All melons grow best in light, sandy soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. In regions where minimum night temperatures average above 550 for less than three months, sow seeds of all types of melons indoors or in a hotbed about one month before night temperatures can be depended upon to stay above 55 and daytime temperatures above 80, then set them into the garden when the required temperatures are reached. Elsewhere, sow seeds of all types directly outdoors when the temperatures reach 55 at night and 80 in the daytime.

Melons can be grown successfully in regions where minimum night temperatures average no lower than 55 and minimum daytime temperatures are no lower than 80 throughout the growing seasons. The length of the growing seasons, from the time the seeds are sown until the plants are harvested, is listed for each recommended variety. Because long growing seasons are required for most casaba, Crenshaw, Persian and honeydew melons, all but a few of the varieties that are listed in these categories are generally grown only in the southwestern, south-central and southern parts of the U.S.

To prepare a hill for melons, dig a hole about 1 foot deep and 2 feet across; dig into the bottom of the hole a 4- to 6-inch layer of compost or well-rotted cow manure. Replace the topsoil until it forms a gentle mound about 4 inches high. Space hills for large watermelons about 10 feet apart, for all other melons 4 to 6 feet apart.

Casaba, Crenshaw, Persian and honeydew melons are closely related to cantaloupes, but generally ripen later. Excellent varieties for warm regions are Golden Beauty Casaba, white flesh, 120 days: Honey Dew, white flesh, 110 days; and Persian, orange flesh, 120 days.

When the seedlings become 1 inch tall, cut off all but the strongest in each group. Fertilize twice-when the plants are 8 to 12 inches tall and again just as they begin to blossom; scatter a 12-inch band of 5-10-5 fertilizer around each plant at the rate of 5 ounces to every 10 feet of row. Okra begins to produce pods about 60 days after seeds are sown.

Watermelons are available as small round “icebox-sized” melons weighing from 4 to 6 pounds, large oblong types weighing 20 to 40 pounds and seedless watermelons weighing 10 to 20 pounds (seedless watermelons sometimes have a few white seeds). Excellent small watermelons are Sugar Baby and the slightly heavier, sweeter yellow-fleshed Yellow Baby from China, both 75 days; large watermelons, Charleston Gray, 85 days, and Crimson Sweet, 80 days; seedless watermelons, Burpee Hybrid Seedless and Triple Sweet Seedless, 80 days. Two hills yield six large or 12 small watermelons over a period of three weeks.

Tags: college, recreation, holidays

Pumpkins take a lot of space, but many gardeners plant one or two clumps, or hills, of them for fall decoration and pies. Some save space by sowing a few seeds in a row of corn, combining two plants in the same area. Others train the vines to grow on supports. Still others plant bush pumpkins, only 3 feet across.

Each block should weigh 1 to 2 ounces and contain one to three eyes. Spread the pieces out in a single layer in a well- ventilated and well-lighted place for four or five days before planting. To minimize loss from rot, dust the pieces with captan.

In most of the U.S. and southern Canada, where frost is expected in winter, early varieties are Early Gem, Irish Cobbler and Norgold Russet; late varieties are Katandin, Kennebec and the most famous potato for baking, Russet Burbank, sometimes called Idaho or Idaho Baker. In frost-free regions only one crop is grown each year; good varieties are Irish Cobbler and Russet Burbank. Twenty-five feet of row yields 25 to 50 pounds of potatoes at one harvesting.

Put into each hole a bushel of compost or well-rotted cow manure, then return the soil, forming a mound about 4 inches high. Plant four to six seeds 1 inch deep in a circle on top of each hill. When seedlings appear, cut off all but one or two of the strongest plants.

Harvest young potatoes whenever the tubers are large enough to be worth digging up-usually about the time blossoms appear, seven to eight weeks after planting. Do not dig up entire plants-instead, dig carefully around the plants and remove some of the larger tubers, leaving the smaller ones to continue to grow.

Potatoes for winter storage should be dug two to three weeks after the tops have died to the ground. Dig potatoes in dry weather, and take care not to bruise the skin. Dry potatoes for winter storage for two to three hours, then store them in a cool dark place, preferably at 40 to 45, to keep them from turning green and developing an unpleasant flavor. Before cooking, cut out all eyes and any greenish or spoiled parts. Potato tops, sprouts and green sections contain the poisonous substance solanine.

Tags: education, self Improvement, college

Living from one paycheck to another with no hope to attain that financial freedom? You are probably one of those worried about debt collectors hunting them down the road. You might be one of those who can’t seem to develop a feasible budget. And you could be one of those who cannot save money for your retirement. If this situation seems familiar to you, you may want to consider again your fiscal fitness? Try to ask from help from a credit counselor.

There are a lot of credit counseling organizations that are nonprofit in nature and will work with you to solve your financial troubles. Just do your homework and beware of whom you trust your financial future.

Just because an organization is nonprofit, it does not mean that its services are free. It doesn’t even guarantee that their services are legitimate. In fact, some non-profit credit counseling organizations charge hidden fees that may cause you to fall deeper into indebtedness.

As a suggestion, find a non-profit organization with in-person counseling. Most of them can be found through your local offices or online directories. Some of them are on yellow pages of your telephone directories too.

Many universities, military bases, credit unions, and other government agencies like the U.S. Cooperative Extension Service offer nonprofit credit counseling programs. You might be surprised but your local consumer protection agency, friends, and family are also good sources of trusted referrals. When choosing a reputable and trusted credit counseling organizations, choose carefully the one who will advise you on debt management, will help you in budget development, and, most importantly, will offer free educational materials.

Find out if your counseling organizations have counselors who are certified and trained well. Counselors usually will discuss your entire financial situation personally with you and guide you in developing a customized plan to solve your money problems.

I hope you get started as soon as you can in the decision to regain your fiscal fitness and get back in good financial shape. With your first counseling session, may you find the hope for a better financial future.

For more information on financial directory, get FREE Articles Tips at DollarGuides.com. Get debt-free today with tips on how to get rid of debt here. Start improving your personal finance today.

Tags: advice, reference, college