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Anything that gives a "tip" on a subject
Updated on Aug 13, 15
Created on May 02, 14
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Dave Bloodgood's List: TIPs
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Jan 31, 14Its your monthly Garden Talk Newsletter from your garden resource, Walter Andersen Nursery! www.walterandersen.comIs this email not displaying correctly?
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F E B R U A R Y
Our news for February includes things for your sweet and for those that tweet. Valentine's Day is Feb. 14 and we've got some Gift Suggestions that your love will love! Old Ben hasn't forgotten about one of his loves—birds and has a reminder that this month is the 17th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count and tells us why it's kind to Feed the Birds in winter. Learn what Container Trends are relevant for 2014 as well as the Plants of the Year. We've got loads of special Savings and Coupons, and Tool Shed Products you'll want to try. Ken Andersen tells you how to start a Home Vineyard and Walter, Jr. reminds you to enjoy Growing Blueberries.
Download the FEBRUARY Newsletter pdf
February Special! 4" Color Bedding
February Coupons! Savings on E.B. Stone Products,
House Plants, and Potting SoilSee newsletter for details. download pdf
The Plants Of Love
The nursery used to sell a book entitled, ‘Plants of Love’ by Christian Ratsch which detailed the history of aphrodisiacs from A to Z, actually Achillea millefolium (Yarrow) to Zingiber officinale (Ginger) with garlic, opium, and wheat in between. However, try passing any of those off as a valentine on Feb. 14, and you are guaranteed to spend this day of love, sleeping solo on the sofa.
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"Plants Of The Year" Are...
Every year the National Garden Bureau selects an annual, perennial, and vegetable as the plants of the year. This year, Echinacea, Petunias, and Cucumbers walked away with the honors. Echinacea, also called Coneflower, was chosen as the perennial for the National Garden Bureau’s 2014 ‘Year of Program’ because of the vast assortment of flower colors and shapes available...
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2014 Plant Trends
What do neon colors, black and white, and mixed annual combos in containers have in common? These are all trends for 2014, as predicted by the folks at HGTV Home and the HGTV Home Plant Collection. It is touted that these trends provide sufficient plant choices to cover every fad and fashionable step a garden guru may take. Will container gardening ever go out of style?
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Cymbidium Orchids
Here is a great blooming plant to brighten your home during cool winter months. Cymbidium Orchids start blooming as the weather cools, some as early as November. They come in many colors and shades. The blooms last a long time also. You can bring them indoors when the blooms are pretty much fully open. If you bring them indoors when the buds have not opened fully...
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You Can Grow Blueberries
Who does not like Blueberries? Especially fresh Blueberries! Vaccinium corymbosum, the botanical name, is native to the north-eastern part of the U.S. Growers have found that if you amend...
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Tool Shed
If you’ve taken advantage of the spring-summer like weather this winter and cleaned out your tool shed, we’ve got some products you may consider putting on your empty shelves.
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National Bird Feeding Month
For those unaware, February is National Bird Feeding Month. During this month, we are encouraged to provide food, water and shelter for the birds. As many already know, February is one of the...
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Specials And Coupons
4" Color Bedding Special, Coupons for E.B. Stone Products, Potting Soil and House Plants. Old Ben has Bird Seed and More! See newsletter for details.
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Home Vineyard
San Diego has always been known for its tremendous weather, averaging 266 sunny days per year. That is one reason why we are so successful at growing so many fruits and vegetables here, and why sales of edibles have...
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February
ClassesCymbidium Orchids, Staghorn Ferns, Container Gardening, Spring Color, Fertilizers, Citrus, Avocado and more! See newsletter for the full list.
download pdfPOWAY12755 Danielson Court, Poway, CA 92064|{858} 513-4900
Hours: M-F 9-6, S-S 9-5SAN DIEGO
3642 Enterprise Street, San Diego, CA 92110 | {619} 224-8271
Hours: 8-5, 7 Days-a-Week
©2014 Walter Andersen Nursery, All rights reserved.
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Mar 01, 14Its your monthly Garden Talk Newsletter from your garden resource, Walter Andersen Nursery! www.walterandersen.comIs this email not displaying correctly?
View it in your browser.M A R C H
Before you plant Tomatoes, read what Chuck McClung thinks you should know and learn what his favorites are. Japanese Maples are now available and will soon be at their peak. We'll share how to grow them in San Diego county. The Drought Emergency is here so you'll be pleased to know that Mycorrhizal Fungi can improve the transfer of water and nutrients from your soil to plant, we'll explain how it works. Finally, we've got some New Products to brag about and Walter Jr. will reintroduce you to Bromeliads.
Download the MARCH Newsletter pdf
March Specials!
25% OFF Bare Root Fruit Trees
Buy 2, Get One Free on Decorative Ground Cover Mulch
Buy 2, Get One Free on 5-Gallon Roses
$5.00 OFF Ada Perry's Magic FormulaSee newsletter for details. download pdf
Tomato Tips
Tomatoes continue to be one of the most popular backyard vegetable crops. There’s simply nothing like the flavor of a homegrown tomato! With a few basic tips, growing your own tomatoes can be easy and fun. To start, you’ll need to decide whether to grow tomatoes from seeds or buy...
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Japanese Maples
Just in from Oregon are Acers, or Japanese Maples. As I write this article in February, some are leafed out but many are still dormant and are just trunks and branches. Not that it’s a bad thing to see them bare as you can clearly spot the interesting and structurally beautiful shapes the tree has.
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Container Gardening
Everyone has room to grow something. If you prefer not to bend down or get on the ground to plant, raised beds or planters are helpful. Growing your food and flowers in containers can help save your back, and bring plants to your balcony or patio. Most will do very well with a minimum of 4-6 hours of direct sun.
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Bromeliads
The Bromeliad family of plants is quite large. They are native to tropical parts of the world. Some grow to only a few inches tall and have tiny blooms, others grow to be quite large, 4’ or so across with bloom spikes to 10’ tall. Many are grown for the very colorful blooms which come from the center of the plant...
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Tool Shed
This is not an early April’s Fools prank and by the time you read this, you may already be the proud owner of a pair. A pair of Smart Mud gloves, that is.
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Did You Know?
Here's a new column that highlights mini-stories. This month: It's Not A Flower, Osmocote, What Colors Are The Roses?, Discontinued, and Almost Too Cute To Garden With.
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Company With Chickens
On March 8th, I will hold a class in the Poway store on “Why Chickens?” The first 50 attendees will receive a 19-page guide entitled, “My Pet Chicken Guide to Chicken Care.”
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Itty Bitty Pretties
Imagine being a plant with a description that boasts all your attributes with a mention of bearing ‘insignificant flowers’. That essentially means you...
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New To The Stores
New to the stores is Dr. Earth all organic sprays in two formulations; Final Stop Dr. Earth Weed & Grass Herbicide kills and controls a broad spectrum of weeds...
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March Specials
Bare Root Fruit Trees, Decorative Ground Cover Mulch, 5-Gallon Roses and Ada Perry's Magic Formula. Old Ben has Oriole Feeders and Food, Wild Bird Seed and More! See newsletter for details.
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Special Classes
Gourmet Gardening class with Renee Shepherd on April 12. Drip Irrigation class hosted by DIG on April 5. Both will be at our Poway store.
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When In Drought...
The governor declared that we are in a drought emergency. You probably already are aware that we have had record low rainfall and as we look at the...
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March Classes
Orchid Care, Kitchen Herbs, Spring Vegetables, Spring Flowers, Citrus, Container Plants, Tomato Varieties, Spring Rose Care, Backyard Chickens and more! See newsletter for the full list.
download pdfPOWAY12755 Danielson Court, Poway, CA 92064|{858} 513-4900
Hours: M-F 9-6, S-S 9-5SAN DIEGO
3642 Enterprise Street, San Diego, CA 92110 | {619} 224-8271
Hours: 8-5, 7 Days-a-Week
©2014 Walter Andersen Nursery, All rights reserved. -
Dec 31, 13s forecast, there's some care you'll need to give your plants. If they get frost nipped, we've got advice for you. Chuck McClung tells you how to take care of your Orchids this winter, and Walter, Jr. shares how to plant Bare Root Fruit Trees and Roses. Old Ben gives you a Bird Feeding primer—and it's all in the first newsletter of the new year, your January 2014 edition. Download the JANUARY Newsletter pdf
January Special!
20% OFF All Flower and Vegetable SeedsJanuary Coupons!
Savings on Select Planting Mixes and Potting SoilSee newsletter for details. download pdf
Get 'Em Now—Bare Root Roses Are Here
Bare root roses are generally available mid-December through February. This is the time of year when we will have the best selection of the best quality roses of the entire year. Our roses arrive in large boxes which are lined with plastic to prevent the...
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Bare Root Tree Facts
I’ve got some great reasons to buy bare root fruit trees this time of the year. For starters, you get the best selection as far as varieties go. Another perk is that they are much easier to transport in your car. Best of all, they cost less than when you purchase them in...
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Frost Damage Defense And Treatment
Although San Diego does not experience the extreme cold that other parts of the country deal with each winter, it can get cold. The closer you are to the coast, the less of an issue this can be but for those who live inland, down in a valley, or in the mountains...
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Winter Orchid Care
A plant’s winter needs differ from its needs during the rest of the year, and orchids are certainly no exception. Right now in the middle of winter, it’s colder, the days are shorter, and most importantly, your heater is likely on. So here are some winter care tips.
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Winter Bird Feeding
If you feed birds, you’re in good company. Feeding birds is one of North America’s favorite pastimes. A 2010 report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that about 65 million...
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Specials And Coupons
20% OFF Flower and Vegetable Seeds, Savings on Select Planting Mixes and Potting Soil, and Old Ben has Offers on Hummingbird Food, Niger Seed and More! See newsletter for details.
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January
ClassesSelecting Bare Root Fruit Trees, Camellia and Azalea Culture and Care, Rose Pruning, Spring Bulbs, Xeriscape and more! See newsletter for the full list.
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Oct 03, 13Its your monthly Garden Talk Newsletter from your garden resource, Walter Andersen Nursery! www.walterandersen.com
O C T O B E R
Happy Halloween—that's right, it's fall and October is upon us! This month, we've got a Halloween appetizer recipe for you to try, and if you like it, the good news is that you can omit one ingredient (the eyeball) and it's good for year-round eating. In the stores for fall is an array of pumpkins, onions, shallots, and garlic and you'll get the dirt on potatoes. Old Ben will share a spooky bird with you, and, it's not an owl! We've got some information on blue orchids and we apologize in advance if you're a fan, but we think they are scary enough for Halloween! Learn more about staghorn ferns, and don't miss savings on 4" bedding mums.
Download the OCTOBER Newsletter pdf
What's In Store For Fall
The best garlic starts now! Fall planting is off to a great start with onions, artichoke garlic, and shallots in the store now and potatoes expected in November. There are red, white, and yellow onion sets and yellow shallots. Artichoke-type garlic refers to sativums or softnecks, the kinds of garlics seen...
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Staghorn Ferns
Staghorn Fern is the common name used for most varieties of this member of the fern family. They are well suited to the San Diego environment, and are easy to grow. They prefer bright filtered light for most of the day. To give you an idea of what that means, think about them being in the full sun...
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Pumpkin Time
This year, both stores will have more pumpkins than ever before, and a wider assortment. Look for giant pumpkins and minis, the popular ‘Fairytale’ pumpkin, and some will be white, some blue, and lots of orange ones. Good for carving, eating, or...
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Oh, The Horror
There are some things, that when you see them, just look wrong. Like an over coiffed poodle, the haircut you get after showing the stylist a photograph, or blue orchids. I made a quick...
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October Specials
Gro-Power Fertilizer, 4" Bedding Mums, Deciduous Fruit Trees, Finch Socks, Nyjer Seed and More! See newsletter for details.
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Save The Date! Fall Rose Show
Walter Andersen Nursery in Poway will host its fourth annual Fall Rose Show Oct. 12-13. The show is free for exhibitors and attendees. Entries will be taken Oct. 12 from 8-10:30am with judging taking place from 11am-1pm...
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Turkey Vulture Is Halloween
The most widespread vulture in North America, the Turkey Vulture, is locally called “buzzard” in many areas. A Turkey Vulture standing on...
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October Tasks
Water for Santa Anas. Conrol weeds, feed ornamentals, palms and more. Plant Pansies, cool season veggies and more.
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Know Your Plants
One of my gardening mantras is, “know your plant.” This idea began for me from one of my professors in graduate school. He used to say, “Before you begin any research project, know your plant.” Anytime can be a...
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Goblin Eyes Recipe!
Halloween is my favorite time of the year and at our house it is treated like a holiday and we extend it into November with a Day of the Dead celebration.
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Garden Classes
Winter Color, Camellia Care, Fall Rose Care, Prepping for Rose Show, Bonsai and more! Click for the full list.
download pdfPOWAY
12755 Danielson Court, Poway, CA 92064|{858} 513-4900
Hours: M-F 9-6, S-S 9-5SAN DIEGO
3642 Enterprise Street, San Diego, CA 92110 | {619} 224-8271
Hours: 8-5, 7 Days-a-Week
©2013 Walter Andersen Nursery, All rights reserved.
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Apr 01, 14
Welcome to your monthly Walter Andersen Nursery Newsletter! View this email in your browser 
Spring Is Officially Here!
And we have some big surprises! Chickens are coming to the Poway store. We are preparing housing for some chickens that we'll keep and we already have a Chicken Coop and yard for sale as well as Chicken Food from Old Ben. Walter has some ideas for Summer Color and we have a report on the dwindling Monarch Butterfly population and how you can help rebuild their numbers. Don't miss these special dates: April 20 both stores will be closed for Easter Sunday and the Rose Show will be held at the Poway store May 24-25. All bulbs are discounted 50% off the individual price. And be on the lookout for Walter Andersen Nursery Blue! We've redesigned our newsletter and will be branding WAN blue in the upcoming months.
Download April Newsletter pdf Why So Blue
WAN?
Out of the blue, we threw a new featured color into the newsletter. We did so after the realization that, like it or not, Walter Andersen Nursery was becoming known for having... Download pdf What To Plant For Future Color
April and May are the best months to plant your warmer weather bedding plants. It’s usually not too hot and the soil is warming up which gets your new plantings off to a great start. For optimum... Download pdf Attract Birds With Nesting Materials
Now is the perfect time to attract birds with nesting material and encourage them to take up residence in the backyard. This gives you the opportunity to see the entire life cycle of birds: from... Download pdf Garden Tours: What's Blooming
When traveling on vacation, a tour of a botanical garden sometimes appears on our ‘to do’ list. Over the recent President’s Day long weekend, we traveled with friends to LA and made time... Download pdf April Coupon +
Garden Classes
COUPON: 20% OFF Glazed + Terracotta Clay Pots. See newsletter for details.
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CLASSES: Grafting + Budding, Butterflies, Azaleas, Mother's Day Gifts, Peaches + More!Download pdf Redeem Hedge Fund$
If you are a preferred customer with Walter Andersen Nursery, you are earning Hedge Fund$, which is the name of the rewards program we introduced a few years ago. For every 500 points... Download pdf Got Milk (weed)? Get Monarchs!
Old Ben is always thinking about his feathered friends as well as winged creatures, such as Monarch butterflies. Therefore, he suggested, the time is right to add Milkweed... Download pdf Bonsai Care In
California
Bonsai is the practice of growing miniaturized trees or other plants in mature form in containers. This has been a practice in Japan and China for centuries. Bonsai are usually gown in ceramic containers... Download pdf Heavenly Bamboo Is Not Bamboo!
Nandina domestica is an ornamental plant that has been sold in San Diego for almost 100 years. The common name is Heavenly Bamboo. However, there is no relation to true... Download pdf Prune With
A Plan
We've all seen bad pruning jobs: the hedge with the big bare spot; the shrub that now resembles a Charlie Brown Christmas tree; the Camellia that never blooms because each year it is pruned... Download pdf Amaze Is Amazing & Can Save Work
No one I know likes weeds. They seem to be a constant problem in the garden. There is an easy way to gain better control of most of these nasty plants. Many weeds grow from seed that has been carried... Download pdf Which Came First: Chicken or Egg?
Neither, as first we need a coop! That’s right, our Poway store is working on setting up a chicken coop and if all goes according to plan, soon we’ll have about six chickens that you can visit. Download pdf 
walterandersen.com -
May 02, 14
May Brings Recipes for the Birds, Unexpected Places for Plants, and News
of 1st Prize Plants!It's May and we've got the blues—1st Prize Plants specially grown for Walter Andersen Nursery which you'll find in blue pots! Read how we've enhanced 'Buying Local' and have gone green by Going Blue. Walter tells you how to spot Citrus Leaf Miner and how to treat it. We're going to tell you what's Hot in the Garden and how you can get in on the action. If you asked a chef to Cook for Birds, what would the recipe look like? Old Ben will share a few with you. Finally, can you guess the qualities a Good Neighbor has?
Download May Newsletter pdf Blue Pots Mean
Locally-Grown
Walter Andersen Nursery is excited to announce the unveiling of its exclusive new series of locally-grown plants. The name of the series is 1st Prize Plants. They are available in four-inch sized blue and white... Download pdf Citrus Leaf Miner Is Easy To Spot
Citrus Leaf Miner is a relatively new insect to our county that arrived from Mexico in about 2000. It comes from a tiny moth that flies mostly at night and lands on the undersides of new growth. Download pdf Wild Bird Treats You Can Make
Watching birds has been a hobby of mine for the past 40 plus years. It brightens my day to see my feathered friends fluttering outside the window, and brings joy and wonder in the spring and summer to see... Download pdf 15th Annual Poway Rose Show
Don't forget, the 15th Annual Poway Rose Show is Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25. Categories include Single Stem, Mini Flora, Old-Fashioned, Fragrant, and Bouquet to name a few. Download pdf May Special:
1st Prize Plants
1st Prize Plants Introductory Price! 4" Color and Vegetables. See news for details. Download pdf Mother's Day Gifts Are Plentiful!
Mother’s Day is May 11 and both stores will have gift ideas that any gardening mom is sure to appreciate. Outside there are lots to choose from and inside you‘ll find houseplants, blooming color for... Download pdf To Do List:
May
Fertilize: Lawns, fruit trees, vegetables, palms and more. Pest Control: Watch for insects beginning to invade the garden. Find out what to use to keep them at bay. Plant: Learn what we have in stock this month. Download pdf May Garden Classes
Classes this month include Cactus and Succulents, Pet "Safer" Gardens, Composting, Tropical Plants, Lawns, Summer Veggies, Rose Care, Cymbidiums, Gardening Indoors, and Rose Show Prep. Download pdf Good Neighbors Worth Planting
There are two kinds of good neighbors. The ones that bring in your trash cans, let you borrow the proverbial cup of sugar, and are quick to silence their barking dogs. The others are quiet, require little... Download pdf Hotties In The Garden
Every year when they arrive, it’s with fanfare and once settled on the tables for sale, they are out of here quicker than you can stop the burn in your mouth they leave. We’re talking about the... Download pdf Rooftop
Gardens
I recently had the opportunity to be on the roof of a 23-story condo building in downtown Los Angeles. After getting my bearings and being reassured that a rogue wind wouldn’t take me over the edge, I took... Download pdf Old Ben's
Specials
Old Ben has specials that will keep the birds around your yard! Stop in for offers on Nyjer Seed, Peanut Nuggets, Dried Mealworms, Old Ben's Classic Wild Birdseed, Oriole Feeders and more. Download pdf walterandersen.com -
Apr 11, 14
Build your own raised bed with benches, recycled pallet tool rack, tree branch trellis, vertical herb planter, and much more. Is this email not displaying correctly?
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DIY Raised Bed with Benches
Wish gardening were a little easier and more comfortable? Then this is the project for you. It's higher than most raised beds, so you don't have to bend over as much, plus it has a bench on each side so you can sit while you plant, weed, and harvest. Really, it's an ideal set-up for older gardeners, folks with back or knee problems, or anyone simply looking to add an attractive bed to their garden space. Click here to watch the how-to video and download instructions.
DIY Garden Tool Rack (& More!)
A tool rack made from a couple of recycled wooden pallets. An eye-catching trellis fashioned from downed tree branches. An old wheelbarrow transformed into a convenient salad garden. These are just a few of the handy, easy-to-make projects you'll find in this creative DIY e-booklet from lifestyle and garden expert P. Allen Smith. There's even a fun container project for the kids! So grab a cup of tea, sit back, and take time to browse through and find out what you'll be doing come Saturday.
DIY Compost Tumbler
We think this DIY compost tumbler, made out of an old plastic drum mounted on a simple wooden frame, is a genius way to whip up a batch of homemade "gardeners' black gold." (Not sure what to put in the tumbler? Find out by reading How to Create a Compost Pile.) Join us on Facebook for other DIY projects, garden inspiration, and tried-and-true tips from gardeners like you.
Kitchen DIY: Roasted Asparagus
Asparagus season is fleeting, so you want to savor every spear. Our suggestion? Instead of steaming or boiling it (boring!), roast it using this simple, delicious recipe from blogger Stacy Harris. Crisp and flavorful, it'll make you fall in love with spring —and this tasty veggie — all over again.
More Projects & Tips!
- DIY Vertical Herb Planter
- Container Gardening Tips
- DIY Straw Bale Frame
- Regional Strawberry Gardening
- DIY Strawberry Pyramid
- Digital Gardening Tools
- DIY Fold-Down Greenhouse
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Mar 28, 14
Expert advice on growing veggies and herbs in containers, including 19 planting plans for pots. Lots of other spring gardening tips, too! Is this email not displaying correctly?
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An Easier Way to Garden
Creating a container garden is a genius way to grow your own herbs and vegetables. It doesn't matter if you’re short on space, short on time, new to gardening, dealing with poor soil, or just looking for an easy way to extend your existing garden area. All you need is a good-size pot, some quality potting soil, a sunny spot (even if it's on your driveway or a fire escape), and you're ready to plant! Visit our Container Gardening section for creative container garden designs, how-tos, helpful videos, fun projects, and lots of gorgeous inspiration.
Spinach Salad with Crispy Goat Cheese
Let's be honest: Anything with "Crispy Goat Cheese" in the title is bound to make your mouth start watering. But place it atop fresh-from-the-garden spinach salad, dress it with a tangy vinaigrette, and you've got a truly memorable lunch, appetizer, or side dish. (That is, of course, if the cheese even makes it onto the salad!) Get the recipe right here.
Chocolate Covered Jalapeños? Yes!
While it's too early for most gardeners to be planting peppers, it's never to soon to start dreaming about what you'd do with a big harvest. This heat n' sweet treat, discovered at the Chicago Garden & Flower Show, sparked quite a conversation on our Facebook page. Many folks loved the idea, while others were less enthusiastic — and still others suggested delicious variations involving cream cheese, peanut butter, or (naturally) bacon. Head on over to our Facebook page and join the conversation!
Edible Container Garden Ideas
Garden and lifestyle expert P. Allen Smith knows a little something about container gardening. He's a master at putting together combinations of plants that look as beautiful as they are useful in your kitchen. This e-booklet is filled with design ideas you'll want to try for yourself.
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Apr 16, 14If you can't see the image above, click 'display images'.
Hey Dave,
Do you struggle with confidence in your photography? I know, I do. I often times catch myself comparing my work to others. Why do we do that?The only photographer you should compare yourself to is your past self. (I wish I knew who said that so I could quote them) When you have a day where you are down, go back a year and look how far you come. I know you have grown so much, so enjoy that.Stop the comparison game.I absolutely LOVE this post about 5 ways to build your confidence as a photographer. #5 is so clever especially for some of us who are in the thick of raising kids.Head over and leave a comment telling us how you build your confidence. Let's help each other.
Image credit: Brigette Rebol Photography
While we are talking about confidence, you don't want to miss this one on how to feel miserable as a photographer.
Watch the voice in your head. If you aren't your biggest cheerleader, than who will be?
I have faith in you. I know that if you keep practicing and working hard than you will get where you want to be.
It may take you 3 months or 3 years but remember, this is YOUR journey. No one else's. Just you.
Thank you for allowing me to be a part of it. I'm honored and can't wait to see the amazing things you are able to achieve.
Keep clicking,
Courtney
P.S. I'm so inspired by the quote "A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle." in the post on building confidence. That I want to light some of your candles. For the next 4 weeks, I'll be featuring one image in our weekly updates. Share your photo on our Facebook wall with a link your website/Facebook page and your image may be selected to be featured in this email that goes to over 26,000 photographers eager to cheer you on.
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Mar 14, 14
Tips for growing beautiful berries, a DIY strawberry pyramid, a berry with pink blooms, cold protection for plants, and more. Is this email not displaying correctly?
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Get Ready for Strawberries
With the first official day of spring just a week away, it’s peak strawberry planting time in some parts of the country — while in others, Old Man Winter is hanging on with a tenacious grip. But no matter where you live, whether you’re planting or planning, simply the idea of fresh strawberries growing in your garden is something worth celebrating. For inspiration, planting tips, how-tos, and delicious recipes visit our Strawberries page.
A Taste of Spring
Lifestyle and garden expert P. Allen Smith takes to the kitchen with some truly tasty results. From Crispy Parmesan Asparagus Sticks your kids will love to a tartly refreshing Kale & Green Apple Smoothie, this e-booklet of beautifully photographed recipes pays delicious homage to spring’s green garden bounty.
A Souper Way to Conserve Water
Always on the lookout for creative garden goodies, we found this adorable tomato soup can-style rain barrel in Nashville, TN. It’s a great example of eye-catching yard art meets truly useful garden companion. Check us out on Instagram for more great garden finds, helpful tips, and behind-the-scenes action at Bonnie Plants.
Strawberry Almond Clafoutis
Whip up this delicious strawberry recipe in about 5 minutes, pop it into the oven, and less than an hour later you’ll be serving a to-die-for dessert or breakfast main dish. It’s one of the best ways we’ve found to celebrate the sweetness of fresh strawberries.
You Might Also Like
- A Strawberry with Hot Pink(!) Flowers
- Build a Strawberry Pyramid
- Protect Strawberries from the Cold
- Arugula and Strawberry Salad with Warm Goat Cheese
- Earliest Tomatoes on the Block
- One Simple Tip for a Bigger Harvest
- Read This Before You Till
- Creative Planting Plans for Containers and Raised Beds
- Try the Plant Food We Use in Our Greenhouses
- Row Cover Hoop House How-to
Copyright © 2014 Bonnie Plants, All rights reserved.
You are receiving our monthly newsletter because you signed up at www.bonnieplants.com.
Our mailing address is:
Bonnie Plants1727 Hwy 223Union Springs, Alabama 36089
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Feb 13, 14
Frost-fighting tips, giant cabbages, a simple way to help the hungry, and the perfect gardening gift for Valentine’s Day. Is this email not displaying correctly?
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Grow Food, Give Food
Planning your spring garden? If you plant an extra row or two, you could become part of the Plant a Row for the Hungry army of volunteers that provides fresh produce to local soup kitchens and food pantries. Some volunteers also enlist neighbors, or organize community gardens, to make an even bigger impact. Find out how you can help grow food for the hungry — and fill your heart as well as your harvest basket.
Plant, Grow, Love
It's no easy thing to grow a cabbage that weighs 20, 30, even 50 lbs. It's a labor of love, and one that happens over and over again every year through our 3rd Grade Cabbage Program. Raising these gigantic cabbages doesn't just teach kids to love gardening and being out in the great outdoors, either. It also helps bring families together, inspires joy, and creates wonderful memories. Join in the lovefest via these heartwarming stories and amazing photos.
Valentine's Day Gift for Gardeners
Give your green-thumb Valentine what he or she really wants by downloading and printing this nifty IOU for garden lovers. Not only will you score major dirty-fingernail points, but we’ll bet your hard work will be repaid with some fresh garden bounty once harvest time rolls around.
Brunch Alert: Kale Pastry
This savory Kale Pastry is just the thing to showcase on your next brunch menu. But we’ll give you fair warning: Once you pull it fresh from the oven, golden-crusted and mouthwateringly fragrant, there's an excellent chance it won't make it to the table intact. Bon appetit!
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- Veggies That Can Handle Frost
- How to Grow Strawberries
- DIY Fold-Down Greenhouse
- How to Grow Broccoli
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Apr 23, 14
STEAK BASICS
RIBEYES • NEW YORK • FILET MIGNON • TOP SIRLOIN
CATTLEMAN'S CUT • BASEBALL TOP • T-BONE AND PORTERHOUSE • FLATIRONIn our section on beef, we talk about the four elements for tasty and tender beef. They are youth, inactivity, proper feed, and proper aging. Once we have that product we apply the “inactive” rule to the animal itself. We can see that there are muscles that work hard. They are the front shoulders and the hind legs. The muscles in the back, along the spine, work the least. They are the ones, therefore, that are going to be the most tender.
All of the premium steaks (except one, we'll get to that later) come from the end of the shoulder blade back to the hip joint. In the industry, these are referred to as “middle meat” because they come from the middle of the back.
One more thing that you have to understand is that tenderness and flavor are at opposite ends of the spectrum. The more a muscle works, the more flavor it has. The less it works, the more tender it is. Although all of the “middle meat” steaks are appropriate for broiling or grilling, some are more tender than others, and some are more flavorful than others.
Choosing a steak is going to be a matter of personal preference. Each one has its own characteristics, and we will go through each one. Although our offerings are always excellent, there are times when one particular cut is showing exceptional quality. Ask your clerk for recommendations. Also, look for “special” signs. These do not just indicate a special price. They are volume purchases from selected plants that we have aged properly before presentation.
In grilling or broiling, the rule is “twelve minutes per inch” with moderately high heat. Most of our steaks are cut 1 1/4 inches. That translates to fifteen minutes of total cooking time, or 7 1/2 minutes on each side. This gives you a “medium rare” steak. We have gone to a great deal of trouble to present you with tender and flavorful steaks. We recommend only the simplest of seasonings. Salt, pepper, and garlic will enhance the flavor, not cover it up.
The first of the “middle meat” steaks, the rib section starts between the fifth and sixth ribs. The entire rib section runs from the sixth to the twelfth rib. This section is actually three muscles that overlap each other.
Since most fat is stored between muscles, the ribeye usually has more fat than the other cuts. Because of that, it has the richest flavor of all the steaks. They tend to be “soft” as well as tender. They also have
a great balance between tenderness and flavor.
They are available as a boneless steak or a bone-in steak. The bone-in ribeye is referred to as a “Delmonico.” It is exactly the same steak, but it still has the bone attached.
This is sometimes referred to as a “top loin,” “strip steak,” or, in New York, as a “sirloin.” It is actually a continuation of one of the muscles that makes up the ribeye. Unlike the ribeye, the New York is primarily a single muscle. Because of that and its location directly in the middle of the back, the difference between the ribeye and the New York is a textural one. While very tender, this steak has a firmer texture than its next door neighbor. Choosing between these two is really a toss-up. They are both good, tender, flavorful steaks.
All of the steaks that we are describing run along the spine on top of the ribs. The filet actually comes from underneath the spine where it does virtually no work at all. Because of this, it is the most tender of all the steaks. If you remember the rule, though, you will realize that it will also be the least flavorful of all. If tenderness alone is your criteria, this is the one for you. Flavor is usually enhanced by such methods as wrapping with bacon, stuffing with bleu cheese or mushrooms, or topping with various sauces.
Because it is a small muscle, the filet is normally cut thick, around 1 3/4 inches. That provides a serving portion of around 8 oz. When cooking, it is treated as a “four-sided” steak. The cooking time can be 16 to 24 minutes. That will translate to 4 to 6 minutes per side.
This is the last of the “middle meat.” It runs from the end of the New York to the hip joint. It is the one that works the most, is the least tender, and has the most flavor. It is said to have gotten its name from Henry VIII, who pulled out his sword, tapped it, and dubbed it “Sir Loin.”
This can really be the “king” of steaks. With its inherent flavor, when you get one that is tender, it is unsurpassed. Even with proper beef, this can be tricky, but, if flavor is your criteria, this is the steak for you.
For some reason, the thicker you cut a top sirloin, the more tender it becomes. The Cattleman's is a top sirloin that has been cut between 1 3/4 and two inches thick. Do not be afraid of them. They are the simplest thing in the world to cook. Simply place on a covered grill for ten minutes on the first side, and fifteen to twenty minutes on the second. Check it with a good testing thermometer and cook to an internal temperature of 135 degrees. This is probably the ultimate combination of both flavor and tenderness. We normally offer these in “USDA Prime” grade. We have never seen a bad Cattleman's Cut!
This one is unique. There is one steak that is the transition point from the New York to the top sirloin. It has a “seam” of tendon in the center. If you hold it in one hand and press upward with one finger, it will stretch into a “ball.” With that little “seam,” it resembles a baseball. Thus, it got its name. A few restaurants got ahold of these and put them on their menus. They are extemely tender and flavorful, but, the problem is, there are only two “true” baseballs on the whole animal. That would make them more precious than filets. The solution was to create a “baseball style” steak.
The top sirloin actually consists of two muscles. If you remove the top one, you are left with a single muscle that is the more tender of the two. From that, the steaks are cut into thick, individual servings. They actually mimic a filet in size and appearance. They are, of course, much more flavorful than the filet. In cooking, they can be treated as a “four-sided” steak, or they can be cooked in the same manner as the cattleman's.
Because they are extremely lean, we recommend that they be coated in olive oil before grilling. We offer an “Italian” baseball that is marinated in extra virgin olive oil, chopped garlic, fresh parsley, and cracked black pepper.
These are cut, bone-in, from the loin section. The larger of the two muscles that you see is actually a “New York.” The smaller muscle on the other side of the bone is the filet.
The whole filet, as it sits below the spine, is large at one end and tapers down to a flat point at the other. The first few steaks that come off of this section have the larger sized filets. These are called “porterhouse” steaks. The name comes from them being the most prized steaks offered in “ale houses” in the 1800s. By definition, the filet on the porterhouse must be at least 2-¼ inches across.
As you progress down the loin, the filet becomes smaller and smaller. These steaks are referred to as “T-bones” because of the shape of the bone. Very simply, these steaks are simply a bone-in combination of New York/filet.
This is the only premium steak that does not come from the “middle meat.” The flatiron is actually one of the muscles that make up the “chuck,” or shoulder. Coming from there, you would not think that it could be tender. The fact is that it was found to be the second most tender muscle in the animal. It is second only to filet mignon. Its name comes from its size and shape. It is long and flat and varies in thickness from 3/4 to 1 inch.
Besides the incredible flavor and incredible tenderness, we love these things because they are so quick and simple to cook. Just 3-5 minutes per side over a medium hot fire and they are on the table.
THE GRADING SYSTEM
We recognize three grades of beef. They are USDA Prime, USDA Choice, and “USDA ROADKILL!” (That's our name for “USDA Select”). Choice and Prime beef are the only ones that we carry, and the only ones that our customers deserve!
Just what is the grading process? What is the grader looking for? He is looking for the first three of the essentials that we talked about in the beginning: youth, inactivity, and proper feed! First of all, grading is the second step. All beef is inspected for wholesomeness. From that point, it can optionally be sent to the grader.
These are the actual criteria he uses to make his judgment:
1. Conformation - This is generally the thickness of the muscle. Beef cattle are bred to have short, thick bodies. Dairy cattle are bred to be tall and long. The first thing the grader looks for, then, is that the muscle is thick and full.
2. Maturity - Without going into too much detail, there are areas which the grader can tell the age of the animal. It has to do with cartilage that, on an older animal, would have turned to bone. The second thing the grader looks for is youth.
3. Color and Texture - Having the proper color and texture can also help determine
the age of the animal. Again, older animals are not acceptable.
4. Intramuscular Fat (Marbling) -The presence of marbling is both an indication that
the animal has been inactive and that it has had proper finishing on a high sugar feed.THE BEEF BASICS: YOUTH, INACTIVITY, PROPER FEED, AND PROPER AGING!
ENJOY!
THE DRY-AGING PROCESS
During the aging process, natural enzymes act to both tenderize the meat and develop complex flavors. In our dry aging program we age in a vacuum sealed bag for a minimum of 30 days. It is then opened and exposed to the air for a minimum of 14 days.
Exposing it in this manner introduces a certain amount of de-hydration. This greatly intensifies the flavor, deepens the color, and increases tenderness.
Only cuts that are naturally protected by fat and bones can be processed in this manner. The extra time, handling, loss of weight by de-hydration, and trimming and discarding the exposed meat make this an expensive process.
The extremely tender and intensely flavored meat is well worth the effort. -
Apr 18, 14
AW Extras 4/17/14 - 10 Things You Need to Know About Plastic Lumber
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10 Things You Need to Know About Plastic Lumber
By Brad Holden
No, we haven’t changed our name to American Plasticworker. I love wood, with all its beautiful textures, figures and smells. But I also enjoy experimenting with different materials. So I decided to try some of the plastic lumber available at my local home center. It costs $3 to $6 per bd. ft.—considerably more expensive than treated pine, which costs about $2 per bd. ft. at my lumberyard. Plastic wood also holds little of the beauty and romance of real wood, but its big advantages are durability and the fact that it requires no finishing and little maintenance other than an occasional rinse with the garden hose. I also like the idea that many brands are made from recycled materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Some manufacturers sell only the plastic boards; others also sell plastic wood furniture and furniture kits (see "Where to buy it" and Source, below). Of course, you can also design and build your own plastic lumber furniture, but you need to consider several things when you do.
1. It's very durable.
Plastic wood is particularly well-suited for outdoor furniture. It is unaffected by water and has ultraviolet (UV) inhibitors added to protect it from the damage caused by long-term exposure to the sun. This means it will last a long time without cracking, warping or rotting.
Click any image to view a larger version.
2. Choose from two types
Two primary types of plastic lumber are available. One is all plastic. The other is a composite made of plastic and wood fiber. Some of the plastic that goes into this lumber is new, but most comes from recycled milk jugs, pop bottles, grocery bags and similar waste plastic. The manufacturers of the composite plastic lumber add ground-up waste wood. This makes the lumber stiffer than the all-plastic type.
You may find flecks of other colored plastic on the inside of some all-plastic boards. This is due to the recycled nature of the material. Also, when you cut the all-plastic material, you will notice air bubbles of varying sizes in the core of some boards. One board may have no bubbles, but another may have many.
3. Lots of colors and sizes are available
Plastic lumber comes in a wide assortment of colors and sizes. The selection varies among brands (see "Where to buy it" below). Composite plastic lumber comes mainly in subdued earth tones; the all-plastic products come in a range of bold colors. Both types offer sizes comparable to construction lumber. You will find, for example, 1x, 2x and 5/4 boards, even 4x4 and 6x6 posts. Most manufacturers offer lengths up to 16 ft. And 4 x 8-ft. sheet stock is also available in 1/4-in. or greater thicknesses.
4. Caution: It can sag
All-plastic lumber bends easily under weight. The wood fibers make the composite-plastic lumber stiffer, but not as stiff as the real stuff. Adequate support is important when you’re building with all-plastic or composite lumber. Most manufacturers recommend 16 in. as the maximum span for 5/4-thick material when you use it as decking material. Because of its flexibility, plastic lumber should never be used in a structural application, such as joists or a supporting wall. High summer temperatures can also cause sagging. When using plastic lumber to build outdoor furniture, you should plan to beef up your design to avoid flexing or sagging; you may have to experiment a bit.
5. It's heavy
At 4 to 5 lbs. per bd. ft., plastic wood is heavier than oak. Here are some numbers for comparison.
6. Texture provides traction
The majority of plastic lumber is manufactured with some kind of texture on at least one side. Some types have wood grain; others have a random pattern. These textures offer visual appeal and provide traction for decking use. A number of the manufacturers make a board that has a “flip side,” with wood grain on one side and a smoother pattern on the other. These textures are only on the surface, so if you don’t like either face, you can plane them off. I find this a big plus when building furniture. It gives you design options: textured, smooth or planed.
Fun fact: An Adirondack chair made from recycled plastic lumber keeps approximately 400 milk jugs from going into a landfill.
7. It's fun to bend
I had a lot of fun bending plastic lumber. The all-plastic material in particular is unbelievably bendable when heated. Because of this, it works very well for decorative projects, such as a garden trellis (see right top photo).
One really cool method is to use a heat gun on the all plastic stuff and bend or twist it as you would wrought iron. Using a form, you can create some pretty intricate shapes. Obviously, the smaller the stock, the sharper the bend you can make. You have to thoroughly heat the material until the surface starts to bubble slightly and look almost liquid for it to become really pliable. Also, leave the bent piece in the form until it has completely cooled or it will spring back. This heat gun technique doesn’t work on the composite lumber, though, because the wood fiber starts to burn before the part becomes bendable.
To bend larger boards (see middle photo), you can make an inexpensive heating oven (see bottom photo). The plastic lumber needs to be heated to 125 degrees to its core, which can take an hour or two. You can then bend the board around a form until it’s cool. Plastic lumber will spring back when you take it off the form, so you should do some experimenting first and bend it to a tighter radius than you want. The composite lumber is not as bendable as the all-plastic lumber and will break like particleboard if you bend it too far.
This bent 1x4 all-plastic board was heated in the oven, bent by hand around a form and then clamped in place to cool. It sprang back about 50 percent when I took it out of the form.
Bending thin strips of plastic lumber is very easy. With a heat gun, a bending jig and a little creativity, you can open up a world of possibilities.
Make this simple 6- ft.-long oven from hardware-store materials to heat larger boards for bending. Note: I’ve cut an opening in the top only to show you what the inside looks like.
8. Where to buy it
9. Work it as easily as wood
You can plane it, saw it—you name it. Plastic lumber can be cut and shaped using ordinary woodworking tools. I tried some common hand tools—hand planes, chisels, saws—and found little difference from using them on wood. OK, hand-planing a piece of plastic does seem inherently weird, but it works quite well and there’s no grain direction to worry about. Using hand tools on the composite lumber was slightly more difficult than using them on all-plastic pieces.
Plastic lumber machines great with power tools. It’s just as easy as wood! Power tools zip right through it. When routing, you will get clean, crisp edges and no splintering. It’s comparable to working with pine or poplar. It is more abrasive than wood, though, so use carbide tools. I found dust collection to be very important. It’s needed not only to collect the dust but also the plastic shavings, which tend to pick up a static charge and stick to everything, including clothes. To get all the shavings off, I had to vacuum my clothes.
Screwing and bolting are the preferred fastening methods. Gluing is generally not recommended, because no available glues stick very well to this type of plastic. I had some success with epoxy, but the test joints I tried still broke more easily than a similar wood joint. Epoxy might be useful in some situations, but you should still secure the joint with screws or bolts if it will be exposed to any stress. Screws can be driven without predrilling, but the material tends to pucker around the head and may crack when screwed near the edge. Predrilling and countersinking remove the risk of cracking and will produce a cleaner look around the head. Stainless steel or coated deck screws are the best choices for outdoor use.
10. It's great for the patio
This bench may not end up in an art museum, but it’ll be great on the patio by the barbecue. All the parts are composite-plastic lumber. I beefed up the design by using all 5/4 materials and adding the center leg for extra support.
I avoided visible fasteners on the top and apron by pocket-screwing from underneath.
Source
Note: Product availability and prices are subject to change.
Taylor’s Recycled Plastic Products Inc., taylorsplasticlumber.com, 879-939-6072, White Adironack chair (shown on the lead photo).
This story originally appeared in American Woodworker May 2005, issue #114.
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Nov 06, 13
Ctrl+B –
Bold.
Ctrl+I – Italic.
Ctrl+U – Underline.
Ctrl+C, Ctrl+Insert – Copy selected text.
Ctrl+X, Shift+Delete – Cut selected text.
Ctrl+V, Shift+Insert – Paste text at cursor.
Ctrl+Z – Undo.
Ctrl+Y – Redo.
Ctrl+Left Arrow – Move cursor to beginning of previous word.
Ctrl+Right Arrow – Move cursor to beginning of next word
Ctrl+Backspace – Delete previous word.
Ctrl+Delete – Delete next word.
Ctrl+Up Arrow – Move cursor to beginning of paragraph.
Ctrl+Down Arrow – Move cursor to end of paragraph.
Mac Users: Use the Option key instead of the Ctrl key.
Shift+Left or Right Arrow Keys – Select characters one at a time.
Shift+Up or Down Arrow Keys – Select lines one at a time.
Shift+Ctrl+Left or Right Arrow Keys – Select words – keep pressing the arrow keys to select additional words.
Shift+Ctrl+Up or Down Arrow Keys – Select paragraphs.
Shift+Home – Select the text between the cursor and the beginning of the current line.
Shift+End – Select the text between the cursor and the end of the current line.
Shift+Ctrl+Home – Select the text between the cursor and the beginning of the text entry field.
Shift+Ctrl+End – Select the text between the cursor and the end of the text entry field.
Shift+Page Down – Select a frame of text below the cursor.
Shift+Page Up – Select a frame of text above the cursor.
Ctrl+A – Select all text.
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Nov 05, 13
42+ Text-Editing Keyboard Shortcuts That Work Almost Everywhere
Whether you’re typing an email in your browser or writing in a word processor, there are convenient keyboard shortcuts usable in almost every application. You can copy, select, or delete entire words or paragraphs with just a few key presses.
Some applications may not support a few of these shortcuts, but most applications support the majority of them. Many are built into the standard text-editing fields on Windows and other operating systems.
Image Credit: Kenny Louie on Flickr
Working With Words
We’re used to the arrow, Backspace, and Delete keys working with a single character at a time. However, we can add the Ctrl key to have them effect entire words or paragraph at the same time.
Ctrl+Left Arrow – Move cursor to beginning of previous word.
Ctrl+Right Arrow – Move cursor to beginning of next word
Ctrl+Backspace – Delete previous word.
Ctrl+Delete – Delete next word.
Ctrl+Up Arrow – Move cursor to beginning of paragraph.
Ctrl+Down Arrow – Move cursor to end of paragraph.
Mac Users: Use the Option key instead of the Ctrl key.
Image Credit: Renato Targa on Flickr
Moving the Cursor
The Ctrl key can also be combined with the Home and End keys.
Home – Move cursor to beginning of current line.
End – Move cursor to end of current line.
Ctrl+Home – Move cursor to top of the text entry field.
Ctrl+End – Move cursor to bottom of the text entry field.
Page Up – Move cursor up a frame.
Page Down – Move cursor down a frame.
Image Credit: Book Glutton on Flickr
Selecting Text
All of the above shortcuts can be combined with the Shift key to select text.
Shift+Left or Right Arrow Keys – Select characters one at a time.
Shift+Up or Down Arrow Keys – Select lines one at a time.
Shift+Ctrl+Left or Right Arrow Keys – Select words – keep pressing the arrow keys to select additional words.
Shift+Ctrl+Up or Down Arrow Keys – Select paragraphs.
Shift+Home – Select the text between the cursor and the beginning of the current line.
Shift+End – Select the text between the cursor and the end of the current line.
Shift+Ctrl+Home – Select the text between the cursor and the beginning of the text entry field.
Shift+Ctrl+End – Select the text between the cursor and the end of the text entry field.
Shift+Page Down – Select a frame of text below the cursor.
Shift+Page Up – Select a frame of text above the cursor.
Ctrl+A – Select all text.
You can use several of these shortcuts to fine-tine your selected text. For example, you could press Shift+End to select the text to the end of the current line, and then press Shift+Down to also select the line below it.
After selecting text, you can start typing immediately to replace the text – you don’t have to press Delete first.
Image Credit: James_jhs on Flickr
Editing
You can really speed up text-editing by using the Ctrl keyboard shortcuts to copy and paste text.
Ctrl+C, Ctrl+Insert – Copy selected text.
Ctrl+X, Shift+Delete – Cut selected text.
Ctrl+V, Shift+Insert – Paste text at cursor.
Ctrl+Z – Undo.
Ctrl+Y – Redo.
Formatting
Formatting shortcuts only work if the application or website you’re using supports text formatting. If you have text selected, the shortcut will apply the formatting to your selected text. If you don’t have text selected, the shortcut will toggle the associated formatting option.
Ctrl+B – Bold.
Ctrl+I – Italic.
Ctrl+U – Underline.
Image Credit: Tess Watson on Flickr
Functions
These function keys are common to most text-editing applications. If you use them in your web browser, you’ll open your browser’s associated dialogs.
Ctrl+F – Find. This opens the find dialog in most applications to search for text — I’ve even seen it work in some applications that didn’t have a Find option in their menus.
F3 – Find next.
Shift+F3 – Find previous.
Ctrl+O – Open.
Ctrl+S – Save.
Ctrl+N – New document.
Ctrl+P – Print.
These keys work in most applications, but are particularly useful in text editors:
Alt – Activate application’s menu bar. You can use the arrow keys to select a menu option and the Enter key to activate it.
Alt+F – Open File menu.
Alt+E – Open Edit menu.
Alt+V – Open View menu.
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Sep 28, 13
Keep It Simple: Here Are The Only 4 System and Security Tools You Need on Windows
Windows is complicated and needs many different system utilities and security tools to run well — or does it? We recently covered the many types of system tools you don’t need. Here are the few utilities you actually do need.
Rather than making your life complicated by piling questionable system tool on top of questionable system tool, focus on what’s really important. These are the tools that will actually do something for your PC.
Antivirus
HTG Explains: Why You Need An Antivirus on Windows, No Matter How Careful You Are
Whenever antivirus software is mentioned, someone always seems to chime up and say they don’t need an antivirus because they’re... [Read Article]Yes, you do need an antivirus on Windows. Even if you never download a single desktop program and you’re extremely careful, you could still be compromised by a zero-day vulnerability in a browser plug-in like Adobe Flash or your web browser itself.
No antivirus program is perfect, so you’ll still need to exercise some common sense, like not downloading and running programs you don’t trust. But an antivirus can give you some measure of additional protection and stop you if you’re about to make a mistake, which is particularly useful for less experienced users.
When it comes to choosing an antivirus program, you don’t need a paid security suite with a huge set of additional built-in tools. Just get yourself a solid antivirus — you can do this for free. We like to recommend Microsoft Security Essentials for being free, lightweight, and not trying to upsell you to a paid security solution. On Windows 8, Microsoft Security Essentials is named “Windows Defender” and is included by default.
Microsoft Security Essentials hasn’t been getting the best ratings in comparative antivirus tests. If you’re worried about that, you should try the highly-recommended avast! free antivirus instead. Paid antiviruses would work, too — they just aren’t essential when good antivirus protection can be had for free.
Backup Software
What Files Should You Backup On Your Windows PC?
Everybody always tells you to make sure that you are backing up your PC, but what does that really mean? And what files do you actually need to backup? Today we'll walk you through the basics of backing up your PC, what you should back up, and why. [Read Article]Regular backups are crucial. Many people don’t perform backups until they lose their important files in a hard drive crash and are unable to recover them. Don’t be one of these people — get yourself a solid backup solution and make regular backups.
There are many ways to back up your files. You could use the built-in Windows backup features and back up to an external hard drive, or you could use a cloud-based backup solution like CrashPlan. You could also just dump your files into Dropbox or another cloud storage service, encrypting them to ensure their privacy if they’re particularly sensitive.
How you back up your files is up to you — just be sure you have backup copies of your important files so you’re protected from disaster. Consider setting up backups to run automatically on a schedule so you won’t have to worry about them.
Temporary File Cleaner
You don’t need to constantly clean your computer’s temporary files, but they do build up over time. Such temporary files take up additional space on your hard drive, wasting space that you could be putting to use — this is especially true on computers with small solid-state drives.
If you haven’t wiped out your computer’s temporary files in a few years, you may notice a speed increase after you wipe them out. Microsoft even says that having useless temporary files on your hard drive can slow Windows down.
We recommend using CCleaner for this. It’s the best utility of its type, and it’s completely free. You could also just use the Disk Cleanup tool included with Windows. You don’t have to run these programs constantly — even once a week would be more than enough. Most people would even be fine using them once per month or less often. But every Windows user would benefit from occasionally wiping out temporary files, if only to free up space on their hard drives.
Don’t buy scammy, paid PC cleaning apps — use the Disk Cleanup tool included with Windows or get CCleaner. That’s all you need.
Beginner Geek: What Does CCleaner Do and Should You Use It?
These days, it seems like every Windows user has heard about CCleaner. It’s widely recommended, online and offline. But what... [Read Article]7 Ways To Free Up Hard Disk Space On Windows
Hard drives are getting larger and larger, but somehow they always seem to fill up. This is even more true... [Read Article]Windows Update and Built-In Updaters
The software we use every day — our web browsers, plug-ins like Flash and Java, and even Windows itself — is full of security holes. These security holes are found regularly, and security updates are constantly being released for them. To stay secure, it’s important to be up-to-date with the latest security patches. That’s why it’s essential to keep Windows, your web browser, and especially your browser plug-ins updated.
You can have Windows and most other applications automatically install updates in the background, so you don’t have to worry about them. We include this here because some users may disable automatic updates — it’s important to regularly perform updates, even if you set Windows and other programs to alert you instead of automatically installing updates. Regularly updating your programs will give you a much bigger security benefit than using a third-party outbound firewall will.
There’s no need for third-party software update checkers — if a program needs security updates, it should automatically update itself or prompt you.
If you have Java installed, uninstall it if you can. Java is a security disaster — most web users have an outdated, vulnerable version of Java installed. This is bad because most people don’t even need Java installed. Worse yet, Java tries to install obnoxious software like the terrible Ask toolbar when you install Java security updates.
What About Everything Else?
10 Types of System Tools and Optimization Programs You Don’t Need on Windows
Windows users see advertisements for all sorts of system tools and optimization utilities. It’s easy for companies to tell you... [Read Article]Windows has come a long way. Many system tools that were once necessary have been integrated and aren’t essential. For example, here are some tools you no longer need:
- Disk Defragmenter: Windows automatically defragments your hard drives in the background. You don’t need to worry about this. If you’re using a modern solid-state drive, defragmentation isn’t even necessary.
- Firewall: Windows includes a built-in firewall that blocks incoming connections. You shouldn’t need a firewall that lets you manage outgoing connections — if you don’t trust a program enough to let it contact the Internet, you probably shouldn’t be running it in the first place.
- Phishing Filter: Whether you’re using Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Opera, your browser has an integrated phishing and malware filter that helps protect you from bad websites. There’s no need to install a third-party one.
Other system tools aren’t useful at all. For example, registry cleaners, driver cleaners, memory optimizers, game boosters, third-party uninstallers — these tools aren’t useful or important.
Of course, many other system tools have situational benefits. For example, you may want to use a startup manager like the one built into Windows 8 or CCleaner to manage your startup programs. The above programs are the main ones average users need to worry about — if you’re a typical user, you don’t need PC cleaners, registry cleaners, or many of the other system utilities being pushed all over the web.
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Nov 05, 13
The 20 Most Important Keyboard Shortcuts For Windows PCs
Keyboard shortcuts are practically essential for using any type of PC. They’ll speed up almost everything you do. But long lists of keyboard shortcuts can quickly become overwhelming if you’re just getting started.
This list will cover the most useful keyboard shortcuts that every Windows user should know. If you haven’t used keyboard shortcuts much, these will show you just how useful keyboard shortcuts can be.
Windows Key + Search
The Windows key is particularly important on Windows 8 — especially before Windows 8.1 — because it allows you to quickly return to the Start screen. On Windows 7, it opens the Start menu. Either way, you can start typing immediately after you press the Windows key to search for programs, settings, and files.
For example, if you want to launch Firefox, you can press the Windows key, start typing the word Firefox, and press Enter when the Firefox shortcut appears. It’s a quick way to launch programs, open files, and locate Control Panel options without even touching your mouse and without digging through a cluttered Start menu.
You can also use the arrow keys to select the shortcut you want to launch before pressing Enter.
Copy, Cut, Paste
42+ Text-Editing Keyboard Shortcuts That Work Almost Everywhere
Whether you’re typing an email in your browser or writing in a word processor, there are convenient keyboard shortcuts usable... [Read Article]Copy, Cut, and Paste are extremely important keyboard shortcuts for text-editing. If you do any typing on your computer, you probably use them. These options can be accessed using the mouse, either by right-clicking on selected text or opening the application’s Edit menu, but this is the slowest way to do it.
After selecting some text, press Ctrl+C to copy it or Ctrl+X to cut it. Position the cursor where you want the text and use Ctrl+V to paste it. These shortcuts can save you a huge amount of time over using the mouse.
Search the Current Page or File
To quickly perform a search in the current application — whether you’re in a web browser, PDF viewer, document editor, or almost any other type of application — press Ctrl+F. The application’s search (or “Find”) feature will pop up, and you can instantly start typing a phrase you want to search for.
You can generally press Enter to go to the next appearance of the word or phrase in the document, quickly searching through it for what you’re interested in.
Switch Between Applications and Tabs
Rather than clicking buttons on your taskbar, Alt+Tab is a very quick way to switch between running applications. Windows orders the list of open windows by the order you accessed them, so if you’re only using two different applications, you can just press Alt+Tab to quickly switch between them.
If switching between more than two windows, you’ll have to hold the Alt key and press Tab repeatedly to toggle through the list of open windows. If you miss the window you want, you can always press Alt+Shift+Tab to move through the list in reverse.
To move between tabs in an application — such as the browser tabs in your web browser — press Ctrl+Tab. Ctrl+Shift+Tab will move through tabs in reverse.
Quickly Print
If you’re the kind of person who still prints things, you can quickly open the print window by pressing Ctrl+P. This can be faster than hunting down the Print option in every program you want to print something from.
Basic Browser Shortcuts
47 Keyboard Shortcuts That Work in All Web Browsers
Each major web browser shares a large number of keyboard shortcuts in common. Whether you’re using Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome,... [Read Article]Web browser shortcuts can save you tons of time, too. Ctrl+T is a very useful one, as it will open a new tab with the address bar focused, so you can quickly press Ctrl +T, type a search phrase or web address, and press Enter to go there.
To go back or forward while browsing, hold the Ctrl key and press the left or right arrow keys.
If you’d just like to focus your web browser’s address bar so you can type a new web address or search without opening a new tab, press Ctrl + L. You can then start typing something and press Enter.
Close Tabs and Windows
To quickly close the current application, press Alt+F4. This works on the desktop and even in new Windows 8-style applications.
To quickly close the current browser tab or document, press Ctrl+W. This will often close the current window if there are no other tabs open.
Lock Your Computer
When you’re done using your computer and want to step away, you may want to lock it. People won’t be able to log in and access your desktop unless they know your password. You can do this from the Start menu or Start screen, but the fastest way to lock your screen is by quickly pressing Windows Key + L before you get up.
Access the Task Manager
Ctrl+Alt+Delete will take you to a screen that allows you to quickly launch the Task Manager or perform other operations, such as signing out.
This is particularly useful because if can be used to recover from situations where your computer doesn’t appear responsive or isn’t accepting input. For example, if a full-screen game becomes unresponsive, Ctrl+Alt+Delete will often allow you to escape from it and end it via the Task Manager.
Windows 8 Shortcuts
On Windows 8 PCs, there are other very important keyboard shortcuts. Windows Key + C will open your Charms bar, while Windows Key + Tab will open the new App Switcher. These keyboard shortcuts will allow you to avoid the hot corners, which can be tedious to use with a mouse.
On the desktop side, Windows Key + D will take you back to the desktop from anywhere. Windows Key + X will open a special “power user menu” that gives you quick access to options that are hidden in the new Windows 8 interface, including Shut Down, Restart, and Control Panel.
If you’re interested in learning more keyboard shortcuts, be sure to check our longer lists of 47 keyboard shortcuts that work in all web browsers and 42+ keyboard shortcuts to speed up text-editing.
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Nov 05, 13
47 Keyboard Shortcuts That Work in All Web Browsers
Each major web browser shares a large number of keyboard shortcuts in common. Whether you’re using Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Apple Safari, or Opera – these keyboard shortcuts will work in your browser.
Each browser also has some of its own, browser-specific shortcuts, but learning the ones they have in common will serve you well as you switch between different browsers and computers. This list includes a few mouse actions, too.
Tabs
Ctrl+1-8 – Switch to the specified tab, counting from the left.
Ctrl+9 – Switch to the last tab.
Ctrl+Tab – Switch to the next tab – in other words, the tab on the right. (Ctrl+Page Up also works, but not in Internet Explorer.)
Ctrl+Shift+Tab – Switch to the previous tab – in other words, the tab on the left. (Ctrl+Page Down also works, but not in Internet Explorer.)
Ctrl+W, Ctrl+F4 – Close the current tab.
Ctrl+Shift+T – Reopen the last closed tab.
Ctrl+T – Open a new tab.
Ctrl+N – Open a new browser window.
Alt+F4 – Close the current window. (Works in all applications.)
Mouse Actions for Tabs
Middle Click a Tab – Close the tab.
Ctrl+Left Click, Middle Click – Open a link in a background tab.
Shift+Left Click – Open a link in a new browser window.
Ctrl+Shift+Left Click – Open a link in a foreground tab.
Navigation
Alt+Left Arrow, Backspace – Back.
Alt+Right Arrow, Shift+Backspace – Forward.
F5 – Reload.
Ctrl+F5 – Reload and skip the cache, re-downloading the entire website.
Escape – Stop.
Alt+Home – Open homepage.
Zooming
Ctrl and +, Ctrl+Mousewheel Up – Zoom in.
Ctrl and -, Ctrl+Mousewheel Down — Zoom out.
Ctrl+0 – Default zoom level.
F11 – Full-screen mode.
Scrolling
Space, Page Down – Scroll down a frame.
Shift+Space, Page Up – Scroll up a frame.
Home – Top of page.
End – Bottom of page.
Middle Click – Scroll with the mouse. (Windows only)
Address Bar
Ctrl+L, Alt+D, F6 – Focus the address bar so you can begin typing.
Ctrl+Enter – Prefix www. and append .com to the text in the address bar, and then load the website. For example, type howtogeek into the address bar and press Ctrl+Enter to open www.howtogeek.com.
Alt+Enter – Open the location in the address bar in a new tab.
Search
Ctrl+K, Ctrl+E – Focus the browser’s built-in search box or focus the address bar if the browser doesn’t have a dedicated search box. (Ctrl+K doesn’t work in IE, Ctrl+E does.)
Alt+Enter – Perform a search from the search box in a new tab.
Ctrl+F, F3 – Open the in-page search box to search on the current page.
Ctrl+G, F3 – Find the next match of the searched text on the page.
Ctrl+Shift+G, Shift+F3 – Find the previous match of the searched text on the page.
History & Bookmarks
Ctrl+H – Open the browsing history.
Ctrl+J – Open the download history.
Ctrl+D – Bookmark the current website.
Ctrl+Shift+Del – Open the Clear Browsing History window.
Other Functions
Ctrl+P – Print the current page.
Ctrl+S – Save the current page to your computer.
Ctrl+O – Open a file from your computer.
Ctrl+U – Open the current page’s source code. (Not in IE.)
F12 – Open Developer Tools. (Requires Firebug extension for Firefox.)
Does one of these keyboard shortcuts not work in a specific browser, or is there another important one we missed here? Leave a comment and let us know.
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May 14, 13
Geek School: Learn How to Use Excel Macros to Automate Tedious Tasks
One of the more powerful, but seldom used functions of Excel is the ability to very easily create automated tasks and custom logic within macros. Macros provide an ideal way to save time on predictable, repetitive tasks as well as standardize document formats – many times without having to write a single line of code.
If you are curious what macros are or how to actually create them, no problem – we will walk you through the entire process.
What is a Macro?
A Microsoft Office Macro (as this functionality applies to several of the MS Office Applications) is simply Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) code saved inside a document. For a comparable analogy, think of a document as HTML and a macro as Javascript. In much of the same way that Javascript can manipulate HTML on a webpage, a macro can manipulate a document.
Macros are incredibly powerful and can do pretty much anything your imagination can conjure. As a (very) short list of functions you can do with a macro:
- Apply style and formatting.
- Manipulate data and text.
- Communicate with data sources (database, text files, etc.).
- Create entirely new documents.
- Any combination, in any order, of any of the above.
Creating a Macro: An Explanation by Example
We start with your garden variety CSV file. Nothing special here, just a 10×20 set of numbers between 0 and 100 with both a row and column header. Our goal is to produce a well formatted, presentable data sheet which includes summary totals for each row.
As we stated above, a macro is VBA code, but one of the nice things about Excel is you can create/record them with zero coding required – as we will do here.
To create a macro, go to View > Macros > Record Macro.
Assign the macro a name (no spaces) and click OK.
Once this is done, all of your actions are recorded – every cell change, scroll action, window resize, you name it.
There are a couple of places which indicate Excel is record mode. One is by viewing the Macro menu and noting that Stop Macro has replaced the option for Record Macro.
The other is in the bottom right corner. The ‘stop’ icon indicates it is in macro mode and pressing here will stop the recording (likewise, when not in record mode, this icon will be the Record Macro button, which you can use instead of going to the Macros menu).
Now that we are recording our macro, let’s apply our summary calculations. First add the headers.
Next, apply the appropriate formulas (respectively):
- =SUM(B2:K2)
- =AVERAGE(B2:K2)
- =MIN(B2:K2)
- =MAX(B2:K2)
- =MEDIAN(B2:K2)
Now, highlight all the calculation cells and drag the length of all our data rows to apply the calculations to each row.
Once this is done, each row should display their respective summaries.
Now, we want to get the summary data for the entire sheet, so we apply a few more calculations:
Respectively:
- =SUM(L2:L21)
- =AVERAGE(B2:K21) *This must be calculated across all data because the average of the row averages does not necessarily equal the average of all the values.
- =MIN(N2:N21)
- =MAX(O2:O21)
- =MEDIAN(B2:K21) *Calculated across all data for the same reason as above.
Now that the calculations are done, we will apply the style and formatting. First apply general number formatting across all the cells by doing a Select All (either Ctrl + A or click the cell between the row and column headers) and select the “Comma Style” icon under the Home menu.
Next, apply some visual formatting to both the row and column headers:
- Bold.
- Centered.
- Background fill color.
And finally, apply some style to the totals.
When all is finished, this is what our data sheet looks like:
Since we are satisfied with the results, stop the recording of the macro.
Congratulations – you have just created an Excel macro.
In order to use our newly recorded macro, we have to save our Excel Workbook in a macro enabled file format. However, before we do that, we first need to clear all the existing data so that it is not embedded in our template (the idea being every time we use this template, we will import the most up-to-date data).
To do this, select all cells and delete them.
With the data now cleared (but the macros still included in the Excel file), we want to save the file as a macro enabled template (XLTM) file. It is important to note that if you save this as a standard template (XLTX) file then macros will not be able to be run from it. Alternately, you can save the file as a legacy template (XLT) file, which will allow macros to be run.
Once you have saved the file as a template, go ahead and close Excel.
Using an Excel Macro
Before covering how we can apply this newly recorded macro, it is important to cover a few points about macros in general:
- Macros can be malicious.
- See the point above.
VBA code is actually quite powerful and can manipulate files outside of the scope of the current document. For example, a macro could alter or delete random files in your My Documents folder. As such, it is important to make sure you only run macros from trusted sources.
To put our data format macro to use, open the Excel Template file which was created above. When you do this, assuming you have standard security settings enabled, you will see a warning across the top of the workbook which says that macros are disabled. Because we trust a macro created by ourselves, click the ‘Enable Content’ button.
Up next, we are going to import the latest data set from a CSV (if you recall, this is what sourced the worksheet used to create our macro).
To complete the import of the CSV file, you may have to set a few options in order for Excel to interpret it correctly (e.g. delimiter, headers present, etc.).
Once our data is imported, simply go to the Macros menu (under the View tab) and select View Macros.
In the resulting dialog box, we see the “FormatData” macro we recorded above. Select it and click Run.
Once running, you may see the cursor jump around for a few moments, but as it does you will see the data being manipulated exactly as we recorded it. When all is said and done, it should look just like our original – except with different data.
Looking Under the Hood: What Makes a Macro Work
As we have mentioned a couple of times, a macro is driven by Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) code. When you “record” a macro, Excel is actually translating everything you do into its respective VBA instructions. To put is simply – you don’t have to write any code because Excel is writing the code for you.
To view the code that makes our macro run, from the Macros dialog click the Edit button.
The window that opens displays the source code that was recorded from our actions when creating the macro. Of course, you can edit this code or even create new macros entirely inside of the code window. While the recording action used in this article will likely fit most needs, more highly customized actions or conditional actions would require you to edit the source code.
Taking Our Example One Step Farther…
Hypothetically, assume our source data file, data.csv, is produced by an automated process which always saves the file to the same location (e.g. C:\Data\data.csv is always the most recent data). The process of opening this file and importing it can be easily made into a macro as well:
- Open the Excel Template file containing our “FormatData” macro.
- Record a new macro named “LoadData”.
- With the macro recording, import the data file like you normally would.
- Once the data is imported, stop recording the macro.
- Delete all the cell data (select all then delete).
- Save the updated template (remember to use a macro enabled template format).
Once this is done, whenever the template is opened there will be two macros – one which loads our data and the other which formats it.
If you really wanted to get your hands dirty with a bit of code editing, you could easily combine these actions into a single macro by copying the code produced from “LoadData” and inserting it at the beginning of the code from “FormatData”.
Download this Template
For your convenience, we have included both the Excel template produced in this article as well as a sample data file for you to play around with.
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Aug 11, 13
How to Use CCleaner Like a Pro: 9 Tips & Tricks
There’s more to CCleaner than clicking a single button. This popular application for wiping temporary files and clearing private data hides a variety of features, from fine-grained options for tweaking the cleaning process to full drive-wiping tools.
CCleaner is easy for beginners to use – just launch it and click the Run Cleaner button. But there’s a lot more you can do with it.
Consider What You Delete
CCleaner clears a lot of stuff by default. You might want to reconsider clearing the browser caches (Temporary Internet Files for Internet Explorer). Browsers store these files on your system to speed up browsing in the future. When you revisit a site, the site will load faster if images and other files are cached on your system. Clearing these will free up some space and increase your browsing privacy, if you’re worried about that, but frequent cache cleanings can slow down your web browsing.
Erasing the thumbnail cache (under Windows Explorer) can also slow things down – if you open up a folder with a lot of image files, it will take some time to recreate the cache. Clearing it does free up space, but at the cost of recreating the cache later.
Many other options clear most-recently-used lists (MRUs) in Windows and other programs. These lists don’t take up much space, but can be privacy concerns – if there’s a most-recently-used list you rely on, be sure to uncheck it.
Whitelist Important Cookies
CCleaner clears all cookies by default, but you might want to keep some. If you find yourself always logging into your favorite websites after running CCleaner, open the Cookies pane in the Options section.
CCleaner can help you with this whitelisting – right-click in the Cookies pane and select Intelligent Scan. CCleaner will automatically add Google, Hotmail, and Yahoo Mail cookies to your whitelist.
You’ll probably want to add other cookies to the whitelist, too. For example, locate the howtogeek.com cookie in the list and click the right arrow button to add it to your whitelist. CCleaner will leave your How-To Geek cookie alone, so you don’t have to log back into How-To Geek after clearing your cookies.
Beware the Registry Cleaner
While CCleaner does include a registry cleaner, I’d recommend against running it. The Windows registry contains hundreds of thousands of entries; removing a few hundred (at most) won’t give you an increase in performance. Registry cleaners can accidentally remove important registry values, however, so there’s risk with little reward.
That said, if you’re dead set on running a registry cleaner, CCleaner is one of the safer ones. If you do run the registry cleaner, ensure you back up any changes you make. You can restore the deleted registry entries from the backup file if you encounter any problems.
Manage Startup Programs
The Startup panel in the Tools section allows you to disable programs that automatically run when your computer starts. To avoid losing an autostart entry that may be important, use the Disable option instead of the Delete option. You can easily re-enable a disabled autostart entry later.
Wipe Drives
When Windows or another operating system deletes a file, it doesn’t actually wipe the file from your hard disk. Instead, the pointers to the files are deleted and the operating system marks the file’s location as free space. File recovery programs can scan your hard disk for these files, and, if the operating system hasn’t written over the area, can recover the data. CCleaner can help protect against this by wiping the free space with its Drive Wiper tool.
While some people believe that multiple passes are necessary to irrecoverably delete files, one pass should probably be fine. If you’re disposing of a hard drive, you can also perform a full erase of all the data on the drive with this tool.
You can also have CCleaner wipe free space every time you run it by enabling the Wipe Free Space checkbox under Advanced in the Cleaner section. Enabling this option will make CCleaner take much longer to clean up your system – CCleaner recommends leaving it disabled.
Securely Delete Files
You can have CCleaner delete files securely, effectively using the Drive Cleaner tool on each file it deletes. Bear in mind that this is slower than deleting the files normally – that’s why operating systems don’t securely delete files by default. If you’re concerned about privacy, enable this option from the Settings tab in the Options section.
Include Custom Files
If you use a program that isn’t included in CCleaner’s list of applications, or you have a temporary file directory you want cleared regularly, you can specify custom folders and files in CCleaner. CCleaner will delete these files and empty these folders when you run it.
To add a custom folder or file, open the Options section and use the options on the Include tab. Be careful when adding folders or files; you could accidentally add important files or folders and lose them.
The custom files you specify here are only cleaned if the Custom Files and Folders checkbox under Advanced is enabled.
Exclude Files
Likewise, if CCleaner keeps clearing something you don’t want it to clear, you can add an exclusion in the Options section. You can exclude an entire drive, folder, file, or registry key. You can also restrict the exclusion to specific file extensions.
Manage Installed Programs
CCleaner’s tools include the Uninstall panel, which lists your installed programs. This panel includes a few more features than the default Windows one – you can rename or delete the entries here and any changes you make will also appear in the Windows Control Panel.
You can also save the list of installed programs to a text file – an easy way to keep a list of your installed programs in case you need to remember and reinstall them from scratch.
Once you’ve got CCleaner set up, you can run it automatically each night or create a shortcut or hotkey to run it silently.
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