| How to Plant Lavender in Pots Posted: 26 Jun 2018 01:00 AM PDT Lavender plants are beautiful and fragrant plants that thrive in warm dry climates. Not all climates are great for them, so sometimes they need a little extra care to grow well and produce the blossoms you would like. But, with the correct lavender variety, right potting conditions, and care, you can have a thriving potted lavender plant in almost any place you live. EditSetting up the Right Growing Conditions - Select a variety of lavender that suits your climate and space best. There are 45 different species of lavender with hundreds of varieties, so try narrowing your search by what you want lavender for. Lavenders in general are drought tolerant, but don't handle the cold very well.[1]
- If you live in a climate where the winters are very hard, you can still grow lavender plants, but you will probably have to treat them like annuals and replace them each year.
- Uses for lavender include landscaping, dried buds, culinary, crafts, fresh cuttings, and essential oils. There are different varieties that fit each of these uses differently.[2]
- Look for large pots. Lavender plants can grow to the size of a small shrub, so a large pot for starting will allow for this growth. 12-16 inch containers are the sizes you should look for. Do not look a pot with an attached saucer as this will limit efficient drainage. Remember that lavender plant roots are susceptible to rot if the soil retains water too long.[3]
- It would be best if the pot had multiple draining holes to further encourage quick drainage. You can drill extras if the pot you choose only has one drain hole.
- Fill the bottom 1-2 inches of your pot with the packing peanuts or gravel.[4] Even it out along the bottom, but it doesn't need to be perfect. Make sure this material isn't falling out of the draining holes.
- Pour some of your potting mix into your pot. This mix should fill about a quarter to a third of the rest of the pot, or about 1-inch above the gravel or packing peanuts. Again, it doesn't need to be perfect, but don't fill the pot so full that the plant hardly fits and don't under-fill it so the plant sits too deep in the pot.
- You will need well-draining alkaline soil from a garden or department store. This soil is a common product in the garden section, so it should be easy to locate.[5] Ask an employee if you have difficulty locating the right soil.
- Mix the soil with your hands to break up any dirt clods.[6]
- You can also add 1 Tablespoon of lime to the potting mix to increase the alkaline quality of the soil.[7]
EditPlanting Your Lavender Plant - Remove the Lavender plant from its current pot. Squeeze the bottom of the pot your lavender plant is in. This helps loosen the lavender and its dirt ball from the smaller pot. Tilt the lavender sideways and pull gently on the plant's base. With the loosening of the previous step, the lavender plant should ease out of its old pot.[8]
- The dirt should be solid enough that it feels like it will come out in one chunk if handled gently.
- Handle your pot-less lavender gently to avoid breaking the dirt and damaging the roots as well as the foliage above the dirt.
- Now you're ready to pot your lavender plant in the new pot!
- Place the lavender plant in the center of the pot. Nestle it into the dirt that is already in the pot for security. The base of the plant should sit 3-inches below the rim of the pot.[9] Gently break the surface of the lavender dirt ball with your fingers to release some of the roots.[10]
- Root binding happens when a plant has been in a small pot too long and the roots rival the dirt for space. This makes the dirt hard and unless the dirt and roots are loosened, the roots will not expand in their new pot and the plant will soon die.[11]
- Most potted plants won't be root bound, but it's a good idea to loosen up the roots and dirt a little to ensure the roots get a healthy start.
- Fill the rest of the pot with your potting mix. Fill it only up to the top of the dirt ball around the lavender plant's roots.[12]
- Don't pack the soil around the Lavender plant. The soil needs to stay loose for effective drainage.
- Spread a half cup timed-release fertilizer over your potting soil. Sprinkle the fertilizer on the soil and then scratch the fertilizer into the soil with a fork.
- Timed-release fertilizer can be found at any gardening or farm store and will release fertilizer as the plant is watered.
- An example of a timed-release pellet fertilizer is alfalfa pellets. They are organic and contain triacontanol, which is a growth stimulant.[13]
- Some soils come with fertilizers like alfalfa pellets already mixed in, so you may not need to do this.
- Mulch your lavender plant. Turkey grits or white landscaping pebbles work best for mulching lavenders. Lay the mulch on the soil in a 2-inch thick layer up to the base of the plant.[14]
- This mulch is great for preventing rot in the roots and stems of the plants.
- The white color of turkey grits and white landscaping pebbles will reflect sunlight back to the plant which will stimulate growth. The mulch will also encourage air circulation and quick drainage.
- These materials are inexpensive and can be found at farm and pet stores and some garden stores.[15]
EditCaring for Your Lavender Plant - Drench your plant in water. Water when the soil is almost dry. They need to be watered heavily so the plants get enough moisture. However, lavender plants must also be watered infrequently so the roots aren't in contact with moisture long enough to rot.
- Depending on where you live and what season it is, infrequent watering could mean weekly or biweekly.[16]
- Place pots where they will get at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight. Shade reduces growth and fragrance of the lavender plants.[17]
- Place on concrete surfaces in cooler temperatures to amplify the heat the plants receive.[18]
- Store your potted lavender plants in a garage or indoors during the winter to protect them. Freezing temperatures and snow aren't handled very well by lavender plants.
- One danger of leaving your lavenders in pots in the cold is that if there is enough moisture in the soil, it could freeze and crack your pots. The plant can handle the freezing, but your pots are less likely to.
- Prune your lavender plants. Lavenders should generally be pruned around August, but pruning time varies depending on what your climate is like. Use a pair of good pruning clippers to snip bunches of the stems away.
- As a general rule, prune at least a couple of months before winter sets in.
- Pruning a large lavender plant will take very little time with good pruning clippers
- Snip the stems about three fingers above the new stems that are springing up around the base of the plants.
- Pruning each year can potentially extend your lavender's life to ten years if your climate will allow the plant to live through winter.[19]
EditThings You'll Need - Lavender plant
- Alkaline potting mix
- Packing peanuts/loose gravel
- Fertilizer
- Turkey grit/white landscaping pebbles
- Pruning clippers
EditSources and Citations
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| How to Train Remote Employees Posted: 25 Jun 2018 05:00 PM PDT Remote employees can offer many great benefits for your business. Training these employees, however, may present some unique challenges. If your employees live far away from your place of business, make sure that you have set up a consistent and reliable communication platform. Send them well-crafted training materials so that they can teach themselves how to do the job. Consistent supervision and feedback can help get them onboard quickly and effectively. EditChoosing a Communication Platform - Ask them to come into the office for training if possible. Even if the employee is remote, you may be able to bring them in for training. This is usually the fastest and most effective training option for remote employees who live close to an office or branch. If they live far away, however, it may not be possible.[1]
- Set up conference calls for personalized training. Phone calls and video conferences provide a personal touch to training and can help clarify important details for the job. Weekly chats will allow you to monitor the employee's progress while still giving them flexibility to do their job.[2]
- Conference calls work best for remote employees who are involved in strategy and marketing for a business, as it allows you to discuss plans and ideas with them freely.
- If you and the employee are in different time zones, make sure that you choose a time that is convenient for both of you.
- Some great video conferencing software includes Skype, Zoom, or Slack.
- Use an instant messaging service to answer questions quickly. For companies that require collaboration or frequent communication between employees, instant messaging can be the most convenient option. This allows employees to talk and communicate in real time.[3]
- If your remote employee has any questions during training, they can reach out to you using the platform and get a quick response. Furthermore, instant messaging will allow you to send them quick feedback and messages regarding their work.
- Some great free services that you can use for your business include Skype, Google+ Hangouts, and Spark.
- Instant messaging may not be the best choice if your remote employee is working at different hours than the rest of the team.
- Send emails if the employee works on their own schedule. Email is a great option if the remote employee is working different hours, lives in a different time zone, or sets their own schedule. Send notes, training materials, links, and attachments easily over email.[4]
- Make sure that the employee understands how quickly they should respond to emails.
EditCreating Effective Training Materials - Write a training manual or handbook for the employee. Having a document available to the employees allows them to refer to it whenever they have a question. Email this manual to the employee or post it on a shared cloud-based storage system. You should include:[5]
- The primary responsibilities of the job
- The best practices for your company
- How to complete tasks using software, online interfaces, or other equipment
- How to contact management
- Specify how to complete tasks in detail. Try to anticipate any problems or questions the employee might have and include these details in your manual. Specific details help the employee understand what to do more quickly.[6]
- For example, don't just say "Submit your work when you are done." Instead write, "Click the button that says 'Submit' to send in your work when it is finished. This will refresh the page and take you back to the main portal."
- Make sure to cover details like how to report hours, where to submit work, or who to contact if something goes wrong.
- Establish quotas and expectations for each task. In addition to telling your employees how to do something, make sure they understand any rules, quotas, or guidelines they will be expected to follow. How much are they expected to do a week? How often should they communicate with you? When should they submit their work by?[7]
- For example, you might say, "We expect you to take 5 calls an hour" or "We need you to check your email at least once an hour between 9 am and 5 pm."
- Incorporate instructional videos and images for software or equipment. If there are any special programs or equipment that the employee has to use, provide clear visual instructions showing them how to use it in addition to written instructions.[8]
- If you're working with a computer platform, use a screenshot program to take pictures or videos of the screen demonstrating each step in the process.
- Diagrams and graphics may be useful for employees who need to install special equipment or software.
- Invest in a web-based training program for large companies. If you have many remote employees, you may want to hire a company to design an online training module to help automate part of the training process. These companies will work with you to create a personalized platform using videos and interactive tools.[9]
- These companies may advertise themselves as training or recruitment consultants.
- While this can be a more expensive option, it will save you significant time if you have to frequently train employees.
EditSupervising the Employee - Give the employee benchmarks to reach. Create a timeline of tasks for the employee, and set specific goals for them to reach by a certain time. This helps give your remote employees some direction and encourages them to become productive more quickly.[10]
- For example, you might say, "We want you to learn how to use our calling software by the end of the first week. By the end of the first month, you should be making at least $10,000 in sales."
- Provide specific feedback on the first several tasks. Give constructive feedback on each task for the first 2-3 weeks or until they have mastered the different parts of their job. This type of feedback can help employees learn the guidelines and expectations for the type of work they are doing.[11]
- For example, you might say, "Your design on these images is really good, but I think you need to stick with 1 color scheme to fit our company's brand better. We prefer smaller font too."
- Their first task should be something small with a quick deadline. For example, you might ask for a short article or a spreadsheet by the end of the first day. This will let you give them feedback quickly.
- Ask for feedback and questions from the employee. Encourage the employee to come to you with any questions that they might have. When training is over, ask them for honest feedback about the process. This can help you clarify the process for future remote employees.[12]
- If the employee comes to you with a question, answer the question as best as you can. If you feel as though the answer could be found in the training manual, refer the employee to the specific section.
- If the new employee doesn't reach out to you with any questions, you might send a friendly message saying something like, "I just want to check in. How is training going? Do you have any questions?"
- If you want, keep feedback anonymous so that the employee feels as though they can be honest. Use an online survey website to set up a feedback form.
- Communicate regularly with all remote employees. Both during and after training, stay in touch with your remote employees. Let them know what news is going on in the company. Newsletters, webinars, or even weekly conference calls can keep them in the loop.[13]
- Remote employees might feel isolated or left out of important company decisions, news, or events. To help support these employees, encourage them to reach out or collaborate with other members of the team and company through social media, instant messaging, or video chats.
EditSources and Citations __
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| How to Melt Chocolate in the Microwave Posted: 25 Jun 2018 09:00 AM PDT Melted chocolate is delicious, versatile, and fun to make. You can pour it on as a topping for ice cream and pastries, or you can use it as a dip to create fun desserts like cake pops or chocolate-covered fruits. Although chocolate is often melted in a double boiler, it's fast and easy to get perfectly smooth melted chocolate with just your microwave! EditPreparing the Chocolate - Chop the chocolate into small pieces with a serrated knife. If you try to melt a whole chocolate bar, the outside will melt before the center, and the chocolate will be more likely to scorch. By chopping up the chocolate into small pieces, it will melt more evenly.[1]
- You can skip this step if you're using chocolate chips.
- Place the chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl. The bowl should not have metal trim, which can cause dangerous sparks that can make the microwave stop working. If the bowl is plastic, it should either say "microwave safe" or have a small square with wavy lines somewhere on the dish. Glass and ceramic are usually safe for use in the microwave.[2]
- You can test whether a dish is microwave safe by placing it in the microwave along with a cup of water. Turn on the microwave for 1 minute on high heat, then touch the dish. If the dish is cool and the water is warm, the dish is microwave-safe. However, if the dish is hot and the water is cold, the dish absorbs heat and should not be used in the microwave.
- Add milk or oil if you want to thin the chocolate. If you want a thinner chocolate glaze, or you just want to make your chocolate easier to work with, add a capful of milk, a small pat of butter, or of an unflavored oil, like canola or coconut oil. This will also help keep your chocolate from hardening as quickly once it's cool.[3]
- It's best to start with a small amount and add more if you need to.
- Do not allow any water to get into the chocolate. The chocolate will seize and become lumpy, making it unusable.
EditMicrowaving the Chocolate - Microwave the chocolate uncovered for 30 seconds on low power. Since microwave settings can vary, it's helpful to turn your microwave to the lowest setting so your chocolate doesn't scorch. It will take a little longer to melt your chocolate this way, but you will have more control over the finished product.[4]
- If you're not sure how to change the power level, check your microwave's manual.
- If you need to, you can also use the defrost setting.
- Stir the chocolate with a spoon or rubber spatula. Even if the chocolate doesn't look like it's melted, stir it after the first 30 seconds in the microwave. Chocolate can appear to hold its shape once it starts melting, so don't go by the appearance alone.[5]
- Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl when you stir the chocolate. The sides of the bowl will heat the fastest, so the chocolate will scorch there first.
- Microwave the chocolate in 10-15 second bursts until it's almost melted. As the chocolate begins to melt, microwave it in 10-15 second increments to help you control the temperature more easily. Scrape the sides of the bowl each time you take the chocolate out of the microwave.[6]
- When most of the chocolate is smooth with just a few solids remaining, do not heat it any further.
- Dark chocolate will take longer to melt, while milk and white chocolates will melt more quickly.
- Stir the chocolate until the remainder of the chocolate has melted. The heat from the melted chocolate should cause the remaining solid pieces to finish melting. If the chocolate isn't smooth after 30 seconds of stirring, place the bowl back in the microwave for another 5-10 seconds.[7]
- Allow the chocolate to cool for about 5 minutes. The chocolate will be too hot to enjoy as soon as it finishes melting. Once it's cool, enjoy your melted chocolate as a dipping sauce for fruit, marshmallows, or pretzels or as a drizzle for pastries or popcorn.[8]
- If the chocolate gets hard while you're working with it, place it into the microwave for an additional 20 seconds, then stir it again.[9]
EditThings You'll Need - Microwave
- Bowl
- Spoon or rubber spatula
- Your choice of chocolate
EditSources and Citations EditQuick Summary
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