Home gardening statistics infographic
13.5 years ago Uncategorized
I came across this interesting infographic showing pretty cool information about the home gardener I thought I would share. I couple of interesting items were the average garden size and the economics of U.S. food gardens.
UPDATE: Some resources to see how profitable your garden can be: most profitable fruits and most profitable vegetables.
How to collect lettuce seeds
13.5 years ago Uncategorized
I wasn’t exactly good about eating my lettuce last year, after a few weeks of neglect the plants began to flower and eventually created some seeds. At the end of the season I pulled out the plants to dry out a little more and eventually forgot about them for a few months.
Because I forgot about the seeds when it came time to plant them I simply grabbed a seed pod broke it apart in my hand and planted some seeds. If you are only going to plant a few plants this is a great way to go using natures seed packaging system. If you are needing many more seeds or lack the extra space to store your seeds here is a simple process to save lettuce seeds.
1. Extract. Place a few seed pods between your hands and rub your hands together lightly allowing the seeds and the chaff (aka other stuff) fall into a bowl. Repeat this for all of the seeds you want to save for this/next year.
2. Filter. Just by carefully shaking the bowl a little any large pieces of “other stuff” should come right to the surface which you can easily pick out. Take the remaining seeds and “other stuff” and place in a sieve and shake to removed the “other stuff” removing any remaining large pieces that come to the surface. You can also gentle move the seeds with mild pressure around to break up some of the remaining “other stuff” and help it fall through the sieve.
Now with some fairly clean seeds you can store in an paper or plastic envelope and plant when needed.
Fiskars 6201 Momentum Push Reel Lawn Mower review
13.5 years ago lawn, product review, push mower, reel mower, Uncategorized
Last weekend my old gas mower finally gave its last breathe of exhaust and so it was time to get a new mower. Provided I have a relatively small yard and a very cramped garage I decided to give a manual push lawn mower or more well known as reel lawn mower. After some research on the reel mowers on the market I finally ended up buying the Fiskars 6201 Momentum Push Reel Lawn Mower.
Though at a retail price of $199.99 you could easily get a gas powered lawn mower for the same price, but you also have to consider the maintenance cost on a gas mower which I estimate I normally paid out $25-30 a year between oil, air filters, spark plugs, and gas (with fuel additives). As a side bonus a push mower also produces no emissions so it is a much more environmentally friendly option.
What finally sold me on the mower were the two features that seemed to be lacking from the cheaper reel mowers. First was the ability to adjust cutting height from 1” to 4” this is important for a couple of reasons. First you should only cut 1/3 of your grasses length or this can stress your grass causing damage to the roots. If you grass is 4 inches tall and you mower has a static height of 2 inches this is not possible. Second I like to keep my grass cut at around 3 inches to help shade out the weeds that may be trying to poke up from below so with the other models this was also not a viable option for me.
The next thing that I liked about this mower is its construction, I am a pretty strong guy and looking at the design of some of the other models I could easily see myself barreling through some thick grass and have to end up bringing the mower back to the store in a couple of pieces. With this bad boy weighing in at just over 50 lbs it has some solid steel construction which should easily be able to withstand my man handling.
Upon opening the box the mower took about 5-10 minutes to assemble which was basically attaching four bolts to put the handle together and attach it to the main part of the mower. After adjusting the height to 3 inches I headed out to try the mower out. My lawn was about 4 inches tall and I was able to easily mow through my yard with minimal effort. Though the clippings were not as small as my gas mulching mower would create they still created a small enough mess that I didn’t think raking was necessary. To put the mower through its paces I moved the level down to 2.5 inches, this time it was a bit more of a workout to get through the grass and they size of the clippings were a bit larger (as expected) compared to when I was mowing at 3 inches but still at a reasonable mess to avoid raking. I also was impressed on how the mower easily cut through the few dandelions that I hadn’t pulled by hand yet without any problems.
Overall I was impressed with the Fiskars 6201 Momentum Push Reel Lawn Mower and did not experience any buyers remorse after my first use on the lawn. Overall the effort to push this around was not much different than a typical push gas mower when mowing 1” of grass, though can provide but of a workout when it exceeds that amount, but it is solid and has no problems barreling through the grass and weeds.
Disclosure: This review was conducted with no association or compensation from Fiskars or representatives.
How to keep cats out of your garden
13.6 years ago Uncategorized
The Rise of the Cat
Today, cats have the distinguished honor of being the most popular pet in the world. They are extremely adaptable creatures and are found virtually everywhere on earth. Due to their rapid breeding rates, the cat population has swelled to an astonishing 60 million in the United States alone. This figure includes household cats, as well as the ever-increasing number of strays.
There are many reasons this figure has exploded. One reason is cat owners are failing to spay and neuter, resulting in unwanted litters. Another reason is abandonment. Cat owners are abandoning their pets because of relocation, not being able to afford the cat, or even downright neglect. (Cats)
Identifying Cat Damage
The sheer volume of stray cats has become an expensive nuisance to homeowners, as cats cause damage to landscaping, lawns, gardens, and ponds. Cats use gardens as their litter boxes, destroying plants and seedlings as they dig. They damage trees with their excessive clawing. And they leave a repulsive smell in yards by marking and spraying. Also, cats are instinctive hunters. Their flexible bodies, quick reflexes, acute hearing, and sharp retractable claws make them perfect predators for locating and catching prey, especially small mammals, birds, amphibians, and fish. Those with decorative ponds have problems with felines feeding on their fish.
Dangers of Strays
One in ten animal bites come from the infamous feline. Besides pain, cat bites can have dangerous ramifications. Humans can contract infections, such as cat-scratch disease, salmonellosis, tulermia, and rabies. Their feces can transmit toxoplasmosis, which can pose a serious danger to pregnant women and immunosuppressed individuals. In fact, a considerable percentage of domestic and stray cats are carriers of the Toxoplasma parasite, which can cause lasting effects and even fatality in humans. With these potential health threats, finding an effective cat repellent to keep strays out of yards has never been more important. (Toxoplasmosis)
Cat Repellents — Keep Out Cats?
To keep cats out of your yard, you need to find an effective cat repellent. There are several common strategies for keeping cats out of an area, but they are not all highly effective. For instance, some will try positioning a sandbox and catnip a distance from their home to draw them away. However, cats have a large roaming radius. A sandbox and catnip will be a welcome sign to the area, not a cat repellent for your yard.
Cats won’t walk on bristly items. This cat quality has been helpful to those homeowners with areas of fallen pinecones and needles. However, spreading these all over your yard isn’t an easy cat repellent method.
Fencing alone will not keep cats out. Cats have lithe bodies that squeeze through small places and surmount tall obstacles. If you have a fence, you should combine your efforts with an effective cat repellent.
What is the best method for keeping strays and feral cats at bay? Water is nature’s very own cat repellent. Cats hate being wet, which you can use to your advantage. Based on the fact cats hate water, the motion detector sprinkler has been refined for use as a highly effective cat repellent.
Motion Detector Sprinkler — An Effective Cat Repellent
A motion detector sprinkler is similar to a water sprinkler, but instead of running continuously, it fires a burst of water to harmlessly frighten cats away. It’s a clean, harmless, and effective cat repellent that sets up quickly and easily. Simply install a standard battery, connect the sprinkler to a hose, and stake the unit into the ground. Because it runs 24 hours a day, a motion detector sprinkler is the perfect solution to these nocturnal predators.
These cat repellents should be placed in the area that has experienced cat damage. Putting a motion detector sprinkler by a decorative pond will prevent felines from feeding on the fish. Installing one in your garden will not only nourish your plants, it will also put an end to the digging and litter box smell.
You should also install these cat repellents in the pathway where they search for food and water. You’ll stop them from entering your yard and reaching your pets’ dishes, decorative ponds, bird baths, and gardens.
The Power Behind the Motion Detector Sprinkler
A motion detector sprinkler has an infrared sensor, which can sense movement up to 35 feet in front of the unit. When motion is detected, the sprinkler will eject a sudden jet of water accompanied by a “whoosh” sound. This combination works as a highly effective cat repellent by creating a negative experience for the trespassing animal. They will be conditioned to avoid the area in the future.
The most effective motion detector sprinklers feature adjustable sensitivity detectors and random spray patterns, meaning cats won’t become accustomed to the jets of water. With over 1000 square feet of coverage from one unit, these cat repellents offer widespread protection. To cover more area, simply install more than one sprinkler. Not only will you have an effective cat repellent, you’ll also be protecting your yard from other unwanted animal guests, such as deer, dogs, raccoons, groundhogs, opossum, skunks, rabbits, squirrels, and birds.
Types of Motion Detector Sprinklers
Most motion detector sprinklers are eco-friendly, using only 2-3 cups of water per activation. Infrared proximity and pivoting sensors offer 180 degrees of protection, never missing an animal that ventures within reach of the unit. High-tech systems have the added benefits of remote functionality, timer options, and a sprinkler mode. Solar-powered models utilize a refillable basin for their water supply, making them hose-less and relocatable. (Havahart Spray Away)
Works Cited
Toxoplasmosis. 2 November 2010.
Havahart Spray Away – Motion Activated Water Repellent. 19 January 2011.
Guest Post By: Havahart®
Tomato plants still growing too well under LED lights
13.6 years ago Uncategorized
The tomatoes are taking over the grow box under the LED lights and starting to create some blossoms. Hopefully the weather gets better soon so I can finally bring these guys outside. The peppers are also growing great though haven’t outgrown their pots yet.
Winner of the WetCircuits power strip is…
13.6 years ago Uncategorized
The winner of the WetCircuits powerstrip giveaway is Journey11. For the rest of you stay tuned this growing season since I am always on the lookup for products to giveaway.
