Purple Clover (Oxalis triangularis) -- pictures

Here's some pictures of my Purple Shamrock (Oxalis triangularis). This plant loves shade and lots of moisture.

Photos by Kim Sellers

Azalea -- Pictures

Some pictures of my azaleas:

Pictures by Kim Sellers

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - Trimming -- Update

In my October 27, 2010 blog post I illustrated the trimming of my corn plant (Dracaena). I set the plant outside during the summer and it grew too tall to bring in, so I trimmed the plant.

Here's an update on the status of the Corn Plant trimming:

Shortly after trimming, the smallest cutting actually flowered (to my surprise).

At first the "mother"/original corn plant developed mold where the cut was made.  It's now been over two months and the "mother"/original corn plant is now sprouting leaves and the spot where the cut was made is mostly healed.

Potato Planter -- 2010

My first potato planter.

 

I simply nailed a 1x2 frame together and then screwed pine 1x4's to the outside in order to create a planter.  

 

I was careful to buy untreated wood since I planned to eat my potatoes.Then, I just built it up as the plants grew.

Once the plants got to be approximately four to six inches tall, I would hill them by piling additional soil around the base and leaves of the plant. 

Thermosiphon Solar Water Heater

Since it is winter time and I have not been doing much gardening, I have decided to undertake a project to hopefully reduce my heating costs. I am still in the process of acquiring the necessary materials and so I have not yet tested this system. I plan to build my first one out of plastic materials and PVC piping. I would really prefer to use metal (for environmental purposes) but the plastic and PVC will be cheaper and easier to work with until I am certain this design works as planned.

First, a little understanding of what a Thermosiphon is:

 A thermosiphon is a relatively simple device which uses the natural convective forces of water. Essentially hot water rises above cooler water. When the water is channeled properly, you can use the rising hot water to create a circulation.


Next, how to use this to my advantage:

My house sits so that one side of the house gets a lot of sun and the other side is shaded with trees. My theory is that I can place the solar heater in the sun and the storage tank (see discussion below) on the opposite side of the house in the shade. I can connect the heater to the storage tank by running the pipes under the floor of my house (my house sits above grade). I plan to close off most of the vents under the house (I'll open them back up in the spring to allow for circulation) to minimize heat loss. I am hoping that the heat dissipation from the pipes will heat the under side of the house enough to reduce my heating costs. Since this system is entirely solar powered any energy savings will be a direct reduction to my heating bill. I can drain the system and open the vents under my house in the spring to prevent heating during the summer.

My Design:

As I mentioned earlier, I have designed this system but not yet built it so I am not certain it will work as designed. However, from my research this system should work. I am hoping to acquire the materials soon and have a prototype built before the coldest part of winter gets here. So here is my current design. I will not go into the details of the design of the solar heater or connections in this posting; however, I am sure there will be more discussion in the days to follow. I would like to make two notes about the design:

1. There needs to be a pressure relief tube included - this should be a pipe which extends out of the top of the storage tank and rises above the highest point of the system. This tube will allow for filling the system as well as an escape if the water heats to the point that the system begins to build up too much pressure.
2. There needs to be a drain valve at the lowest point of the system (possibly one on the heater and the tank) to allow for draining the system in the summer.

Composting: The Basics

The Basics of Composting:

Composting is a great way to utilize your free kitchen and garden scraps to replace expensive mulches and fertilizers. A simple composting bin can save you a significant amount of money and can be a fun and simple way to reduce the amount of garbage that goes to the landfill.

To Begin:

Start by building or obtaining a suitable bin. Personally, I prefer natural products, especially if I plan to use the compost on garden crops. I use a simple bin made of natural untreated pine.

* I do not recommend using pressure treated wood for any garden application the chemicals in the wood may be harmful to the plants and ultimately to the individual if the plants are consumed.*

I see a lot different dimensions for compost bins but really, just make one that is convenient from the materials that you have and the amount of waste you will be composting. Keep in my mind your personal limits when it comes to being able to "turn the pile." I prefer do my composting in a bin about the size of a bathtub with several holes of varying sizes drilled in the bottom for drainage. Of course you can just dig a hole or build a pile right on the ground, whatever method you prefer.

What To Use:

Once you have your bin or location to build your pile, start by layering the pile with alternating layers of "brown" and "green" wastes. The "brown" wastes, such as fallen leaves, twigs, dried grass small wood chips, shredded newspaper, etc., will add carbon to the mixture. The "green" wastes, such as fresh grass clippings, kitchen scraps, other garden wastes, etc., will add nitrogen to the mixture.

*Personally I prefer natural yard clippings, leaves, food scraps, etc. to use for my composting. I try to stay away from newspapers and other processed items as the inks and chlorinated processing of these items may add harmful chemicals to the compost.*

Do not use animal wastes in your composts as animal wastes requires much more strict monitoring of the compost to ensures it reaches and maintains an adequate internal temperature to kill bacteria and prevent disease. Also, do not use fatty, oily, greasy, milky foods or food wastes (such as meats, cheeses, milk, vegetables cooked in oils or butters) as these items will most likely become rancid and make for a terrible stench. Good compost should smell sweet and earthy.

Together, the nitrogen and the carbon combined with the microorganisms in the wastes will cause the inside of the pile to heat up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.But to reach these temperatures (which is required to kill some of the bacteria and various plant seeds that are living in the waste), the pile will need the proper amount of water.

Water Generously:

Water the compost bin or pile generously until it is like a damp sponge. Be sure that you compost bin has adequate drainage. Water the pile as needed to keep it damp, but not wet. If the compost becomes wet and soggy it may begin to smell foul and the composting process will not work properly. Keep in mind the type of products in the compost as well; juicy kitchen foods (tomatoes, pineapples, etc.) will add moisture to the pile and the pile will require less watering.


Turn the Pile:


Periodically, you should "turn" the pile. "Turning" consists of using a shovel, hoe, pitch fork, or other device to mix the compost. I usually try to turn my compost once every one to two weeks. How often you turn the pile is really up to you.

The compost should be warm steamy on the inside when you turn it. If it's not warm and steamy, add more "green" wastes, this will increase the nitrogen content and cause the compost to heat up more.

How Long To Wait:

Depending on the amount of maintenance (monitoring the moisture and turning the pile) and the composition of the compost (i.e. large limbs and sticks will take longer to compost than grass clippings and fallen leaves), the compost should be ready anywhere from four months to two years.

*I like to set my larger limbs and such in a separate bin to allow them to soften and decay a little before I add them to my compost. This way my compost is easier to turn and it doesn't take as long to complete the composting process*

When Is It Ready

The compost will look like soft brown humus and will smell sweet and earthy. It's now ready for use in your garden or house plants.

Mexican Petunia (Ruellia Angustifolia) - Pictures

My Mexican Petunia's, aka: Mexican Bluebell or Britton's Wild Petunia:

Pictures by Kim Sellers