INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Gardening gloves will protect your hands from minor slivers, while a face mask will help prevent inhalation of dust and particles from the materials you’re working with. Having all your tools and supplies on hand will speed up the process of making your own potting mix. You’ll need:   Large receptacle for mixing: This can be a large bucket, garbage can, wheelbarrow or other container.  Container for measuring: Some of the materials will be added in smaller amounts to the potting mix. It is helpful to have a container to measure accurately. A 5-gallon bucket is a useful size, as are 1-cup measuring cups.  Water: Have a watering can and hose available.  Trowel: A trowel will be useful for mixing your materials together.  Shovel: Have a shovel ready for shoveling larger amounts of soil, peat and compost into your mix.  Hardware cloth: Hardware cloth is a wire mesh screen that will be used to push your materials through to sift out the large pieces and debris. One-quarter inch hardware cloth is ideal. It can be helpful to have a table for preparing the potting mix, especially if you’re making smaller batches in buckets. At the very least, you should have a level, open, work space that is outdoors. Put a tarp underneath your work space to catch extra dirt and other material. Use a mixing barrel or large garbage can for mixing your potting mix. There are a number of different recipes for potting mix, each of which is appropriate for different types of plants. For a general, all-purpose potting mix, use the following recipe: Measure 1 part peat moss; 2 parts compost; 1 part vermiculite; 1 part sterilized garden soil; and 1 part perlite or sand. To start, use a 5-gallon bucket as each “part.” To remove large chunks and debris, run each of your ingredients through a screen or ¼ inch hardware cloth. Hardware cloth is wire mesh available in rolls from hardware and home supply stores for $5-$10 per roll. Dump all the peat moss that you’re using into a mixing bin. It may help to start with a small batch of soil, instead of using all of your available materials in the first batch. These will add nutrients to your potting mixture. A good fertilizing mixture is: For everyone 5 gallons of other ingredients, add 1 cup greensand; 1 cup blood meal; ½ cup bonemeal; ½ cup lime; and ½ cup rock phosphate. Add each of these ingredients one by one and mix thoroughly. Turn over the soil to make sure you are mixing them all in throughout the potting mix.

SUMMARY: Wear protective gear. Gather your supplies. Prepare your work space. Measure out your ingredients. Pour all ingredients separately through wire mesh hardware cloth. Put in the peat moss first into your mixing bin. Add fertilizers and mix thoroughly. Add compost, vermiculite and perlite.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Grab the trowel handle with your dominant hand. Your fingers should curl around the width of the handle, but your thumb should be extended along the length.  Holding the trowel in this manner will give you greater control over it. Your wrapped fingers should keep the trowel sturdy and secure in your hands, and your extended thumb should make it easier to control the direction you move the trowel. Make sure that you maintain a firm grip on the trowel throughout the entire process. Using the side of the trowel head, cut away a portion of mortar from a larger pile of previously mixed mortar. Drag this portion away from the primary pile and toward you.  Note that the mortar should already be prepared and sitting in a large pile on your mortar board. Use freshly prepared mortar that is still wet and easy to shape. The portion you cut away should be from the edge of the pile. Make sure that you remove enough mortar to cover the length and width of the trowel head, if not a little more. Drag this portion roughly 6 inches (15 cm) away from the primary pile so that you won't accidentally mix it back in as you work. Turn the cut portion of mortar several times using the trowel. After a few turns, the mortar should take on a smooth texture and paste-like consistency. Once the texture seems correct, use the trowel to shape the portion of mortar so that it roughly matches the length and width of the trowel head. Slide the edge of the trowel beneath the portion of mortar, lifting it onto the flat face of the trowel head. It should be easy to slip the mortar onto the trowel, especially after turning it over several times on the mortar board. If the mortar sticks to the board and does not slip over the trowel, it might be too wet to use. While holding the trowel horizontally with the mortar side facing up, flick your wrist and the trowel downward with a quick snap before stopping abruptly.  Keep a firm grip on the trowel as you flick your wrist. The mortar on your trowel should slightly flatten out over the head once you stop the motion. The force used to snap your wrist adheres the mortar to the trowel. When done correctly, you should be able to invert the trowel upside-down, and the mortar should still remain securely in place. If you do not perform this step, the mortar will slide off as soon as you turn the trowel on its side. Alternatively, you can usually create enough suction to keep the mortar on the trowel if you tap the bottom of the trowel head against the mortar board. This is a good option to use if you are unable to support the trowel well enough to flick your wrist.

SUMMARY: Grab the trowel. Cut a section of mortar. Turn the mortar. Slide the trowel beneath the mortar. Flick your wrist downward.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Button up the majority of the buttons so the shirt will hold its shape and stay together while you fold it. Run your hands over the fabric to straighten out any wrinkles or creases, then adjust the collar until it lays flat and neat. Use a clean, flat surface such as a table, dresser, or bed as your workspace for folding. Lay the shirt facedown carefully, smoothing it out and adjusting the collar if it has folded or collapsed. Start the fold at the shoulder and bring the left arm across the back of the shirt. This will make the left side of the shirt one long line. The goal is to turn the shirt into a long rectangle shape, so make sure that the cuff on the left arm doesn’t extend past the right side of the shirt! If the arms are extra long and extend past the edge of the shirt, fold the cuff backwards so it stays within the rectangle. Now that you’ve mastered the left sleeve, do the same move with the right sleeve! Fold the right arm in at the shoulder and bring it across the left arm so they cross in the center of the shirt. Once again, make sure the right sleeve doesn’t extend past the edge of the shirt. You can always fold the cuffs back in if they extend past the sides of the shirt. Fold the bottom third of the shirt up, then fold the next third up so it meets the shoulders of the shirt. This creates the perfect size for placing the shirt in a suitcase, drawer, or shelf. Straighten out any wrinkles and make sure the collar is neat before packing or storing your shirt. This technique will help protect the collar from being crushed and the fabric from wrinkling too much. Although this technique protects your shirt from excessive wrinkling, you may still notice a little wrinkling from the folds. Just keep in mind that the next time you wear your shirt, you may have to do a bit of steaming first!

SUMMARY:
Button up and smooth out the dress shirt. Lay the shirt out facedown on a flat surface. Fold the left sleeve in toward the center of the shirt. Bring the right sleeve across the left sleeve to complete the rectangle shape. Start at the bottom and fold the shirt up in thirds. Flip the shirt back over and adjust the collar.