verbally and nonverbally. Nonverbal cues like body language can tell you what she might be thinking or feeling just as her words do. Sometimes, a person’s body language may actually give more info than what’s coming out of their mouth.  For example, if your girlfriend’s body is turned away from you, it may indicate that she doesn’t want to have the discussion or that she wants to leave. Slumped shoulders may suggest that she's feeling sad or hopeless. Crossed arms often demonstrate being closed-off, so she may do this when she feels attacked or offended. It’s common to want to immediately dive in and fix the problems of the people you care about. However, jumping to fix without validation (and making sure she actually wants your help) can work against you. Be sure that you have fully heard her out and demonstrated that you understand and feel for her situation. Then, gently ask if she wants help or advice by saying something like, “Do you want my help or would you like me to just listen?”
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Remove distractions when you’re communicating with her. Paraphrase before responding. Listen for feeling statements and provide validation. Notice her body language. Pause before trying to fix her problems.

Q: The bowl should be large enough for mixing and tossing the ingredients of the salad. Note that any kind of kale will do - some people prefer lacinato ("dino kale") or flat leaf kale due to the tendency of curly green kale to be sold a bit more mature and therefore tougher. It also has a grittier texture and relative lack of flavor.  Shred the kale leaves by hand or chop them up into small strips. For tougher, more mature kale, you may want to shred or chop into smaller pieces as this will help the dressing to soften the texture.  Put the chopped or shredded kale into the bowl. You might start by adding a few tablespoons so as not to "over-dress" the salad. Remember, it's easy to add more dressing, but it's impossible to remove it! Massage the dressing into the kale. The best way to do this is with your hands (or a friend's hands). Note that you should gently squeeze or squish the kale as you mix in the dressing, as this helps break down the cell walls of the leaves and allows the acid in the dressing to soften things up by breaking down cell walls and fibers.  Once you have mixed in all the dressing and massaged all the kale in the bowl, taste a bite to see if it has enough dressing for your liking (remember, we'll be adding a few more ingredients too!). If necessary, add more dressing and repeat the massaging and tasting process until you feel the flavors are balanced and delicious. Because kale leaves are so sturdy, they need a little time for the acid in your dressing (lemon juice or vinegar) to break down the leaves and make them softer. Note that if you plan to let your salad sit for more than an hour, you may want to refrigerate it during this time.
A:
Wash the kale thoroughly, if required. Have available large bowl. Dress the kale to suit your taste. Leave the dressed and massaged kale to sit for at least 15 minutes (and up to an hour or two).