- StumbleUpon Some general considerations for growing vegetables: Sowing Tips When sowing seeds, a good general rule of thumb is to sow to a depth of approximately twice the thickness of the seed. Some smaller seeds require light to germinate and should not be sown too deep; otherwise they may never germinate or break through the surface of the soil. Conversely, large seeds planted too shallow may not develop properly. Keep seeds well-moistened while awaiting germination and check regularly. Select a light-weight, well-drained medium for sowing to ensure good seed to soil contact. Growing Tips Most vegetables will produce better results if sown and grown in a soil-medium that is well-drained, rich in organic matter (fertile), and fairly lightweight. Most vegetables will prefer good quantities of natural, direct sunlight daily. Harvesting and Seed Saving Many vegetables will be harvested in the fall, especially if grown in lower hardiness zones.
Superhydrophobic spray means no more washing clothes – among others | ZME Science Ross Technology Corp, a company that focuses on steel products has created a new product based on the spray known as NeverWet – which aside from being useful, is also pretty cool. Now, this might not seem particularly interesting, but it has a myriad of applications; it is built from nanoparticles and it is hydrophobic – not only that it stops water from wetting it, but it shoots water right of from the surface on which it was applied. Even if at first they wanted to apply this technology to steel, they quickly realized the enormous list of applications this can have, from shoes and clothes that wouldn’t require washing any more, to your phone that could become waterproof, or just on stuff that you don’t want bacteria to get on. This spray will be released as a commercial product next year. Check out this video to see exactly how it works. Spray an even coating on leather or fabric. Several neutrla people have tested the technology and report great results.
Homemade Lip Balm | FIMBY You've stumbled upon one of my most popular posts. You might also enjoy let's talk lip balm. After making my own lip balm I will never buy it again. It's easy, cheap, 100% natural and good for your lips, especially this time of year. I tried to figure out the actual cost of this recipe but it wasn't worth counting up the pennies. Ingredients 1/2 oz. Directions In a small pot over medium low heat melt beeswax, coconut oil, lanolin and vitamin E. This recipe makes enough for 3 - 3/4 oz tins (see photo for size) and one 1 1/2 oz jar. Notes I prefer to measure kitchen cosmetics with a scale but I included the approximate tsp. measurements for those without a scale. All ingredients can be found at a natural food store or ordered from an online store such as Mountain Rose Herbs. Some people are allergic to lanolin. I always use solid honey, that's just the kind of have. This recipe makes enough to last our family of 5 several months, plus I usually give away a tin from each batch I make.
Tau Topics - Vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide as Disinfectants You can make your kitchen a cleaner, safer place and fight bacteria, without exposing yourself and your family to toxic chemicals that also damage the environment. You can use a simple safe disinfecting spray that is more effective than any of the commercial cleaners in killing bacteria. As a bonus, it is inexpensive! Susan Sumner, a food scientist at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, worked out the recipe for just such a sanitizing combo. All you need is three percent hydrogen peroxide, the same strength available at the drug store for gargling or disinfecting wounds, and plain white or apple cidar vinegar, and a pair of brand new clean sprayers, like the kind you use to dampen laundry before ironing. It doesn't matter which you use first - you can spray with the vinegar then the hydrogen peroxide, or with the hydrogen peroxide followed by the vinegar. Reference note: Articles on Dr.
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier - Aimless Direction - Aimless Direction I received this as an email and instead of saving the email, I decided to post it here so that I know I always have these great tips on my site. I plan on trying every single one of them too. I actually just tried the dryer tip (#17) at the bottom, so we’ll see how that one works out. Oh yeah, I probably won’t be trying the hair conditioner on my legs for shaving either since, well…I’m a guy. A lot of these tips are things that I can actually use on a regular basis too. 1. Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove , set heat to med-low and heat till warm. 2. Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. 3. When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. 4. To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated , place them in a microwave with a cup of water. 5. Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. 6. 7. Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Hate foggy windshields? 13.
Persephone Magazine | Blog | The Lazy Lady's Guide to DIY: Hanging Herb Garden At some point near the middle of March, I always decide that I’m “done” with winter. The sweaters and jackets get pushed to the back of the closet, the flip flops come out, and I inevitably freeze my butt off for several weeks until the weather catches up with my warm-weather state of mind. Likewise, my cravings for fresh herbs and veggies are always a little ahead of the season. Growing your own herbs is a great way to save money and avoid buying too much at a time and letting most of it go to waste. If it’s still too cold to plant outside where you are (or if you’re short on space!) What you’ll need: Tin containers with snap-on plastic lids (tea, cocoa, and coffee cans are a good bet), coat hangers, pliers, scissors, herbs (I bought basil, rosemary, dill, and cilantro for about $2.50 each), masking tape, coffee filters, a nail, a hammer, X-acto knife, scrap fabric or paper, and glue or spray adhesive. Slide the bottom inside the can, holding it up from inside. Flip the can over.
Homemade "Clorox" Wipes Today, my journey to find cheaper, natural, and BETTERalternatives to the cleaning supplies I use in my home presented me with a showdown with what has been, up until now, one of my best cleaning allies…Clorox Wipes. There are a lot of reasons why I liked these little gems. The main reason being that I like being able to grab a cleaning wipe whenever I need one. I also have issues with rinsing, dipping and wringing out the same rag over and over (often in the same dirty water) until you are done. That’s what I LIKE about Clorox wipes. So today I’m breaking the Clorox wipes habit and embarking on a new cleaning experiment. First thing I did was gather up a few of my old t-shirts that were beyond help (bleach stains, tears, etc.) and cut them up into approximately the size of baby wipes. Next I got an empty baby wipes dispenser that I had been saving for just this project and threw them all inside. 1 cup of water 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol 2 Tbsp. From left to right: Farewell old friend.
Make your own natural body lotion If you’re tired of all the chemicals and synthetic fragrances in most store-bought creams and lotions, you might want to consider making your own. Most people think that making creams and body lotions is difficult but it’s actually fairly easy. I frequently make my own and give them as gifts to friends and family members who seem to love them. If you can, I recommend that you keep an old blender, a small- to medium-size glass bowl, and a spatula that you use solely for making natural aromatherapy products. While you can use your kitchen blender, the beeswax found in natural creams can leave a residue on the blender and utensils used. Here’s what you’ll need: • 3/4 cup of pure oil (I like sweet almond oil since it absorbs well and doesn’t leave a greasy film. • 1 cup of pure water (or you can use rose water — available in health food stores) • 2 tablespoons of shaved beeswax (most health food stores sell plain beeswax. • A glass jar or small glass jars for storing the lotion That’s it.
DIY Naturally Scented All-Purpose Citrus Vinegar Cleaners I've been on a quest to rid our home of toxic chemicals for both health and environmental reasons. Did you know? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air can be 10 times to 100 times more polluted than outdoor air. One of the culprits is common household cleaners emitting toxic fumes. UGH! After my recent post about using fruit, herbs, and spices for making natural home fragrances, it occurred to me that I could use some of those same scent combinations for making natural cleaners with vinegar. These scented cleaners don't completely eliminate the vinegar scent when first sprayed. THESE MAKE COOL, INEXPENSIVE GIFTS. HOW TO MAKE NATURAL CLEANERSwith vinegar, citrus, herbs, and spices Assemble these ingredients: view on Amazon: essential oils, bulk pricing on cinnamon sticks, whole cloves Assemble these supplies: Jars or other sealable containers. view on Amazon:half gallon mason jars, quart mason jars, spray bottles,jar funnel, mason jar lid strainer, wire mesh strainer 1.
NatureMill Automatic Compost Bin | Composter | Compost | Composting | naturemill.com - StumbleUpon Useful Life Hacks Make your own housecleaning products Making your own cleaning products is a good way to save money and control the use of chemicals in your home. Most of the following recipes are made from nontoxic ingredients, but there are some chemicals as well. If you store any of these, be sure to label them so you know what is in the container —and keep these and any household cleaners out of the reach of children and pets! Here are some simple recipes for the most common household chores. Window cleaner • Spray bottle with club soda • 2 teaspoons white vinegar in a quart of warm water. Put in a spray bottle Consumer Reports' tried-and-true window cleaner: • 1/2 cup soapy ammonia • 1 pint rubbing alcohol Mix well, put in spray bottles and label Disinfectant • White vinegar • 3 tablespoons castile soap • 20-30 drops of tea tree extract Mix in a 16-ounce sprayer and top with water All-purpose cleaner • Club soda • 1 part white vinegar • 1 part water Mix in a spray bottle Non-abrasive cleaner Shake baking soda on surface or damp sponge and scrub
How to Make Liquid Castile Soap: 18 Steps Edit Article Edited by Maluniu, Denise, Anwar Baakza, Glam_GirlRock and 4 others Castile soap, also known as vegetable soap, is soap that contains no animal fats. Ad Steps 1Place 14.1 oz. (417 ml) coconut oil, 14.1 oz. (417 ml) liquid soybean oil and 18.8 oz. (555 ml) olive oil into a crockpot. 18Add fragrance oil to each container as you use it. Tips An alternative liquid castile soap recipe can be made faster by grating a couple 4 oz. (118 ml) bars of castile soap and mixing it in a large pot with 4 cups of water. Warnings Do not use the crockpot for food after making soap.