The Cheap Vegetable Gardener

Best DIY cheap soil moisture sensor

14.9 years ago cheap, electronics, moisture sensor, water 99 Comments

My first version of my cheap soil moisture sensor has worked great for me but it did have a couple flaws.  The first issue was construction, though I had great luck on my first attempt though after trying to recreate additional sensors given the small amount of gypsum between the sensor and the probes were so thin it was extremely easy to crack the sensor and I normally have about a 25% success rate on later creations (must have had beginners luck on the first one.

The second issue was durability.  Given we are playing with gypsum and as it is suspended in water it will eventually breakdown and there is very little we can do about it.  Though with my latest changes to my automated grow box which includes automated watering based on moisture content I want to ensure my measurements stay accurate throughout the season.  To help with this I have decided to increase the sensors size and also am using galvanized nails to prevent rusting.  After a few attempts I have come up what I feel is a pretty foolproof method of creating a moisture sensor.

How it works:

There were many questions in the comments in the previous post so hopefully I can clear this up a little here.

 

Technically a gypsum block measures soil water tension.  When the gypsum block is dry it is not possible for electricity to pass between the probes, essentially making the probe an insulator with infinite resistance.

As water is added to the problem more electrons can pass between the probes effectively reducing the amount of resistance between the problem to the point when it is fully saturated where the probe has virtually zero resistance.  By using this range of values you can determine the amount of water than exists in your soil.

Parts for cheap soil moisture sensor:

• Plaster of Paris
• 2 Galvanized Finish Nails
• 1/2 inch plastic tubing
• utility knife

Construction:

Take your utility knife and cut the tubing slightly longer than your galvanized finishing nails.  Try to make the cut as straight as possible though it doesn’t have to be completely perfect.

Use your utility knife to cut the smaller plastic tube lengthwise, this will allow easier removal of your soil sensor after the mold cures.

Optional: Make the cut diagonally to prevent a potential vertical fracture line.

If you were very careful on you vertical cuts you can avoid this step, but to completely avoid spilling plaster onto my workbench I drilled four holes slightly larger than your tubing.  I used these holes for support but also to catch any of the plaster in the gaps from you less than accurate vertical cuts.

Being careful that the tubing fits together where you split the tubing vertically, insert the tubes into the holes (or carefully on a flat surface)  Mix Plaster of Paris and carefully fill with to the top.  The friction between the tubing should keep a water tight seal where you made the cut, though if the plaster is a little thin and it appears to be leaking through wait a couple minute for the plaster to setup some and try again, at that time it should not have the viscosity to seep through the very small gap that may be causing the leak.

Take your two galvanized nails and push them through a small piece of wax paper.  You may also allow the plaster to setup for a few minutes and then float the nails in the the plaster.  I like the first method since gravity will help ensure they fall straight down and parallel to each other.  As for spacing, I have done some experimentation with the gaps between the probes and my conclusion was, it doesn’t make much difference.  As long as there is a gap (they are not touching) you should get reliable results.

After allowing the sensor to cure for about and hour remove it from the holes you drilled in the wood.

Gently pull back the plastic tubing and you have a nice clean soil sensor.

Lay them out to dry for 24 hours to cure completely and their construction is complete.

For attaching the wires there are a couple options.  The best would be to solder them to the probes though to do this you need to heat up the nail hot enough to enable a strong solder connection.  My little 15W soldering iron just can’t produce the heat for this so I am option for the wire wrap method.  I take about an inch of wire and strip off about an inch of insulation and tightly wrap around the probe.  Given copper will rust and could be a point of failure you will want to insulate this connection and the probes from the moisture.  A few dabs of hot glue works pretty well.  I am planning on trying liquid plastic, though I am currently out and when I have some on hand I will update with how it went.

How to use your cheap soil moisture sensor

You can simply hook up a multi-meter and check the resistance though if you want to create anything automated you would need to use an integrated circuit (IC) or a electronics prototyping platform such as Arduino.  By applying voltage to one side of the sensor and using a voltage splitting circuit connected to ground and an analog input you can then measure the voltage making it through the probe.  The higher the voltage, the higher the moisture content of the soil.

Conclusion

The above should give you everything you need to know to create your own cheap soil moisture sensor and how to use it.  This can be used as a moisture soil sensor for watering your indoor plants like I am using it.  This same moisture sensor could be for monitoring your outside soil moisture content to trigger (or preempt your irrigation system) to save some money on your water bill and/or maintain consistent moisture levels in your plants which could drastically improve water sensitive crops such as tomatoes.

Removing pests from your garden using animal traps

13.3 years ago guest post, pests 6 Comments

Unfortunately, at one time or another, most homeowners will encounter the need to defend their turf from some four-legged nuisance. Animals wreak havoc in yards and gardens, feasting on vegetables, seedlings, flowers, bulbs and trees. Some animals even burrow and create tunnels, effectively destroying the roots of plants. One of the best ways to get rid of an unwanted animal is a live animal trap. In this article, learn how to use live animal traps, including how to choose the right trap, bait it, and find its most effective location.

Animal Traps

Live animal traps are designed to capture the animal alive and are typically composed of an open mesh, rust-resistant steel frame. The mesh opening will vary in size depending on the animal being trapped. Smaller cages have smaller mesh doors for trapping smaller animals while larger cages have larger mesh doors for trapping larger animals. The most effective traps will have smaller openings to prevent the animal from escaping with stolen bait.

Food bait is used to lure the animal into the cage. Upon entering the cage, the animal activates a trigger, causing the door(s) to shut. There are a variety of different traps. Single entry traps are only open at one end and are designed for safe, secure catch-and-release while 2-door models allow the animal to enter from either direction. There are also collapsible models that are easy to transport and take less space to store when not in use.

Animal Trapping: How To Get Started

First, determine what animal is causing the damage in your yard. This will help you choose what size animal trap you need, in addition to the proper bait. The following is a general guide for each trap size: consult the manufacturer for the precise size needed according to the trap’s specific dimensions. An x-small trap is ideal for mice, chipmunks, voles and rats. A small animal trap will catch squirrels and rabbits. To trap opossums and skunks, use a medium trap. Large traps are used for capturing raccoons, armadillos, muskrats, groundhogs, cats and larger opossums. An x-large animal trap works for raccoons, groundhogs, opossums, armadillos and dogs.

Choosing The Right Bait For The Animal Trap

Choosing the right bait for the animal you are targeting is essential to a successful trapping experience. Here are a few bait suggestions for the most popular unwanted creatures.

• Squirrel Bait: cereal, nuts, grains, sunflower seeds, apples, peanut butter, popcorn
• Rabbit Bait: carrots, brussel sprouts, lettuce, apples
• Raccoon Bait: fish, watermelon, honey-covered vegetables, corn, fatty meat, marshmallows
• Cat Bait: fish, meats, sardines, tuna, chicken
• Armadillo Bait: worms, maggots, sardines
• Skunk Bait: chicken entrails, canned fish, beetles, bacon, cat food
• Vole Bait: peanut butter and molasses on whole wheat bread
• Chipmunk Bait: sunflower seeds, peanut butter, prune pits, cereal, popcorn
• Mice Bait: cheese, nuts, peanut butter, gum drops
• Groundhog Bait: string beans, lettuce, peas, cantaloupe, strawberries

Choosing The Ideal Animal Trap

When choosing your trap, there are a few things to keep in mind. Select an animal trap that is easy to set and release. The best traps allow you to set and release with one hand, making it less complicated to use. If the animal is being released, these types of animal traps provide the user with more safety and protection. With a full hand guard and a galvanized steel barrier separating the user from the animal, an easy set trap allows the user to stand behind the trap while single-handedly releasing the animal back into the wild.

Look for a trap that is sturdy and rust-resistant, as these traps will last through many years of trapping in all types of weather and climate conditions, offering better value for your investment. Spring-loaded doors with sensitive triggers are another important feature when choosing an animal trap. These traps ensure a quick, secure capture, preventing undesirable catches. Finally, keep in mind animal traps with smooth internal edges can protect trapped animals from injuries.

Capturing Animals with Animal Traps

Test all new traps prior to use to ensure they are working and you have set them properly according to the directions. An easy set animal trap is practically infallible and the ideal solution to virtually any animal problem. First decide the placement of the trap, which is crucial to performance. Place the trap away from human traffic and pets. Locate places where animals congregate or travel along paths and place animal traps along these routes in dark, shaded areas. Since animals often stay close to water, traps placed near water sources are also more successful.

After the spot has been selected, camouflage the trap with leaves, branches and dirt to give it a conditioned look. Choose the proper bait, spreading the bait around the trap and leading into the trap. Then activate the trap. A brand new trap may need a few nights to be effective, so be patient. If trapping is unsuccessful, move the trap location and/or change the bait.

Remember to check traps often. Trapped animals should not be left exposed to heat and cold. In addition, wild animals can become increasingly stressed out when left in traps too long, potentially injuring themselves.

When an animal is caught, place a towel over the trap to calm and shield the animal during transport. Contact your local state game commission to determine the lawful method of releasing a captured wild animal. If releasing the animal with an easy set animal trap, simply stand behind the trap and single-handedly release the animal. After every use, the animal trap needs to be washed and disinfected with a bleach solution and thoroughly rinsed with water.

Guest Post By: Havahart®

Computer grow box gets 120 watts of LEDs

13.6 years ago computer, indoor growbox, LEDs 12 Comments

Always running out of room in my grow box I needed to expand it some.  Though the CFL lights I was using worked great for my 3 square foot space, though by nearly tripling the square footage CFLs wouldn’t scale out anymore.  Looking at my other options such as HPS (High Pressure Sodium) or Metal Halide I really didn’t want to deal with ballasts and cooling I decided on going with LEDs.  After doing some research I came upon the 120w Extreme Flower LED grow light and after talking to the great people at Advanced LED Lights they were gracious enough send me with one of their lights to try out.

Now as soon as I opened the box I noticed the sticker that said "Do not look directly at light.”  Being a moron I just had to plug it in and test out this warning, now it was not like staring at the sun but it was definitely much brighter than my Christmas grow light and I would not recommend others to do this.

The light offers a unique blend of 11+ wavelengths of color ranging from 380nm to 760nm and if you read my post of the importance of wavelength to plant growth this is critical for vegetative and flowing plant growth.  The great thing about growing with LEDs if you can pick the specific wavelength produced for maximum yields, though other lights also provide this spectrum they also produce much in the range that is appealing to our eyes (yellow and green) which the plants could live without.  This is the reason why this 120 watt grow light can produce the results of a comparable 250w High Pressure Sodium light.

I still have some work to do on my new bigger grow box before I can move this years plants in, but I am excited to see the results this new light will bring.  Stay tuned for more updates.

GrowVeg vegetable gardening software: Square Foot Gardening and more

11.7 years ago garden planning, spring, sprouting, square foot gardening 7 Comments

Seeing a few rays of sunshine in the gloomy Pacific Northwest, I decided to open up GrowVeg and start planning for my fall crops for the upcoming season.  I was pleased to notice a new bit of functionality the Square Foot Gardening feature.  I started growing with the square foot method after being inspired with my first gardening book appropriately titles “Square Foot Gardening” by Mel Bartholomew.  I consider him the original cheap vegetable gardener where this book provides a great way to produce more food in less space but is also filled with very cost efficient tips for your home garden.

GrowVeg takes advantage of this technique by allowing you to select the plants you want to grow and automatically shows you the amount of “squares” your plant needs as well as how many plants you can add in the square with the number appearing in the top left corner.

One additional benefit of GrowVeg is when you use the service for a couple years, not only can you save time by reusing the template from the previous year, but it also remembers what you planted at the various locations and warns you to not plant that family of vegetables in the same location for effective crop rotation (another recommendation of Square Foot Gardening) by showing a glowing red indicator (see below) where to avoid planting this year.

Another cool feature is revealed by clicking on the info icon it will display a real picture of the plant and all of the basic information you need to know to grow almost any edible plant you can think of.

I will admit last year I did not follow the planting dates that GrowVeg recommended, I was optimistic (ok really just impatient) and started my seed a few weeks too early resulting in some poor yields for my cold spring crops.  This year I am going to be a little more pessimistic and use their dates and following the convenient planting guide.  Which along with the reminder emails (and a little restraint) hopefully I will been eating a few more spring veggies this year.

If you want to to try GrowVeg.com out for yourself you can sign up for a free 30 day trial and in a 5-10 minutes you can have some detailed plans as well.

How to grow seeds in your garden

15.2 years ago cheap, seed saving, seeds 4 Comments

Because of a strange heat wave we had in June, I seem to be growing more seeds than vegetables this year.  Now as they say when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  In that spirit I am planning on increasing the number of plants I will allow to completely go to seed this year.

I have always saved cilantro seeds, the first time it was almost an accident my daughter liked the pretty white flowers and after neglecting my garden at the end of the summer I had perfectly dried cilantro seeds on the plant.  Free and renewable supply of seeds, what could be better.  If I don’t have you convinced here are some more reasons:

Cheap: You really can’t beat free.  With the price of seeds increasing depending on the variety of seeds you grow this could save you a considerable amount of money per year.

Easy: The creation of seeds of seeds is a completely natural process that has been happening for millions of years.  In many cases you can do practically nothing other than harvest the seeds before the birds do.

Natural selection:  With a little attention you can hand select only your best plants to harvest seeds from.  If the plant survived to produce seeds it has to be at least a little disease tolerant and if you intentionally pick plants that bolted early you can also establish your own slow bolting variety.

Limited availability: Even with all the resources on the internet your favorite seed company may not always carry your favorite varieties or in some cases just a few seeds might be hard to come by.  If you play your cards right you may even be able to make a few bucks selling your rare seeds.

Seed Exchange: If you collect seeds you more than likely will get more seeds than you need for the next 2-3 years from a single plant.  This is a great supply to use for local or mail seed exchanges.  Not only are you supplying someone else with seeds they need but also adding seeds to your collection which you can harvest and repeat the process again.

Growing sprouts: If you are paying for seeds growing sprouts for some plant varieties can be pretty expensive…unless your seeds are free.  This is a good healthy way to use up some of those extra seeds you can’t get rid of any other way.

This year I am planning on harvesting spinach, pea, carrot, and radish seeds (along with my previous onions and cilantro) so stay tuned for more details.

How to keep termites out of your home

11.4 years ago guest post, pests Leave a comment

Termites are the last insect most homeowners ever want to see on their property.  Their voracious appetite for wood can do untold damage to even the newest and best-built homes in any neighborhood.

Making sure they don’t do this to you takes persistence and anticipation.  Waiting for signs of termites before you initiate a treatment program is the wrong way to handle it.  If you don’t already have termites, don’t think of it as a treatment program. Think of it as a prevention program, or else it may become a treatment program.

You must deal with professionals on termites.  An infestation requires skills, tools, and chemicals that homeowners do not have.  Finding a reputable exterminator is as easy as dropping in on www.pestcontrol.us and placing a phone call.  From that initial contact, your situation will be handled by people who are well-trained in termite issues.  Don’t select some no-name startup local company, staffed by freshly-minted technicians who might not be able to find termites in their own homes.  To get the best results, work with the best people.  This is your home we’re talking about!

Calling a professional isn’t exactly how-to instruction.  But there is a significant DIY component to the process of termite-proofing your home.  We’re getting there…

First, you must limit the availability of cellulose.  That can best be handled at the time of construction, of course, but even with renovation you can look for places where wood is within six inches of soil.  Consider lattice work, structural members, and decorative items.  And note that pressure treated wood is not immune to termite damage.

Second, don’t store wood on the ground.  Whether it’s firewood or scrap lumber, placing it on the ground is making it a vector for termites.  When you grab a 2×4 block for a household repair, it may already be infested with termites.  Bringing in an extra armload of firewood to get you through the night will also bring in a squadron of these destructive pests.  Mulch, in excess, can stay moist enough to provide a home for termites that’s just inches from your home.  If you like to replace mulch annually, rake away last year’s accumulation (and any previous years’!) and use a modest layer that covers the soil just enough to get the look you want.  Don’t let mulch mound up in a thick, damp layer.  That is Club Med for termites.

Finally, manage moisture.  Termites are soft-bodied insects that cannot survive very long in a dry environment.  By taking away the moisture that keeps them alive, you will force them to relocate elsewhere.  That applies to inside your home and out.  Check for damp areas around your foundation.  Ensure that gutter downspouts can easily drain away from the home.  Get a dehumidifier for summer use, and make sure you keep it emptied as needed.

The battle against termites never ends, but with vigilance on your part and skilled work by professionals on theirs, you can stay ahead of the monsters that would eat your home.