Friday, August 26, 2011

Funny tee shirts

The weather is starting to warm up so the late night markets will be on more frequently now that people are out and about enjoying the warm nights. For a numbers of years now I have been setting up stalls at these markets selling novelty stuffs like funny tee shirts and posters. This year I will be opening up another stall at another market so I’ll need some more help. It’s hard to find good help these days but a good start would be some students looking for some part time jobs.

Seaweed

Fertile soil is the most important and significant substance on earth. It is the source of our health and when it is kept fertile it is the source of our wealth. How is it possible to keep our soil continually enriched without having to spend money on expensive fertilisers? The answer is to go to the source of life itself.

The sea is more than salty water. The sea is a vast nutriment. It contains a large spectrum of trace elements in suspension, and some of the debris that is washed up on the beach like seaweed and shells also contains a quite a lot of these trace elements. Seaweed is one of the best soil conditioners of them all. Seaweed itself contains very little salt. It is the sea sand that is enmeshed in it that is quite alkaline and needs to be removed. It can be used around almost any plant except acid loving plants like rhododendrons and azaleas or strawberries. It can be placed around but not near the actual plant, covered by peastraw or mulch, and will gradually convert to a jelly-like substance. Seaweed is not a fertiliser but a soil conditioner that has an amazing beneficial effect on plants. It can make them frost resistant and more resistant to diseases. The trace elements in the seaweed eventually are transferred to the soil and into the plant and its fruit.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Curt trailer hitch

I was pulling along my old trailer on the weekend when the whole thing snaps and crashed into the ditch! If only I’d gotten a curt trailer hitch then I wouldn’t have the problem. Lucky no one was hurt but I had to bring in a tow truck to haul the damn thing out of the ditch. Cost me more than I needed to spend, never again.

Rhododendron

Rhododendrons are amongst the most beautiful of all flowering plants. There are more than 800 species and thousands of cultivated varieties. The range of flower colours and shapes is truly astonishing. They are nothing more than spectacular trusses of bells, some of them almost waxy, and they are remarkably easy to grow under the right conditions.

Planting a new rhododendron like Rhododendron ‘Bruce Brechtbill’ is extremely easy. Rhododendrons have a very fine fibrous root system that is quite compact and does not need disturbing before planting. Tease the base gently if necessary. No fertiliser should be used in the planting hole and the root ball should be placed in the hole so that the surrounding soil is level with the soil at the base of the stem. If the stem is buried beneath the soil it can go mouldy and rot. Once planted the soil should be covered with mulch, once again keeping it away from the stem. Spread a handful of blood and bone around the plant, covering it with a layer of coir to seal it and water in well. Seeing how luxuriantly these plants are growing, it is surprising to learn how low their nutritional needs are.

Scorpion helmets

Bike helmets have come a long way since I first put one on so many years ago. The new ones you get nowadays look so much better than the old ones I knew from back then, not to mention safer too I think. One of my nephews is a motorbike enthusiast and for his birthday coming up I think I’ll let him choose one of the many scorpion helmets he keeps telling us.

Mulches

Water absorbing mulches such as paper, straw or uncomposted lawn clippings can be a problem in a hot dry climate. A mulch of Pinus radiata chips, stained to resemble red gum, has the advantage of not absorbing water. Mulching also allows a change of watering pattern that can greatly benefit some plants. An example we see is a box hedge, previously dying from the use of bore water. Now mulched, it is recovering well.

Mulch material that has not been composted can cause short term nitrogen loss from the soil beneath. As bacterial microbes use available nitrogen to aid in decomposition of the mulch above, nitrogen in the soil is depleted. Composted pinebark mulch does not have this problem. The yellowed leaves of herbaceous plants, caused by nitrogen or a nitrogen deficiency, can be relieved by the use of liquid feed containing nitrogen.

Another good composted mulch is made from wood-fibre waste from the paper-making industry. It can also be made from such things as wood crates or council collected green organic materials. It compacts well, doesn't blow away although it can have an organic odour for a few weeks. When using mulches, or composts, make sure it is kept away from the stems of plants as this can lead to fungal decay.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Vga to hdmi cables

I got a call from a friend who’s just bought a flat screen lcd tv and he wanted me to help him set up his pc to play movies to the tv. I tried to help him out over the phone but I think I might have to go over there to help him because judging by what we talked about I don’t him he has any clue. Plus I think he may have to get a special cable for the task so I will have to go with him to the shop to get one. We just need to go where they sell vga to hdmi cables and I’ll be sure he’ll get what he needs.

Begonias

Begonias can be grown in a sheltered shadehouse, on a veranda, in a sun room, or on a window ledge. They are not glasshouse plants (although they are grown this way at Ballarat) as glasshouses become too hot in summer. In Ballarat summer cooling is needed in the begonia glasshouses.

Tuberous begonias grow best in partial shade or filtered sunlight. Exposure to excessive sunlight can result in burnt flowers and leaves. Too much shade results in foliage that is very lush with few flowers.

Growers recommend shade when the sun exceeds 50,000 lux. As full summer sun in Australia is 110,000 lux this means 50% shadecloth would be required in most areas. Normal interior light levels measure around 500 lux.