Homestead mailing list

[Leslie <cayadopi AT yahoo.com>]

LOL !!! Another awesome idea!
 
 
Oh, I've managed to get thru a book on desert gardening.. Yikes !  The 
seasons are actually short here, and with planning, I should get at least 
something.
 
One thing that grows well here is a Chinese (yardlong) Pole Bean.  Apparently 
loves the heat and soil type here (alkaline).  They grow 6-8' high.  Since 
heat in the summer is an issue for me and I don't have shade on the east 
side.... I started to think,,,, hmmmm I can easily make a giant trelise out 
of the cactus "pole things" (very lightweight wood stalks about 2" in 
diameter) and make a slanted trelise for the pole beans,,,, constructed in a 
way to give me shade on the east side.  I've already learned here keep the 
windows and walls shaded helps with the afternoon heat.  And the benefit will 
be lots and lots of beans, probably more than I can possibly eat/can..... 
maybe something to sell at the flea market.
 
I have to re-do my garden layouts and the timing I had planned for planting a 
bit.
 
Next week, a cold frame needs to be constructed.
 
I found out the reason for plastic tunnels --- wind protection, and frost 
protection.  The spring winds here are very strong, and it is still desert 
dry and just sucks the moisture out of plants.
 
The soil is naturally a tad salty so watering is different too.  I noticed 
something in my garlic "pool" but I didn't think about salt until I read the 
book.. I had draped a "cooling pad" from a "swamp cooler" as insulation over 
my garlic pool.... but I didn't realize the water is a tad salty also, and 
these pads become salt soaked.  I had watered thru the pad one day, and later 
noticed white stuff on the soil ---- it was salt.  I removed the salty soil 
yesterday.  So far the garlic is doing well despite my error.  Also, covering 
the pool that way to protect from cold also not good idea as it was keeping 
the warming sun out during the day.  
 
It has been down to 22 in the mornings now.  Something I'm definitely not 
used to.  
 
Raised beds like yours aren't recommended here, because of heat issues in the 
summer...x-ref cooking the roots... although  slightly raised yes.  
 
In other areas the idea is to get the soil to dry out a tad more, whereas 
here, moisture retention is more important, so the beds are laid out 
different,,,, i.e. 4'x15' bed would be very level ground and about 4" lower 
than the walk/work areas inbetween beds.  So the water stays in the bed area 
and drains down along the roots and helps wash the salt lower into the ground.
 
I haven't tested pH yet, but I did another test of two different areas I've 
set aside, about 80% sand, and 18% clay, and 2% other.  It needs more 
organic, which is the reason for manure.
 
The older lady at the gym today (newspaper liners tip) told me her hub has 
gardened here for years and years without using added fertilizers, only 
manure (horse and cow).  They did have a problem this year with a beetle 
(which one escapes me at the moment, but a bad one).
 
Anyway, interesting stuff in the book, a starting guide 
 
I also found out why my seeds "disappeared" last spring.... the harvester 
ants stole 'em.  Starting in liners early is a must before they "wake up" 
from their winter slumber....  Also the birds steal any small green shoots.  
The author recommends making small A-frame screened tents (some 5-6" high 
juding by the pictures) over newly planted seeds to keep the birds away, 
which are removed once the plants leaf out a bit better.  
 
Oh well, only a few more emails to catch up on....
 
 


--- On Mon, 12/22/08, EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net> wrote:

From: EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>
Subject: Re: [Homestead] computer crashed and burned!
To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
Date: Monday, December 22, 2008, 7:35 PM

I'm currently saving toilet paper roll tubes to use as 'cups'.  I
also
have my family and friends saving them.   I stand them up in a tray,
fill them with soil, plant my corn-one per tube-, and water.  The tube
holds together about 2 weeks, just long enough to germinate and then
transplant each corn plant.  You can intensively plant corn easily this
way, and of course, the roll decomposes quickly and does not impede the
corn's taproot.
You can use this technique for anything that germinates with a week or
so, but you have to get it in the ground quickly because the roll does
come apart somewhere around day 16.

B


Robert Walton wrote:
>> 2)  STARTER KIT FOR SEEDS - got this tip this a/m at the gym.  Cut
>> a few sheets of newspaper into strips the same width as you would
>> want a starter cup for seed(lings).  Wet the paper, then roll into
>> the desired width.  Let dry.  No need to remove at planting time.
> 
> Glad to see you back. Get a Flash or external HD and back your data
> up!
> 
> I make seed cups this way. I usually rummage a cardboard box that
> beer and sodas come in from a dumpster. They are about the size of
> two 6 packs and a couple of inches deep. Fill with soil and start the
> seeds in that. About the time they get the first true leaves, I'm
> transplant to newspaper cups. If you put those cups tightly in to a
> box as high as they are, they don't dry off so quickly.
> 
> To make them I get a tin can the size I want. Cut newspaper a little 
> wider than the height of the can. Roll the newspaper on the can 
> loosely. Fold the bottom up and if you can wet the bottom a little it
>  helps. Slide the can out and fill with your soil.
> 
> Rob - Va _______________________________________________ Homestead
> list and subscription: 
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead Change your
> homestead list member options: 
>
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/homestead/erthnsky%40bellsouth.net
>  View the archives at: https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/homestead
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> 
> No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG -
> http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.176 / Virus Database: 270.9.19/1860 -
> Release Date: 12/21/2008 3:08 PM
> 

-- 
The true significance of Sacajawea's involvement in the Lewis & Clark
expedition is that it was the first documented trip in history where men
asked a woman for directions and followed them, allowing them to arrive
at their destination.
_______________________________________________
Homestead list and subscription:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead
Change your homestead list member options:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/homestead/cayadopi%40yahoo.com
View the archives at:
https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/homestead






>From karen AT plamondon.com  Mon Dec 22 22:11:28 2008
Return-Path: <karen AT plamondon.com>
X-Original-To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
Delivered-To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
Received: by lists.ibiblio.org (Postfix, from userid 3002)
        id EEB134C01A; Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:11:27 -0500 (EST)
X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.2.3 (2007-08-08) on malecky
X-Spam-Level:
X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.0 required=5.0 tests=HTML_MESSAGE
        autolearn=disabled version=3.2.3
Received: from plamondon.com (plo-cr1-212-89.peak.org [69.59.212.89])
        by lists.ibiblio.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6901B4C010
        for <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>; Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:11:27 -0500 
(EST)
Received: from karen2 (karen.plamondon.com [172.17.0.52])
        by plamondon.com (8.13.1/8.13.1) with ESMTP id mBN3AfIU015123
        for <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>; Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:10:41 -0800
Message-Id: <200812230310.mBN3AfIU015123 AT plamondon.com>
From: "Karen L. Black" <karen AT plamondon.com>
To: <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:10:24 -0800
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook, Build 11.0.5510
Thread-Index: Aclkq/+IIAAzBZQETxaR6sTpIFcoog=X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft 
MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3350
X-Greylist: Sender IP whitelisted, not delayed by milter-greylist-2.0.2
        (plamondon.com [172.16.0.1]); Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:10:41 -0800 (PST)
X-Virus-Scanned: ClamAV version 0.90RC1.1,
        clamav-milter version devel-131006 on cerberus.plamondon.com
X-Virus-Status: Clean
Content-Type: text/plain;
        charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.9
Subject: Re: [Homestead] welding
X-BeenThere: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.9
Precedence: list
Reply-To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
List-Id: <homestead.lists.ibiblio.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead>,
        <mailto:homestead-request AT lists.ibiblio.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/homestead>
List-Post: <mailto:homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
List-Help: <mailto:sympa AT lists.ibiblio.org?subject=HELP>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead>,
        <mailto:homestead-request AT lists.ibiblio.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:11:28 -0000

Jonathan Livingston writes:

> I have come to decide that it is time to learn to join metal without
bolts, screws, or glue.
Welding
I've had a few jobs around the place that required novel ways of overcoming
what could have been done better and more efficiently with a weld.

This is one case where taking a community college class will stand you in
good stead. I sure learned plenty when I did! They have the equipment, the
safety gear, and the instruction. And once you've done it in class, you'll
be able to see the benefits and drawbacks of each type.

Karen Black
Norton Creek Farm
Blodgett, OR