Stylish way to get rid of mosquitoes

GREAT IDEA!! FOR BACKYARD FUN, NO BUGS!!

All you need is a package of Mason jars, some cotton string and some liquid citronella (find it in big jugs at any home-improvement store and even some grocery stores). Use a hammer and nail to poke a hole in the top of the lid, then pour in the citronella, put the top on and drop in the wick. Allow the string about 10 minutes to soak up some oil, then place them around your backyard and light them! 

20 ITEMS TO KICK START YOUR FOOD STORAGE PLAN

1.  20 pounds of Rice.  As boring as it may sound, rice is one of the backbones of every food storage plan.  It is filling, nutritious  and with the use of  varied seasonings and condiments, highly adaptable in a variety of tasty meals.  The choice of white, brown or a combination of the two is up to you.  White rice has a longer shelf life but brown rice has more nutritional benefits.  In my own household, I like to combine the two along with some Jasmine, Basmati and Calrose sticky rice.

2.  20 pounds of Pinto Beans.   Like rice, beans are the backbone to every food storage plan.  You may substitute white, kidney or other types of dried beans but honestly, pintos are one of the least expensive dried beans and in my opinion, one of the tastiest.  Need help cooking beans? when you are done here be sure to read Survival Woman Learns to Cook Dried Beans and you should too and  Respect for the Lowly Pinto Bean.

3.  20 cans of Vegetables.  Green beans, peas, corn and canned tomatoes are good choices.  Let your taste and budget guide you.  Buy what you currently eat and enjoy.

4.  20 cans of Fruit.  Peaches, pears, pineapple, fruit cocktail – again, this is your choice.  Fruits add a nice sweetness to life and these days we all could use more of that.

5.  20 cans of Meat.  Chicken, tuna, shrimp, salmon, Vienna sausages, beef stew and yes, even the ubiquitous Spam will satisfy this requirement.  Did you know that you can even purchase canned roast beef? Again, let your taste and budget guide you – there is lots to choose from.

6.  4 pounds Oats.  Remember when you were little and Mom warmed your tummy with a nice comforting bowl of oatmeal?  That is what we are talking about here.  A bowl of oatmeal topped with canned fruit can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

7.  2 large jars of Peanut Butter.  Peanut butter is an excellent source of protein, with plenty of calories for energy and sustenance.  Besides, who can resist the taste of a gooey spoonful of luscious peanut butter?

8.  2 large jars of Tang or other powdered drink mix.  The only requirement here is get something you like and something fortified with Vitamin C.  I am not going to preach and tell you to avoid artificial sweeteners.  If Crystal Lite works for you in normal times, go for it.

9.  5 pounds of Powdered Milk.  Milk is a great source of protein and other nutrients.  In addition it is filling and can be used to top your oatmeal cereal or stirred into your coffee as a flavor enhancer.

10.  5 pounds of Salt.  It goes without saying that salt is an essential for survival plus it has a lot of uses other than as an enhancement for food. That said, our bodies need salt to survive.  Read more about salt in the article Reasons You Need Salt in the Prepper Pantry.

11.  10 pounds of Pancake Mix.  An all in one pancake mix (such as Krusteaz) only requires the addition of water to make up a batch of batter.  As with oatmeal, a big plate of pancakes, perhaps with some honey or jam, will make a satisfying meal that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

12.  2 pounds of Honey and 2 large jars of Jam.  We all need some sweetness in our life, even with Mother Nature or life deals us a blow.  I choose honey and jam over sugar but at the end of the day, you can make a substitution or simply mix and match.

13.  10 pounds of Pasta.  Pasta is familiar and easy to fix.  Pasta is a dense form of wheat but so much easier to deal with when you are first starting out.  Besides, it is a fabulous comfort food.

14.  10 cans or jars of Spaghetti Sauce.  Cheap yet satisfying, canned pasta sauce on a bed of pasta creates a satisfying meal that can be put together in minutes.

15. 20 cans of Soup or Broth. The beauty of canned soups and canned broth is that they are a budget friendly.  Soups are an all-in-one meal solution. All you need is a can opener and a spoon and you have a meal ready to go.  For an extra satisfying meal, try using a can of soup as part of the cooking water for your rice.  Yummy!

16.  One large jug of Oil. Choose olive oil, coconut oil or some other cooking oil, but definitely get some.  Oil is essential for good health, fueling our energy stores and providing support for fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients as they work their way through our system. Not only that, but a bit of fat in your diet adds flavor and makes you feel satisfied when you are done eating.

17. Spices and Condiments. Adding some spices and condiments to your food storage pantry will allow you to vary the taste of your storage foods, thus mitigating some of the boredom that is likely to occur over time.  The exact mix of spices and condiments is up to you but some suggestions include  garlic, chili, Tabasco (hot sauce), salsa, oregano, thyme and black pepper.

18.  5 pounds of Coffee or 100 Tea Bags.  There are those that will say that life without coffee is not life at all.  Whole bean (assuming you have a hand grinder), ground or instant – take your choice.  Or substitute tea.  Green tea and many herbal teas are quite therapeutic so if you like tea, this may be a good way to go.

19. 2 large bags of Hard Candies.  Hard candy can go a long way toward making an unpleasant situation bearable.  Butterscotch drops, peppermints and even lemon drops are good.  Have fun with this and pick up a couple of bags of your favorites!

20.  Mini LED Flashlight and Extra Batteries.  Okay, this is a cheater item.  It is not food but it is all important and so it will not hurt to stash a miniature flashlight or two along with the edibles in your food storage pantry.  My top pick of the moment in the Blocklite.  This thing just goes and goes and goes plus, it does not take up any storage space.

Growing Potatoes In Containers

Potatoes can easily be cultivated in containers simply as easy as in a classic technique of growing plants. half barrels, Terracotta pots, trash cans and also a burlap sack,or trash bags are all excellent options of containers to raise your potatoes in. The one factor that you require to keep in mind when developing potatoes in a container, is that the vase of your option could not really be to deep, 12 - 18 inches is a great depth. The cause for this depth is that sun energy is essential for vegetable progress, plus even though potato plants could expand to a level in the place of 2 - 3 feet, they require to be hilled or protected as they grow.

Growing your plants in a bag enables you to pull the sides up as the vegetable grows, in a container or other sort of pot you will always have to hill the plant as it gets taller. That can easily done just by placing a 2 foot tall wire mess close to the inside of the pot as the plat develops and covering the plant with hay, potting media, or compost. When you have you have the pot of your option, make sure there are enough drainage gaps in the bottom or the lower sides.

At this point is it the moment to get ready your potatoes for seeding. These potatoes may be seed potatoes from a garden company, or potatoes that you possess on hand that are beginning to develop. Cut the potatoes so that there are three eyes on each piece, two eyes is good if the numbers is not going to work out. I have even grown all of them with one, and they did just good. As soon as the cutting is finished, you will require them to stay for around a day to create a dry covering around the cut area.

When you are looking for the potatoes to dry, you might begin filling your pot using potting media combined with an healthy fertilizer, and pre soak the media so that it is moist. Once ready, put the potatoes that you have cut in the pot with the eyes facing up. In the regular container,with a size around twenty inches, I put three items spaced apart evenly, protect them with about 2 - 3 inches of media, plus water until the media is moist. To avoid wasting time, you could pre soak the media before you plant, and get it available for covering the potatoes at planting time.

Caring for your potato plants is pretty easy. Put them in a place that obtains a minimum 6 hours of direct sun and is not opened to winds. Examine the moisture content of the media, and water everyday if necessary. Pots dry faster that soil in a classic garden, so they might require watering each day.

When the plants obtain to a height of about 6 inches, you will have to hill the potato plant by masking the plants using more potting media, giving about 2/3 of the plant exposed. Keep on hilling till the plant halts from increasing, or begins to blossom.

Reaping your own potatoes can begin any moment after the plant blossoms, youthful potatoes are tiny, but tender. If you decide not to picking them early, simply wait till the plants begin to change yellow and gently spill the media out of the container to gather your new crop of potatoes.barrels, Terracotta pots, trash cans and also a burlap sack,or trash bags are all excellent options of containers to raise your potatoes in.