Tausi Insider

Photo : santypan ( Shutterstock ) Caring for houseplants might seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Repotting is a simple step you can take to keep your indoor plants healthy by reinvigorating the soil and boosting available nutrients. You can also repot to transition a plant into a larger pot if it’s showing signs that it’s overgrown the one it’s in. Follow these steps to repot with confidence and tend to your indoor plants like a pro. To start , you’ll need some newspaper or waxed paper, indoor potting mix , scissors , your plants, new pots where necessary, gloves, and a spade for scooping soil. How to tell when it’s time to repot your plant It’s time to repot your plants if it’s been more than a year since it’s last been repotted, if the soil looks crusty or has mineral or salt buildup, or if the roots are growing through the drainage holes in the bottom of the container, indicating that your plant needs more room to grow. You don’t need to transition to a larger contain...

Photo : Ostanina Anna ( Shutterstock ) Like humans, plants need certain nutrients in order to survive. So if you have a plant, and it doesn’t exactly look like it’s thriving, you may decide to give it a little nutritional boost. But does it need plant food, or fertilizer ? And what’s the difference between the two? Here’s what to know. The difference between plant food and fertilizer Although the terms are often used interchangeably, plant food and fertilizer are not the same thing. The biggest difference is that plant food is made by the plants themselves, while fertilizer is a synthetic or natural substance that is added to a plant’s soil. Here are a few more specifics: Plant food The easiest way to remember the difference between plant food and fertilizer is that only plants can make plant food : It’s not something that can be purchased (no matter what product labels say). To produce the simple sugar they use as food, plants convert water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight during ...

Photo : Iryna Imago ( Shutterstock ) We all want to do our part to limit the catastrophic consequences of climate change , even if that’s as simple as making more environmentally conscious decisions when we buy our clothes, groceries, and cleaning supplies . Unfortunately, many companies know that consumers are looking for “eco-friendly” options these days, and are willing to spend more time marketing themselves as eco-friendly than they do on actually minimizing their environmental impact. This deceitful marketing tactic is known as “greenwashing.” Here’s how to recognize it when you encounter it. How to spot and avoid greenwashing G reenwashing is a marketing gimmick to make something seem environmentally conscious, when in reality, the product doesn’t live up to the claims of sustainability. According to Business News Daily , the term was coined by environmentalist Jay Westerveld in 1986 as a critique of the “save the towel” movement in hotels—a practice that had little impact...

Photo : Maks Ershov ( Shutterstock ) With more than 400 national parks scattered across the United States, it can get pricey to try to visit them all. While some are free, a bout a quarter of them charge from $10 to $20 per person to enter, which can add up for a family. But if you’re planning to hit up the parks next year, there are several days when everyone can get in for free. What days are free to go to National Parks in 2023? The following days will be free for everyone to go in any National Park in 2023 : As you plan your trips, keep in mind that these are the parks that charge entrance fees . To be extra strategic, visit one of these park s on the free days, and save the always-free parks for another time. Keep in mind, though, that the free days do not include extra activities you could partake once inside the park, such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours. S ome people are also eligible for free or discounted National Park entrances all year ...

Photo : Lois GoBe ( Shutterstock ) During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people turned to gardening as a way relax, learn a new skill, grow their own food, and/or make their home or yard more attractive. But now, nearly three years later, their lives may look a lot different—perhaps leaving them without the time to spend tending to their garden. Others may still have the time, but now are more interested in filing their yard with plants native to their area. Regardless of the reason, if you’ve had a garden in the past, there’s no rule saying you have to keep it up in perpetuity. If you’re ready to let it go, ungardening may be the solution for you. Here’s what to know. What is ‘ungardening’? Also known as rewilding , “ungardening” refers to encouraging native plants to grow in   your once-well-kept garden . Like a bee lawn or wildflower garden , the idea is to give the land the opportunity to live a more authentic life, supporting the kinds of plants and (eventual...