Heathers will either bloom in the winter or the summer, but it’s recommended to keep any past blooms attached throughout the winter to protect the roots. Start pruning after the risk of frost has passed so the stems of your heathers do not suffer any damage.  You can prune summer blooms in the fall if you live in a warmer climate. Winter heathers are cut after they have bloomed, while summer blooms are being cut before they start to grow. If you live in the United States, you can use your ZIP code to estimate the last expected frost date in your area here: https://garden.org/apps/frost-dates/ Opt for shears that have a spring in them so it is less stressful on your hands. If you want to have more control over which blooms you cut, hold the bloom with your non-dominant hand and make a cut with hand shears. Make sure your shears are sharp before you use them so you can make the cleanest cut. Long-handled shears will work best. Hold the hedges shears near the ends of the handle to control them the easiest. Open and close the shears so they make a snapping noise with each cut.  Hedge shears can be purchased at garden and home care stores. For added grip, wear gardening gloves while you use the hedge shears. Rub your shears with a cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol to clean them. Repeating this process before and after each plant will prevent the spread of any disease or fungus.  You can also make a cleaning solution using 9 parts water and 1 part chlorine bleach. Soak the shears for 30 minutes before drying them off and using them. Heathers are resilient to most common plant diseases, but it’s still good practice to clean your gardening tools.

Summary: Prune annually in the early spring after the last frost. Use hand shears for smaller heathers. Shape large beds of heather with hedge shears. Disinfect your shears with rubbing alcohol before and after each plant.


Make certain that the vehicle is shut off completely and remove the grounded terminal first, to prevent arcing, then move the battery to a well-ventilated area to charge it.  It is possible to charge a battery without removing it, but you need to know whether or not the battery is grounded to the chassis, to avoid clipping the negative in the wrong place. If it is grounded to the chassis, clip the positive to the positive terminal, and the negative to the chassis. If it isn't, then clip the negative charger to the negative terminal, and the positive to the chassis.  If you want to know how to jump your vehicle, read this article. On most well-used car batteries, corrosion will typically build up around the terminals, and it's important to clean these periodically to make sure that your battery terminals make good contact with the leads. The best way to do this is to use plain baking soda and water, and brush the terminals with an old toothbrush to remove the corrosion. Refill each cell with distilled water, to the proper manufacturer levels, if necessary. Do not overfill. Some lead-acid batteries won't have removable ports, so defer to the manufacturer's instructions as always. Usually, you'll be able to find this in the owner's manual for your vehicle, if it isn't listed on the battery itself. If you're unsure, you can also usually visit any auto parts retailer and have them check for your, at no charge. Depending on your vehicle and the battery in it, you'll need a charger with enough capacity to recharge it. Typically, batteries will be either 6 or 12-volts, but depending on whether or not your battery is a Standard, AGM, and Deep Charge model, you may need a stronger charger, depending.  Some chargers are manual, which means you'll have to shut them off when the battery is fully charged, while other automatic batteries will shut off when the battery is full. Other than that, and slight differences in design, all chargers work in essentially the same way. Again, if you're not sure, head to the auto-parts store for a quick check. You don't have to pay for it, and you'll be sure you've got the right info. After you know the voltage of your battery, you can set the output voltage to match. Most chargers have digital readouts, which just let you toggle up or down to the appropriate voltage. Some chargers have adjustable rates, but it's always better to start lower and slower than you think your battery might be able to take. Chargers come with two clips, one of which you should attach to the positive battery terminal and one of which to the negative. Switch the charger to the "OFF" position and remove the plug from the wall to be safe. Don't let the clips touch each other at any point during the process, and turn away from the battery itself when you make the final connection.  First, connect the positive cable, which is usually the ungrounded one. Next, connect a jumper cable or an insulated battery cable that's at least two feet long to the negative post, and connect the negative battery cable to this cable. If the battery is still in the car, you'll want to clip the ungrounded cable to the ungrounded peg on the battery, and the grounded cable somewhere to the chassis of the car. Never clip a charger to the carburetor, fuel lines, or the body of the vehicle. Stretch the cables as far as they go, and never place the charger directly above the battery that's being charged. Corrosive gasses will sometimes be emitted from the battery, which can be dangerous. Depending on the battery and the charger you're using, it may take as many as 8-12 hours to charge your battery. If you're using an automatic charger, it should shut off as soon as the battery is charged. If you're using a manual charger, you'll need to check and make sure the battery is charged before you do. If you want to know how to use a voltmeter to do this, read this article.

Summary: Remove the battery from the vehicle, if necessary. Clean the battery terminals. Determine the voltage of the battery. Use a charger with the appropriate output voltage. Set the output voltage to the correct number. Attach the leads. Keep the charger and battery as far away from each other as possible. Let the battery charge fully.


If you’re mainly going to wear the duster to work, you’ll want a more professional-looking duster jacket. Opt for a more fun, colorful shawl duster if you’re looking for something to wear at the beach. Decide the purpose of your duster so that you can narrow down your choices.  If you want to wear your duster around the house or while you’re doing errands, a sweater duster is a great choice. A sleeveless duster is a good option for warmer days. You’re going to want a thicker, warmer fabric for colder weather than you would during warm spring or summer months. Select dusters made of wool or other warm materials if you’re looking for a warm jacket. For warmer seasons, silk and light knits are great fabric options. Polyester and fur are other good warm options, while linen and cotton are great for warmer weather. If the duster is trailing on the ground when you’re wearing it, it’s too long and you either need to get it hemmed or look for a shorter one. Ideally, the duster should reach just below your knee, but it can be longer as long as it isn’t touching the ground. Wearing heels will help longer dusters seem shorter. This will help accentuate your figure and show off curves. Many times a duster will come with a sash that you can tie around your waist, pulling in your duster so that it shows your waistline. If you’re not sure whether a duster is fitted or not, try it on to see if it emphasizes your body’s outline. If you’re looking for a jacket that you can throw over almost any color combination, it’s best to find a duster in a neutral color such as black, gray, or cream. This way you can wear it over other neutral colors as well as bolder colors, such as red, blue, or green.
Summary: Select a style that fits with your needs. Choose a material appropriate for the season. Make sure the duster isn’t too long when you try it on. Look for dusters that are slightly fitted around the waistline. Buy a neutral-colored duster to wear with most outfits.