avocado plant from seed

how can i get a seed ready to plant?

i want to plant a avocado tree but does the seed need to be dry or what should i do? XD

Avocados are delicious.
well what i did was a took the seed and left in in water for about 2 days.
they i put him in a pot until it starts to grow.
after it starts to sprout replant it where you plan for it to grow.

Although we think of cats as carnivores, in fact many are fond of vegetables and other plant material. Although food preferences vary with individual cats, many will sample a plot of grass outdoors, the leaves of a potted houseplant indoors, or other common items like shoelaces.

Cats confuse their owners by ending grass-grazing with regurgitation or vomiting. The reason for this predictable behavior is unclear, but it has been suggested that our pets eat grass, at least sometimes, in order to stimulate vomiting. Relief from hairball indigestion may be one motive for plant eating in cats. However, not all plant-eating leads to getting “sick”, so it is a good idea to consult with your vet if the pattern continues.

Because of this tendency to seek and ingest vegetation, cats may naturally experiment with the taste of houseplants. Such behavior can be undesirable, at best, or dangerous when leaves or other plant parts are toxic.

To keep your cat safe, be sure all plants in your home are safe in case of ingestion, or place them out of reach. Hanging pots, for example, usually lose their appeal even to curious cats. Non-toxic, valued plants can be protected with a small amount of sprayed vinegar or black pepper solution on leaves.

As a gift to those cats that seem determined to eat plants, owners can offer treats of herbicide- and pesticide-free potted grass. Grass seeds or even parakeet seeds can be sprouted in seedling pots and offered occasionally, the empty pot then re-seeded for a new batch. In small amounts, grass can be a welcome treat for any house cat.

Listed here are plants poisonous to cats that must be avoided if there are cats in your home. While in some cases just parts of a plant bark, leaves, seeds, berries, roots, tubers, spouts, green shells might be poisonous, this list rules out the whole plant. If you must have any of them, keep them safely out of reach. Should your feline friend eat part of a poisonous plant, rush the cat to your veterinarian as soon as possible. If you can, take the plant with you for ease of identification.

Plants Poisonous To Cats

- Alfalfa
- Almond (Pits of)
- Alocasia
- Amaryllis
- Apple (seeds)
- Apricot (Pits of)
- Arrowgrass
- Avocado
- Azalea
- Baneberry
- Bayonet
- Beargrass
- Beech
- Belladonna
- Bird of Paradise
- Bittersweet
- Black-eyed Susan
- Black Locust
- Bleeding Heart
- Bloodroot
- Bluebonnet
- Box
- Boxwood
- Buckeyes
- Burning Bush
- Buttercup
- Cactus
- Candelabra
- Caladium
- Castor Bean
- Cherry (pits)
- Cherry, wild varieties
- Cherry, ground
- Cherry, Laurel
- Chinaberry
- Christmas Rose
- Chrysanthemum
- Clematis
- Coriaria
- Cornflower
- Corn Plant
- Cornstalk Plant
- Croton
- Corydalis
- Crocus, Autumn
- Crown of Thorns
- Cuban Laurel
- Cutleaf Philodendron
- Cycads
- Cyclamen
- Daffodil Daphne
- Datura
- Deadly Nightshade
- Death Camas
- Delphinium
- Decentrea
- Dieffenbachia
- Dumb Cane
- Easter Lily
- Eggplant
- Elderberry
- Elephant Ear
- English Ivy
- Euonymus
- Evergreen
- Ferns
- Flax
- Four O’Clock
- Foxglove
- Golden Chain
- Golden Glow
- Gopher Purge
- Hellebore
- Hemlock, Poison
- Hemlock, Water
- Henbane
- Holly
- Honeysuckle
- Horsebeans
- Horsebrush
- Horse Chestnuts
- Hyacinth
- Hydrangea
- Indian Tobacco
- Iris
- Iris Ivy
- Jack in the Pulpit
- Java Beans
- Jessamine
- Jerusalem Cherry
- Jimson Weed
- Jonquil
- Jungle Trumpets
- Lantana
- Larkspur
- Laurel
- Lily
- Lily Spider
- Lily of the Valley
- Locoweed
- Lupine
- Marigold
- Marijuana
- Mescal Bean
- Mistletoe
- Mock Orange
- Monkshood
- Moonseed
- Morning Glory
- Mountain Laurel
- Mushrooms
- Narcissus
- Nightshade
- Oleander
- Peach (pits of)
- Pencil Cactus
- Peony
- Periwinkle
- Philodendron
- Pimpernel
- Poinciana
- Poinsettia
- Poison Hemlock
- Poison Ivy
- Poison Oak
- Pokeweed
- Poppy
- Potato Plant
- Precatory Bean
- Primrose
- Privet, Common
- Rhododendron
- Rhubarb
- Ribbon Plant
- Rosemary Pea
- Rubber Plant
- Scotch Broom
- Skunk Cabbage
- Snowdrops
- Snow on the Mountain
- Staggerweed
- Star of Bethlehem
- Sweetpea
- Tansy Mustard
- Tobacco
- Tomato Plant
- Tulip
- Tung Tree
- Virginia Creeper
- Water Hemlock
- Weeping Fig
- Wild Call
- Wisteria
- Yews –
- e.g. Japanese Yew
- English Yew
- Western Yew
- American Yew

About the Author:

Tristan Andrews writes useful articles about cats and kittens. Discover and explore the feline world. Find out how to better care for, train and live with your cat at the cat forums at http://www.i-love-cats.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Dangerous House Plants

when to plant avocado trees

When should I prune my avocado plant/tree?

I sprouted it from a seed to keep it as a houseplant, for pretty foliage. It’s about five months old and a little over a foot tall. I know you’re supposed to prune them so that they grow bushy, but I want to let it get large, like a small potted tree maybe 5′ tall rather than a small houseplant under 2′ tall. So I want it to look nice and have a trunk that branches out, rather than just looking like a bush. If I prune it while it’s too short, won’t it just look like a bush instead of a tree (since trees don’t grow throughout their height, just at the tips, the apical meristems)? When should I prune it? At what height? Will everyone share their personal experiences with growing avocado trees/plants and what you did to shape it into the prettiest plant/tree possible?

you could pick the top off now…it is at a good height to do this … and during summer time you will have to bring it outside to get hard a little bit…take it in ..about the middle of august…so it will not get the cold…
this is what my mom does …she has a bunch of different trees she is growing inside and they turn out ok…

There are hundreds of thousands of plants on earth. Many of them we have as landscaping or in the house for décor. What many people don’t know is that the most beautiful plant can be poisonous for your dog.

Like the stunning lilies many of us get at Easter or the aloe vera plant we use for burns. These plants are poison for your dog. Ferns, avocado and ivy are also poisonous.

Your pooch may never touch any of these plants or he/she may simply take a sniff and move on. Puppies are typically the worst offenders when it comes to eating plants and flowers. They eat nearly everything.

There’s also the dog that throughout his/her life will chow down on whatever they can sink their teeth into. These challenging pups would consume a tree if left alone with it long enough.

To keep your dog safe, put plants out of reach. Also, train your “Fido” to “leave it” or “off”. If your dog does happen to munch down on a poisonous plant, immediately call your veterinarian or animal emergency hospital and follow their advice. If you need to take your dog to see a veterinarian, bring the plant or a piece of it so it can be properly identified.

The following is a list of the most common poisonous plants for dogs. Read it and check it before shopping for plants or landscaping.

* Cyclamen, hydrangea, kalanchoe, poinsettia.
* Diffenbachia, christmas rose, flamingo plant, foxglove,
* Marijuana, morning glory, mushrooms
* Nightshade, onion, tomato plant, tropic snow dumb cane
* Ivy plants: branching, english, neddlepoint, devil’s & glacier
* European bittersweet.

* Cycads, heavenly bamboo, holly, jerusalem cherry, mistletoe,
* Oleander, precatory bean, rhododendron.
* Saddle leaf, cutleaf & tree philodendrons, sago palm, yucca.
* Chinese evergreen, cordatum, cornstalk plant, dumb cane.
* Golden pothos, green gold nephthysis,
* Marble queen, mauna loa, peace lily, nephthytis, peace lily,
* Red-margined, warneckei & striped dracaenas
* Taro vine.

* Aparagus, emerald, lace & plumosa ferns, australian nut.
* The Following Lilies: asian, easter, glory, japanese show, day, red, orange day, rubrum, stargazer, tiger & wood.
* Avocado, buddist pine, chinaberry tree, yew, lacy trees,
* Macadamia nut, madagascar dragon tree.
* Queensland nut, schefflera.
* Amaryllis, autumn crocus, daffodil, elephant ears, gladiolas, hyacinth, iris.
* Lily of the valley, narcissus, tulip.

Dogs are precious and make our lives richer. They depend on their human to keep them safe and warm. Do a good job. The rewards are endless.

About the Author:

Miss Rae keeps current about dogs through research & observation.She believes dogs make people better human beings. For
training, nutrition, etc.
hop to
Goodpoopy.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Plant Safety For Your Dog

growing avocado seed in water

can i put my avocado plant in with my guppies?

I have a avocado plant I started from the seed. It has grown in only water and is 2 feet tall with a great root system. I have a large hurricane vase with 3 guppies and was hoping to put my plant in there to give em’ an oxygen source. good idea or not? thanks
p.s. the fish have been doing great for over a week
um, bettalover, stick with bettas, guppies no more need salt than they need pizza and a good beer.

at first i thought no…but why not sounds like you love the 3 guppies and it might be good for the plant and the lovely fish that you have

In the winter season, the hair becomes dry due to cold winds and indoor heating. Thus, it’s very important that we take proper care of our hair during winters to prevent them from damage. It’s much easier to maintain short hair as with the long hair. In fact, even if you live in a moderate climate, experts say you’re still susceptible to hair-raising changes as the seasons pass. Diet and lifestyle are two major factors that influence the health of the hair. Poor diet, illness and deficiencies of any particular vitamin and mineral affects the quality of hair and problems like dandruff, thinning hair, balding, premature graying etc. spoil the hair.

Tips for winter hair care

Do not dry your hair using blow dryers as this can be very damaging. Also do not subject your hair to harsh treatments like ,perming crimping, coloring or streaking just to look good.

An easy way to combat static is to spray a small amount of hair spray on your hairbrush when you are done styling and brush it through from top to bottom.

Avoid exposing your hair to frequent coloring, streaking, or ironing as they can rob your hair off its moisture and it is advisable to avoid heating appliances on your hair.

During the winter months, you wash your hair less often (your hair gets oily and sweatier in the summer, then in the cooler seasons.) You also make sure to not go outside with my hair wet, if one goes outside with their hair wet they are taking the chance of freezing your hair, causing breakage as a result.

With the onset of cooler temperatures and the diminishing hours of sun comes a new set of hair care demands.

Wash your hair less frequently. Daily washing can have a very drying effect so try washing your hair every other day and use a good quality shampoo (not a harsh shampoo) that is suitable for your hair type and a good hair conditioner. A final rinse in cold water can add shine.

To condition and moisturize dry, brittle hair, mash an avocado and apply to damp, clean hair. Leave on about 20 minutes, wrapping hair in plastic wrap and heating with blow dryer. Rinse and wash.

Put on hand cream, touch the ends of your hair and scrunch to help deposit a bit more moisture where it’s needed most.

This thick and uber rich emollient is great for parched dry hair. Melt Shea Butter, and apply to hair as a hot oil treatment after shampooing. Comb thru and rinse for silky soft tresses.

Pamper strands once a week using an intensive repair treatment like Redken All Soft Heavy Cream. This contains avocado oil for that silky softness and is an excellent way to inject moisture into your hair and keep it looking and feeling glossy.

Apply a paste made from 2-Tsp. henna powder, 1-tsp. curd, 1-tsp. fenugreek seed powder, 1 tbsp. coffee, 2-tbsp. mint juice and 2-tbsp. basil juice. Apply this paste to the hair for two hours. For a darker color, leave this paste in for 3 to 4 hours. Wash hair with any natural shampoo.

To massage hair with aloe vera gel for a few minutes for a deeper conditioning. This helps to soften your hair significantly. As this is time when hair mostly tends to split, you trim your hair once in a week (your hair grows very fast) to prevent split ends from working their way up the hair shafts.

Treating hair with an oil massage once or twice a week is something which one should never forget.Then dip a towel in hot water, squeeze out the water and wrap towel around your head. Keep it on for 5 minutes. Repeat the hot towel wrap three or four times. This helps the hair and scalp absorb the oil better.

About the Author:

Rachel Broune writes articles for beauty fitness. He also writes for short hairstyles and acne control.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Winter Hair Care Routine

arizona avocado

Do you perceive that the Lord Jesus is there with you?

John 1*47&on When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching,he said of him,Here is a true Israelite,in whom there’s nothing false.
How do you know me?Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered I saw you while you were still under the fig tree, before Philip called you.
I could almost hear him say,I saw you sister Glowing tending your avocado plant.I saw you bro.Jimi,seeking me in solitary places of Niagara falls.I saw you sis. cami testifying for me on the streets of California,I saw you dances with love,bringing warm thy, to the sick in your hospital bed,I saw you Jimmy tst,writing a bout my Grace to many in Singapore,I saw you Mom/marry praying for souls in Arizona,friends what do I have to say and lo says the Lord I’m with you to the end.what else will you say to encourage us have you ever read the story of bro. Nathanael?

I didn’t realize how close JESUS CHRIST was near me until i found him to be the greatest friend i ever had or will have.
I never knew as i did not look and i did not feel him as i was transfixed on the world.
I did not hear him as i was too busy chatting myself.

After rereading this, I think it is a nice tribute to some of the great people here and i am sure the LORD sdmiles on that intention as he stands next to you.

South Of The Border: The Best Of Southwest Cuisine

The Southwest is rich in Spanish, Mexican, and Native American heritage. Contemporary cuisine of the Southwest remains alive with cultural traditions, and offers a unique balance of robust spices and mild ingredients. From tacos to tortilla soup, this regional cuisine is a favorite for many.

Southwest Roots

Rooted in this regional fare are ingredients like corn, chilies, squash, tomatoes, avocados, and beans. Spanish settlers borrowed farming techniques from Aztecs, Navajo, and other tribes, and eventually welcomed pigs and cattle into their diets. The Spanish introduced Sangria, the classic beverage made of red wine and fresh fruit, by planting wine grapes around their settlements. Stews and meat-heavy dishes are also cherished cultural traditions. In the less arid Southwest regions, natives would hunt wild game and freshwater fish. This inspired the hearty soups, roasts, and crock pot dishes that are facets of contemporary southwest cooking.

Regional Styles

The broad scope of Southwest cuisine is comprised of its regional traditions. Examples of regional cuisine include: Tex-Mex, Sonoran-style, Cal-Mex, and New Mexican-style. Since the Mexican-American War, Mexican foods and culinary traditions have had a major influence on American tastes. Tex-Mex developed along the border States and is the most popular style of Southwest cuisine. Blending ingredients from the U.S. and traditional Mexican culinary styles, Tex-Mex is characterized by its emphasis on beef, melted cheese, beans, spices, and tortillas. Common creations from this style of cooking include chili con queso and fajitas. New Mexican-style cooking originated in Mexico before the U.S. acquisition. Green chilies are used in many dishes of this region, which is often the main ingredient that sets it apart.

Chilis Give A Kick

The heat of the Southwest plays a defining role in the region’s foods and flavors. Not only does it influence farming conditions, the fire from the sun also gives the culture a touch of spice. Chilies are one of the most popular foods of the Southwest. There are over 200 varieties available and have been eaten by natives for thousands of years. Chilies are often roasted or smoked, and used in a variety of dishes as either the main ingredient or flavorful addition. Potency can range from mild to extremely hot, but note that color is not an indicator of heat, like many people assume. The heat is determined by a chili’s capsaicin, a heat-containing compound located in the seeds and ribs. You can cut out this part of the chili to reduce heat if it’s too powerful.

Hot And Spicy

Southwest cuisine is an inspired culinary style that draws from many diverse cultures. Because this style is so broad in scope, Tex-Mex and other regional styles give character to the unique tastes and traditions of specific locations. Southwest dishes are loved by many people because they combine a great variety of spices, flavors, colors, and smells that bring a sensual flair to cooking unlike any other cuisine.

This article is presented by The Scottsdale Culinary Institute. The Scottsdale Culinary Institute offers Le Cordon Bleu culinary education classes and culinary training programs in Scottsdale, Arizona. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu/Scottsdale for more information.

SCI does not guarantee employment or salary.

About the Author:

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – South Of The Border: The Best Of Southwest Cuisine

how to plant avocado plant

Avocado and avocado oil offers so many benefits when used in your skin products. Did you know that avocado contains vitamins A, B1, B2 and D, lecithin, potassium as well as vitamin E. In addition to the vitamins it contains proteins and more than 20% essential fatty acids (amino acids). It is a sought after skin care ingredient because it has so much to offer.

Avocados are used in anti-aging products because of its nourishing and hydrating abilities. The Department of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Technion Israel Institute of Technology in 1991 found that avocado oil significantly increases collagen in the skin which is why it is commonly found in antiaging products. Furthermore because of its deep penetration into the skin it is a perfect ingredient to combat dry skin. For those that suffer with eczema or psoriasis avocado offers healing properties that will relive dryness. Both avocado and avocado oil is gentle and well tolerated by those with sensitive skin.

In addition to its moisturizing and healing properties, it is also high in sterolins, AKA plant steroids, which are reported to diminish age spots and heal scars.

Below are a few avocado skin care recipes:

Facial Mask for Dry Skin
1/2 avocado
1 teaspoon almond oil (Note if allergic to nuts use different oil such as jojoba oil or olive oil). Even a vegetable oil in your cupboard will do.)
Mash avocado and then add almond oil or oil of your choice. Apply to face, avoiding the eye area, and let set for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water then cool water. Follow with toner and moisturizer.

Avocado Honey Face Mask – for dry skin
2 tablespoons of avocado
2 tablespoons honey
1 egg yolk
Mash the avocado, add the honey and egg. Mix until thoroughly blended. Apply to face avoiding the eye area. Let set 10 minutes then rise with warm water then cool water. Follow with toner and moisturizer.

Avocado Mask for Oily Skin
1 avocado, mash
1 egg white
1 tsp. lemon juice
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until you get a mixture. Apply to a clean face with fingertips on the oiliest part of the face (T-zone). Let dry for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water then cool water, follow with toner and moisturizer.

Avocado’s can be hard to find and/or a little pricey if living in a northern climate, so here are some recipes that use avocado oil instead.

Dry Skin Cleansing Cream
1/2 oz. Beeswax
1 oz. Lanolin
2 oz. Almond Oil
1 oz. Avocado Oil
1 oz. Grapeseed Oil
2 drops Clary-Sage Essential Oil
2 drops Lemon Essential Oil
3 oz. Spring Water
Using a double boiler, melt beeswax, lanolin, and oils. Stir well. When melted, take off heat and add essential oils, then water. Wisk until cool.

For easy exfoliates, facial masks and facial peels you can easily make at home, visit Complete Skin Care Therapy  

About the Author:

Carol Belanger, author of 300+ Skin Care Recipes

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Avocado-a splendid skin care treatment

Unrefined avocado oil is considered to be one of the most healthful vegetable oils one can consume. It is a multi-purpose oil that can be used for culinary purposes (it is exceptionally high in Vitamin E  as well as monounsaturated fats), suitable for dressings and sauces as well as frying, due to its high smoke point of over 490 degrees. Organic avocado oil is also an excellent “carrier” oil for other flavors; avocado carrier oil is ideal for infusion with various herbs. In addition to its suitability as a comestible, unrefined avocado oil is also excellent for use as a cosmetic and the repair of damaged skin.

Historical Background

Bulk avocado oil comes from the fruit of the same name. The scientific name of the tree from which we obtain organic avocado oil is Persea Americana. It is native to the Caribbean coast of Mexico, and was apparently known to pre-Incan peoples of present-day Peru. The word avocado itself is derived from a word in the Nahuatl language, ahuacatl, which literally means “testicle.” This is most likely a reference to the shape of the fruit; among the Aztecs, avocados were believed to confer fertility and have aphrodisiac properties.

Europeans could not have known of the benefits of organic avocado oil much before 1500; the first written descriptions of the fruit dates from a Spanish geography text written about 1520, and the first English accounts were not published until over 180 years later.

Although not initially raised to obtain bulk avocado oil, the plant itself was first exported abroad in 1750, when the first avocado trees were planted in Indonesia. It arrived in Brazil about fifty years later; by the 1890s, avocado groves had been established in Rhodesia (present-day Kenya) and Australia. It was introduced in Lebanon and Palestine (present-day Israel) in 1908.

Today the plants that are the source of healthful organic avocado oil are grown primarily in Mexico. California, Australia, New Zealand and Kenya.

What Is an Avocado?

Although it grows on a tree and has a pit, it is actually considered a berry; that is, the source of bulk avocado oil is a fruit produced from a single ovary which ripens into a fleshy, edible pulp surrounded by a skin. Seeds are embedded within this pulp.

Botanically, the avocado is a member of the laurel family, along with the bay tree and cinnamon. There are over a dozen types of avocados grown today; however, the most common varieties are the hass avocado, which is a black-colored fruit with a pebbled skin texture and a bulk avocado oil content of approximately 19%, and the pinkerton, which has a smooth green skin.

Unlike most types of vegetable oils which are derived from seeds, organic avocado oil is extracted from the fleshy pulp of the fruit.

More About Avocado Oil

As mentioned earlier, avocado carrier oil is fine for creating different flavored oils. Although fine for humans and other primates, organic avocado oil contains a fatty acid known as persin, which can be highly toxic to domestic animals, particularly dogs, cats and horses.

Although avocados are a perennial crop in those regions in which they are grown (they can survive temperatures down to 26 degrees Fahrenheit), organic avocado oil can be expensive as relatively little of the crop is actually pressed for oil. It does however compare quite well to olive oil for taste and body; true gourmands consider the extra cost for organic avocado oil well worth it.

About the Author:

Anne Harvester writes about– organic avocado oil.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Health Benefits of Unrefined Avocado Oil

too much avocado

Could I somehow biologically alter an Avocado tree so that it could survive much colder temperatures?

I live in Canada and the temperatures have gotten down to negative 19 degrees Celsius (which is rare, winters are usually about -10 to -5)

Most plants avoid cold temperatures by going dormant. You would have to identify the genes that impart the ability to go dormant and protect the plant against freezing temperatures. It would be faster, cheaper and easier to build a very large greenhouse to grow the avocado trees or just go to the local produce market and by all the avocados you can eat!

Avocado oil is renowned for its healing, anti-bacterial, and anti-wrinkle properties. Technically a fruit, unrefined Avocado Oil is cold pressed from avocado pear and is deep green slightly brownish in colour, while refined Avocado oil is pale yellow.

The unrefined version of avocado oil with deep penetrating qualities has strong aroma and is rich in vitamin A, D, lecithin, potassium and chlorophyll. This moisturizing oil is beneficial for rash, eczema, mature, parched and aging skin. Refined avocado oil is preferred because it is odorless and is used during intensive facial treatment for mature skin.

Rich in vitamin A, B1, B2, panthothenic acid and essential fatty acids; hence its regenerative properties and restructuring powers keep the skin moisturized, and elastic.

The lecithin and phytosterols make it excellent oil for massage: easily absorbed and silky. The penetrative powers of this oil is much more than other oils, thus it is ideal massage oil for skin and body treatments. It stimulates the collagen metabolism, increasing the proportion of soluble collagen in the dermis, helps in cell regeneration, retards visible signs of aging and remarkably softens the skin. It is also very useful when treating sun or climate damaged skin that is dehydrated and under nourished. Avocado oil is very safe to use in cosmetics because it suitable for all skin types, eliminating concern for allergic reactions. It’s also a good stimulant for hair.

The avocado fruit holds similar qualities of avocado oil for skin nourishment. Vitamin E provides moisturizing properties for smooth silky skin. Vitamin E decreases harmful effects of solar radiation, reduces UV induced damage and decreases skin redness after sun exposure. The fruit when rubbed topically on dry and sun damaged skin moisturizes and soothes the affected area. The skin of avocado fruit when rubbed like a loofah exfoliates the dead skin.

For a natural sunscreen, pour some zinc oxide into a bottle half full of avocado oil and shake well. Apply on skin that is exposed to the sun.

Mix 10 drops of lavender essential oil to 1 oz of avocado oil. Massage this oil for a soothing back rub for 15 – 20 minutes.

For Avocado facial mask, mash 1 ripe avocado. For dry skin add 1 tsp of avocado oil. Mix well; apply the mask to face and throat area and chill out. Place a towel dipped in hot water over face firmly to remove the mask. Next splash your face with the toner mixed with a drop of avocado oil.

For dry and wrinkled skin, blend 4 drops of frankincense, 2 drops each of rose and neroli oils and 20 ml of avocado oil. This blend is good for rejuvenation, induces relaxation and sleep if used at bed time.

The reader of this article should exercise all precautions while following instructions on the recipes from this article. Avoid using if you are allergic to something. The responsibility lies with the reader and not the site and the writer.

About the Author:

Kevin Pederson manages
Massage Therapy
related websites. Massage oils have been an integral part of the massage therapy. Find information on Avocado oil that is renowned for its healing, anti-bacterial, and anti-wrinkle properties.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Avocado Oil For Massage

avocado plant brown leaves

Have 4,avocado 3 mango saplings 25 weeks old,one avocado leaves turned brown , fell of,now 1 , mango ,ITALY?

I live in Italy,Have a small garden,of the 4 avocado and 3 mango plants 25 weeks old,one each avocado & mango, the leaves turned brown,avocado has shed all leaves,mango has not yet shed the leaves,other plants all are healthy.

I think there’s a problem. Your trees shouldn’t be shedding right now and they seem so young. What kind of climate do you have there in Italy?

If you are like me, you too would hate those age spots on face that just do not go away no matter which treatment you try. Is there a way to really get rid of them? Let’s find out.

To be able to solve this problem of age spots on face on a permanent basis, we first need to understand why they develop on our skin at all. Then we can evaluate the different treatments and choose the best one out of them.

When we stay out in the sun, its UV rays increase the production of Melanin inside our skin. Melanin is the pigment that determines how dark our skin is going to be. More melanin means a darker skin and a small quantity makes for a light colored skin.

The increased melanin gets concentrated in a few places in the upper layer of the skin. The skin in those areas turns dark and forms brown spots. These are what we call age spots or liver spots.

There are many ways people try to remove these spots from their skin. Usually they opt for bleaching creams that contain ingredients like Hydroquinone.

This chemical does help to an extent in lightening the skin and removing the spots – but at a high cost. This chemical is highly destructive in nature and damages the skin extensively. It can also cause cancer in the long run and should be avoided at all costs.

Other ways of removing the spots are treatments like skin peeling, sanding and laser treatment.

All these treatments are invasive in nature and work by destroying the skin cells containing the excess melanin. The spot in that skin area gets removed in this manner. Problem is – these treatments are quite expensive and can leave behind tell tale signs in the form of white marks and scars on the skin.

You can avoid all these problems by using a natural method of age spot removal.

If you use natural substances like Extrapone Nutgrass on your skin, the spots will be gone without the risk of any side effects. This plant extract works by reducing the melanin in the skin by up to 40%. Reduced melanin means a lighter skin. Apart from removing the existing age spots on face, it also helps in ensuring the spots do not recur – something that other treatments fail to do.

Avocado Oil is another natural ingredient that helps in removing the spots from the skin. It is also an effective moisturizer and keeps the skin soft and supple.

This is the easiest way to remove the age spots on face. Just avoid the invasive treatments and look for a natural option. If you need more information, visit my website below.

About the Author:

Frank Langella is a dedicated researcher of skin care health and products. He shares his research on his website – Total Skin Solution. If you want to know how to turn back the clock for your skin, visit – http://www.totalskinsolution.com and learn about the skin care line our editors personally use and recommend.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Age Spots On Face – How To Get Rid Of Them Naturally

pruning avocado plants

When should I prune my avocado plant/tree?

I sprouted it from a seed to keep it as a houseplant, for pretty foliage. It’s about five months old and a little over a foot tall. I know you’re supposed to prune them so that they grow bushy, but I want to let it get large, like a small potted tree maybe 5′ tall rather than a small houseplant under 2′ tall. So I want it to look nice and have a trunk that branches out, rather than just looking like a bush. If I prune it while it’s too short, won’t it just look like a bush instead of a tree (since trees don’t grow throughout their height, just at the tips, the apical meristems)? When should I prune it? At what height? Will everyone share their personal experiences with growing avocado trees/plants and what you did to shape it into the prettiest plant/tree possible?

you could pick the top off now…it is at a good height to do this … and during summer time you will have to bring it outside to get hard a little bit…take it in ..about the middle of august…so it will not get the cold…
this is what my mom does …she has a bunch of different trees she is growing inside and they turn out ok…

Many diseases, especially the serious ones, can actually be prevented if you increase your intake of fiber, that’s according to many alternative medicine practitioners. However, the average American diet, which is rich in processed foods, contain little or no fiber at all. In fact, many of us only get fiber from the piece of lettuce that is inside the big burger we have ordered. This is not really enough to clean away the junk foods that we rely on for sustenance.

What is Fiber?

Basically, dietary fibers are parts of a plant or fruit that cannot be digested by humans. These plant portions are helpful in promoting good bowel movement because they absorb water and move the food in the colon out of your system.

There are two kinds of fiber – soluble and insoluble. Although both types are indigestible, the two have different roles inside the gut. Soluble fiber acts as a barrier or protector. When ingested, this fiber form will dissolve and change to mucus or gel that will trap unwanted substances, such as bad cholesterol and other harmful things you eat. Thus, soluble fiber helps in preventing the absorption of harmful substances from the food that you consume.

Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, goes out the intestine in almost the same condition when it entered your gut. Decades ago, experts thought that insoluble fiber has no or little nutritional value because they are not absorbed by our system. As a result, they have devised ways to easily remove them from rice, bran, flour and many other food staples.

However, in the 1960s, doctors have discovered that this “roughage” (another name for indigestible fiber) is helpful in making stools stick together and become bigger, which promotes faster and easier bowel movement as it absorbs huge amounts of liquid inside the intestines.

Fiber-rich Food

All fruits contain some amount of fiber so they are really healthy for you. However, there are some that contain high percentage of soluble and insoluble fiber. These include apple, avocado, prunes, figs, and mangoes.

Most, if not all plant produce also contain fiber. Nevertheless, if you want to really get the full benefits of fiber, you better include these vegetables and legumes in your diet: artichoke, butter beans, broccoli, celery, kidney and navy beans, lentils, sweet potato and turnips.

Benefits Of Eating Fiber-Rich Food

If you are one of the many Americans who love to eat fatty foods and unhealthy snacks, then there is a big chance that you are at a high risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and even certain types of cancer. However, if you regularly eat high-fiber food, your susceptibility will lessen significantly. As mentioned earlier, soluble fiber is good in preventing damaging substances, such as fats, toxins and bad cholesterol, from being absorbed by your system. Thus, levels of bad cholesterol in your body can also go down substantially.

Furthermore, insoluble fiber will help in eliminating waste products inside your colon faster. We all know that wastes that stay too long inside the colon gets absorbed by your body and can cause various illnesses and health conditions. If you are suffering from constipation and other digestive-related diseases, you can always count on fiber to help ease your suffering.

If you want to immediately cleanse your intestines from the years and years of eating unhealthy food, you can find products that are high in fiber and are designed to really deep-cleanse your gut. One product that is effective in eliminating wastes and toxins that have piled up inside your colon is Colpurin. You can know more about this colon cleanser by visiting http://www.colpurin.com/.

About the Author:

Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine http://www.thearticleinsiders.com.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Wonders of Fiber

indoor avocados

I live in Minnesota. I have 2 avocado pits that I would love to grow. how do I start & then what do i do?

Please help. I have tried in the past by putting them half in water but the water basically rotted. I want an avocado plant so bad. As I said i live in Minneasota so this would be an indoor project. Any suggestions would help. Thanx Everyone.

Avocado is a tropical fruit, a tropical plant, we have here in South Florida a lot of them, in reality this plant grows very healthy in the Caribeean Islands, because the temperature is warm all year around, if you try to plant an avocado tree in Minnesota the first cold day will kill the plant, and that is not an indoor plant, is a very huge tree, sometimes reaches 60 feet..?

Grilled sandwiches are healthy and delicious. Learn a few quick recipes and start preparing your own grilled sandwiches.

Imagine some melted cheese, veggies and meat wrapped-up in tender and crisp crusted breads. Grilled sandwiches are not only delectable healthy snacks, they are also very easy to make. Here are some well-loved grilled sandwich recipes.

Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients:
¼ c prepared pesto
8 slices whole wheat bread
8 thin slices of Mozzarella cheese
8 thin slices of Provolone cheese
1 thinly sliced tomato
2 beaten eggs
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/3 c milk
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
3 tablespoon cornmeal

Procedure:
1.Preheat your waffle maker, panini maker or dual function contact grill.
2.Spread some pesto on one side of every bread slice.
3.To make the sandwich, place a thinly sliced tomato in between 2 slices of cheese (1 slice of Mozzarella, 1 slice of Provolone).
4. Using a shallow type of plate beat the eggs along with pepper and milk.
5.Using another shallow type of plate, combine some cornmeal, Parmesan cheese and flour.
6.Dip the sandwiches onto the egg mixture, then to the flour mixture.
7.Cook this on the grill for about 4 minutes until it becomes golden and crisp.

Grilled Ham Gruyere Sandwiches
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
8 slices of sourdough bread or cracked wheat
4 slices of Swiss or Gruyere cheese
4 x ¼ in thick slice of Deli smoked ham
½ c red pepper strips, roasted and drained
2 tablespoon butter
½ c fresh leaves of baby spinach or basil

Procedure:
1.Using a small bowl, mix some Parmesan cheese and mayonnaise.
2.Spread some on one side of every bread slice.
3.To make the sandwiches, mix it with the following ingredients:
Gruyere cheese
Coated bread
Ham
Baby spinach or Basil
Red pepper strips
4.Spread the outer part of the sandwiches with some softened butter.
5.Grill your sandwiches on your Panini grill, contact indoor grill or your griddle. Make sure it becomes crisp and toasted.

Grilled Flank Steak Sandwiches
Ingredients:
2 tablespoon olive oil
1lb flank steak
1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
8 slices of Muenster cheese
4x 5in chunks of Ciabatta bread, cut into half lengthwise
1 thinly sliced Avocado

Procedure:
1.Place the flank steak inside a large zipped lock bag.
2.Pour the remaining ingredients inside, except for the Avocado, cheese and the bread.
3.Seal the bag and squish it in order to mix marinade it and coat your steak.
4.Refrigerate this for about 1 to 24 hours.
5.Preheat in a griller before serving.
6.Place the flank steak onto your griller.
7.Cook it for approximately 5 mins per side, over some medium coals. Turn it only once, until it becomes “well-done” already.
8.Set the steak aside and cover it with foil. Do this for about 6 minutes.
9.As the steak rests, put some cheese on top of your bread slices.
10. Place this on your griller, with the cheese side facing up. Wait until the cheese begins to melt.
11.Thinly slice the flank steak across the grain.
12.Make this into a sandwich along with a slice of Avocado and cheesy bread.
13.Grill the sandwich for about 1 to 2 minutes.
14. Cut in half and serve.

About the Author:

For more information on
Grilled sandwiches
and
Gas Grill Reviews
please visit our website.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Best Grilled Sandwiches

the avocado pit

how to start an avocado plant from a pit?

Open the avocado and remove the pit from the center. You can eat the fruit of the avocado, it’s yummy and is full of nutrients!*

Wash the avocado pit under cool running water, you don’t need soap to clean it. With your fingers gently wipe away and remove any of the green fruit that might be on the pit. Rinse it well and then blot it dry with a paper towel.

Carefully push three toothpicks into the thickest width of avocado, you want to push the toothpicks into the pit about a 1/2″ deep. (It’s okay if you push them in deeper or even a little less) The toothpicks will help suspend the avocado pit in water and keep the top part of the pit in fresh air and the fat base of the pit under the surface of the water. Be careful pushing in the toothpicks, they have pointy edges and could hurt if they poke your hands, it’s all right to ask a grown-up to help with this.

Suspend the pit over a glass filled with water….the toothpicks will rest on the rim of the glass and hold the pit in place so it doesn’t sink to the bottom. Always check the water level in the glass and see that the water is covering the fat base of the pit by about an inch depth. If the water is below that level you’ll need to add some more. Slowly and carefully pour in more water from a small cup to avoid splashing.

Place the glass in a bright windowsill. In about three to six weeks the top of the avocado pit will begin to split and a stem sprout will emerge from the top and roots will begin to grow at the base.

When the stem grows to about five or six inches pinch out the top set of leaves. In another two or three weeks new leaves will sprout and their will be more roots.

It’s now time to plant the young avocado tree. Place enriched potting soil in a large flowerpot (maybe 8″ to 10″ across). Fill the soil to about an inch from the top of the pot. Make a small depression in the center of the soil and place the pit, root-side down into the depression. Don’t put it too deep…you want to have the upper half of the pit above the soil line. Add some more soil around the pit to fill in any air holes by the roots and then firm it into the soil by gently pushing the soil around the base of the pit. The tree’s stem and leaves should be straight and pointing up (like a flagpole).

Give the soil a drink to water the pit. Water it generously so that the soil is thoroughly moist. Water the soil slowly and gently so that when it’s poured in it doesn’t gouge out holes in the soil. Keep your tree watered but don’t let the soil be so moist that it ever looks like mud.

Unrefined avocado oil is considered to be one of the most healthful vegetable oils one can consume. It is a multi-purpose oil that can be used for culinary purposes (it is exceptionally high in Vitamin E  as well as monounsaturated fats), suitable for dressings and sauces as well as frying, due to its high smoke point of over 490 degrees. Organic avocado oil is also an excellent “carrier” oil for other flavors; avocado carrier oil is ideal for infusion with various herbs. In addition to its suitability as a comestible, unrefined avocado oil is also excellent for use as a cosmetic and the repair of damaged skin.

Historical Background

Bulk avocado oil comes from the fruit of the same name. The scientific name of the tree from which we obtain organic avocado oil is Persea Americana. It is native to the Caribbean coast of Mexico, and was apparently known to pre-Incan peoples of present-day Peru. The word avocado itself is derived from a word in the Nahuatl language, ahuacatl, which literally means “testicle.” This is most likely a reference to the shape of the fruit; among the Aztecs, avocados were believed to confer fertility and have aphrodisiac properties.

Europeans could not have known of the benefits of organic avocado oil much before 1500; the first written descriptions of the fruit dates from a Spanish geography text written about 1520, and the first English accounts were not published until over 180 years later.

Although not initially raised to obtain bulk avocado oil, the plant itself was first exported abroad in 1750, when the first avocado trees were planted in Indonesia. It arrived in Brazil about fifty years later; by the 1890s, avocado groves had been established in Rhodesia (present-day Kenya) and Australia. It was introduced in Lebanon and Palestine (present-day Israel) in 1908.

Today the plants that are the source of healthful organic avocado oil are grown primarily in Mexico. California, Australia, New Zealand and Kenya.

What Is an Avocado?

Although it grows on a tree and has a pit, it is actually considered a berry; that is, the source of bulk avocado oil is a fruit produced from a single ovary which ripens into a fleshy, edible pulp surrounded by a skin. Seeds are embedded within this pulp.

Botanically, the avocado is a member of the laurel family, along with the bay tree and cinnamon. There are over a dozen types of avocados grown today; however, the most common varieties are the hass avocado, which is a black-colored fruit with a pebbled skin texture and a bulk avocado oil content of approximately 19%, and the pinkerton, which has a smooth green skin.

Unlike most types of vegetable oils which are derived from seeds, organic avocado oil is extracted from the fleshy pulp of the fruit.

More About Avocado Oil

As mentioned earlier, avocado carrier oil is fine for creating different flavored oils. Although fine for humans and other primates, organic avocado oil contains a fatty acid known as persin, which can be highly toxic to domestic animals, particularly dogs, cats and horses.

Although avocados are a perennial crop in those regions in which they are grown (they can survive temperatures down to 26 degrees Fahrenheit), organic avocado oil can be expensive as relatively little of the crop is actually pressed for oil. It does however compare quite well to olive oil for taste and body; true gourmands consider the extra cost for organic avocado oil well worth it.

About the Author:

Anne Harvester writes about– organic avocado oil.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Health Benefits of Unrefined Avocado Oil

avocado plant from pit

Enjoy the scenic drive on your way to sleepy Ngunguru, which translated from its Maori language to mean ‘rumbling tides’. Perhaps the most endearing part of Ngunguru is what you find along the way there. Before actually starting your 26 kilometre journey from Whangarei, make a stop at the Whangarei Falls that are located in the city limits. Always something to be admired, these falls have pools and a river to be explored. Also a great place to have a picnic, the Whangarei Falls is frequented by locals and tourist alike who brave abseiling down the wet rocks.

The first ten kilometres of your journey will take you through some of the oldest and lush market gardens that grow vegetables and fruits. It was built over a hundred years ago to serve the European settlement that grew at the basin of the Hatea River. During the season you will be spoiled for choice with a selection of organic and fresh produce that you can buy directly from the farmers. Take your pick from a mouth watering selection of kiwi, strawberries, avocados, oranges and others items like vegetables, flora and fauna. Look out for other farms along the way, like your traditional sheep farms, emu and even alpaca farms along with some olive groves.

Make a pit stop at the Glenbervie School that was built in 1893 for the children in the surrounding area. Kiripaka was once a populated town that is now non-existent and no sign of the bustling town remains. However, it is an ideal spot for a picnic and a place to spot native plants and herbs growing close to the river banks.

Beyond the winding roads you will begin to hear the oceans of Ngunguru, and get glimpses of the sandy coastal beach. Overlook the Manaia Mountain over the sparkling waves and take time out to watch nature and appreciate the picture perfect world in front of you. Take time to explore Whangarei’s beautiful destinations from the convenience of a Whangarei hotel. Enjoy the comforts and a style of living you can only get used to once you check in at one of the Millennium Hotels nearby. And be enchanted by the many Whangarei tourist attractions.

About the Author:

Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Exploring the Northland of Whangarei – Ngunguru

how avocados grow

Avocado Plant – leaves dying but new leaves continue to grow?

I have been growing an avocado plant from the stone for the past 6 months. The stem seems healthy and the plant keeps growing new leaves. However, as soon as the new leaves start to grow the old leaves turn brown, dry, and eventually fall off. This has left me with a very long, but stable, stem and 4 leaves at the top of it. Can anyone inform me as to why this has happened and if there is anything I can do?

Avocados like lots of humidity. Try misting it several times a day.
I have just the opposite problem, a 30ft. avocado tree in the yard next to mine dropping its crap in my pool. I wish it would die.

In this item I wanted to show you how to make one of my favourite meals to help build more muscle. Salads are seldom recommended to build muscle but just to be unique here is one for you. Most women I know eat salads often, but I think many men think that eating a salad will turn them a bit more girly. I expecthope to change that with my ultimate muscle growing salad.

Before you make this you should know this is not a light salad, its not low in calories, fat or carbs.

But this is the entire goal! This salad is not light on anything, it is however very heavy on loads of foods that are exellent for your developing body. You should give your body everything it needs to stay in hormone balance, manage at its best, satisfy your hungar, fuel your training sessions, and to prevent cravings, this salad helps do this.

When you give your body what it needs on a frequent basis, cravings should vanish completely, as you are now genuinely satisfied and your body wont need to crave more food because it has all the stuff it needs now. This is something I have some personal experience with, years ago when I originally started exercising I would get cravings for sugar all the time. With my current balanced diet, I cant recall the last time I had a craving. NO KIDDING.

Ok so heres how to make the greatest muscle building salad:

about 1-2 cups spinach leaves

about 1-2 cups varied leaf lettuce

shredded carrots

1/2 of a mature avocado, diced

2 hard boiled eggs, diced (organic, free range is best)

3 Tbsp chopped pecans

1/4 cup dried cranberries

top with homemade dressing made of balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and Udo’s Choice Oil (3/4 of total liquid should come from the

vinegar)

Mix it all up and you’ve got one delicious and insanely nutritious salad. Heres the macronutrient breakdown:

Protein: 23 g, Carbohydrates: 48 g, Fiber: 12 g, Fat: 45 g, Calories: 650

Before you click off this page in anger for me telling you to eat such a high calorie and fat meal, you have to remember to modify your own portion size for your goal. This portion size is for me to preserve an intake of around 3000 calories if you are eating about 2000 calories for example just scale back the meal size.

Another thing to know about this meal is that I really don’t worry about how much fat is in it, as I know all the fat used in this meal is healthful and will be put to exellent use by my body. Now for the carbohydrates. In this meal there is 12 grams of fibre in a total of 48 grams of carbs, I have no problem with this ratio. A exellent advantage of this meal is that the good fats and the protein act to slow down the absorption of the carbs, leading to a good blood sugar response which helps to maintain your weight.

The bodybuilders among you may be thinking there should be more protein in this meal. There is about 23 grams of protein in the salad which is rather good, with 14 grams from the easily digested supply in the eggs. The meal also has plenty of healthful fats which increase the use of the protein as the

body wont need to use your protein for energy and can now use it exclusively for muscle development and anything else it needs to do with amino acids in the body.

This meal overall has a exellent mix of good low GI carbs which are high in fibre, healthful fats, good quality protein and plenty of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other stuff important to your body

About the Author:

Learn 5 Facts You MUST Understand if You Are Ever Going to Lose Your Belly Fat & Get Six Pack Abs go to http://www.homefitnesstrainer.com.au/truthaboutabs.htm

www.homefitnesstrainer.com.au/truthaboutabs.htm

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – My Best Meal for Growing Muscle Tissue

grow avocado plant from seed

Has anyone had luck propagating the seeds from ’store bought’ fruit? I can NEVER get them grow? Any thoughts

There are several types of fruit that I would love to start from seed so my students can have projects throughout the year. I am hoping someone can give me details on how to get them to start sprouting. Except for an avocado, which won’t grow in our area once they are planted, I’ve had no luck getting anything to sprout! If you have ANY tricks, tips or ideas, PLEASE pass them on!!! Thanks so much!!!!

Most fruit sold in stores is either a hybrid fruit (genetically altered for better yield, larger fruit, sweeter taste, etc) as opposed to HEIRLOOM fruit from genuine seeds or is treated with chemcials to prevent seeding. Heirloom fruit tends to rot faster, etc so is therefore not as marketable as hybrids.

Most fruits and vegetables are now hybrids; designed to resist many diseases, fungi or viri.

Farmers Markets may have heirloom vegetables/fruits, though.

Another thing about store-bought fruit is that they are often coated with a chemical that adds preservatives to the fruit, to make them look nicer, last longer etc. This chemical also prevents many of the fruits and vegetables to sprout from seed.

A good greenhouse is a must for any passionate garden enthusiast, and quality cedar greenhouses from Gabriel Ash are  renound as the very best.

With a greenhouse you can start your seeds early in the year, when the ground outside would be much too cold for planting.  Typically, greenhouses are used for starting seeds and protecting seedlings until they are large enough and the weather is warm enough to plant them in the outdoor garden.  However, a greenhouse can also be used to grow fruits and vegetables inside under glass for the duration of the growing season or even year round.

Finely crafted greenhouses by Gabriel Ash are the perfect settings for container gardens.

They are designed with Gabriel Ash’s signature ridge vents, which allow you to control the temperature to maintain the perfect environment for your plants.  It is easy to grow a wide assortment of fresh vegetables and fruits in your greenhouse as long as space allows.  You can select special hybrid plants that were created specifically to be small in size while producing the same amount as larger versions of the same plant.  Examples of common hybrids are peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and some types of squash.  It is quite amazing to see cucumbers or squash growing from a heavily laden compact bush instead of from a long trailing vine.  Tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers also grow quite well when they are hung upside down, a method that can save you valuable space on your greenhouse staging.  You can also grow hanging strawberry plants or dwarf blueberry bushes inside a greenhouse.  You may not have room for all of these in a smaller sized greenhouse or vinehouse, but you can still grow herbs and a selection of fresh salad ingredients to be always at your disposal.

To keep your edible garden growing year round, you may need to install a greenhouse heater to keep the climate even, and Gabriel Ash has an assortment of electric heaters in all sizes.  With a heated greenhouse you can add a collection of exotic edibles to your garden, such as bananas, avocadoes or oranges.  When gardening year round you may be wise to supplement natural lighting with electric UV lighting to keep your plants producing even during the winter when the days are much shorter.

About the Author:

To know more about Greenhouses and Using your Greenhouse to Grow your Own Food visit http://gabrielash.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Using your Greenhouse to Grow your Own Food

avocado houseplant

Does anyone have an avocado houseplant?

Does dry tips on the leaves mean I am watering too much, or not enough? I ran this question last week but got no real help. Somebody has to know this.
(I intend to run it until I DO get good answers!)

Yes I have. It is potted. It is called Holiday avocado and it can be pruned small to be productive even while potted.

More than likely, you are watering too much or have excessive fertilizer.

In order to grow avocadoes successfully, you will have to use the best potting media. I am using Coconut Husk Chips (or CHC) that are properly treated to remove excess salts. I mix that with 1/4 sand. I then use citrus avocado fertilizer, 1 tsp per gallon dissolved and use that to water my avocado whenever the top 2″ of the potting media is bone dry.

Oh, I also have a special pot. Buy one of those big featherlite pots that do not have a hole. Then drill 2 1″ holes at the opposite bottom sides of the pot. Make sure you can plug the holes with rubber stopper when you water. Before each watering, plug the holes. Then water so that the top gets soaked. After 15 minutes, remove the stoppers to drain. Never place any standing water in direct contact with the bottom of your pot, it will encourage phytoptora root rot and can turn all your leaves brown. What I do is I move the pot outside, plug the holes, water, wait 15 minutes. Then take out the holes to drain the water. After an hour, I bring it back in. Then place the pot on a stand which sits on a catch basin. The bottom of the pot is actually an inch above the catch basin. This way, there is absolutely no standing water in the pot, except in the places where water is held at Field Capacity.

With this method, you only really need to water your avocado once a week.

The exact amount and sizes will vary with the conditions of your home and the size of your avocado plant.

hope this helps, if not, you can ask this question in this forum where we also discuss growing avocadoes, and most of all growing citruses in containers:

http://citrus.forumup.org/viewforum.php?f=9&mforum=citrus

One only needs to consider the past practices of how miners used canaries as a gauge for unhealthy air levels in the mines to sense how keen birds are to their surroundings. Should canaries expire while in the mines, it would alert the miners that the air was at an unhealthy level with abundant time for the miners to leave. While birds are sensitive creatures, they are also known to outlast some owners.

Just like birds found in the wild, pet birds are susceptible to unhealthy odors as well. Common household appliances and items such as Teflon pans, aerosol sprays and even innocuous furniture polish can be fatal for birds. One of the best practices when dealing with substances that may give off pungent odors is to use it in airy areas far away from your birds.

Pet birds have a natural inclination to chomp and it can be a major issue. When a bird chomps on soldered joints on welded items, lead poisoning is a common result. Also, birds do have a penchant to chew on potted plants. Despite popular sentiments, poinsettia plants are not deadly. It is important to remember that if you are unsure if a plant is toxic or not, it is best to err on the side of caution and move the plant away from the bird. A small pot of innocuous parsley can be helpful to the bird to overcome the desire of nibbling on houseplants as it is a safe substitute.

Fresh food that is fed to your birds will do them a whole lot of good; however, food like coffee, chocolate and avocado are fatal for birds and they should never be given such foods.

As the holiday season approaches, most people will bring a tree into their house. Many might think that a bird’s natural habitat is a tree and have the belief that their birds will have an affinity for perching on it. It is true that birds might enjoy this exercise, many pine trees could have had preservatives or chemicals administered and prove fatal to your pet. Furthermore, electrical lights and decorations can be pose a certain kind of danger for your birds.

There are a number of precautionary issues to see to if your bird does not have had its wings clipped. Firstly, all glass doors and windows should be shielded one way or another. The best way to do this is with curtains or shades. An alternative to curtains or shades is placing safety decals on the glass so your birds can tell the glass is there and avoid serious injury or even death. You should treat other large reflective surfaces and mirrors in a similar manner when your pet bird is released from its cage.

Standing water can pose as a form of danger as well. The bird can meet its untimely end in a toilet bowl or full kitchen sink in a few seconds. If a bird is released from its cage, cooking with an uncovered pot is especially ill-advised.

Finally, always be mindful of the whereabouts of your bird even if its wings are clipped. On an updraft, even a bird with clipped wings can glide for quite some distance. It is easy to forget that your bird is perched on your shoulder when your doorbell suddenly rings and you rush to answer it but you must remember never to carry your bird to an open door regardless of whether or not its wings are clipped.

About the Author:

Moses Wright loves to help fellow bird owners with their pet care problems whenever he is free. You can find more free home bird care problems and solutions resources on his site.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Pet Bird Safety at Home – Things you Ought to Know

avocado seeds

How do I start an avocado plant with the avocado seed?

How do I care for the plant after the roots have sprouted? Do I trim the tree to prevent it from bearing fruit?

Here’s tips on starting in either water or soil from The Garden Helper:

“Many people start avocado trees as novelty house plants by piercing the seed with its pointed end up, partially through with toothpicks on three or four sides to hold it on the top of a jar or vase partly with water and few pieces of charcoal (to keep the water sweet) just covering the base. In 2 to 6 weeks, when roots and leaves are well formed the plant is set in potting soil. Unless they’re moved into soil within a few weeks or months after germination, they’ll begin to deteriorate.
They are also easily sprouted in a well-drained 4- or 5-inch pot of porous, fertile soil. The top of the seed should just barely peek above the surface of the soil. If the soil is kept fairly moist and the temperature is between 60 and 70 degrees, the seed will begin to sprout and a pretty, leafy plant will develop.
When the seedling reaches 12 inches, it should be pinched back to about 6-8 inches to produce a rounder, fuller plant. ”

Check the link for further information on how to care for your now healthy seedling!! Good luck!

When cooking dinner, many people think in terms of calorie counting or what they’re “craving†at the time. Food can be broken down into basically two categories: Energy (calories from fat,
carbohydrates and protein) and Nourishment (the nutrient density of the food; vitamins and
minerals contents). When determining your menu plan we recommend first to think of
“Nourishmentâ€. It’s the nourishment aspect of your meal that contains the vitamins and minerals needed for the thousands of metabolic reactions occurring in the body. But, you also need the “energy†portion of this equation so that your cells have the fuel to drive these metabolic reactions.

Keep in mind; foods do not contain ONLY calcium or ONLY carbohydrate or ONLY protein. Foods are a mixture of a little bit of everything. Yet, individual foods are typically known for the largest
percentage of energy or nourishment that it provides. For example, when we say “nuts are a great source of quality fatsâ€, we are communicating that they contain a large percentage of fat per volume. However, nuts are a good source of protein as well. So, you can use nuts to boost the protein or fat content of your meal.

When choosing what you’ll eat for your bigger meals like breakfast, lunch or dinner, we suggest this standard thought process:

1. Nourishment: Choose at least 2 fruits and vegetables. This can be a combo of 1 fruit and 1
vegetable or 2 vegetables. You can choose more vegetables for the meal if you like but your
biggest meals need to include at least 2 servings from the fruit/vegetable category. Try to
mix it up! Don’t eat the same fruits and vegetables all the time.

2. Protein: you must have protein with every meal. 25-35% of the meal needs to be of a protein source. Protein can come from plant based sources like beans, seeds, nut, sprouts, and quinoa or it can come from animal based sources like fish, eggs, chicken, turkey and
possibly small amounts of red meat if OK’d by your nutritionist. If you have a normal serum
ferritin and normal serum iron, then 4-6oz of red meat should be OK for you to consume on
a weekly basis.

3. Carbohydrates: this is your main energy source. It’s the primary fuel that your cells prefer. Depending on your activity level and diabetic status, we recommend 40-60%.
Carbohydrates come from many food sources but when thinking in terms of a side dish of
carbohydrates, we are implying mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, whole grain bread, or
couscous. Your fruits and veggies are also a good source of carbohydrates.

4. Fats: there should always be some source of fat in your meal. Fat contains many nutrients such as A, D, E, and K and is required to absorb certain nutrients like CoQ10. You meal should contain anywhere from 15-25% fat. If your meal contains animal proteins, then
there will be some fat consumed from the meat. Other quality sources of fat to consider are
raw olive oil (use it to dip your whole grain bread in! Yum!), coconut butter (cook with it,
spread on corn on the cob, spread on whole grain bread or crackers), avocados, seeds and
nuts.

Tuna Frittata
Ingredients:
8 eggs
12 oz cooked flaked tuna

Instructions:
Preheat oven on high broil. On the stove top, heat a deep, oven proof skillet with 2-4 tablespoons of oil on medium. [try using coconut oil!] Prepare eggs like you would if you were to scramble them. For example: Break them into a bowl, add about 1/4 cup of water and salt and pepper. Whisk. This is the way we prepare scrambled eggs and they are very good this way. Most people tend to use milk but we like them much better prepared with water, salt and pepper. They are much lighter. Pour eggs into heated skillet and allow the bottom to cook. Take a spatula and scoop the solid egg in from the edges and allow what’s left of the liquid egg to pour down under it so it can become solid [very similar to how you cook an open faced omelet]. Work the spatula all the way around the skillet and do this until you don’t have much of the liquid egg left. Once enough of the egg is cooked, sprinkle the flaked tuna over the top and place in the oven to broil for about 8 minutes or until the top of the egg is cooked [i.e. not runny anymore].

 

Feel Free To Link To Any Articles On This Page. If You Wish To Republish One Of These Articles, Please Contact The Original Author

About the Author:

Our mission is the education and advocacy of natural medicine and a holistic lifestyle. Anything from what we put into our bodies to the products we purchase to how we invest our money to how we treat the earth has an impact on our whole being and ultimately each other. Our magnificent innate ability to heal becomes repaired and enhanced with the help of wonderful practitioners and guides. We strive to work with top practitioners to bring helpful education in form of the news, events and this informative website to assist you on your wellness journey.
http://www.chicagohealers.com/naturopath-medicine-homeopathy-herbs/2nd-opinion-natural-health/
http://www.chicagohealers.com
http://www.chiagohealers.com/articles

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – What’s For Dinner?

avocado sides

I grew an avocado plant 18 months ago. It’s fine and tall but along side it grew a second stalk?

from the same pit. It’s shorter and smaller but should I put them in different pots or just let them grow together? I’m afraid they will die if I pull them apart. I’ve staked them because they are starting to lean. Thanx for your help.

2 plants one pit? you could just snip the smaller one. eventually they will grow together. also take note since you started from a pit, this tree will not be a “variety”. there fore you cant be sure how the fruit will turn out. could be bad or good.

Avocado is also known as Alligator Pear originated in southern Mexico. It has become a useful ingredient for our daily skin care routine. It is rich in fat as well as protein. These fats are monounsaturated which is good for a healthy heart. The provision of vitamin E in avocado helps the heart to remain fit. It is also known to supply 60% more potassium in comparison to banana.

It is also rich in fiber, foliate (folic acid), vitamin B6, iron, copper and magnesium. Other than applying avocado on your skin, consuming it in salad form can also be beneficial for your skin. Avocado contains vitamins like A, D, and E which has penetrating qualities to improve your skin. Avocado oil is also very useful for skin care. The oil is useful to remove any sun damage or age spots. It also softens the skin and provides a moisturizing effect and can do wonders on damaged, undernourished and dehydrated skin.

Simple Recipes for Skin Care

Puffed Eyes

Cut avocado into slices and place it under each eye and relax with it for next 20 minutes. The changes would be remarkable.

Eye Cream

Make an eye cream by mixing 5 drops of almond oil in 3 ripe slices of avocado. Blend this mixture and dab it around your eyes. Keep it for five minutes then rinse.

Another method of making the eye cream is by using 1/4 cup avocado oil with 1/4 cup aloe vera gel. You could also use apricot kernel, grape seed or sesame oil.

Facial Mask

This facial mask is useful for dry skin. Mash half avocado and apply it leisurely on your face. Keep it for 15 minutes and then rinse it off with warm water.

Make a paste of ½ ripe avocado mixed with 1 tsp vegetable oil. Apply this paste on a washed and clean face. Leave it for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse it with warm water. This masque is very good for dry skin.

Smooth and Beautiful Hands

Make a paste by mixing 1/4 peeled

About the Author:

Sharon Hopkins maintains various sites providing information on hair and skin care. Avocado Uses For Skin Care. It is being widely used by everyone.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Avocado Great For Skin Care

avocado root system

can i put my avocado plant in with my guppies?

I have a avocado plant I started from the seed. It has grown in only water and is 2 feet tall with a great root system. I have a large hurricane vase with 3 guppies and was hoping to put my plant in there to give em’ an oxygen source. good idea or not? thanks
p.s. the fish have been doing great for over a week
um, bettalover, stick with bettas, guppies no more need salt than they need pizza and a good beer.

at first i thought no…but why not sounds like you love the 3 guppies and it might be good for the plant and the lovely fish that you have

Who wants to have bad breath? No one, right? You will never dream to have such problem because you don’t want people to step back from you or maintain a certain distance when talking to you. The sad truth is, some people will even avoid direct contact with you. As you know discover that you have a bad breath, you better find out the different bad breath cures immediately.

Bad or foul breath, also known as halitosis, will surely interfere not just in your social life but also in your professional success. Good thing, this problem can be treated. In fact, the Center for Breath Treatment assures Americans who are suffering from this disease that there is now a highly effective cure for bad breath. But you should be aware first of its causes so your immediate family members and your close friends can avoid getting such problem.

Bad Breath Causes

• Dental Decay and Diseased Gums
This is the most familiar causes of bad breath. When the roots of your teeth starts to decay, the gums will have abscesses with smelly pus and this will result to bad breath. And do you know that even the small holes in your teeth are breeding grounds for germs that may also make your breath foul smelling?

• Throat, Nose, and Respiratory Tract problems
Yes, you read it right. The conditions of your respiratory organs especially your nose, throat and respiratory tract affects the odor of your breath. Chronic tonsillitis, lung diseases, chronic gastritis, and sinusitis also make your breath foul smelling. Other cases of bad breath are also caused by intestinal sluggishness, intestinal disorder, and chronic constipation.

Natural Bad Breath Cures

• Fenugreek treatment
The use of fenugreek is proven to be the most effective home remedy for halitosis. The tea, which is made from the seeds of such vegetable, must be taken on a regular basis to remedy this problem. Here’s how you can prepare this tea: in half liter cold water, put one teaspoon of seeds and let it simmer in low flame for fifteen minutes. Strain and drink it as a tea.

• Avocado Halitosis Treatment
The avocado fruit is another effective cure for bad breath. It is far more effective than other mouth lotions and bad breath cures. Such fruit effectively eliminates intestinal decomposition or putrefaction, which is a common cause of foul-smelling breath.

• Guava Bad Breath Treatment
Unripe guavas are also effective in treating halitosis because it has malic, phosphoric, tanic and oxalic acids. It is also a source of manganese, oxalate and calcium. These acids and elements make the guava fruit an ideal tonic for gums and teeth. Bleeding of gums and teeth can also be stopped by chewing tender leaves of guava.

• Parsley Treatment
Parsley, as one of the different bad breath cures, is prepared by boiling two cups of water with coarsely chopped parsley and two to three whole cloves. If you will use ground cloves, you only need to put a quarter teaspoon. To cool, stir this mixture occasionally. Strain it and use as a gargle a number of times a day.

While these different bad breath cures prove to be effective, you should not ignore the simple ways to keep your breath’s odor at a tolerable level. Don’t forget to brush and clean your teeth at least twice a day, especially before going to bed. Remove meat particles using a toothpick. Your decaying teeth and diseased gums, on the other hand, must be treated by a dentist.

About the Author:

More Webpages, Product, Video, News and Bad Breath Tips – Click Blogatme Here or More Download and Free Ebook with Master Resell Rights also Ebook Review Click EbookisDead Here

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Different Bad Breath Cures

avocado growing from pit

What kind of light does an avocado tree need?

I’m going to try and grow an avocado plant from an avocado pit. Will it need low, medium or bright light?

Your little avocado tree will take as much light/sunlight as you can provide for it. Plan on it being an ornamental houseplant, because avocado seeds rarely grow true. Meaning it will likely never produce fruit or if it does the fruit will be inferior.

Psoriasis is a usual skin disease that comes as lesions with white scales on the skin and also leads to weakening of skins and joints. It is a chronic disease that is characterized by red, silvery, thick and scaled patches on the skin. It is a poorly understood condition that affects the skin and also at times the nails whose symptoms include red inflamed skins covered by white scales, which flakes easily.

Psoriasis can appear all over the body and can be really itchy and irritating. It mostly happens on the arms [specially elbows], legs [knees], buttocks and trunk and rarely affects the face and scalp. Sometimes you will find psoriasis affecting your fingernails and toenails with symptoms like ridges down the nails, yellowish spots, white color pits and thickness to the nail’s edge.

Causes of psoriasis

The first cause of psoriasis is dry skin. When you are getting psoriasis, you will find irritations on your skin and find it covered with bright silvery scales. Not only does the disease affect knees, skin behind the ears or scalp, but it also affects the underarms and genital areas. The lesions vary in size from being minute papules to sheets covering larger parts of the body. The lesions are always dry and rarely become infected.

Psoriasis is basically an abnormality in the skin mechanism where the skin grows and replaces itself. The abnormality is due to the metabolism of amino acids, which are nature’s basic building blocks for the reproduction of cell tissues. Heredity plays a major role in the development of psoriasis. The factors that aggravate and precipitate the outbreak of psoriasis are physical and emotional stress, use of certain unwanted medicines, infections and change in diet.

Remedies for psoriasis

Psoriasis is a metabolic disease so it is very useful that you should follow a regular diet devoid of all spicy and disorderly food. More of fruits, fresh vegetables, fruit juices, boiled bitter gourds, and curd, are very useful.

Food remedies

Researchers have recommended beta-carotene, omega-3, fatty acids, folate and zinc to be nutritional factors for reducing psoriasis. Soluble fiber such as pectin, guar gum, and psyllium are very useful for binding toxins. However, you should also eat things like flaxseed oils, folic acids [present in Brussels, spinach, bok choy, beets, chick peas, turkey, peas, oranges], omega-3 [present in salmon, trout, tuna, mackerel, sardines and herring.

Homeopathy remedies

There are some miraculous homeopathic medicines like arsenicum album, graphites, calcarea carbonica, mezereum, mercurius solubilis, sepia, staphysagria, sulphur and rhus toxicodendron that remedies psoriasis effectively within a very short time.

Other remedies

You can use essential oils like avocado oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, cashew nut oil, Vitmain E and buttermilk as homemade remedies to reduce psoriasis.

Provide remedies for psoriasis to enjoy a healthy skin.

About the Author:

Sharon Albright is the owner of Psoriasis Site. Read more articles on Psoriasis and visit her recommended resources.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Psoriasis – Escape This Disease To Enjoy Fresh And Healthy Skin

avocado leaves falling off

why do the leaves on my avocado turn crisp brown ?

I had a small avocado plant for 2 years until recently when the leaves started to shivel up from the tips of the lower leaves and fall off. This continued for 6 months there were no more leaves and the plant died. I have done some research into the avocado and it seems to require a lot of water, however I have one growing at the moment in really dry soil and it is doing very well.

plants usually lose their green colour because of a lack of chlorophyll. chlorophyll is the green pigment that plants use to capture sunlight and use it to make sugar for itself to survive. Now, a lack of chlorophyll usually means a lack of certain nutrients-iron, magnesium, nitrogen, most likely. Perhaps fertilizing your plant with fertilizers rich in these compounds will help out the problem. And this should be true for most plants, not just avocado.

If you want to improve your health and vitality levels then one of the best things you can do is adopt an alkaline diet. I’ve got 3 great alkaline diet recipes for you

You should aim for a 70:30 ratio of alkaline to acidic foods.

In my and many other people’s experience, if you try and eat 100% alkaline foods, it is really too difficult to sustain and doesn’t allow for some foods that should be enjoyed sparingly, like fruit.

It is better to go for 70:30 than ‘fall off the wagon’ completely, trying to achieve a 100% alkaline diet.

Here are 3 easy, quick and tasty alkaline diet recipes: The first is a lovely tasty curry. Herbs and spices are very alkalizing so use these freely in all your food preparation and cooking. The second recipe is a slightly sweet avocado salad. Avocadoes are absolutely wonderful foods – full of Omega 3 essential oils and one for the only alkaline fruits, a real super food. The third recipe is a good old classic salad. You really can’t go wrong with eating a big salad every day – dark green leafy vegetables are amazingly alkalizing so knock yourself out Enjoy!

1 – Chickpea and Spinach Curry Number of Servings: 6 Preparation time: 10 minutes

Ingredients: 1 cup coarsely chopped onion 1-1/2 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped or grated 1 tsp olive oil or virgin coconut oil 1-1/2 tsp red curry powder 1 19 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with liquid 1 10 oz bag spinach 1/2 cup water 1/4 tsp salt (optional)

Directions: Put the ginger and onion in a food blender/mixer until it is minced. Heat oil gently in large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion mixture and curry. Sauté 3 minutes. Add chickpeas and tomatoes; simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in spinach, water and salt. Cook another minute or until spinach wilts.

2 – Avocado Fruit Salad Number of serving: 8 Preparation time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 ripe avocado, seeded and peeled (1/2 sliced into 8 portions, 1/2″ cubed) 1-1/2 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp raspberry vinegar 1 tsp grated lime peel 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice 1 Tbsp fresh chopped basil leaves 1/2 tsp dry mustard 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1 10 oz package mixed baby greens 4 kiwi, peeled and sliced in half rounds 4 grapefruit 2 cups sliced strawberries 2 star fruits, sliced

Directions: Salad Dressing – In a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients, set aside. Salad – In a large salad bowl, combine baby greens, kiwi, grapefruit, strawberries and star fruit. Pour on dressing and toss to coat. Top with avocado slices.

3 – Very Veggie Salad Number of Servings: 4 Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients: 4 cups raw spinach 4 cups romaine lettuce 2 cups chopped red, yellow, orange bell pepper 2 cups cherry tomatoes 1 cup chopped broccoli 1 cup chopped cauliflower 1 cup sliced yellow squash 1 cup sliced zucchini 2 cups sliced cucumber 2 cups chopped baby carrots

Directions: Wash all of the vegetables and mix them together in a large mixing bowl. Top this colorful meal with a nonfat or low-fat dressing of your choice

About the Author:

Would you like to find more alkaline diet recipes and learn more about following an alkaline diet?
Get instant access to my free 38-page Alkaline Diet Recipes eBook by going here: Alkaline Diet Recipes Book
The recipes are endorsed by the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – 3 Top Alkaline Diet Recipes