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Growing garlic yourself is very easy: separate the cloves, stick them in the ground and watch the garlic thrive. As soon as the green shoots turn brown, the garlic bulb is ready to be harvested. Read here why autumn is the best planting time and what you should consider for a rich garlic harvest.

Growing garlic is also great for people without a green thumb because the tuber is undemanding and can survive frost.

The best time to grow the white tuber is autumn. In this way, the tuber can grow over the spring and autumn and develop better than if cultivation were only started at the classic planting time in May. The cold of winter does not damage the seedlings but actually promotes their growth.

To plant garlic yourself, you do not need special plant garlic. The only important thing is that the tuber comes from the region in which you live because garlic from China or the Mediterranean region is used to higher temperatures and thrives much worse than the more robust bulbs from colder areas.

How to plant the garlic bulb

Garlic naturally thrives best in a bed. Make grooves about four centimeters deep and put a clove of garlic in each about ten centimeters apart (transverse distance to the next groove 20 centimeters). Cover loosely with soil and water. In spring, the green garlic begins to sprout, later the plant bears a decorative flower.

In these inflorescences sit small bulbs, not unlike a clove of garlic. They can also be sown, but they don’t produce as good a yield as garlic cloves. It is recommended to pinch off the flowers so that the plant puts all its energy into developing the tuber.

As soon as the green wilts, the garlic bulb is ready to be harvested: pull it out of the ground and let it dry in a dry, airy place. You can either use the cloves in the kitchen or replant them.

Garlic also thrives on the balcony. It is vital to choose a sufficiently large planter, for example, a wooden or plastic box. You can get them in any supermarket for little money. Before you fill the container with soil, provide the bottom with a few drainage holes so that the moisture cannot accumulate. Garlic plants prefer sunny, sheltered locations.

If you plan your move properly, you can avoid mistakes and save a lot of time at the same time!

Good planning: Here’s how!

Remember the address changes. These affect banks, insurance companies, but also friends and family. The residents’ registration office and the kindergartens and schools must also be informed and all people who move must be re-registered. In addition, you should plan many things several weeks before the move so that there is no stress later.

If you organize the following things some time before you move, you are guaranteed to be on the safe side and you can move into your new apartment completely relaxed:
Do you need a moving truck? Rent it in good time and find out about the prices.
Get enough moving boxes and packing materials. You can gradually collect newspaper or organize it with friends and family.
Pack a bag with a toothbrush, a change of clothes and deodorant so that you can get to the most important things immediately after the move without having to search.
Organize enough helpers for the moving day early on! It is often difficult to carry the heavy furniture alone or in pairs.
Compare and find out more about moving companies. These can sometimes be very expensive.
Plan enough time for the renovation of your old apartment. Painting, cleaning and handing over the apartment often take a lot of time.

You can avoid these mistakes

In addition to good planning, you can also avoid some mistakes when moving:
Don’t pack too heavy! Many make this mistake. You would like to fill the boxes as full as possible, but then you can hardly lift them or they even break on the ground. Therefore, always pack light and heavy things mixed up in a box and check whether you can still lift it.
Don’t use bags to pack: Bags are often difficult to carry and not really fit much. It is best to pack everything that is possible in boxes.
Do not forget to label: If you do not label the boxes correctly, you will have to spend a lot of time and nerves afterwards to put everything back in the right place. Make it easy for you and your helpers and label everything well, with room information and content. So you always have an overview.
Don’t forget your helpers! A moving day can be long and tiring. Don’t forget to provide your helpers with enough food and drinks. It doesn’t matter whether you order a pizza for everyone or make something yourself.
If you pay attention to these things, you will certainly have a relaxed move without any big surprises! Good planning and organization are the decisive factors.

Are you wondering why the washing machine display shows another minute but just can’t finish? These are the reasons.

Washing time takes longer than indicated – these are possible reasons

The first reason for the delay in duration is the wrong dosage of detergent. If this is too high, it will take longer to completely rinse out of the wash. The water only stops rinsing when the sensors no longer detect foam formation. Only then can you spin and finally end the wash program.

Furthermore, the water pressure plays a decisive role. It should be as high as possible so that the machine can be filled with enough water quickly. This is sometimes not the case with old lines. Even if water is taken from the main line at too many points at the same time. The water pressure can drop or fluctuate and the device therefore takes longer to draw the required amount of water from the pipes.

The water temperature also increases the duration of the washing program. If the machine is connected to the cold water line, the water must first be heated, which takes some time.

Imbalance due to incorrectly loaded drum

If you load the drum correctly, you don’t have to wait in vain for the last minute. Then the contents are pressed evenly against the drum during spinning and the textiles arrange themselves in a ring. This will rotate the drum evenly.

However, spin imbalance can occur if there are too few items of clothing or a single large piece of fabric in the spin cycle, as the contents will only be pushed to one side. The sensors detect the resulting imbalance and try to correct it. For example, the drum then rotates backwards to distribute the laundry more evenly. After the last spin cycle, the sensors must first measure whether this and thus also the wash program can be ended. This can take up to several minutes.

Irregular loading ultimately means that the sensors have to take longer to ensure that the water has been completely spun out of the textiles and pumped out of the machine. It is also possible that lumps form in the machine due to the damp laundry. It is therefore advisable not only to wash individual large items, but different sizes. This avoids an imbalance and the textiles can be better distributed.

Tricks to respect the washing time

It is also worth noting that the time display often only shows an approximate value. This calculates the time required for optimal loading when the program starts. The duration of the program is determined by factors such as the water pressure, the degree of soiling, the weight of the laundry and the amount of detergent.

There are a few tricks you can use to meet or even shorten the calculated time. It is important to pay attention to the detergent dosage and not to overload the drum. As a result, the laundry is also clean, the fibers are protected during washing and the indicated washing time is adhered to. It is also important to pay attention to which compartment of the washing machine is intended for which agent and what function the right chamber actually fulfills.

You can also connect the washing machine to the water connection, which means that the water does not have to be heated first. You also save on electricity costs. Finally, it is helpful during the rinsing process to prevent large amounts of water from being drawn from the pipe during the rinsing process through watering the garden, showering or the running dishwasher. This reduces the pressure in the water pipes and shortens the washing time.

The refrigerator is often responsible for high power consumption. With a high-quality device, you can save a lot of energy in the long term and reduce CO2 emissions. But when is a new device due?

The electricity consumption of refrigerators and freezers

There is a perception that a refrigerator needs a new model every 10 to 15 years. But that’s not necessarily true. If the old refrigerator is an energy-saving model, it can still have acceptable consumption values ​​today – especially if you operate it in a cool location.

In any case, it is advisable to get to the bottom of the energy consumption with a power meter. Basically, modern, efficient compressors get by with significantly less energy than the old devices. This is confirmed by a short study on the electricity efficiency of old and new refrigerators and freezers carried out by the Freiburg-based consulting company Ö-quadrat on behalf of the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice centre. A total of 1069 devices, 884 of which were free-standing and 185 built-in, were tested.

The results of the study are unequivocal: the power consumption of refrigerators has fallen continuously since the early 1990s. Here is the comparison: around 30 years ago, a standard refrigerator with a freezer compartment consumed 410 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year. The average consumption of a new appliance today is only around 40 percent of that and is around 170 kWh per refrigerator. The other types of appliances, such as refrigerators without a freezer compartment and large fridge-freezer combinations, also show significantly lower power consumption in new appliances. Information on how to select the right cooling device and how to use it is provided by the NRW consumer advice center.

Device type, location and temperature setting are crucial to save costs and energy

A model calculation by shows exactly the difference: the price of a kWh is just under 42 cents today, compared to just 30 cents in 1990. In 1990, a refrigerator cost 123 euros in electricity per year. The same device with the same consumption in 2022 is 172.20 euros. What is not taken into account is that the power consumption of cooling devices increases significantly over the years. This is mainly due to the aging of the insulation material. With older devices, defects such as leaking doors or heavily dusty cooling grids can also lead to increased consumption. The age-related additional consumption is estimated at around one percent per year of life. With the recommended measuring device you can check the power consumption and decide whether it is worth buying a new device.

The advice from energy expert Gerhild Loer from the consumer advice center in North Rhine-Westphalia is clear: “If you have a refrigerator with a freezer compartment as a free-standing appliance, replacing it after around 15 years is worthwhile. For built-in devices, this only applies from the age of 20, due to the higher acquisition costs”.

She has even more tips up her sleeve to save electricity when operating a refrigerator. The temperature setting is seven degrees Celsius for the refrigerator and minus 18 degrees Celsius for the freezer. “The location of the device must also be taken into account. The less sunlight falls on the refrigerator, the less the cooling unit has to work. This saves electricity in the long term and efficiently extends the performance of cooling devices,” explains Loer.

Baked apples are a classic and – especially in winter – very popular dessert. Here’s how to easily make a festive stuffed baked apple version.

Ingredients for 4 persons)

  • 4 large, firm apples
  • 250g marzipan
  • about a handful of raisins
  • 50g ground almonds
  • 4 tablespoons amaretto
  • 100 grams of butter
  • a teaspoon of cinnamon

Preparation

  1. First, preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat, 180°C for circulating air). Then melt the butter in the microwave. Tip: Cover the bowl with cling film to avoid annoying splashes of butter in the microwave.
  2. Now spread half of the melted butter on an ovenproof baking tin, in which the apples have enough space not to bump into each other.
  3. Next, prepare the filling for the apples. To do this, mix the marzipan, raisins, almonds, and amaretto.
  4. Now generously cut the cores out of the apples. There must be enough space for the filling, with too little filling the dessert will not be sweet enough. Now fill the cored apples with the marzipan mixture. This is best done with a teaspoon.
  5. Then place the filled apples upright in the baking pan and brush them with the remaining melted butter.
  6. Now sprinkle the cinnamon evenly over the apples. Next, the apples are placed in the hot oven.
  7. There they have to sizzle on the middle shelf for about 15 minutes, depending on the degree of browning you want, you can vary the time a little. Serve the apples while they are still hot.

Not only fresh and high-quality food must be prepared properly, but also the tea. This is the only way to get the best taste. In general, making tea is much easier than cooking food. Still, it makes sense to consider things like water temperature, the exact amount of tea and water, and brewing time.

However, the only way to find the perfect recipe is to try it out. The tips and instructions on the Internet can point you in the right direction. Later, brewing the tea becomes a habit, and things like temperature and co. are automatically complied with. The following article explains which other tips can help when making tea and what you need to pay attention to.

1) General rules on the topic of making tea

Overall, there are a few rules and guidelines that should always be followed. What these are is explained below:

  • The more tea leaves used, the stronger the taste.
  • The longer the tea is steeped, the more intense the taste.
  • The fresher the tea is, the higher the quality and taste.
  • The hotter the tea water, the shorter the brewing time.
  • Each different type of tea requires a different temperature.
  • Smaller teapots are better suited for infusing the tea.

2) Store tea properly

For a good and tasty tea, you need to be careful when storing it. Proper storage plays a crucial role. After all, the leaves must not lose their freshness. Therefore, the tea should not be kept in the following places:

  • exposure to light
  • exposure to moisture
  • exposure to foreign odors

All of these factors have a direct impact on the taste of the tea. Much better are dark places where it is dry and cool. In the best case, the tea is kept in sealed cans. For example, glass jars or jars with a viewing window are not suitable for storage. This also applies to plastic and paper bags. They are only suitable for transporting the tea from the supermarket to your own four walls. Under no circumstances should the same tin be used for different types of tea. That changes the taste. It is advisable to use up the tea completely within 2 months in order to preserve as much taste as possible.

3) Cups and pots for tea

Tea is enjoyed not only in Germany but also in other countries around the world. The preparation of the tea plays an important role in health and bliss, regardless of culture. For this reason, the right crockery can increase the enjoyment of tea. On the one hand, they help to prepare the tea ideally, and on the other hand, the shape and the material of the dishes create an extraordinary atmosphere. The taste cannot be changed, but the experience can.

4) Water when making tea

The quality of any tea depends much more on the water used than on the actual tea. Water accounts for about 80 percent of flavor, which is confused by many. The freshness of the water is crucial when preparing tea. The water contains oxygen, which contributes to the taste experience. Tap water or water that has been standing for a long time is not suitable. Furthermore, the water should not be overboiled. With each boil, the water loses oxygen and a bland taste develops.

5) water temperature

As already mentioned above, in addition to the quality of the water, the temperature plays a not unimportant role. Some types of tea taste better when provided with the right water temperature. A classic misconception: the tea always has to be infused with sparkling hot water. However, the flavor can evaporate faster this way. The ideal amount of water in a kettle is about 1 to 1.5 liters.

6) steeping time

The last point deals with the brewing time of the tea. The more leaves there are in the tea, the shorter the brewing time. This also applies to hot water and broken tea leaves. For even more taste, it is advisable to add milk and sugar. However, this is more a matter of taste. The motto here is: the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Eating in the evening makes you fat? This opinion is widespread. But is that really true? Here you get the answers.

Link between weight gain and late eating? Experts have been researching the question for a long time

In 1985-86, a study (Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals) was conducted that recorded the dietary habits of 1,802 women. It showed that no connection could be established between a late meal (after 5 p.m.) and weight gain, according to the DGE. Even in a larger study (NHANES-I) from 1982 to 1984, in which the eating habits of 7,000 men and women were observed, even after ten years of follow-up (follow-up study of NHANES-I), no connection could be found between eating in the evening and the body weight development can be determined.

In another study from 2002, researchers compared the eating habits of overweight and non-overweight women. The overweight women ate more meals a day than the normal-weight women. In addition, the overweight women ate more volume in the evening compared to the normal-weight women. However, this study only indicates that overweight women not only ate late, but generally ate more. But not that they are fat because of their late eating habits.

Another 2004 study analyzed 7-day consumption logs from a total of 900 women and men. This study also showed that people who eat more in the evening already had a higher energy intake during the day than subjects who ate most of it in the first half of the day. It also found that subjects who ate a larger, more nutritious breakfast ate less food during the day and evening.

Researchers cannot link obesity to late night eating

These studies show that eating out at night does not automatically make you fat. However, the time at which you eat food still plays a role. Because if you eat a lot and plenty of it early on, you will show less hunger during the day. It has been proven that people who eat a decent breakfast have a lower energy intake during the day and also in the evening. Despite these results, according to the scientists, more research is needed in this area in order to be able to speak of reliable knowledge. However, the daily calorie intake still determines whether you gain or lose weight. If this is too high, you gain weight – no matter when you eat.

The results of a small 1997 study on weight loss support eating late meals to preserve lean body mass, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. For this purpose, researchers observed ten women in a weight loss program. They found that eating a large breakfast leads to slightly greater weight loss than a large evening meal. However, a large dinner resulted in better preservation of lean body mass.

So the secret isn’t skipping dinner: it actually has benefits for the body. This makes the widespread assumption that it makes you fat a myth. On the other hand, it makes much more sense to eat a balanced breakfast. A balanced breakfast fills you up early in the day. Thus, this variant prevents food cravings during the day.

The days are short, it’s winter. It’s natural that you spend less time outdoors, because jogging in the snow, picnics in the rain – that’s not to everyone’s taste. Your own four walls come to the fore. Therefore, it is a good time to remodel the living room.

Remodeling of the apartment

While you use your bedroom most during the sunny times of the year, you now sit in the living room more often when it gets dark and read a book or watch a film. Even if you have friends there, it’s the kitchen and living room where they mainly hang out. Maybe you have

Design it yourself or buy it?

Not everyone is a gifted artist or can even make a drawing. Luckily there are people who have been given this gift and we can hang posters and pictures of their art on our walls. When designing the walls, you can tackle the wall yourself or create new pictures in the living room. When choosing the eye-catchers, you have a large selection:

  • Pictures living room modern on Bimago
  • Classic living room pictures
  • Abstract paintings in the living room
  • Pictures living room naive
  • The list could be continued indefinitely.

Remodel living room with pictures

Transforming into a living room can be achieved a lot with the right wall decoration. The pictures on your walls should ideally have a common thread in each room. You might want to hang personal photos in the hallway so memories of shared moments with family and friends are always fresh. The living room is suitable for larger posters or paintings. A motif is often offered in different sizes.

Then it depends entirely on your furnishings and your personal preferences to create a cozy living room. Are the walls white or are their color tied to a specific background? Are you interested in abstract art or naïve painting, or do you prefer photos of interesting places in the world? Almost every painting that has ever been made can now be purchased as a print in various sizes.

Choose a coordinated color concept

No matter which design you choose: coordinate the color scheme with the rest of the room, this gives a more harmonious whole and creates a more comfortable atmosphere in the rooms. In a cool and reduced ambiance, pictures can be splashes of color and vice versa: if the room is very colorful, black and white photos may provide a balance. On the internet, you can find color combinations that are pleasing to the eye and you will be surprised which colors go well together.

In addition to the colors, the lines are also important. Depending on whether there are more horizontal or vertical objects in your living room, repeating these lines in the pictures or paintings makes the overall impression of the room more pleasing. So anyone who has set up tall, slender objects is well advised to hang up pictures that also contain vertical lines. These can be slender trees in classic paintings or skyscrapers in a photo, or giraffes in an African landscape. Depending on what goes with the rest of your decor. Very wide and less high posters go very well with horizontal lines. Frameless canvas is modern and very well suited for wall hangings of this kind. This allows you to create a creative and currently trendy picture wall.

A stressful everyday life demands a lot from people and families. These days the weeks are full of important tasks and appointments. You quickly lose track of things. Effective time management is required to ensure that everything runs smoothly in household and family life. Therefore use practical tips for organizing everyday life.

Organize stressful everyday life

Anyone who makes sure that everything runs smoothly in the household and garden and in family life on a daily basis has to cope with an enormous workload. The many small and large tasks and needs in everyday family life are usually taken care of seven days a week without long breaks. Then organizational talent is one of the core competencies.

Good planning is required to ensure that no important things are forgotten in the multitude of your tasks and appointments. Consequently, we have collected practical tips for effective time management. So you can organize your everyday life perfectly and survive stressful times. Because a permanently stressful everyday life blocks the view of beauty.

1) Effective time management relieves the head

A well-organized everyday family life initially requires some work. Ultimately, this helps you save valuable resources, relieve your head, and effectively reduce stress. There are various practical helpers for this, such as a family planner calendar. This helps to organize everyday life. There are many different types of family planners on the market. You can choose the number of columns, the layout, the size, and the design according to your needs. Ideally, the family planner offers enough space for entries and hangs in a central place, for example in the kitchen.

2) Use family planner apps

When everyday life is full of appointments and important tasks, a family planner is an indispensable aid for effective time management. Since the whole family is usually digitally networked via smartphone, you can also manage your family planner via an app. You can enter appointments immediately after the agreement and send them to the other family members. The computer magazine CHIP has tested some popular family planner apps.

Discipline is required for the family planner to serve its purpose. Consequently, every family member should enter important appointments as soon as possible, preferably with the time, place, and any important additional information, such as documents to be brought along. If long-term preparations are required, such as baking cakes for the kindergarten bazaar, you should enter the date early. In this way, you ensure effective time management in everyday life.

3) Write down important information

Countless pieces of information are processed in our heads every day. This includes meal planning, to-dos, or preparations for the next children’s birthday party. So that you don’t forget anything during a stressful day, you should always write down important information immediately. Use a notepad, sticky note, or chalkboard for this. In addition, highlight important information on the note with a highlighter. That way they catch your eye better. Also, get rid of notes that are no longer up-to-date. As a result, you can better deal with the challenges of household chores.

4) The three minute rule for effective time management

There are many small and large tasks that fill the day. What seems manageable at the beginning of the day all too often turns into stress because individual activities are postponed for too long. The three-minute rule helps. After this, you should immediately tackle all activities that can be completed within a maximum of three minutes. This includes quick house cleaning, such as putting away a dirty plate or taking out the rubbish. In contrast, move tasks that take longer to a more convenient time slot. Consequently, the three-minute rule helps you to prevent tasks from being postponed and to organize your everyday life perfectly.

5) Use paths in the household sensibly

Also, do tasks “on the fly” that are otherwise extra items on your to-do list. So if you run a cleaning rag over the railing when going from the first floor to the ground floor, you can already delete this detail from your own cleaning plan. Or use the empty laundry basket with the fresh laundry to carry the dirty laundry back to the washing machine. You can also transport other things that are in the wrong place. As a result, you can easily organize and save time. This is effective time management.

6) Organize everyday life and get tasks done early

When something unpredictable happens, everyday life becomes stressful. Therefore, you should do the foreseeable well in advance. The classic is getting Christmas presents, which is really no fun in December. Because as the year progresses, more gift seekers push through the crowded shops. So get those tasks done early.

7) Combine errands sensibly

You can also combine important errands and weekly shopping for effective time management in everyday life. Apps, such as a clever shopping app, can also help you here. If you use a shopping app, you can go to the store that sells the detergent on your way home – without having to travel extra.

Our skin is exposed to particular stresses in winter: dry heating air in the rooms, and cold winter air outside. In addition, it is supplied with less vitamin D due to a lack of sunlight and is usually cracked and dried quickly. Therefore, the right skincare in winter is important so that you can protect sensitive skin. Because with the right skin protection in winter, you can get through the cold season well.

Skin protection in winter is important

Winter means pure stress not only for sensitive skin. Because the cold lurks outside and the dry heating air inside. And both factors strain the skin and deprive it of moisture. As a result, the skin becomes dry, brittle, and cracked. While some home remedies help against dry skin, you should choose the right skincare in winter and ensure adequate skin protection.

1) The right skincare in winter

The main problem of sensitive skin in winter is dryness. Because the artificial heating air removes a lot of moisture from it, it flakes or dries out. This is where nourishing creams can help. However, it is important to use the right skincare. You protect your sensitive skin in winter with moisturizing and rich creams. Real chamomile, for example, has an anti-inflammatory and calming effect. Products with vegetable oils, such as nourishing argan oil or shea butter, also offer you suitable skin protection in winter.

2) Drink plenty of fluids

Protect sensitive skin from dryness in winter by drinking enough fluids. This way you supply them with liquid from the inside. Accordingly, drink at least 2-3 liters of water or tea per day. But you should avoid alcohol in winter because it also removes water from the body and contributes to the drying out of the skin. Likewise, avoid extensive bubble baths if you have sensitive skin. Instead, treat yourself to oil or cream baths.

3) Nutritious diet as skincare in winter

For suitable skin protection in winter, you should provide your skin with nutrient-rich nutrition. Therefore, eat salmon, nuts, or grapes for omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients. Flaxseed oil or walnut oil when cooking can also support this effect. And if you want to provide your skin with lots of vitamins, you should grab pomegranates in the supermarket. In winter they are increasingly available and can be wonderfully integrated into muesli, desserts, or fruit salads. In contrast, you should reduce salty food a little during the cold season, as it draws water out of the body.

4) Proper showering and bathing

Another simple winter skin care tip is showering and bathing properly. Accordingly, you should not shower and bathe too often, as this dries out your skin. Also note that the water is not too hot, it is better to shower a little colder to protect your skin. In addition, you should use pH-neutral, moisturizing, and moisturizing products.

5) Full bath with salt as skin protection

To keep your skin firm and elastic in winter, you can take a full bath with salt. To do this, dissolve half a packet of iodized salt in the bathtub. This has an invigorating effect. Because it stimulates blood circulation and thus keeps the connective tissue of the subcutaneous tissue taut. Then your skin will renew itself faster. But after this bathing experience, you should rinse yourself off with plenty of clear water and apply lotion carefully. It can still be a fatty cream.

6) Proper skincare in winter with gentle soap

Sensitive skin is additionally stressed by soaps with a high proportion of cosmetics. Therefore use natural soaps or pH-neutral soaps in winter. Many health food stores offer a great selection of soaps based on natural ingredients. You can also find natural cosmetics products on the internet. You should only wash your hands when it is really necessary. Because too much contact of the hands with water, soap, and the washing-up liquid dries out the skin. Consequently, you should always have a good hand cream with you to care for your hands.

7) Create a room climate that is healthy for the skin

You don’t always have to reduce the humidity. In winter with dry heating air, you should ensure a skin-healthy room climate. Indoor plants work wonders. Varieties such as spider plants, Cyprus grass, and lime trees are particularly suitable, as they release around 98 percent of the water they absorb back into the environment.