Q. What kind of plant food should I feed my cactus plants?

A. Cacti grow naturally in rather infertile soils, so they don't require much fertilizer. In fact, you shouldn't feed them at all during the winter. In spring and summer, feed them every two weeks with a low-nitrogen, water-soluble fertilizer diluted to half-strength. A liquid plant food with a ratio of 10-15-10 would be a good choice.

Q. How can we dry grapes at home to make raisins? Are there any special problems we should watch out for?

A. Dry grapes for raisins in a food dehydrator or an oven for 14 to 20 hours at 95 degrees to 120 degrees F. The raisins will be lighter in color and slightly plumper ...