Problem: Article: This allows the plant to direct its nutrients toward new growth instead of seeding. Using scissors or pruning shears, cut just below the flowers. You can also trim further down the stem, as long as you don't cut more than of the stalk. As an alternative, you can deadhead the flowers by simply pinching off the old flower. This works better if the flower is dead or dying. Your plant will be vulnerable during cold weather, so it's a good idea to stop pruning it before winter comes. This increases the likelihood that it will survive winter! If you want to use your oregano during winter, it's best to rely on dried herbs that you've stored. Wait until late winter to prepare the oregano for regrowth in the spring. Look for stems that are dry, brown, and lack leaves. Trim them down to the base of the plant, just above the roots. You can use scissors or small pruning shears. This will provide it with extra nutrients to help it go into the next growing season. For best results, mix the fertilizer into water and pour it over the plant at its next watering. Be sure to follow the label to ensure that you provide the right amount of fertilizer. You can find a liquid fertilizer at your local gardening store or online.
Summary: Deadhead the flowers after they fade at the end of summer. Stop pruning at least 2 weeks before cold weather is forecast. Remove dead stems during the winter. Add an organic liquid fertilizer to the oregano.

Problem: Article: You can keep a gratitude journal or just make it a point to pick something to be grateful for each day. Practicing gratitude will help you to feel better about your life in general. That will give you the strength to handle negative situations. Each night, you could write down 5 things that you were grateful for that day. Stress can take a toll on your mind and body. When you're dealing with something negative, take a minute to breathe. This will help you to feel calmer and able to cope. Take 5 deep breaths in and 5 deep breaths out. You can practice deep breathing anytime that you feel stressed. Try meditation or yoga as a way to help focus on your breathing. It's hard to handle tough situations if you're not feeling great physically. Make it a point to get 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Exercise is a great mood booster and regulator. Pick something that you like to do to make exercising fun. For example, if you love to dance, try a cardio dance workout. You can also choose to do something as simple as taking a walk over your lunch break. It's tough, but try not to carry your negative feelings into the next day. The situation might still be there, but you can choose to approach it feeling positive and refreshed. Try writing down what you're upset about before going to bed. This will help you let go of negative thoughts. When you wake up, take a few minutes to practice gratitude or take some deep breaths. This will help you to start your day on a positive note.
Summary: Start practicing gratitude. Focus on your breathing to relax. Get some exercise to reduce stress. Plan for a fresh start tomorrow.

Problem: Article: Most people tend to be smaller at the waist than at the hips, so wearing high-waisted bottoms will stop your pants from unnaturally dividing your hips and waist. Moreover, this will stop your waistband from cutting you off where you're bigger and creating a bulge. Look for bottoms that sit at or just above your belly button. Also, look for bottoms that have thicker waistbandsones with at least two buttonsand that sit higher in the back than the front, as these won't cut you off in an awkward area. Clothes with empire waists are tighter at the waist and then flare out and down from there, and these garments are flattering because they accentuate the waist and hide tummies and love handles. Similarly, A-line clothes are thinner at the top and flare out at the bottom, so skirts and dresses with this cut balance out larger torsos and make love handles less noticeable. While the old advice says that wearing darker colors is always more slimming, this isn't entirely true. Instead of wearing all black to hide your love handles and look slimmer, wear a darker color where you're heaviest and a light color where you're smaller. For instance, if you want to make a large tummy look smaller, wear black around your middle and a pop of color on top. You can achieve this by wearing a high-waisted A-line skirt paired with a bright top tucked in, for example. There are a few shirt types that are more flattering for people who need some extra room in the middle, and they'll also draw attention away from the love handles. Flattering shirts tend to have a little more flow to them, and these include: Kimono-style shirts Kaftans Wrap shirts and dresses Another way to hide love handles is to bury them under a bold print or pattern, or to cover them up with a ruffled design that will obscure what's underneath. Look for tops with ruching on the sides or some subtle ruffles Experiment with intricate patterns, diagonal stripes, and eye-catching prints Foundation garments, also called shaping garments, are arguably the most successful way to hide love handles, because they're actually designed to shape and smooth parts of your body. These garments are meant to be worn under your clothes, and ones that will hide love handles include: Full bodysuits and body control dresses, which are great for when you're wearing a slimming dress. Waist cinchers and control briefs, which are perfect for when you want to wear skinny jeans or tighter fitting pants or skirts.
Summary: Wear bottoms with high waists. Opt for empire waistlines and A-line tops. Wear slimming colors. Experiment with different shirt styles. Wear tops with loud prints and designs. Use foundation garments.

Problem: Article: Use your shears or a hedge trimmer to cut unruly branches back from the base. This will prevent overgrown branches from sticking out too far and promote new side growth. If your shrub has multiple overgrown branches around the center, cut several back to the base with your trimmer. As you clear limbs, try to retain the plant's natural shape and keep the base the widest part. Thinning out the center will help light reach the bottom branches. Avoid cutting center branches that aren't overgrown, as trimming too many main branches can harm shrubs. Inspect your shrub for sick-looking or broken branches, which must be removed to retain the plant's health. Cut away any rotten parts of the branch until you reach healthy wood. If part of a branch is healthy, you do not need to remove it in its entirety. Just remove as much of the dead or unhealthy section as possible. Research common pests or diseases your shrub might suffer from and keep an eye out for early signs of damage. Cutting more than 1/3 of the plant makes it weaker and vulnerable to pests or diseases. If you feel like you might be over trimming the plant, smooth your work out as best as you can and finish trimming the shrub.
Summary:
Cut away the thickest overgrown branches first. Clear out some limbs near the center. Remove diseased or damaged branches or branch segments. Do not remove more than 1/3 of the shrub.