Adventures in Field Botany / Illustrated-Glossary Leaf Morphology: Phyllode/ Cladode: modifyed stems that act as leaves. Ensiform: leaves sharp edges, taper into a slender point (fern) Stellate: hairs come up like fingers. Looks like cluster of hair. Peltate: "petiole joins to the center" in leaves. Glossary of Terms: WHORLED - more than two (2) opposite leaves. OPPOSITE - leaf nodes are on opposite sides of twig. ALTERNATE - leaf nodes alternate in pattern along branch. DECUSSATE - Arranged on a stem in opposite pairs at right angles to those above or below, resulting in vertical rows of leaves. PALMATE - consisting of leaflets or lobes radiating from the base of the leaf. CAPSULE - a hollow dry fruit with 3+ locules (chambers) Dehiscent = splits open to release the seed. Indehiscent: remaining closed, do not split open at maturity. Capsule Types- Dehiscent: Capsule breaks to release fruit Indehiscent: This is a drupe, no hard capsule that is made to split open A walnut is a drupe fruit. OVATE (ovoid) OBOVATE (obovoid) ELLIPTICAL Root Index
Build a Cold Frame Using Old Windows You'll only need basic tools to build a cold frame. Since the cold frame will be pretty large, it's best to build it outside or in a garage, or you may not get it out the door... A hand-held drill (cordless or corded) A miter saw (powered is better, but you could do it with a hand saw and miter box) A jig saw, circular saw or table saw (really, anything that can cut large sheets of plywood) A screw driver A Tape Measure A marking implement of some sort A paint brush Two, Three or Four windows, with at least one dimension in common Some 2x2s (as required) Some 2x3s (as required) Some 2x4s (as required) Some inexpensive 1/8" or 1/4" plywood Exterior wood screws (deck screws) Exterior wood-sealing paint Some galvanized or brass hinges (may not be necessary if the hinges on the windows are still good) Some big, sturdy exterior-grade handles A tube of latex sealant A common heating vent (optional) I was fortunate enough to have a lot of the materials just lying around already.
High Functioning Coat Hooks Back in Los Angeles, any old coat rack or a few hooks by the door would do. Most of us would just toss a jacket in the back of the car in the winter months. But here in Vermont we need a little more. Many of the vernacular farm houses I visit have at least a half dozen hooks per person lined up in their mud rooms. My wife and I each will have several different coats, jackets and vests in play all winter long. Materials, for each hanger you'll need: One cleaned or refinished paint can. 2 screws long enough to reach into wall studs. Tools: Long handled screwdriver or screw gun with sufficient extensions to reach bottom of can. Step one: With the handle in a horizontal position, layout and make 2 small mounting holes at the top and bottom of the can within an inch or less of the edge. Step two: locate and mark stud position on wall for upper screw position. Step three: Screw through the upper hole of the can into the wall stud but not quite snug to the wall. Step five: Snug up first screw.
New Energy "Bomb" Disinfects Water without Chemicals Water Published on January 12th, 2010 | by Tina Casey Chemical treatment is becoming a less desirable way to provide safe drinking water, and water professionals have been searching for a less expensive, more reliable and more sustainable method of killing pathogens. Cavitation Technologies, Inc. has come up with one solution. The company’s new process uses mechanical and electrical systems to blow the little bugs to smithereens. [social_buttons] The company’s CaviGulation reactor sounds like a piece of equipment that would be at home in Frankenstein’s lab. The Problem with Chemicals and Water Treatment Chlorine and ozone have been used as disinfectants for many years, but they are not entirely up to conforming with strict new water quality regulations. Cavitation and the CaviGulator Because it uses a mechanical process, the CaviGulator is not without issues, primarily the problem of fuel supply. More Chemical-Free Water Treatment Image: Water fountain by joshme on flickr.com About the Author
How to Grow Green Onions Indefinitely I'm officially dubbing this the week of Scallions and Pinterest. Mary and I separately came across 2 trending ideas for using and growing green onions on the highly addictive bookmarking site, Pinterest, last week — we couldn't wait to try them. When I came home over the weekend with a bunch of scallions, Mary exclaimed, "did you see this scallion/ginger sauce I pinned — you should totally make that!" Little did she know I had pinned it hours before her, which is virtually light years in terms of Pinterest discoveries. I had been planning to make this ginger scallion sauce from Lottie + Doof since I first set eyes on it. Find my own variation on the recipe newly published on E.A.T. — this is one I'd definitely recommend trying. It's a great little accompaniment that could be used in so many ways. So, back to scallions and Pinterest. All I can say is... it works! This is it guys — place a bunch of scallions with their roots in a glass full of water, then place in a sunny window. P.S.
Free Cold Frame Projects & Tutorials I mainly use my cold frame to start bedding plants a little earlier than my zone normally allows and they do work like a charm for that purpose. If you’d like to extend your growing season, these are an ideal solution. I’ve been searching online for simple, cheap plans that use recycled materials and are easy to understand, but it’s been a tricky task. A few of these come close since they use old storm windows or glass doors, while others are more advanced projects but still worth a look or two. homeenvy.com Recycled Window: Made with an old window, cedar fencing, cedar decking and 1×2 cedar. Simple & Cheap: Simple design and made with recycled materials such as a sliding glass door (or any piece of glass) and framed with wood. doorgarden.com canadiangardening.com Modular Box: Made with a salvaged wooden storm window for the top and features booster frames (preferably using cedar) that make it easy to adjust the height of the cold frame. civileats.com ronhazelton.com sunset.com resene.co.nz
24 First World Problems SOLVED! February 22, 2012 | No Comments » | Topics: Pics Hot Stories From Around The Web Other Awesome Stories Seven Ways to Save Energy by Saving Water Agriculture Published on June 15th, 2008 | by Carol Gulyas Though many states and localities are waking up to their water shortages and taking steps to plan for “peak water”, people generally continue to waste water and to ignore the energy-water link. In 2004 the Natural Resources Defense Council did a study in conjunction with the Pacific Institute called “Energy Down the Drain” on how saving water saves energy. 1. Transporting water uses energy, so rainwater harvesting is a serious water-and-energy saver. 2. Heating water uses a great deal of energy. 3. Energy Star appliances will decrease water and energy use. 4. Why reinvent the wheel? 5. Toto, an innovative company from Japan (another island nation concerned about water use) offers an EcoPower hands-free faucet that recharges itself each time it is used. 6. Watering grass, fertilizing it with petroleum-based fertilizers, and mowing it with a gas or electric mower…..need I say more? 7. Animal farming takes more energy and water.
Growing Celery Indoors: Never Buy Celery Again Remember when we tested and shared how to grow onions indefinitely last week? Well, at the same time, we've been testing out another little indoor gardening project first gleaned from Pinterest that we're excited to share the successes of today — regrowing celery from it's base. We've figured out how to literally re-grow organic celery from the base of the bunch we bought from the store a couple weeks ago. This project is almost as simple as the onion growing project — simply chop the celery stalks from the base of the celery you bought from the store and use as you normally would. Instead of tossing the base, rinse it off and place it in a small saucer or bowl of warm water on or near a sunny windowsill — base side down and cut stalks facing upright. We let our celery base hang out in the saucer of water for right around one week, give or take. We watered it generously and after planting in the soil, the overall growth really took off. Discover More:
10 Sustainable Houses That Will Make You Crave A Simpler Life 10 Sustainable Houses That Will Make You Crave A Simpler Life While we often dream of purchasing giant houses and expensive cars, there is a movement brewing that aims to do the exact opposite – to downsize, and become more sustainable and harmonious with our planet. In the 1990s, most people strived for McMansions, but now more and more fashionable people are trading those dreams in for smaller, more well-designed homes that reflect commitment to our community and our environment. Here are 10 simple, sustainable homes that will have you saying “less is more.” Share This Now! Related Videos Plane Crash, Or Coolest House In The World? Polar Vortex Got You Down? Man Builds Incredible Hobbit House For Just $250 Why Fashion Is Killing The Planet, Paid For By The Clothes You Wear UncleB 21st century McMansions! Most Shared Latest Stories © 2014 Sharepowered.com Privacy Policy Close Please share what matters. We post amazing things on a daily basis. Follow Me
DIY: How To Grow Your Own Fresh Air Air Quality Published on March 26th, 2009 | by Jerry James Stone According to GreenSpaces, these three plants not only lead to fresher indoor air…but also an increase in productivity! GreenSpaces has tested these plants for the past 15 years in a 20 year old, 50,000 ft2 building with over 300 occupants, and 1,200 plants! So how does this increase productivity? Some info on the plants: Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens) Works well in the day timeGreat for living areasOne needs about 4 shoulder high plants/personNeeds to be put outdoors once every 3-4 monthsThe leaves of the plant need to be wiped everyday in Delhi and perhaps once a month in a cleaner cityThe soil used should be of vermi manure or use hydroponics Mother-in-law’s Tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata) Converts CO2 into O2 at nightOne requires about 6-8 such waist high plants per person in the bedroomLeaves need to be wiped in the same way as the Areca PalmThe soil used should be of vermi manure or use hydroponics Related Posts:
5 Secrets to a ‘No-work’ Garden It took over 20 years of gardening to realize that I didn’t have to work so hard to achieve a fruitful harvest. As the limitless energy of my youth gradually gave way to the physical realities of mid-life, the slow accretion of experience eventually led to an awareness that less work can result in greater crop yields. Inspired in part by Masanobu Fukuoka’s book, One Straw Revolution, my family experimented with gardening methods which could increase yields with less effort. Fukuoka spent over three decades perfecting his so-called “do-nothing” technique: commonsense, sustainable practices that all but eliminate the use of pesticides, fertilizer, tillage, and perhaps most significantly, wasteful effort. Here are the strategies we used which enabled us to greatly increase our garden yield, while requiring less time and less work. 1. With ‘no-till’ gardening, weeding is largely eliminated. 2. Gardeners are always on the lookout for free sources of clean organic mulch to add to their garden.
Easy vegetables to grow Planting a garden doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking. But the fear of failure keeps many a gardener-wannabe from spending time and energy on planting backyard crops. Knowing the easy vegetables to grow for your region — in addition to when and where to plant them — is the best way to ensure success. When planning your crops, try to space out the planting of foods that have a short harvest season. An ideal garden will always have something to put on the table, rather than an abundant period and then a dry spell with nothing growing. Some of the easiest garden goods for first timers are yellow squash and zucchini, potatoes, radishes and tomatoes. Squash plants can be planted into small hills, and are ready to eat when they are about 6 inches in length. Radishes are another no-brainer crop. Strawberries are popular for their ability to grow in many places and for their sweet, tangy taste and beautiful appearance. Tomatoes are possibly the most popular garden vegetable.
Building a Two-Can Bioreactor - Cornell Composting Purpose Two-can bioreactors are designed to be used as small-scall indoor composting units for families, and for composting as an educational tool in the classroom. Materials 32-gallon plastic garbage can 20-gallon plastic garbage can drill brick spigot (optional) duct tape (optional) insulation (optional) Construction Using a drill, make 15 to 20 holes (0.5" to 1" diameter) through the bottom of the 20-gallon can. Note: A system of 10-gallon plastic garbage cans that can fit inside 20-gallon cans can be substituted if space is a problem. The composting process in the cans will take from three to five weeks. Credits