Fertilizer that comes in granular form is easy to sprinkle around the lawn and garden. Since you don't have to work it directly into the soil, it has to be reapplied every few months. To help the fertilizer last longer, use a garden rake to sift it into the soil in your garden beds. Commercial fertilizers are labeled with an N-P-K ratio noting the level of each substance they contain. If you're just fertilizing grass, choose a fertilizer that is particularly high in nitrogen, since that's the nutrient that helps plants grow lush and green. If you're fertilizing flowering plants or bulbs, choose a fertilizer high in phosphorus, since it helps flowers bloom. For a vibrant lawn, use granular fertilizer just after planting new grass seed. You can sprinkle it by hand or use a dispensing tool to spread it evenly across your yard. Controlled release granular fertilizer can be useful if you have a large lawn that you don't want to worry about fertilizing more than about twice a year. The granules are designed to release fertilizer slowly and gradually. Fertilizers that come in spray or pour bottles are convenient for all potted plants. Pour or inject the recommended amount around the roots of the plants. The plants will absorb it immediately and you should see the results within a few days. Too much liquid fertilizer can be harmful to plants, so don't use more than the amount recommended on the bottle.
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One-sentence summary -- Feed grass and gardens with granular fertilizer. Use liquid fertilizer for potted plants.

Count to 10 or 20 seconds as you inhale. As you breathe, your belly should expand. If it does, you are reaching the deepest part of your lungs. If your chest and shoulders move, you are breathing from the top part of your lungs. Avoid hyperventilation, which is the practice of taking quick, small breaths before you submerge yourself. This practice can increase your chances of blacking out. If inhaling for 10 seconds is too much, start out by taking in as much breath as you can. Each time you do it, try to inhale for a second longer. Once you can no longer take in any more breath, dive underwater or otherwise submerge yourself. Holding your breath while underwater may cause you to blackout. Instead, slowly exhale through your mouth or nose while you are underwater. As you exhale, you should be pushing out a constant stream of bubbles from your nose or mouth. Exhaling will not cause water to enter your nose or mouth. If you exhale properly, your body will sink to the bottom. If you are not, your body will rise to the surface. As you get better at this exercise, try sitting on the bottom of the pool until you need air. Unless you are an experienced free diver, you should not stay underwater for too long. If you do, you might black out or drown. Instead, come back up for air once your exhalation is over or you feel the need to breathe.
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One-sentence summary -- Inhale deeply from the bottom of your lungs. Submerge yourself in the water at the top of the inhalation. Exhale while you are underwater. Sink to the bottom of the pool to see if you are exhaling properly. Rise back up as soon as you feel the urge to breathe.

Peak flow meters only work properly if air is able to freely pass through them. Blowing into a meter that is obstructed by a foreign object will not provide an accurate reading and could cause unnecessary strain on your lungs. Peak flow meters usually have an open orifice in the mouthpiece of the device; this is the area most likely to become obstructed, so check here first before use. When grasping the meter in your hand, make sure your fingers do not obstruct the sliding scale on top of the device. It is important to maintain good posture while using your peak flow meter because this will allow you to maximize your pre-test inhalation as well as your exhalation (which is measured by the device). Slouching or lying down while using the meter will not allow you to get a good reading. The sliding cursor on the back of the peak flow meter is what measures the force of your exhalation. If you do not zero the cursor before you use the meter, your reading will not be accurate. You can adjust the cursor by simply placing your finger on it and manually sliding it to the "zero" end of the scale, which is toward the mouthpiece of the meter. In order to register the most powerful exhalation you are capable of, you must first fill your lungs with air. Do this before inserting the peak flow meter into your mouth in order to ensure the fullest inward breath possible. Be sure to remove gum or anything else from your mouth before inhaling. Not only do you want to prevent blowing a foreign object into your peak flow meter, but you also don't want to accidentally inhale anything when you take your deep breath in. In order to get the best reading possible on the meter, you should place the mouthpiece between your front teeth and seal your lips around the opening. This will stabilize the meter and ensure that no air escapes from the sides of your mouth when you exhale. Pull your tongue backward, away from the mouthpiece, so you do not accidentally block the opening of the meter. The idea here is to get a hard, fast burst of air out of your lungs to push the sliding cursor on the meter as far as possible down the length of the device. This means that your initial burst of breath is the most important for getting a good reading. Don't worry about blowing for a long time or getting all the air out of your lungs when you exhale; only your most forceful rate of exhalation will register on the meter. If you cough or sneeze into the device, you will have to do it over again, as these will give you false readings that are higher than your actual peak exhalation. Don't forget to write down the meter reading! Each time you take a reading using your peak flow meter, you should do the test three times in order to eliminate the possibility that your reading was affected by user or device error. The highest of the three readings is the one you should keep for your records. This is also why it is important to write down each of your test readings as you go. Do not average your readings; you need to keep a record of your peak flow rate, which means you need to get the highest reading possible. If you don't have enough energy or are out of breath after the first test, make a note of this for your records and stick with your first test reading.
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One-sentence summary --
Check the meter for obstructions. Stand or sit up straight. Set the cursor to zero. Inhale deeply. Place the mouthpiece in your mouth. Blow forcefully into the meter. Repeat the test twice more.