INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Plants that are stressed are more vulnerable to spider mites. Make sure plants are adequately watered, are in healthy soil, and receive optimal light. Periodically dust the leaves and branches of your plant, as this will help prevent spider mites. In dry, dusty areas spider mites are thirstier and so they will cause more damage to your plant if you provide that environment for them. Just targeting spider mites with one treatment is likely not going to get rid of them completely. During warm weather seasons, eggs are laid continuously, and so management and repetition of treatments is vital to keep spider mite population to a minimum or nonexistent. Do frequent water sprays on your plant, as well as pruning leaves if you notice any eggs (small white specks on the underside of leaves) or mites. It may also be beneficial to keep the plant in an area where air can circulate freely.

SUMMARY: Always keep plants nourished. Dust plants. Watch for eggs.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: When playing for a team or in a league, be aware that there may be stricter dress requirements than for recreational games. Know the rules so you can stay within policy.   Turf shoes are acceptable only when on playing on turf. Cleats cannot have metal spikes, front toe spikes, or anything that may hurt another player. This makes it easier to see in the game. You can use skinny and soft headbands to hold your hair from falling in your face. Jackets and warm-up shirts cannot be worn over your team shirt because it hides what team you are on, and is considered cheating. Zipper-less jackets, sweatshirts (with hood down) can be worn under your shirt. All types and colours of under shirts are considered acceptable as long as it is worn under your shirt. Leggings to go under your shorts are acceptable. Goalies are allowed to wear pants. This is particularly encouraged if you have braces or any other condition with your teeth. Gel ones are great. You are going to need a good pair of gloves. Wear a different color shirt.

SUMMARY: Know your league's rules. Wear white socks under your regular team socks. Wear your socks over your shin guards. Wear cleats. Put your hair in a pony-tail if it goes past your shoulders. Layer under your team shirt. Wear shorts. Wear a mouth guard. Use your goalie items if a goalie.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: When thinking about what you want to grow, consider how much shade and sun the area gets. If it's fairly shady, you need to pick a flower that's going to be happy in that area. Also, consider how much work you want to put into your garden. That is, you can plant perennials that come back every year, but that don't bloom as much as annuals. With annuals, you need to plant them each year, but you'll get more colorful blooms that last longer.  Also, make sure the flowers you want to grow are zoned for your area. You can look up your zone online or ask at a local nursery. Some perennials to try include daylilies, pansies, irises, lamb's-ears, black-eyed Susans, Russian sage, and roses. For annuals, try zinnias, marigolds, cosmos, and sunflowers. You can also mix and match annuals and perennials for the best of both worlds. One simple solution to getting flowers is to simply buy them from a garden store, nursery, or farmer's market. Look for healthy plants with lots of leaf growth. If you'd rather grow your own, you'll need to buy seeds from a garden center or an online catalog. A simple way to start seeds is to use a cell flat, which has individual spaces for each plant. The plants need to be separated so the roots don't intertwine. However, you can use other individual containers, or even a cardboard egg carton to start seeds. Just be sure whatever you use has a hole in the bottom for water to drain out. Some containers are meant to be placed into the ground with the plant because the containers are biodegradable. Seed-starting mixtures don't contain any soil and drain well. In addition, they don't contain any weed seeds that could grow in the mixture. Potting soil will also work, but you may not be quite as successful with it. When you plant the seeds is based on the plant itself. Usually, that information is found on the package, but you can also look online. Often, you can plant two to three weeks before the last frost in your area. However, you don't want to plant too early, as the plants will outgrow their containers before you have a chance to move them outside. Follow the directions for the plant, but generally, you plant a single seed in each container you have. Plant the seed at a depth that is four times the width of the seed. In other words, smaller seeds need to be closer to the surface, while bigger seeds can go a little deeper. Label the seeds, and keep the soil moist to help them grow. Windowsills aren't the best place, since the temperature can vary from cold at night to hot in the day. Instead, pick a warm area free from drafts. In fact, you can just use a grow light to provide light to the plants somewhere in your house.  It can help to use a heating pad meant for seeds. It goes under the containers, which can keep the soil warmer, promoting growth. If using a grow light, remember you shouldn't leave it on all the time. It should only be on for twelve to sixteen hours in a day.

SUMMARY:
Pick what you want to grow. Buy seeds or flowers. Find containers for seeds. Place a seed-starting mixture in the containers. Plant the seeds inside two to three weeks before the last frost. Place one seed in each container. Find a warm spot with good lighting.