How to Maintain Healthy Trees on Your Property
Trees make a wonderful addition to any property. They provide shade, beauty and homes to a myriad of tree-dwelling creatures from birds to squirrels to lizards. Keeping your trees happy and healthy will keep the air around you cleaner and the view more serene.
Consult an Expert
If you have a grand old oak, pine or even fruit trees in your yard, the first step to their happiness is to consult with a trained arborist Marietta GA or your town’s city hall to get recommendations for improving soil conditions, water drainage and trimming. Let the expert give your trees a once-over and help you create a yearly checklist for maintaining tree health.
Take Care of the Roots
Even though humans enjoy what grows above the ground, it’s still very important to care for your trees’ root systems. There are several components to keeping healthy tree roots. An arborist can help you determine when and if your tree needs to be fertilized (some don’t) and recommend a watering schedule if the area you live in doesn’t get enough rain. A layer of mulch is necessary to protect the tree from lawn equipment, discourage weed growth, and preserve moisture. Choose biodegradable mulch that looks appealing. Finally, know your tree’s root system. Be careful where you dig. A tree’s roots can easily extend 10-20 feet beyond the longest branches.
Prune Thoughtfully
Pruning a tree means removing any limbs that are weak, dead or diseased. Thinning a tree means removing certain branches to help maintain the structural integrity or shape of the tree. A carefully cut tree is often stronger because, in a heavy storm, it doesn’t have to bear the weight of extra branches. Usually, a tree should be pruned or thinned before spring growth, but consult an expert in case your tree requires a different schedule.
Trees are an amazing gift from Mother Nature. As stewards of the earth, we should do our utmost to care for them. A strong vigorous tree is a real sight to behold.
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Beyond Chips: How to Taste Chocolate That Melts Your Heart
If you grew up enjoying only main-brand industrial chocolate between bites of popcorn in a movie theater, you may have no inkling of how much flavor can be drawn from thoughtfully-crafted confectionery. Artisan chocolate provides sensory experiences such that the taste nuances from even a single bite can linger long after you have swallowed. Use these tasting tips to derive the most epicurean pleasure when sampling refined chocolates.
Appearance
You can’t judge a book by its cover, but you can judge chocolate by its looks. If you are looking for a hand-crafted piece, examine the selection under glass. Most chocolate display case manufacturers provide brightly-lit encasements that offer perfect climate control; the chocolate should have a rich, smooth appearance with no cracking or flaking. Chocolate should look uniform with no white or gray clouds dotting the surface. No candy should look waxy or scarred.
Nose
Breathe in the scents of the candy with your mouth slightly open so that the aroma slides across your palate. You should smell chocolate primarily, with no other ingredients, such as vanilla, dominating. If it came from a bakery or cafe, be certain that the smells of those shops are not embedded within. Breaking off a piece from a bar will release more aromas; an additional quality note that comes from this action is that your chocolate should snap cleanly.
Taste and Feel
Your final task is that for which you have been waiting. Taste the confection by letting it sit on your tongue; resist the urge to chew immediately. The piece should become creamy and velvety as it slowly melts. Its texture should not be grainy, sandy or waxy. When you bite into it, you should not find it harsh-tasting; flavors should be complex and subtle. The flavors should sit on your tongue long after you swallowed.
As you try varieties of luxury chocolates, you will discover the range of complex flavors available. Superior chocolate can be pricey, but the more you grow as a taster, the more you will appreciate that the cost is worth it.
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How to Keep Your Coworkers Safe at Your Factory
Factories present many health hazards to the people who operate them. Between machines running at high speeds and dangerous chemicals sitting near each other, you can easily imagine different disasters occurring. If you’re in charge of your factory’s safety, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the countless safety hazards around you. However, by taking these steps, you can greatly reduce the chances of an accident at your workplace.
Invest in High-Quality Equipment
This may seem like a tip for your accounting or purchasing departments, but having high-quality equipment is actually a safety issue. For example, if you buy cheap industrial blenders, they are more likely to malfunction and cause a chemical spill. Speak to your supervisor about upgrading your machines to the most expensive model you can afford. Not only does this investment protect you and your coworkers, but it also increases your efficiency and productivity.
Purchase and Promote PPE
Personal protective equipment includes any materials that keep you safe from hazards. Essentials for every workplace today are goggles, gloves, and face masks. Ask your coworkers to bring their own reusable face masks to avoid creating extra waste. However, if a worker shows up without a mask, you must either ask him or her to leave or provide a disposable one. Do not become lax about these safety regulations. Unless you and your coworkers wear your PPE as directed, you risk having your factory shut down.
Encourage Alterness in the Workplace
You can’t control how much sleep your coworkers get or what they do on their time off. Still, you have a responsibility to educate them about the hazards of operating machinery while fatigued. Furthermore, don’t forget to send regular reminders about the importance of being sober at work.
Put these tips into practice to make your factory the safest in your area.
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