Article: A few days after hibiscus flowers bloom, their petals start to wrinkle and wilt. Eventually, they will fall off. Wrinkles on the petals are a sign that the plant is ripe and ready to harvest. Hibiscus plants are capable of blooming year-round. They are most likely to do this during the spring and summer when the weather is best, but they can even bloom in the winter in suitable climates. Wash the calyxes once all the seed pods are removed. They're now ready for use in your tea. Use the calyxes just like you would use dried hibiscus in either of the recipes above. If you don't want to use the hibiscus to make tea right away, pat the calyxes dry with a paper towel, then let them dry completely before storing them. There are several ways you can do this: Seal the flowers in an airtight container with silica. This is the same chemical used in the drying packets sometimes found in clothes pockets. You can buy silica desiccant (the kind used for drying) from chemical supply retailers. Put the hibiscus on a rack or tray in the oven at a low temperature (like 100 degrees F) for several hours. See our article on drying flowers for details. If the weather's hot and dry, you can also leave them on a drying rack in the sun. Try to put them somewhere animals won't get to them.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Find ripe hibiscus flowers. Use the calyxes in your tea. Alternatively, dry and store in an airtight container.
Article: Make sure that you are using a laundry detergent which is designed for delicate fabrics. Mix the detergent thoroughly in the water. Allow time for powdered detergent to dissolve. Acids in some standard detergent could cause the silk fibers to contract and effect the shape of your garment. Avoid caustic alkalis which could dissolve the fabric. Never use bleach on silk. Bleach erodes the fiber and will fade the color. If your fabric is a dark color, or is printed, you will want to skip this step. Instead, dip the garment into the water, then draw it out immediately. This will keep the colors from fading or running. Do not soak silk for more than a few minutes. Empty your bowl and rinse it thoroughly to rid the bowl of any soap. Refill it with warm water and rinse the garment by drawing it through the clean water. You can repeat this step a couple of times until you feel all of the soap has been rinsed from the silk. Adding a little distilled white vinegar to the rinsing water can counteract any alkalis and soap residue. For extra soft silk, you can add a drop or two of hair conditioner to the rinsing water. Lay a clean white towel on a flat surface. Arrange the garment neatly on top of the towel and allow it to dry thoroughly. Then check to see if the water mark has been removed. Shake the excess water out of the fabric, but do not wring it dry, which will cause the garment to lose its shape. Never dry your silk in the sunlight. Sunlight can decompose and damage the silk. Silk dries quickly, so you can check to see if the stain has been effectively washed out in about an hour. If the water mark persists after the garment has dried, you can try adding a few drops of plain white vinegar to the solution of water and detergent. Vinegar can assist in evaporating the water stain from your garment.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Fill a medium-sized bowl with luke warm water and a small hint of mild detergent. Soak the garment in luke warm water for 3-5 minutes. Rinse the garment in luke warm water. Allow the garment to dry. Add vinegar for tough stain.
Article: Ensure that your cat is eating a well-rounded diet formulated for cats. If you are not sure what to feed your cat, ask the vet for a dietary plan. Your cat may require a special high-fiber diet in order to manage chronic constipation. Your veterinarian can help you determine if this is necessary. Feeding your cat an all-canned food diet may help with constipation. Canned food typically contains 75% or more moisture and promotes healthy digestion and elimination. While an all-fish diet won't supply the nutrients your cat needs, tuna may help stimulate the appetite. Oily fish like mackerel and sardines may help with constipation issues. Dehydration will contribute to constipation. Additionally, if your cat eats only dry food, he will need to drink more water than cats getting canned food. Have a bowl of fresh water in an accessible location for your cat, preferably next to the food dish. Some cats prefer to drink running water like that from a dripping sink or a kitty water fountain. Constipation is more common in obese cats than normal weight cats. Consult a resource like the Body Condition Scoring Chart to determine if your cat is too heavy. This chart differentiates among emaciated, thin, moderate, stout and obese body conditions. If you have any questions, consult your veterinarian. Olive oil can act as an intestinal lubricant and help move food through the cat's body. Add or teaspoon of olive oil to some canned food. Psyllium is the husk of the Plantago seed and is commonly used to aid in digestion and intestinal tract health (common brands for human consumption include Metamucil and Fiberall). Veterinary brands are available at pet supply stores. Add to teaspoon of psyllium husks to canned food to add dietary fiber to the diet to help keep digestion moving along. If you have a long-haired cat, trim the hair around your cat's backside, to keep the hair from getting tangled. This will keep the area clean. It can also help prevent constipation. When stool tangles with hair, stool can get held inside the anus and cause constipation. Long-haired cats also ingest a lot of hair when they groom themselves. Keep your cat's coat free of mats with regular grooming. Some cats may benefit from being shaved down once or twice a year to manage their hair coat. Some cats, especially long-haired ones, may need a hairball remedy to reduce the amount of hair in the digestive tract. Hairball remedies are available in various cat-friendly flavors, such as tuna, that provide petroleum-based intestinal lubrication. Long-haired cats will benefit from receiving a hairball remedy a few times per week to keep the hair from accumulating inside the digestive tract. Some common products include Laxatone and Petromalt, which are available in tubes. They can be offered to your cat as a treat or mixed into his food for easy consumption. A clean litter box will encourage your cat to use it regularly. Scoop at least every other day if you have one cat, and scoop every day if you have more than one cat. Some cats dislike strongly perfumed litters, so use litter without an added fragrance.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Feed your cat a well-rounded diet. Switch to an all-canned food diet. Give your cat fish in moderation. Make sure your cat has access to fresh water. Keep your cat's weight under control. Add some olive oil to canned food. Try psyllium husks. Trim hair on long-haired cats. Regularly groom long-haired cats. Give long-haired cats regular hairball remedies. Keep a clean litter box.