INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If your garden patch or potted plant constantly has a pool of water sitting on top, then the soil is poorly draining. This is bad, because the buildup of water can cause the roots of the plant to rot, killing the plant over time. To remedy this, carefully dig out the plant and a clump of the surrounding soil; place the plant on a tarp or in another clean pot. Mix compost or peat into the soil. Replace your plant in its original location. If all of your soil is poorly draining, you can dig it up and mix in sand to help increase the drainage. If you got a bit over-enthusiastic and planted several plants near each other when they were small, you may have been surprised when they grew up and began competing for space in your garden or indoor pot. Plants that are put too close together will not grow as large, since there are not enough nutrients to be shared between them. Simply dig up the offending plants, and relocate them to a new garden plot or pot that has more room. Fill in the empty space with fresh gardening soil.  Always use store-bought gardening soil rather than soil from your yard, as the soil from your yard contains insects, plant diseases, and weeds that will spread to your plant in its new location. You can tell that plants are too close if they are growing into each other, or if their primary stems/branches become tangled. While mulching is beneficial for adding nutrients and blocking out weeds, adding too much mulch can be problematic for a garden. This is because the mulch will not only block out weeds, but will also prevent new growth from your plants from breaking the surface. Never add more than a 2-inch thick layer of mulch to your garden. If your garden isn't growing after you've mulched, take off 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) of mulch and wait a few weeks for improvement. If you add mulch too high on the base of a stem or tree, it will cut off valuable sunlight and prevent growth. Move mulch off the base of the stems and tree trunks in your garden. Plant disease can spread quickly through a garden, if not contained. The same is true for a plant that is injured; if you don't remove the dying limbs, it can continue to spread to the rest of the plant. Whenever you notice plants that are yellow, browning, dry, brittle, or otherwise sickly looking, use a pair of gardening shears to cut off the branches from the base. Throw these branches away rather than leaving them in your garden as compost, because if they do contain a plant disease, it can still spread to nearby plants. Although you may think you're watering your plants correctly, if they begin to turn yellow and droop, you're probably giving them too much water. Most plant's don't need to be watered daily, in fact they do better when given a lot of water every few days. Only water your plants when the soil is dry at least 2-inches deep. If you water every time the top of the soil looks dry, you are almost guaranteed to over-water your plant. If you are having difficulty giving too much water to indoor plants, try switching to a spray bottle for watering your plants, rather than using a watering can. Spray bottles make it much harder to add too much water, since very little is released at one time. If your plants are slowly dying and wilting for no known reason, you may have buried them too deeply. The roots of the plant need to be relatively close to the surface, so that they can extract all the nutrients from the topsoil and have access to the sun. Carefully dig up your plants, and replant them so that the root ball is just-at or just-below the surface of the soil. If the root ball is partially exposed, spread a thin layer of mulch over the top to protect it.   When transplanting a plant from a pot to the garden, keep the soil level at the same depth that it was in the original pot. If your roots are mostly above the surface, your plant will die as well. You want the roots to be level with the garden topsoil.

SUMMARY: Add drainage to poorly draining soil. Move plants that are placed too closely together. Avoid adding too much mulch. Cut off any dead or diseased plants. Avoid over-watering your plants. Make sure you don't plant your plants too deeply.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you notice your dog scratching his irritated or sensitive skin, or if his ears and skin are greasy and smelly, take your dog to the vet. The veterinarian will check for causes of itchiness and irritation, such as parasites, and may suggest testing for environmental allergens or putting the dog on a trial elimination diet. Allergies are usually caused by the proteins in your dog's food, although common causes are beef, chicken, dairy, wheat, corn and soy. These also happen to be the most common ingredients that make up commercial dog foods. Preservatives and filler ingredients can also irritate your dog's digestion. Since so many ingredients, fillers, and preservatives make up commercial dog food, the vet will probably recommend a food elimination trial. To do this, you'll choose a food sensitivity diet to exclusively feed your dog. Avoid feeding any foods that aren't part of the chosen diet. This will help you determine what substance is bothering your dog. Remember not to feed treats or rawhide bones during the elimination diet. While this may seem harsh, it will take up to 6 weeks for your dog's body to “clear” the offending allergens from the body. Any other food during this time could potentially cause the diet to fail. When you're ready to closely monitor a strict diet for your dog, you'll need to select a food sensitivity diet. This way, you know exactly what your dog is eating. After several weeks, you should notice an improvement in your dog's allergies or you may realize that something in that particular diet is causing the problem. Some food sensitivity diets to try include:  Novel protein: With this diet, you'll choose a single source of a non-typical meat that your dog has never had before. This might include salmon, venison, buffalo, or duck, but only give your dog 1 of these proteins, not all 3. Since your dog hasn't been exposed to the protein, there's less of a chance that he's developed an allergy to it. Hydrolyzed protein: This diet is made up of proteins that are broken down into small component amino acids (which make up the protein). Since they're so small, your dog's body shouldn't notice the protein, preventing an allergic reaction.  Therapeutic: These diets which use a novel or hydrolyzed protein are made with higher levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which can reduce the symptoms of food allergies. Once you and your veterinarian have determined the cause of your dog's allergies, choose a nutritious diet. The vet may recommend purchasing a specific commercial product or may prescribe a detailed diet for you to make for your dog. If you do decide to make your own food, you'll need to consult a certified nutritionist or dietitian who has spoken to your vet about your dog's dietary needs. A specialized diet is important for your dog since dogs have different mineral and vitamin requirements than humans. Most dogs do well on a diet made up of 40 percent meat, 50 percent vegetables and 10 percent carbohydrates.

SUMMARY:
Have your dog examined for a food allergy. Consider an elimination diet. Choose a food sensitivity diet to try. Work with the veterinarian to create a balanced diet.