Entries Tagged 'Home And Garden' ↓

On Friday, I went to see the Snowdrop Walk at Easton walled Garden. I find it very interesting to look at other people’s gardens and often get ideas and inspiration for my own patch. I buy a copy of The Yellow Book
every year and often use it to visit the listed gardens that are local to me.

Buying a manufactured windmill is likely to cost anything from 10,000 to 30,000 dollars or more, even for a domestic installation, so it is worth thinking about how to build your own windmill. In fact it is very easy and straightforward, and there are plenty of people who claim to have done it for less than 200 dollars. This will not be as big or grand as the manufactured variety, but the potential savings are pretty significant.

So, if you are thinking about making a windmill, what do you need to do first? Before starting to build your own windmill you should do some research:

• Local average wind speed. In spite of what others might say, windmills do not work very well in average winds under 10 mph. The US Government has made available detailed wind resource maps, which are worth consulting before fitting a windmill.

• Building Codes. Check these to see if windmills are allowed in your area. Usually, small windmills will be acceptable, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

• Area of windmill site. A small windmill will need about half an acre.

• Adjacent properties. Consult neighbors first about your ideas, and prepare to overcome any prejudices about possible noise, TV interference and so on.

• Windmill size. No point in making a huge windmill that will generate more electricity than you need. The utility company will not buy any surplus from you, only offset against your grid consumption.

• Batteries. Independence from the electric grid will mean including storage batteries. These can cost you nothing if you know the secret. Or plan to use your windmill to partially offset your utility bills.

These and other considerations make it sensible to get some guidance and advice from experts in windmill design and construction in the early stages of planning the project. You will then be able to choose the right plans for your circumstances, and these need to include comprehensive lists of materials and clear assembly instructions.

Small windmills have only a few components. Typically these are:

• A propeller (actually 3 propeller blades fixed to a hub)

• A DC motor

• A tail fin

• A mounting shaft to which these are fitted

• A tower

• Probably an inverter (to convert DC to AC)

• Batteries

Add some wiring and a few nuts and bolts and you’re there. Almost certainly you will have many of these items in your shed but, even if you have to buy them, 200 dollars should get you all that is required. Even a diy novice can put together a small windmill and fit it in a weekend.

Detailed step-by-step diagrams and instructions to build a windmill are beyond the scope of this article, but they are available for very little money. Please visit Practical-Solar if you would like further information.

The are basically two different types of garden rake, used for different purposes. Those which look like a strip of metal with nails driven into them tend to be dificult to use – avoid them! Rakes with more than twelve tines are also hard to use (unless your very strong.) As with all garden tools, try to buy the best you can afford. A good rake will last much longer than a cheap one. The tines will not break off or bend.

If you are new to gardening, you can easily spend hundreds of pounds on a complete set of new gardening tools. However, you can just as easily choose the basic tools to buy and spend relatively little money.  Bear in mind, though, that you should always buy the best tool you can afford. Cheap tools do not last and you will have to spend more money replacing them in short order. Worse, they will make your work harder. So, if you are on a tight budget, buy one good tool at a time rather than a range of poorer quality tools.

Do you have moles in your garden? I looked out at my grass this morning and noticed that the moles have been partying again. I must admit, my first reaction is amusement. I cannot look at a mole hill without thinking of the childrens book about them.
Duncton Wood By William Horwood.
The  other thing which raises a smile is the thought of the video by Jasper Carrot trying to rid himself of moles.

If you want to sow seeds early before the weather has warmed up enough to allow them to germinate naturally, or even if you want to be sure that seed which is temperature sensitive germinates, then you need a heated propagator.

If you are lucky enough (and wealthy enough) to have a heated greenhouse, then you do not have this problem. The rest of us have to devise ways of warming our sowing medium without breaking the bank.

The kitchen can be a challenging area to provide flooring for.  On one hand, the kitchen flooring must remain flexible enough to support the legs and back.  On the other hand, however, the flooring must be resistant to stains and a high level of foot traffic.  The best flooring looks great for years without a lot of maintenance.  Spills and accidents will inevitably happen on a fairly frequent basis, putting a strain on any flooring that is installed in the kitchen area.  To prevent serious upkeep issues and future expenses, it pays to install the right kind of flooring to begin with.

Wood flooring has long been used in the kitchen, but it has a tendency to suffer under harsh kitchen conditions.  Wood aborbs moisture, causing it to warp and crack over time.  When a wood floor absorbs too much moisture it can end up crowning or cupping, leading to a surface that must be replaced or sanded down.  The only solution to this problem is to sand down the bowing section, or to go the expensive route and replace the floor.  These options are both time consuming and costly, and involve many hours as well as thousands of dollars.  While a properly constructed and processed wood floor may not be as susceptible to these issues, wood flooring is definitely more likely to break down because of these problems.

More reliable options include slate and ceramic tile.  Tile and slate do not absorb moisture, and do not suffer from warping or cracking.  As fairly rigid materials, they experience little expansion or contraction.
Slate and ceramic flooring can be found in a multitude of styles.  Slate and ceramic flooring are very resistant to slipping, making them a safer surface to use in the kitchen as well.  Hardwood flooring can become slick, especially if it has been exposed to moisture.  When using slate as a kitchen surface, be sure to go with a low gloss or finish for extra slip protection.

Laminate flooring is a great alternative to both wood and slate.  To achieve that hardwood look without all the associated upkeep problems, laminate flooring can be a wonderful alternative.  Laminate flooring is easy to install, affordable, and very resistant to both absorbing moisture and food stains.
Laminate flooring is also designed to withstand a great deal of foot traffic and pressure.  The kitchen is a demanding place for flooring, and should be treated as such.  Choosing the right kind of flooring will result in a lifetime of great quality and low maintenance.

The summer fruiting varieties of raspberry canes will need support and I will put a post in each end of the row. This will be 18ins in the ground and 4 ft high. I will put wire between the posts at 18 ins (the first being 1 ft off the ground) so that as the canes grow, they can be tied to them. The canes will be tied at an angle of 45 degrees, all in one direction. This is so that when next years canes start to grow, they will be tied in  the opposite direction, making it easier to prune after they have finished fruiting.

Roses are the nations favourite flowers. This may, in part, be because there are so many different types that there is one to suit every situation.

It is sometimes difficult to choose roses, given the wide variety of colours and shapes of the flowers along with the variety of types. However, always consider where you are putting it, how large it will grow amd what it will eventually look like, before coming to a decision.

Potatoes take a little bit of work to grow in your garden but are worth it for the taste. If you have a small garden, then it is hardly worth growing maincrop varieties since they are so cheap to buy and they do take up a lot of room. There are really only four processes which you need to go through to grow garden potatoes successfully and once you know these, it becomes easy.