CARA MEMILIH TANAH YANG BAIK UNTUK MEDIA TANAM

How to Choose Plant Soil

Whether you have potted indoor plants or an outdoor container garden, soil selection is critical to plant health. Choose the best soil to provide your plants with the right amount of drainage, soil consistency and nutrient-retention.

EditMethod 1 of 3: Organic or Non-organic

1. 
   1
   Decide whether you will use reusable organic potting soil or disposable non-organic soil.
   • Organic potting soil contains microscopic organisms that add nutrients to the soil and make the soil reusable in pots or to spread in your outdoor garden.
   • Non-organic potting soils, which contain ingredients such as peat, manure and hummus, are discarded after only one season, as potted plants are unable to absorb nutrients from the soil. Any fertilizer or nutrients in non-organic potting soil are placed there by humans.

EditMethod 2 of 3: Soil Weight

1. 
   1
   Select medium-weight potting soil for plants that are exposed to sunlight, as medium-weight soil holds water better than light soil. Lightweight soil may become too dry to support the plant when exposed to the sun for long periods.
2. 
   2
   Use lighter soil for hanging plants or for plants that grow in the shade. If the soil is too heavy, the soil may become too soggy and kill the plant.
   • Re-pot a plant rooted in extremely light, airy soil when you get it home from the store, even if it is a hanging plant or a shade plant. Extremely light soil, composed of peat and sphagnum moss, dries out quickly and may kill your plant.
3. 
   3
   Avoid using heavy soil, as it may be too compacted for your potted plant and won't allow air to get to the roots. Heavy soil also may have too much sand, which retains few nutrients, and may drain poorly, which can cause root rot.
   • If you are planting desert plants, use a sandier soil that provides better drainage and contains fewer nutrients than the potting mix you use for most other plants.

EditMethod 3 of 3: Fertilizer

1. 
   1
   Buy a potting mix with fertilizer included in the soil so your plants have the necessary nutrients. Follow feeding instructions on the bag when you use a soil premixed with fertilizer.
2. 
   2
   Note the ratio of the various types of fertilizer. The minerals nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium -- N-P-K -- are listed with three numbers on soil bags. For example, a mix of 20-10-10 means there is twice as much nitrogen as phosphorous or potassium. Different types of plants require different mixes of these minerals.
   • Leafy plants require soil with more nitrogen. The higher nitrogen mix would be 20-10-10 on the bag.
   • Flowering plants need more phosphorous in a ratio such as 10-20-10 for good blossoms and a healthy root structure.
   • To promote plant health and foster disease resistance, use a ratio such as 10-10-20, which contains more potassium.

EditTips

• Make your own general-purpose potting mixture if you intend to have many potted plants or a large container garden. Mix 1 part coarse sand, 2 parts peat or compost and 4 parts bagged garden soil. The ingredients are available at home-improvement stores or garden stores and nurseries. Add some sphagnum moss to the homemade mix for hanging plants.
• Do not use soil from your yard or garden because it may not have the nutrients necessary to grow potted plants. Garden soil may be the wrong consistency or have germs or fungi that may weaken or kill your plants.

      Source  : http://www.wikihow.com/Choose-Plant-Soil

BAGAIMANA CARA MEMBERIKAN KEPUTUSAN

How to Give Advice

Giving advice is not one of the easiest tasks. You can be put under a lot of pressure, especially if you generally (unintentionally) give bad advice. With these tips, you'll be a pro at giving advice in no time! Get get started with Step 1 below.

EditPart 1 of 4: Acting Right

1. 
   1
   Don't judge them. The first, most basic step in giving good advice (or any at all really) is to not judge the other person. No one should be thought of as less or as bad for a single decision that they made. We're all playing with a different set of cards and what you have in your hand and what you managed to do with it doesn't have anything to do with what someone else has.
   • Keep a straight face and remember what your mother taught you: if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
2. 
   2
   Remove your bias. We of course all have our own opinions on what is and isn't right or what someone should do, but when you give advice, the idea is to give someone the tools to make their own decision, not make the decision for them. Try to remove your own opinions from the conversation and just focus on helping them come to their own conclusion.
   • For example, if your friend is considering an abortion but you don't believe in it, don't spend the whole time telling her how bad it is. Instead, talk her through the arguments that you know of for an against it, in equal balance.
   • Only when someone asks you "What would you do?" should you let your own personal opinion shine through. Just make sure that you give the reasons why you have the opinion that you do, so that they can understand your logic.
3. 
   3
   Be honest. Let them know if you're not an expert. You don't have to be a lot of the time, since all they really need is a sounding board. But it's important that you don't give them the impression that you're an authority when you're not.
   • It's okay to not say "I know how you feel", too. Instead, say something like "You're right to be upset about that" or "I can see how that would make me feel neglected".
4. 
   4
   Express confidence in them. Sometimes all someone needs to make the right decision is to know that someone believes in them and that someone thinks that they can do the right thing. Be that person for them, especially if no one else can be. Tell them something like, "This is a really tough decision, but I know you want to do the right thing. And I know you will do the right thing. You just have to let all that bravery that I know you have shine through."
5. 
   5
   Know when it's appropriate and when it's inappropriate to stage an intervention. An intervention is when you give someone advice that didn't ask for it and probably doesn't want it. This can often be done with several other friends and family members of that person backing you up but it can also be done just on your own. Of course, it's important to know when you should and shouldn't intervene and give someone advice that they don't want. Generally, you should reserve this only for when you are worried that someone is a danger to themselves or others.
   • If it's just something like keeping a boyfriend you don't approve of because of his personality or religion, that's not a good reason. However, if you're worried that your friend is being physically abused by the boyfriend because she shows up to school with bruises, this is a good time to get involved.
   • Sometimes a firm hand is what is needed to get someone to make the right choice but often this can make someone more defensive. This is a very tricky situation and you might be gambling a bit.

EditPart 2 of 4: Listening to Their Story

1. 
   1
   Just listen. When someone is talking and trying to get your advice, start by just listening. A lot of the time, all someone needs is a sounding board. They need to be heard. This gives them the chance to sort out issues for themselves and come to accept a situation in their own mind. Don't talk until they're done, unless they seem to need a direct response.
2. 
   2
   Don't offer opinions yet. If they ask for your opinion part-way through the story, give evasive answers and ask to get all of the information first. This is because you need to form a full, informed opinion before you can really give them good advice. They might manipulate the story and try to get an answer from you before you have all the facts, in order to get the answer that they're really hoping for.
3. 
   3
   Ask lots of questions. After they tell their story, ask them questions to get more information. This lets you develop a more full, informed opinion, but it can also help them to think about things that they hadn't considered, like alternatives or other points of view. Ask questions like:
   • "Why did you say that?"
   • "When did you tell him that?"
4. 
   4
   Ask if they even want advice! One good habit is to ask them if they even want advice. Some people just want to talk and they don't want to be told what to do. If they say that they would like advice, give it. If they say no, then just say something like, "Well, if you keep having problems I'm here and happy to help you through it."

EditPart 3 of 4: Giving Good Advice

1. 1
   Take time to think about the issue, if you can. If you can have a day or even a few hours to think about their problem and possible solutions, take that time to really think about every possible solution or way of approaching the problem. You could even take the opportunity to ask someone else for advice, if you know someone who's more knowledgeable on the issue. However, a lot of the time people need immediate help by the time they actually ask for advice, so you might just have to respond to the best of your ability and follow up later.
2. 
   2
   Talk them through the hurdles. Go over with them what that difficult parts of the situation are and why those things pose a problem. Something that they see as an impassable barrier might actually be easy to overcome, with a little outside perspective.
   • "So, you want to move but you're worried that it's impossible. What are the things stopping you from moving? You need to find a job first, right? Okay. What else? You can't leave your dad alone here? Right."
3. 
   3
   Help them evaluate the problem from the outside. Sometimes peoples can't, as they say, see the forest for the trees. They have a hard time seeing the entirety of their situation or even possible solutions because they're so fixed on a few small problems. Help them take a step back by going over the big picture, from your outsider's perspective.
   • For example, if your friend is worried about bringing her new boyfriend to a party because he's older than she is and she doesn't want to be judged, you could point out that she probably won't know anyone at the party anyway so what difference does it make.
4. 
   4
   Open them up to all of their options. Walk them through all of the options that they've thought of. Then, try to think of some new options that they haven't thought of and give them those as well. In this early stage, it's important to try and keep them from crossing out any options, so that all options can be weighed equally and in light of the others.
   • When they're dismissive of options, try to find out the real reason why. Sometimes they my object based on false understandings.
   • Say something like: "So you want to tell your husband that you're pregnant again but you need to do it carefully because money is tough right now. You can wait to tell him until after you find out about this new job or you can tell him now so that he can have more time to look into other options. Have you considered seeing what assistance programs you might qualify for and then talking to him?"
5. 
   5
   Help them evaluate those options. Once everything is on the table, walk through all the options with them and brainstorm the pros and cons together. Between the two of you, you should be able to come up with a less biased picture of what can be done to solve the problem.
   • "Telling your boyfriend that you want to get married is an option but knowing him it will just make him feel like you're judging him. Another option would be to double date with me and James. James can have a man-talk with him and maybe try and find out why he's so hesitant."
6. 
   6
   Give them what information you can. If you have any advice from experience or even just more information about what they might expect, give them that information once the options have been discussed. They can then use that extra information to solidify their feelings regarding the options.
   • Again, remember to try and keep bias and judgement out of your voice and words when you give them this advice.
7. 7
   Know when to be tough and when to be soft. Most of the time people need a positive but motivational pep talk. Sometimes, however, people really need to hear it how it is. Sometimes, people just need a serious kick in the pants. You have to learn to gauge when it's one vs the other, which is tricky. There's no set formula. Generally, when someone is really just hurting themselves and not learning their lesson, that's when it's time to intervene.
   • However, if you don't have a good relationship with this person or if they tend to handle criticism very poorly, telling them what they need to hear might not do your relationship any favors in the short term.
   • Even when you do give someone this helpful nudge, it's important to not just be outright mean.
8. 8
   Emphasize that you don't control the future. People, when they seek advice, will often be wanting a guarantee. Remind them that you can't give this, that there's no way to predict the future. Let them see that you are there for them though and that even if things don't turn out like they hope, life will still go on.

EditPart 4 of 4: Following Up

1. 1
   Give them help if they want it. If they are dealing with a situation where another person can actually do something, such as many interpersonal situations or overwhelming work problems, offer to help them. They will likely refuse, but it's important to follow through if you do offer.
   • Of course, if you know you would be terrible at helping them, don't offer your own help but you can offer to help them find someone else who can help.
2. 2
   Continue to support them. As they navigate the difficult situation that they're in, continue to support them as much as you can. This can be as basic as being their cheerleader or it might mean something like covering their shift at work if they need to leave to deal with the situation. Knowing that you still have their back can make a world of difference.
3. 3
   Find them some supporting materials. Do a little research on the problem that they're having and send them helpful links. You can even buy them a book, if you find one that covers their problem. This is a great way to give someone the tools they need to solve their own problems.
4. 4
   Follow up on the issue. If they don't offer any follow up information or updates, you should ask them (unless they clearly don't want to talk about it). This will let them see that you really do care about them and that you really are invested in seeing their problem solved.

EditTips

• It's good to know a little bit about the topic they need help with (i.e. dating, friends, school...). If you aren't too experienced in the area, let the person know that you are not an expert.
• Check in on them every once in a while. Ask how they are doing and if things are lightening up.
• Be extra careful not to hurt their feelings!
• Do not suggest anything that would harm the person.
• Think before you speak. If things go terribly wrong, you might get blamed.

Edit

Warning

• If someone seems like they might hurt themselves, immediately seek help from a professional.

  Source  : http://www.wikihow.com/Give-Advice

BAGAIMANA CARA MENANAM POHON MANGGA

How to Grow a Mango Tree

If you live in a climate that is favorable to mango plants, you can plant and grow your own mango tree and enjoy the sweet, vitamin-packed tropical fruit for years on end. With a little time and patience, it is quite easy to grow a mango tree from seed or from a small plant. Try your hand at gardening this tropical fruit, and you'll be raising a full-sized tree in no time.

Part 1 of 3: Preparing for Planting

1. 
   1
   Determine if you have a suitable environment.
2. Although mangoes don’t require much maintenance once planted, they do have picky circumstances under which they must grow. Mangoes thrive best in high heat, and can handle both humid/swampy and arid areas. Most mangoes are grown near the equator, and in the United States they are primarily grown in Florida. If you live in an area that has average temperatures of 80–100 °F (27–38 °C) and cool winters that don’t freeze, you’ll likely be able to grow mangoes.
   • Rainfall for your area should not exceed 12 inches (30.5 cm) per ann
3. 
   2
   Select an area to grow your mango tree.
4. Mangoes can be grown in pots or in spacious areas outside. They prefer lots of heat and direct sunlight, meaning that they don’t grow well indoors (although they can be brought in in a pot for the winter). The size of each mango tree varies depending on what species it is, but they can get quite large, exceeding heights of 10–15 feet (3.0–4.6 m). Therefore, choose an area that will give them plenty of space to thrive without being shaded by other larger trees.
5. 
   3
   Choose a variety of mango to plant.
6. There are many different types of mangoes on the market, but only a few grow well in specific areas. Visit a local nursery to find out which ones grow best in your area. Mangoes can be grown in one of two ways: via the seed of a mango, or from a grafted sapling. Mango seeds typically take 8 years to produce fruit, but may not if they haven’t been grafted. Grafted saplings take 3-5 years to produce fruit, but are nearly guaranteed a good harvest. If you choose to plant from a seed, choose a mango from a tree you know grows successfully; taking one from a store-bought mango probably won’t provide you with a tree.
   • Grafted saplings tend to be about half the size of a seed from the fruit that is planted.
   • The trees produced from seeds tend to be much stronger and hardier, but they don’t have a good of fruit.^[1]
   • If you’re testing the environmental limits with your mango growing, there are a few species that are able to grow in slightly cooler and wetter conditions than the aforementioned recommendation.
7. 
   4
   Get your soil ready.
8. Mangoes thrive in loose, sandy soil that drains water easily. Check the pH of your soil to see if it is in an adequate acidity range; the trees will grow best in soil that has a pH of 4.5-7 (acidic). Incorporate peat moss into your soil on a yearly basis in order to keep the acidity high. Avoid using chemical fertilizers or any product that contains salt, as these will hinder the growth of your mango tree. Prepare the soil so that it is tilled about three feet deep, as this will give plenty of space for the roots to spread.^[2]
9. 
   5
   Know when to plant.
10. Mango trees should typically be planted in late Spring or the beginning of Summer when it is a combination of rainy/sunny weather. The planting season will depend on the species, so check your local nursery to find out when yours should be planted. Some varieties, such as the Beverly and Keitt don’t need to be planted until August/September.^[3]

Part 2 of 3: Growing a Tree from a Seed

1. 
   1
   Select a large, ripe poly-embryonic mango.
2. If you live in an area that grows mangoes, visit local orchards to select a fruit. If you don’t have access to a healthy mango tree, visit a local grocer or farmers market to select a fruit. Ask the salesperson for help in choosing a fruit that is poly-embryonic (these are the only fruits that will grow fruit when planted).
3. 
   2
   Remove and clean the pit.
4. Eat the mango, or remove all existing fruit, until the fibrous pit is exposed. Clean the pit with a scrub brush, or steel wool pad, until all hairs have been removed. Be careful not to scrub away at the outer coating of the pit, and only to remove the fruit fibers that are still attached.
5. 
   3
   Prepare the pit for planting.
6. Dry the pit overnight in a cool location away from direct sunlight. Open the pit with a sharp knife, as you would shuck an oyster, being careful not to cut too deeply and damage the enclosed seed. Pry the pit open and remove the seed, which resembles a large lima bean.
7. 
   4
   Germinate the seed.
8. Place the seed about an inch deep, and concave side down, in a container full of quality potting soil. Dampen the soil and store the container in a warm, shaded area until the seed sprouts. This process usually takes 1 - 3 weeks.
   
9. 
   5
   Plant the seed.
10. At this point, your seed is ready to be planted in its permanent location. If you plan to have it outside, try to plant it directly outside rather than putting it in a plant and transplanting it, as that way you won’t have to worry about hardening it off or it going into soil shock.

Part 3 of 3: Planting the Mango Tree

1. 
   1
   Dig the hole for planting.
2. In your selected plot location, use a shovel to dig a hole that is 2-4 times the size of the rootball of your mango plant. If you’re planting in area that already has grass, remove the grass in an area a further 2 feet (0.6 m) around the plot space to make room for the tree. Mix a bit of compost (no more than a 50/50 mixture) with the soil you’ve dug up which will be replaced around the roots.
3. 
   2
   Plant the tree.
4. Remove the sapling from the container or place your seed in the hole. The base of the tree/sprout should be level with or slightly above the ground. Replace the soil you’ve dug out by filling in the hole around the tree and lightly tamping it. Mango trees grow best in loose soil, so avoid applying too much pressure to the plot as you refill the hole.^[5]
5. 
   3
   Fertilize the tree.
6. For the first year, fertilize your mango tree/sprout once a month with a non-chemical fertilizer. A fertilizer with a 6-6-6-2 mix should be good. You can dissolve the fertilizer in a bit of warm water for application, and keep the solution on hand for your monthly use.
7. 
   4
   Water your mango tree.
8. Mango trees don’t like a ton of water, but the first week watering should be slightly above average. Give the plant a few tablespoons of water every other day for the first week, and then water them only once or twice a week for the first year. You can implement an irrigation system for the tree once it is a year old, and allow the natural rainwater to do its job.
9. 
   5
   Keep weeds at bay.
10. Weeds can become a serious problem around your mango trees if not dealt with on a regular basis. Make sure to weed regularly, removing any plants that sprout up near the trunk of the tree. Add a thick layer of mulch around the tree to help trap in moisture and prevent weed growth as well. You can add a bit of compost to the mulch as well to help supply the tree with added nutrients.
11. 
    6
    Prune your tree when necessary.
12. The goal of pruning is to allow for as much space for branches to form, as the fruit will develop at the end of the branches (known as terminal flowers). Cut branches 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the trunk if there is too much crowding near the center, typically after the last fruit of the season (in the fall). You can prune your tree to limit it’s outward growth as well, by simply cutting off branches that are too tall or wide. If you have questions about your specific mango tree, visit a local nursery and check in for tips there.
13. 
    7
    Harvest your mangoes.
14. Because mangoes vary in color, shape, and size from species to species, you can’t tell if the fruit is ripe until you cut it open. You can get a general sense depending on how soft and fragrant it is, but should use a knife to sample the fruit. When the meat is yellow through to the core, it is ready to eat. If it is still very white and hard, then wait 1-2 weeks before testing it again. If you do pick your fruit early, you can ripen it by keeping it in a paper bag in room temperature for a few days. A nice alternative if you have picked them early is to make a salad by julienning them and making a green mango salad that goes well with fish dishes. ^[6]

Tips

• Protect your young mango tree from winter frost by tenting or wrapping it securely with a blanket.
• Make sure it stays clear of too much water otherwise it would drown.
• Space mango trees approximately 12 feet (3.7 m) from other trees, or each other, for optimal growth.

Warnings

• Anthracnose fungus is deadly to mango trees because it attacks all parts of the tree. Apply fungicides at the first sign of black-spotted fruit.

Source : http://www.wikihow.com/Grow-a-Mango-Tree