How to Plant and Care for a Bottlebrush Plant

Planting and caring for a bottlebrush (latin name: Callistemon) requires minimal upkeep but results in maximum floral beauty.

As a frost tolerant and woody plant, bottlebrushes are attractive options for home gardeners. Since they also tolerate drought and damp conditions well, they are showcased throughout landscaped lawns and gardens all over the world. The flower spikes are colorful and full of texture, and the leaves of some bottlebrush varieties are ornamental as well. Since the average lifespan for bottlebrushes is twenty to forty years, they promise beauty and blooms for many years. Although the woody shrub is low maintenance, proper care can help to ensure it continues blooming to its fullest each year.

Planting

Arrange to plant a bottlebrush shrub in full sun to maximize the amount of blooms and growth of the plant. Find a spot that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight a day for best results.

Choose a well-draining soil to plant the bottlebrush. Although bottlebrushes do well in a variety of soil types, they do not take kindly to alkaline type environments. Plant the seeds during spring or summer. Cuttings from mature bottlebrushes may also be used. Do not plant other flowers or plants within five feet of sowing the seed into the soil. Since bottlebrushes tend to expand and grow quite easily, give them room and resist planting other varieties of flowers too close.

Fertilizer

Apply a low-phosphorus fertilizer to the soil in either the spring or fall. This gives the bottlebrush extra nutrients for a richer soil.

Mulching

Add mulch around the base of the plant to retain soil moisture and to help prevent weeds from sprouting up. This needs to be done every

Pruning

When the plant has produced flowers and is thriving, prune the bottlebrush back to desired size and shape. This must be done either early in the season before the flowers have bloomed or after the flowers are finishing. Cut the tips of the branches for early season pruning. Or you may choose to cut behind the finished flowers. Some flowers may have to be sacrificed in order to achieve a desired shape. Pruning helps to keep the shrub compact and attractive as well as encourage re-flowering throughout the season.

Water

In extreme heat and dry conditions, give the bottlebrush a deep watering to ensure it prospers. Mulching can help keep out the intense heat in some regions as well. Otherwise, the bottlebrush does not require regular watering other than natural rainfall.

Considerations

If bugs become a problem, use a repellent spray which can be found in most garden centers.

The bottlebrush is an excellent low-maintenance plant that, with a little care, will reward gardeners with beautiful displays each year.

How to Treat Wasp Stings Using Home First Aid

Wasp stings can be painful. Learn why they're painful and use natural home remedies for treating them, or choose simple over the counter pharmacy options.

This article does not cover emergency anaphylactic shock treatment which requires immediate care and attention. This piece is to provide a range of home-based wasp sting remedies for those who do not have an allergic reaction but will still find that being stung by a wasp is uncomfortable and possibly painful.

To find emergency treatment on anaphylactic shock treatment, go toanaphylaxis.org.

Why is Wasp Venom Painful

Surprisingly there is less known about wasp venom than there is about bee venom, and tracking down the cause of the pain of a wasp sting has been elusive. Although the chemical constituents can be identified, the cause of the pain is less easy to pinpoint; however there appears to be some correlation betweencatecholamines and the discomfort of wasp venom. Catecholamines contain adrenaline and noradrenaline which are normally transported in the blood stream and it may be these constituents released into skin tissue that cause the pain.

Treating Wasp Stings

Firstly, check for sure that the wasp sting hasn't been left in, in which case just use the edge of a credit card drawn firmly across the skin, or a pair of tweezers, to extract it. Treating wasp stings usually just involves treating the effects of the venom, as the wasp does not generally leave its sting behind as a bee will do unless the wasp has been swatted and had its sting snapped off.

Apply some ice in a towel, or a small pack of frozen peas, to the stung area. Never put ice directly onto the skin as there is the possibility of skin burn. Leave this pack of ice - or peas - on the skin for about ten minutes. The intense cold will reduce blood flow to the area which in turn will lead to a reduction in the reddening and defensive reaction. Take the ice pack off for about five minutes and then reapply.

Ibuprofen or paracetamol can ease the discomfort, but always check the information leaflet for contraindications.

If the area becomes irritated and itchy, do not scratch. This will only make matters worse by further damaging the skin structures where the sting has entered, and is likely to disperse the wasp venom further into the surrounding tissues. Scratching may also lead to broken skin and infection, which will make treatment and healing more complicated. The area should not be squeezed or pinched either, even though this can bring temporary relief for other types of skin irritation - the less chance the wasp venom has of leaching into the surrounding tissues the better.

Itching can be eased by applying some calamine lotion frequently throughout the day. This is a harmless skin treatment often prescribed for itchiness caused by rashes as well as skin conditions such as chicken pox so it is well documented as being effective.

An extra treatment for itchiness is an oral antihistamine which will reach the inflamed area through the bloodstream and tackle the itchiness from the inside. If calamine is also being used this will be an effective and benign two-pronged approach method of dealing with the irritation from the wasp venom.

Some people find that Benadryl topical applications will work, and as this is a treatment specifically for stings this may well be a useful thing to keep in the medicine cabinet.

A Few Natural Home Remedies for Wasp Stings

1. Baking soda mixed with a little water to form a paste and then applied to the wasp sting area is a useful remedy for easing the irritation. A small dressing can be applied and secured with tape to keep the baking powder paste in place. This is useful at night when the warmth of the bed can make any skin irritation worse.
2. An application of a paste of water and meat tenderiser is is a popular treatment and works because the papain in the tenderiser breaks down the proteins, one of the main constituents of wasp venom. This is best applied and then kept in place with a small dressing to avoid it being rubbed off.
3. Pure aloe vera gel is another natural method of cooling and soothing the sting area. Aloe vera is known universally as a wonderful healing skin treatment and it contains no harsh chemicals, additives or medications.
4. The application of mud to the stung area is an American Indian treatment which works by drawing the venom out of the skin in the same way that a clay face mask draws impurities out from the skin of the face. This needs be nothing more elaborate than mud from the garden. Leave for 10-15 minutes to allow the mud to dry completely.

Further home remedies include the following:

• the inside of a cut onion to rub over the wasp sting site.
• white or cider vinegar applied with a piece of cotton wool.
• a copper penny. Placed on a wasp sting this apparently reduces the swelling, redness and irritation and has something to do with the copper content of the coin reacting favourably with the body's own chemical makeup.

If after using these remedies the irritation persists or worsens, or the redness spreads, do seek medical advice. The above home first aid measures are very basic and are for anyone who has no out of the ordinary major reaction to insect stings and bites. If there is any doubt ask for a doctor's or pharmacist's opinion.

If you found this article useful you may be interested in reading the following to learn more about wasp stings:

How to Avoid Being Stung by Wasps which has some useful deterrents and precautions, The Life Cycle of the Wasp as a fascinating overview of one of the garden's most useful predators, and What is a Wasp Sting which examines the structure and function of the sting and gives some information on wasp venom.

How to Care for Dogs After Spaying Surgery

Getting a female dog spayed involves a more invasive surgery; the dog's recovery after spaying surgery is longer and more difficult. Learn how to care for a spayed dog.

Often, getting a dog "fixed" with a spay or neuter surgery is the first time a new dog owner will have to care for a dog that's just undergone surgery.

Caring for a dog that's just had surgery and been under general anesthesia can make some dog owners uneasy and nervous. Knowing what to expect when a dog is spayed is the first step toward helping the dog through the recovery process after surgery.

Here, pet owners will learn how to help a dog recover after getting spayed; the more invasive of the two procedures used to "fix" a dog, cat or other pet.

How Do I Prepare My Dog for Surgery When She is Spayed?

Dog owners should prepare a dog for spaying surgery starting the night before the operation is scheduled. Food and water should be withheld after 8:00 p.m. the night before the dog is spayed; this will lessen the dog's chances of vomiting while under general anesthesia.

A dog who vomits while under anesthesia can aspirate (inhale into the lungs) the vomit, causing pneumonia or even death. So it's important to pull up any food and water bowls no later than 8:00 p.m.; this will ensure that any food and water in the dog's system has moved into the lower portion of the digestive system, making vomiting and aspiration unlikely.

In most cases, the veterinarian will perform the spay operation early in the day; the dog can then recover from general anesthesia under the watchful eye of the veterinarian. Complications from spay or neuter operations are fairly uncommon, so most dogs go home the same day.

What is the Dog's Recovery Like After a Spay Operation? How Long Does it Take for the Dog to Recover from Surgery?

Since the spaying procedure takes longer than neutering, the dog is under general anesthesia for a bit longer; this makes the recovery process a bit more difficult. Spaying surgery is also more invasive as the vet cuts through the muscles of the abdominal wall, so recovery takes longer.

After a dog is spayed, she will typically require about 24 hours to recover from the general anesthesia. When a dog arrives home from getting spayed, it's common to see the following symptoms:

• Grogginess
• Lethargy
• Sleeping (more than usual)
• A Lack of Balance
• Little/No Appetite
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Bathroom Accidents
• Panting
• Aggression (usually toward other pets)

These symptoms are temporary, and most will disappear by the following morning.

When the dog arrives home after getting spayed, keep her isolated from other pets; a dog who is disoriented due to anesthesia and experiencing pain and discomfort due to the operation is more likely to snap or bite at another pet or even a child.

After spaying surgery, the dog will need to urinate more frequently due to the IV fluids that were received during the operation. It's important to bring the dog outside every couple hours in anticipation of her bathroom needs. A dog that's just emerged from anesthesia will sleep heavily; the dog may even urinate in bed without realizing it.

A few hours after the dog arrives home, owners can offer a small meal. Some dogs will opt to eat after surgery; others will refuse. Upset stomach is common after general anesthesia, so offering a bland homemade dog food like rice with plain, skinless chicken or boiled hamburger meat will encourage eating while preventing stomach upset.

Special Care for a Dog After Spaying Surgery

Recovery time is about 14 days in a female dog who's just been spayed. Try the following to promote recovery after spaying:

• Limit Activity and Take Short Walks. The abdominal muscles and incision will need time to heal, so short leash walks for bathroom breaks only are recommended for a dog that's just been spayed.. Therefore, the dog must be kept quiet with leash walks only for the two weeks following the surgery.
• Monitor the Incision. The incision for a female dog that's just been spayed will be several inches in length. It's a fairly large incision that must be closely monitored for any signs of infection. Symptoms of an infected wound include swelling, redness or discharge. The incision and underlying structures (i.e. blood vessels, muscles, etc.) will take 10 to 14 days to heal.
• Clean the Incision 2-3 Times a Day. For the first 2 to 3 days, dog owners may be advised to clean the incision several times a day using betadine, which can be applied (generously) using a sterile gauze pad to gently pat the dog's surgical incision and surrounding area. This will disinfect the incision and surrounding skin. Allow the betadine to air dry. Note: This method should only be used on dogs with stitches (a.k.a. sutures) or a staple incision closure.
• Keep the "Cone" On! After a dog is spayed, she will be sent home with an Elizabethan collar, also known as an "e-collar," "lampshade" or "cone." This will prevent the dog from licking the incision or biting the incision or stitches, as often occurs late in the healing process when the healing skin starts to itch. The "lampshade" must be kept on until the dog's stitches are removed about 14 days after the surgery.

Some veterinary surgeons will opt to close the wound with glue or dissolving stitches. Therefore, not every dog requires suture removal. If a pet owner is unsure whether suture removal is required or if concerns arise after spaying surgery, it's important to consult the veterinary clinic.

In dogs with a wound glue incision closure, owners must avoid cleaning or washing the actual incision since this can interfere with the wound glue. If "weeping" occurs, resulting in dried discharge on the dog's skin, a warm, damp washcloth can be used to (gently) clean the skin around the incision, but avoid direct contact with the actual wound.

More Help for an Owner of a Pet That's Had Surgery

To learn more about how male dogs are neutered, read How Do You Neuter a Dog?

Dog owners may also enjoy Post Surgery Incision Care for Pets and Post-Anesthesia Care for Dogs with learn tips on how to care for a dog after she's spayed.

Bum Yeast Infection Signs: "Butt Crack" Sore, Itchy from Fungus

Itching of the "crack" is embarrassing but treatable. Redness, soreness, itchiness, discomfort in this sensitive area are often signs of yeast infection.

• An Itchy Bottom May be a Sign of Yeast Infection

Anal itching and soreness has many possible causes, including hemorrhoids (piles), psoriasis, and eczema. One of the most common causes is a yeast infection of the bottom, also known as a fungal infection. Yeast infections of the "bum crack" can be easily treated and cured. If left untreated, the problem can continue for many weeks or months and get worse.
Itchy Bottom and Other Signs of a Butt Yeast Infection
Fungal infections of the bottom can manifest as several different symptoms. Frequently, a person will have a really itchy bottom. This bum itchiness can be persistent and very annoying, resulting in an unrelenting cycle of itching and scratching that can be difficult to stop.
Embarrassing Problems.com notes, “When [the butt] becomes irritated, scratching is a natural reaction, but this damages the skin further – the itch/scratch cycle.”
Bottom crack irritation is another sign of a yeast infection. The bum may be red, raw, and sore, and the skin may be cracked. The redness often appears as a ring-shaped rash around the anus. The skin may peel, and sometimes bleeding is a problem.
Bum Fungal Skin Infection Causes
The rear crack is an ideal location for yeast to flourish. The area is dark, warm, and sweaty. “Fungi love warm, damp and damaged skin, so if you have an itchy anus for any reason and then damage the skin by scratching, fungi can take hold and make it worse,” EmbarrassingProblems.com states.
Treating Fungus Problem in Bum Crack
There are a few different treatment options for a butt fungal issue. Over-the-counter creams and ointments that are effective at treating yeast infections include clotrimazole, Lamisil, Lotrimin, and Monistat. Lamisil and Lotrimin are used to treat jock itch and Monistat is used to treat vaginal yeast infections, but both are effective against yeast infections of the bum as well.
To treat bum irritation, creams for diaper rash, such as A+D Zinc Oxide Diaper Rash Cream, is very helpful. MayoClinic.com states that Cortaid and Preparation H Anti-Itch Cream can also reduce inflammation and itchiness.
Soreness of the "butt crack" is embarrassing, but it is easy to treat when it is caused by a yeast infection. Over-the-counter medications for fungus infections are effective. However, if a fungal infection of the bottom lasts for more than a week with treatment, it is best to make an appointment with a doctor. The fungus may require a prescription medication to clear it up.