Problem: Article: Cut a 4 inch strip of duct tape. Make the tail thinner by cutting a half inch strip out of the length of the tape. Fold this in half along the length to have a tail which is 4 inches long and a quarter inch wide. Trim off any excess sticky edges. Measure 10 inches and cut a strip of tape with your scissors. Place this strip of tape on the work surface and cut another strip to match. Place your tail on the left end of the strip of tape on the table. Press it on so that extends up from the top left of the 10 inch strip. Match up the edges of the two 10 inch strips of tape and press the sticky sides together. Trim any edges that don't exactly match to make sure there are no sticky parts exposed. Lay your tape lengthwise on the work surface. Measure and mark every quarter inch along the bottom of the strip of tape. Cut straight up from these marks toward the top. Stop the cut about an inch from the top of the strip. The top portion will be covered, so you don't have to stop every cut exactly one inch from the top. Just make sure there is enough tape left so the fringe won't break off. Cut a strip of duct tape four inches long and one inch wide and set it aside. Starting at the left side of the strip of fringe, where the tail is, tightly roll the strip of tape until you reach the other end. Wrap the top of the tassel with the one inch wide strip of duct tape. Using a hole punch, punch a hole in the top of your bookmark about half an inch from the edge. Thread the tail of the tassel through the hole in the bookmark and fold the tail evenly over itself. Tape the end of the tail to the other edge of the tail where it meets the top of the tassel. Wrap a small piece of tape around the edge of the tail to create a large loop, or place a piece of tape along the length of the tail and tape the whole tail together to flatten it except for a small loop running through the hole in the bookmark. You want to leave enough space between the hole and the edge of the bookmark to keep the tassel from pulling through the end of the bookmark.
Summary: Create a tail for your tassel. Combine two 10 inch strips of duct tape and the tail. Cut fringe into your duct tape. Roll your strip into a tassel. Thread the tassel through your bookmark.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: There seems to be a lot of debate regarding whether or not apples can keep potatoes from sprouting. Recent studies, however, have shown that apples release ethylene gas as they ripen, which helps encourage sprouting in potatoes. The same studies have also shown that potatoes can cause apples to become soft and mushy. On the other hand, some people found that keeping an apple or two with potatoes will keep sprouting at bay. Studies have shown that herbs, such as lavender, rosemary, and sage, contain oils which help prevent rot and decay in potatoes. These same oils may also help keep the potatoes from sprouting. Soak a small piece of blotter paper with the essential oil, and tuck it into the container with the potatoes. Studies have shown that these oils can inhibit sprouting in potatoes. Reapply the essential oil every 2 to 3 weeks, or when needed. Avoid using this method if your storage container is made from metal or plastic. Essential oils can deteriorate these materials. Clove essential oil may also be used, but it requires a thermal or aerosol application, and thus not recommended for home use. Nothing lasts forever, especially food. While you can keep potatoes from sprouting prematurely, eventually they will start to go bad and sprout. Depending on the variety, potatoes will start forming sprouts naturally between 30 and 140 days. Some people find that the following varieties generally last longer than others: Katahdin, Yellow Finn, and Yukon Gold. If you are storing a variety of potatoes, eat the varieties that don't last as long first.

SUMMARY: Avoid storing potatoes near onions, apples, bananas, pears, and other fruit. Consider keeping some herbs with the potatoes. Try using spearmint or peppermint essential oils. Understand that potatoes will eventually sprout, usually within 1 to 4 months.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Generally speaking, Rose of Sharon is an exceptionally self-sufficient plant, and doesn't require much upkeep. If you decide that your shrubs are in need of touching up, however, do it during the colder months while they're still in their dormant stage. Doing so will help stimulate new growth once the weather warms up. As a rule, the best time to prune your Rose of Sharon is anywhere from March to early May, before the blooms begin to open. Cutting back your Rose of Sharon too early or too late can "shock" the plant, leaving it vulnerable to the elements and stunting healthy new growth. Pay close attention to any branches that appear rotted, brittle, or colorless, leaving only the strongest, healthiest sections behind. Try to shear each offshoot as close to the larger connecting branch as possible. You should be able to use your pruning shears to tackle most of the trimming. For thick or stubborn branches, you may need to grab a pair of heavy-duty loppers or a handheld pruning saw. If you're not sure whether a particular branch is actually dead, try scraping off a little bit of the bark. If the wood underneath has a greenish tinge to it, leave it be. Inspect the interior of the shrub for offshoots that overlap or wind around each other. Clip off the more crooked of the 2 branches at its baseit's not necessary to remove them both. Don't forget to check for tangled or twisted stems near the outer part of the plant, as well. In addition to making your shrubs look better, getting rid of criss-crossing branches will also open them up in the middle, proving airflow essential for keeping pests and diseases at bay. Suckers are slender stalks that grow vertically out of the roots of woody shrubs like Rose of Sharon. They most often appear along the lower portion of the main branches or on the ground directly beneath the plant. The best way to deal with suckers is to snip each stalk as close to the base as possible, as this destroys their connection with the plant's roots and makes them slower to grow back. Once they begin sprouting, suckers will typically return within a few months. This means you may need to cut them back 2-3 times a year. Not only are root suckers an eyesore, they can also sap vital nutrients from the soil if they're not removed right away. If your Rose of Sharon isn't faring well (or it's grown to colossal proportions), it's okay to remove quite a bit more growth than you leave. As long as the hardy living wood at the base of the plant is intact, it will return to produce eye-catching blooms year after year. The practice of significantly reducing a plant's overall size is referred to as "hard" or "rejuvenation" pruning. Hard pruning is useful for promoting healthy new growth in old or failing plants. It's safe to prune Rose of Sharon down to bare stubs that are only 23 feet (0.610.91m) in length while it's still dormancy. Keep in mind that the more branches you cut, the fewer flowers there will be when the shrub finally blooms. However, the flowers that are there will be much bolder and more vibrant since the plant will be able to devote more of its resources to the remaining growth.
Summary:
Wait until winter or early spring to prune Rose of Sharon. Clear out dead or damaged wood. Eliminate criss-crossing branches. Remove any visible suckers from the base of the plant. Cut your shrubs back by up to two thirds of their total size.