Is it harmful to water my household plants with softened water? (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
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I recently moved into a very old home that came with a very old raspberry patch. I pruned and cleaned it out last year, but it didn't do well. Is there anything in particular that raspberry bushes like that may give my berries a boost for the coming summer? (answer).
How high should I stake my pole beans? And how far apart should I plant cabbage? (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
The benefits of nettles have been documented for centuries, with claims both anecdotal and scientific, that nettles treat a wide range of maladies. Nettle tea is used to improve heart action, for headaches and for any internal bleeding. Nettle is said to be extremely beneficial for the kidneys, being useful in expelling gravel from the bladder and dissolving kidney stones. It is a powerful blood purifier that drives out toxins and metabolic wastes by stimulating the kidneys to excrete more water. Nettle tea is said to clean out the entire intestinal tract while activating the body’s natural defense mechanisms. It is used as an overall health tonic and to treat high blood pressure, anemia, skin inflammations and more. Nettle tea is relatively safe for children and adults, although it is always recommended that you consult a medical doctor before taking any new herb. Never take nettle tea when on prescription drugs without first consulting a doctor, as serious reactions could occur. How to find and identify nettlesI first learned about nettles the hard way. While clearing a fence line. I smelled mint among the nearby plants. Looking to harvest the mint for tea, I plucked a handful of leaves from the closest plant and put it to my nose to get a deep whiff of the lovely mint smell. But instead I got what felt like a dose of pepper spray in my face. I had to run off and stick my face in a bucket of water for relief.
Stinging nettle or common nettle, Urtica dioica, is a perennial flowering plant, native to most of the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. Nettles usually appear in bunches or groves in the same places year after year. Look for them in rich soil, disturbed habitats, moist woodlands, thickets, along rivers, fence lines, and along partially shaded trails. Considered a weed by many farmers and gardeners, no one will complain if you harvest a few nettles. Nettles are easy to identify. The dark green, opposite leaves are a few inches long, with a rough, papery texture, and very coarse teeth. The leaf tip is pointed, and its base is heart-shaped. In springtime, the nettle shoots will be close to the ground with only a few rows of leaves. The plant grows rapidly to a mature height of about 2 meters (6.5 feet) in summer. In fall the plant dies back, but re-emerges in the same location the following spring. Once you find a patch of nettles, you can harvest year after year in the same spot. How to harvest nettles‘Stinging’ nettles are given this name for good reason. If you touch any part of the plant, you will be stung. The sting is mildly painful and can last for hours. Wear gloves, long-sleeved shirt and long pants when hunting for nettles. Use a scissors or garden clippers to cut the top two bracts of leaves, leaving the rest of the plant to regenerate. Set a pot or bag alongside the plant and clip directly into the container. About a cup of fresh leaves is sufficient to brew a cup or two of tea.
How to brew nettle teaSimply add water to your collected nettle leaves and heat to a near boil. Use about two cups of water for a cup of leaves; there’s no need to measure. You can make the tea stronger by steeping longer, or weaker by adding more water. Once the water is near boiling, reduce heat and simmer for a couple minutes. Pour through a small strainer and the tea is ready to drink. Some people prefer a small bit of sugar added to the tea, but I find the taste is just fine without any additives.
The cooked leaves can also be eaten with a bit of butter melted over top, or they can be added to soups and stews. If you are going to eat the leaves, taste a small bit first to be sure the sting has left. A word of cautionAny new substance should be introduced gradually to your body. A cup or two of nettle tea per day is sufficient to enjoy the benefits which nettles offer. Those new to nettles should start out with small amounts. If you will be bringing children along while harvesting nettles, which is a good learning experience for them, be sure to take adequate precautions to keep them from being stung by the leaves. Long clothing and gloves should be worn at all times when handling nettles. Once they are cooked or brewed into tea, they lose their sting. So if you’re looking to shake the winter blahs and reinvigorate yourself for spring, a simple restorative elixir may be as close as a nearby weed patch. And since nettles grow in the same area year after year, it only takes one discovery to bring you a ready supply of nature’s miracle tonic for spring.
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Should I consider buying a Christmas tree that can be replanted after the holiday? Is replanting usually successful? (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
I got some bulbs late last fall and didn't find time to plant them. They've been in my barn. Can I plant them in the spring? (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
So its all good to go and working great. The next thing was to test it out. Hauled about 4000lbs of wood in a couple of different loads.
Its been really nice playing with my new toy. This wood in the picture above was free off of Craigslist. Cottonwood is NOT the best wood out there, but hard to beat free. More HOSS projects to follow.
Does Vermont have a long enough growing season for red peppers? The green bell type are no problem. How about okra? (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
The images below are sourced from dailycognition.com. In the Antarctic region, icebergs sometimes have stripes, formed by layers of snow that react to different conditions. When an iceberg falls into the sea, a layer of salty seawater can freeze to the underside. If this is rich in algae, it can form a green stripe. Brown, black and yellow lines are caused by sediment, picked up when the ice sheet grinds downhill towards the sea.
Blue stripes are often created when a crevice in the ice sheet fills up with meltwater and freezes so quickly that no bubbles form.
In the cold Antarctic region, water freezes the instant it comes in contact with the air. The temperature of the water is already some degrees below freezing. Here we see a wave froze in mid-air!
These marvelous creations stun us with their simple visual beauty, and inspire us to be caring stewards of our natural environment. Related posts:
I read the term pleaching in a gardening book and couldn't figure out what they meant. What is it? (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
Have you heard of planting seeds in eggshells to start transplants? (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
Do you know of a pet-safe means to prevent or reduce the fleas in my rather large yard? I tried nematodes on my lawn, but that didn't work. Daily yeast tablets and flea collars don't seem to repel them from my dog either. (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
An existing garden can be modified to accommodate a wheelchair or walker, with the main requirements being pathway width, grade and surface condition. Pathways need to be well-spaced for wheelchairs, at least 3’ wide, with turn-around areas built into the garden layout. Pathways should be near level, with grades not exceeding 5%, and the surface condition should be solid in varying weather. Dirt pathways can become rutted with use, with low spots holding water after a rain and eventually becoming a muddy track difficult to wheel through. Pathways can be improved with pavers, flagstone or wood. Gravel or compact mulch such as small bark chips are more difficult to wheel through, but still manageable for people in wheelchairs. Be sure to put down a layer or two of landscape cloth before adding the surface treatment. Modifying an existing garden can require substantial work and investment. Ideally, the beds should be raised to a height of 24” or more for a person in a wheelchair to work comfortably. This is a big job, but worth it for the wheelchair gardener with a long-term commitment to gardening. An option for those without an existing garden is to use smaller raised garden beds, or ‘elevated planters’, which can be situated in easily accessible areas with firm ground, such as patios, balconies and decks. Smaller planters can also better accommodate gardeners with limited energy who prefer to garden intensively in a smaller space. In writing this article, we have drawn on our own gardening experience and also consulted with an occupational therapist specializing in creating gardens at rest homes and health care facilities. Here below are some tips which may help the wheelchair-bound, disabled, or elderly gardeners enjoy the benefits of tending their own garden. Choose the ideal height and width for raised bedsRaised beds which have the soil level at 24”- 30” from the ground are ideal for gardeners who must work from a seated position. This height enables a gardener to dig or transplant without developing arm fatigue, since most work will be oriented slightly downwards. If the bed is any taller, it makes it difficult for the gardener to lift a watering can, hose, or soil amendment high enough. Also, a 24” bed height makes harvesting easier for people growing vegetables, since taller plants like tomatoes and beans will require the gardener to reach upwards as much as 3’ higher than the soil. An exception to the recommended height of 24” is for gardeners who wish to work frontwards, with their knees under the raised planter. By placing the knees under the planter, the gardener can get closer to the bed when working frontwards. The height of the planter at soil level will need to be about 36”. This allows up to 12” soil depth and leaves 24” beneath the bed for knee space. With a 36” tall bed, the seated gardener will be working at approximately shoulder height, which can be more tiring over time. Also, while this height may be easy enough for flower gardening, it will be more difficult to harvest vegetables as the plants get taller. 24” and 36” tall raised planters are available here. The width of the bed should also be considered. While many raised garden beds are 4’ in width, raised planters for seated gardeners may be more convenient with a 3’ width. Seated gardeners are not able to stretch as far to easily weed and tend plants in the center of a wider bed. Situate the planter for maximum accessAccess is improved if the planter is near a wide door with a low threshold, and situated to allow wheelchair access to opposite sides of the planter. Orientation to the sun must also be taken into consideration, with at least six hours per day of unobstructed sun. Southern exposure is usually considered ideal. Work to the side, rather than from a frontal positionIf the wheelchair or seat is positioned sideways to the planter, it is easier to tend the garden bed. Working directly frontwards requires a more extended reach, and bending forward from the waist, which becomes tiring. When working from a sideward position the gardener also has the option to switch sides for comfort and balanced exercise. Working to the side also prevents the wheelchair from creeping forward or backward as you work. (Even with the brakes on, wheelchairs can move slightly, which is disconcerting while trying to work.) Store garden tools nearbyKeeping tools close at hand makes it easier to garden on a regular basis. A raised bed provides the opportunity to hang tools directly beneath the bed, where they will be out of the rain but within easy reach. Cup hooks can be easily screwed into the slats beneath the raised bed. You can also hang the hose from a cup hook, just be sure to get a hook which exceeds the diameter of the hose. Tools can also be stored in a tote beneath the planter (see next tip). Provide a small wagon or roller-tote for carting seed trays and soil amendmentsMoving sacks of potting soil, compost and soil amendments like rock phosphate, vermiculite or peat moss can be difficult for wheelchair gardeners, the elderly and handicapped. A small child’s wagon is useful for this, since it has 3” sides which keep things from falling off, and it is easily pulled using the extended handle. A rubberized tote with built-in wheels is even better, since it has a lid so it can be left outside in the rain. Also, the lid can be used as a potting table – a 12” tall tote provides the right height for potting from a seated position, and the lid can be easily rinsed off after use. The tote can be stored under the bed for real convenience, providing the bed has 12” clearance beneath, of course. Have a second chair nearbyGardening is a wonderful meditation when working alone, but every gardener wants to show their garden to family and visitors. People confined to wheelchairs get tired of looking upwards when talking with people who are standing. Have a simple “visitor’s seat” nearby, so the wheelchair gardener can entertain friends eye-to-eye. This simple act also makes the visitor more comfortable, leading to longer, more enjoyable visits. Think ‘vertical’ for increasing the harvestIf you’re growing vegetables in a limited space such as a planter, the harvest can be increased by adding a trellis along the back of the planting area. This allows climbing plants like tomatoes, beans, peas and squash to get the exposure they need for maximum production. On a 24” tall planter, a 3’ trellis is about the right height, since the seated gardener would have to reach 5’ to pick the top produce. Use low-maintenance gardening techniquesYou can reduce garden maintenance and extend time between waterings by using mulch beneath your plants. This will aid in soil moisture retention and reduce watering requirements, while at the same time preventing weeds from sprouting. Watering in the morning will reduce slug problems. Small drip-irrigation systems, timers and soaker hoses are additional ways to reduce watering needs. Planting local varieties of flowers and vegetables will usually yield better results overall. For more information about efficient, organic garden practices, see our Grow page. Gardening offers a sense of purpose and self-empowerment which people with handicaps and mobility limitations can especially benefit from. It is well worth the effort it takes to provide access to gardening to anyone and everyone.
This 24” tall raised bed is available here.
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Bloom Energy, based in Sunnyvale, California, is about to launch a public release of its “power plant in a box”, which it hopes will revolutionize the way energy is produced, stored and transmitted. Dubbed the ‘Bloom Box’, this device uses fuel-cell technology which mixes oxygen with fuel to produce electricity with no burning, no combustion and no power lines. The Bloom Box developer is K.R. Sridhar, an aerospace engineer who worked on NASA’s Mission to Mars program. The technology is based on an oxygen-producing module developed for the now cancelled space mission. The Bloom Box technology reverses this process, using oxygen in combination with natural gas or plant waste as fuel while producing relatively little carbon dioxide. The current working Bloom Box is about the size of a household refrigerator, and houses a collection of fuel-cells which are stacked into brick-sized towers sandwiched with metal alloy plates. The individual fuel cells are made of sand that is baked into small ceramic squares and painted with a proprietary green and black ink. Each fuel cell has the potential to power one light bulb. About 64 stacks of fuel cells could power a small business like a Starbucks franchise, according to Sridhar’s interview, below, on CBS 60 Minutes. In the Bloom Box, electricity is created when oxygen is fed from one side of the fuel cell while any of a range of different fuels, such as natural gas, bio gas from landfill waste, solar, or wind, is fed to the other side providing the necessary chemical reaction required for power. A block of approximately 30 of these cells will power a residential home. And because the process works with different fuel sources, the Bloom Box lends itself to clean electric generation in off-grid locations such as remote areas and developing countries.
The concept of clean energy fuel cells is not new – NASA has been using devices based on similar technology for years. Sridhar’s accomplishment has been to make the process cost-effective for practical commercial use. And the process has advanced beyond the prototype stage, with over 20 corporate customers including Starbucks, Ebay, FedEx and Google; Google being the first to implement and test this technology for the last 18 months. Ebay installed five Bloom Boxes nine months ago, and they fuel about 15 percent of its San Jose campus, said CEO John Donahoe in the 60 Minutes interview. “It’s been very successful thus far,” Mr. Donahoe says, adding that the company has saved $100,000 in electricity costs already. The corporate-sized cells cost about $700,000 to $800,000. Units for the general public for use in residential applications will not be available for at least 5 – 10 years, the estimated time it will take to get unit costs down to $2000 – $3000. However, with over $400 million invested in the Bloom Box program, and high-profile backers such as former Defense Secretary Colin Powell on the Board of Directors, there is considerable momentum behind the project. At this point in time, further details about the Bloom Box are still shrouded in secrecy. Much attention will be focused on the official launch tomorrow, which hopefully will shed more light on this interesting and encouraging development in clean energy technology. Related posts:
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Nettle tea is springtime’s natural elixir. One of the earliest green plants to emerge each spring, nettles can be easily brewed into a tea which has healthful, restorative benefits which boost the immune system and awaken the body to spring.
It’s easy to think of icebergs as large chunks of white glacier ice floating on cold grey seas, impressive by their size and varied shapes, but otherwise unremarkable to the casual observer. But as with all aspects of nature’s design, beauty and interest unfold in continuing layers as we look within. The images below, untouched by photo editing, reveal remarkable patterns and features within icebergs which are striking in their beauty while also telling a story of geology, history and climate to the curious eye. 
Getting out into nature can be difficult for people with mobility challenges, as most hiking trails and many gardens are not designed for wheelchairs, walkers, scooters or similar mobility assistance devices. The simple pleasures which gardening offers can have added value for those with limited access to nature. Planting seeds and nurturing their growth is a healthy prescription for anyone, and especially for people with fewer options for getting out into the natural environment.
(Image source: 60 Minutes/CBS) 
(Image source: 60 Minutes/CBS)