You looked at installing a underground sprinkler system on your property. And then stopped short when you realized the thousands of dollars it would cost! How could plastic pipe and sprinkler heads cost so much? Here is a lasting inexpensive water irrigation system that is near maintenance free and will have your neighbors wondering why they never see you watering your garden and plants. You can claim yours to be an environmentally friendly garden soaker system (or water drip system), using the minimum amount of water to sustain your plants and shrubs.Get the water as close to the plant roots as possible. Using less water is important to our global environment.Communities now encourage water soaker systems instead of sprinkler systems. Water applied near the ground will mostly be absorbed into the earth where it is needed by the plant and grass roots. Water sprayed above the plants and grass lands on the leaves and flowers before dripping to the ground. This longer exposure to the air will cause much of the sprayed or sprinkled water to evaporate into the hot summer air.More than ever now communities control the watering of lawns and gardens during the summer months. Sometimes you are restricted to garden watering only – not lawns. An automatic water timer system combined with a soaker hose system makes plenty of sense in reducing the amount of water dispensed to water your garden plants and shrubs. So how can I make an effective soaker system for my garden for under $500?With some off-the-shelf components, you can have a simple but elegant soaker system that with be automatic and near maintenance free. With a simple water timer system, Y-connectors, faucet multipliers, some 1 1/2″ abs pipe, quality 1/2″ garden hose and your choice of soaker hoses or irrigation hoses for potted or hanging plants, border gardens, row gardens or (dare I say) even lawn sprinklers. You now have the elements for a simple soaker irrigation system for your garden. This do-it-yourself automatic water irrigation system will ensure you water plants at the best time every day; specifically, early morning and late afternoon. As an added home security feature, when you are away from home your garden will sustain its beauty and make it look like someone is at home.Here is the material list required for your automatic garden soaker system. (Note: there is a complete Picasa image gallery of all the required components of this inexpensive soaker system at http://picasaweb.google.com/carl.chesal/GardenIrrigationSystem ):1) Select your water timer I selected Orbit from Home Depot. Make sure it has a battery timer so power outages won’t alter your scheduled watering times. It should allow for at least 3 watering zones.2) Select your main faucet multiplier (or Valve splitter) that will attach to your outside water faucet and can accommodate the 3-4 water zones plus a spare to allow for regular garden hose watering. You can secure these special faucet multipliers from garden centers or at Lee Valley Tools. 3) Enough 1 1/2″ ABS pipe (and glue) and 22.5 degree elbows to run underground (6″ – 10″ depth). Use the 22.5 degree elbows only to allow for easy insertion of the garden hose into the ABS pipe. You can cut further costs by burying the garden hoses directly underground. The ABS piping does provide added protection from accidental puncture from aerators, pitch forks and other garden tools. This ABS pipe can also serve double duty to run low voltage wire or speaker wire to the remote areas of your garden.4) Enough quality garden hoses to run through the ABS pipe and connect to the soaker hoses in all your garden beds.5) Soaker hoses for all your garden beds.6) Enough Faucet multipliers (Valve splitters) to extend each watering zone with soaker hose as required.Creating your automatic garden soaker system involves more of a landscaping effort than anything else. Here are 3 steps to completing your eco-friendly automatic garden soaker system (Note: refer to the Picasa image gallery for details of component assembly):1) Bury the ABS pipe feeding the garden hose through it as you connect and glue the pipe sections. Bury the pipe 6″-10″ under your lawn or sidewalk. Have both ends extend out of the ground using the 22.5 degrees elbows so that the stiff hose can still be easily pulled through the pipe.2) Connect the soaker hoses to the ends of the garden hoses and weave the soaker hoses through your garden under plants and around shrubs. Follow the installation instructions of the soaker hose manufacturer.3) Install the water timer and water zone valves on the faucet multiplier. Connect the hoses for each zone. Follow the installation instructions of the water timer manufacturer. Do not set the water time for each zone more than 20 minutes each. Set two water times early morning (around 6 am) and late afternoon (around 7 pm).Maintenance of your Irrigation System and Preparation for Freezing Winter Temperatures:1) Disconnect the [zone] hoses at the main faucet where the Water Timer is located. 2) Using a Shop Wet Vac, suck the excess water from each zone hose. Use electrical tape to secure the vacuum pipe against the end of the hose. Turn on the wet vac and let it run for 10-15 minutes. Empty the water extracted before repeating this for each hose at the main faucet. You will extract enough water from the hoses so as not to incur any winter damage to your hoses from freezing water.3) Tape a plastic bag over the ends of each of the [zone] hoses. This will prevent little critters from getting in the hoses and clogging them when you reconnect the system in the spring.4) Remove the water timer and faucet multiplier. Store them in a warm place where they will not freeze.5) Note: you DO NOT need to disconnect and remove the soaker hoses. They should last 4-6 years before you need to replace them. Check the soaker hoses each spring for holes. You can patch these holes with high-friction Silicone tape. You may also leave outdoors all-year-round any valve splitters that were used to increase the soaker hoses in a particular water zone.You now have an inexpensive water soaker system that won’t break the bank. You have saved thousands of dollars and can boast of being a friend to our environment. You clearly are doing your part for water conservation and the ecology. Nice going!
Category: Gardening
Best Audiobooks To Supercharge Your Mind, Memory & Motivation
How would you like to you take decisions like a top CEO and brush obstacles aside like a rampaging T-Rex? Or, on a more down to earth note work faster, with greater clarity of vision. Break down and solve problems more quickly than usual and feel really positive and in control of your life and destiny?
“Ah yes” you say, “happens to me once or twice a month”. A shame it happens so rarely. It need not be like that though, and here’s why:
Fact 1 – This is how movers and shakers feel most of the time.
Fact 2 It is JUST a state of mind.
Fact 3 You can use audiobooks to give your mind a “work out” & create this state of mind “on demand”.
There are many downloadable audio books on the whole success and motivation subject though, and this can make knowing what one(s) to get hard.
So in this article we’ll break things down to make it easy for you to get going.
Sections –
1) Supercharged Mind – Defined
2) 3 Important facts about the “Supercharged state”
3) How “Brain” workout audiobooks will help you
4) My top 10 audiobooks to give you the best bang/buzz for your buck!
**Supercharged Mind – Defined**
You’ve probably had times when you feel supercharged, when you feel like you can do and achieve anything. When –
1) Everything around you seems to take on extra crisp clarity.
2) You can do things at higher speed and act more decisively than usual.
3) You feel that anything is achievable and that the world can, and will be at your feet!
4) If you’re selling something you’ve got extra buzz and motivation and sell way better than “usual”
It’s essentially a “performance enhanced” state of mind but you’re going to use audio books rather than dodgy substances to get it!
** 3 Important facts about the “Supercharged state”**
1) Successful people have this mindset and can turn it on and off on demand.
2) You don’t have to be supercharged all the time. You can & should turn off or else you’ll likely burn out!
3) You can condition your brain with audiobooks to get into this supercharged state.
As I say you don’t need to be charged up all the time. For example:
If you can go from 0% of your working day “in zone” to 20% of your day you can add way more than 20% in results – if you apply yourself right.
For example: When “fully charged”
In sales – Do your new business calls.
Marketing or writing Do your creative work.
Anything Tackle the hard and important tasks that have greatest reward potential.
When you’re back in “situation normal” then do your admin and boring internal emails.
** How Brain Workout Audiobooks can help you **
Easier said that done you may say. How do I supercharge on demand?
Well, the most common way is by reading motivational/success books or going to seminars.
Both of these are fine but have limitations:
Books Time, especially if you have family or are working flat out and drive-commute.
Seminars Time again but also cost and the charge drains off quickly afterwards.
Enter the audiobook:
Audio books negate the time and cost problems.
You can force charge your mind (push it in) as oppsoed to physically “eye-read” (drag it in)
Have those supercharged seminar speakers in your head Anytime, at the press of a button.
For example, you can listen to audiobooks while:
Driving or on the train
Relaxing in the dark
Cleaning the car
Dog walking
Gardening
Jogging, working out etc
Oh yes, it’s essential to be around positive people as much as possible too. Negative people are like charge draining vampires. They’ll pull you down with them if you give them a chance. They want you to be as depressed as they are there’s comfort in hanging with other losers after all!
Best stop now I sound like one of the audio books (and it’s their job to teach you about this stuff)
** My top 10 download audiobooks for mind supercharging **
My advice is to have a good look about and choose 2 or 3 solid audiobooks to start with.
Don’t be limited by my choices though. Explore. It’s a new world out there and it’s waiting for you to come along and give it a damn good spanking!
1. Glenn Harrold’s Ultimate Guide to Building Your Motivation. Author: Glenn Harrold Publisher: BBC Audiobooks.
2. Awaken the Giant Within. Author: Anthony Robbins. Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio.
3. Glenn Harrold’s Ultimate Guide to Manifesting Your Goals & Dreams. Author: Glenn Harrold. Publisher: BBC Audiobooks.
4. Unlimited Power. Author: Anthony Robbins. Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio.
5. How to Win Friends & Influence People. Author: Dale Carnegie. Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio.
6. Giant Steps. Author: Anthony Robbins. Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio.
7. Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway. Author: Susan Jeffers. Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Audiobooks.
8. Slow Downand Get More Done. Author: Marshall J Cook. Publisher: Listen & Live.
9. Why We Want You To Be Rich. Authors: Donald Trump & Robert Kiyosaki. Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
10. Get Up and Do It! Publisher: BBC Audiobooks.
Oh, and a last minute entry…I couldn’t stop myself but didn’t want to push any others out for:
11. What Would Machiavelli Do? Author: Stanley Bing. Publisher: Harper Collins US.
All of these audio books can be downloaded from online audio book stores and played on your PC, Mac, mp3 player, ipod or burned onto a CDR.
Any of these audiobooks will make a great first go, so check them out and go for it Do NOT procrastinate or you won’t even get out of the starting blocks!
Herb Garden Kits – A ”out Of The Box Simple Gardening Experience
I can remember at being very excited about a new project I was starting. At first I had already foreseen a long stimulating future at enjoying this hobby. I bought all what deemed to me as necessary to start digging in this new adventure. Unfortunately after a while I slowly varied my activities, the latter ending up occupying more and more of my time than my beloved pastime until I went on to new points of interest . A lot of the material is still in the garage, certain items still in their unopened packaging.
The same can be applied to gardening, especially if it is a new found interest or a lack of experience. It could be wise to begin this hobby with a miniature version and give you the opportunity to test how much you enjoy this activity and how well it may blend in your day-to-day routine.
Happily herb garden kits are a simple solution to get you up and running in a very short time and let you set the limits to how much time and efforts you are willing to devote yourself to this past time. Here are some instances when these ”kits” comes in handy.
Time
People are busy rushing from home to their jobs and everything in between. It is a great idea to cultivate herbs for whatever reason it is appealing to you and it is also fairly simple. How much time do you have to keep you herbs happy and healthy. Any herb that you plant has to be tended to, from beginning to end including harvesting. Does your time frame permit outdoor gardening or will it be more convenient and time saving if you choose the indoors gardening option?
Space
Another factor that can greatly influence your choice is space. City dwellers might not have a large space for gardening and are often limited to the confines of a small apartment, or perhaps outside temperatures would not be very friendly to the young plants. A small kit can be composed of a set of 3-4 plants of different herbs that can set on that sunny windowsill in the kitchen. You will find one plant of an herb is enough to fulfill the need. Know your herbs and how to tend to them because some plants can start spreading from a single sprout when out of control.
Commodity
Herb garden kits comes complete with everything you need except for the water and sunshine. Some kits might even contain grow lights that control photosynthesis. You can even get a kit with plants that grows submerged in water, this solution even eliminate the possibility of dirt spilling and creating a mess in your home.
All kits include step-by-step instructions on how to set-up everything, how to plant and care of the herbs, harvesting, characteristics of each individual plants and tips for best results.
Choice
Another pleasant aspect of buying a kit is that there is a tremendous amount of variation offered. You need to choose which category of herbs you plan on growing. Will the harvested leaves be used for culinary reason or, perhaps, you tend more towards medicinal herbs?
The quantity that you will need depends largely on the usage you are aiming for. Remember that with herbs 1 plant will go a long way.
Prices is also a factor but it should not be exclusive. Seed-based kits are less expensive than the sprout version but can be a bit more time consuming and even fragile. Also some herbs can be quite a challenge to a beginner when started from seeds.
Overall, available space and the time you can devote to its care are deciding factor for a kit that is best for you. A small kit containing 4-5 herbs that can grow on your windowsill and may require only simple occasional watering. A large kit offers all that you need to cultivate a 10×10 feet garden.
Take the time you need to plan your garden whatever the size, you will be happy that you did later. List the herbs that you wish to grow and visit a few places to compare prices and options that may suit you best. There is a herb garden kit waiting for you that thoroughly meet your need.
Home Hydroponic Automated Home Gardening
Hydroponic is very common these days that even a 9-year-old child already knows what hydroponic is. In home gardening settings there is what we call automated home gardening with the use of hydroponics. This home hydroponic system is a gardening system that allows us to grow plants without the use of soil. With home hydroponic system you can also grow plants without them actually ever seeing real sunlight. It uses plant light to impact and make use of photosynthesis which is the process by which a plant takes in light and turns it into a fuel. A home hydroponic system can grow any kinds of plants from edible to non-edible plants, from seasonal to off-season plants, and even plants that only grow in certain climates.
Hydroponic is very common these days that even a 9-year-old child already knows what hydroponic is. In home gardening settings there is what we call automated home gardening with the use of hydroponics. This home hydroponic system is a gardening system that allows us to grow plants with out the use of soil. With home hydroponic system you can also grow plants without them actually ever seeing real sunlight. It uses plant light to impact and make use of photosynthesis which is the process by which a plant takes in light and turns it into a fuel. A home hydroponic system can grow any kinds of plants from edible to non-edible plants, from seasonal to off-season plants, and even plants that only grow in certain climates.
We all know that growing plants in soils needs proper skills and experience to achieve success. In gardening, there is what we call green thumbs these are people who are so luck when it comes to growing plants. But with a home hydroponics system you dont have to have a green thumb or skills and even experience in growing plants from soil because home hydroponic system will automatically work the gardening for you. Its as if you are just operating a home appliance which usually only go through a plug and play process. Home hydroponics system is as easy as one-two-three. All you have to do is to place the stating pods of plants into the designated holes in a home hydroponic system, put some nutrient pellets, add water in the system, and lastly turn on the plant lights to start the ball rolling. There are also led lights in a home hydroponic system that will tell you if you need more water or nutrients in it. Plants grow exponentially and you will have to constantly add more water and nutrients as these plants suck up more and soaking up much more. So basically thats how a home hydroponic system works the gardening conveniently for you.
Home hydroponic system is science and an art at the same time. Science since it involves photosynthesis and hydroponics and art because the sense of growing things and gardening is part of the package. It is said that home hydroponic system is the future of growing anything using water and nutrients without the plants ever touching soil and the use of artificial light to jump start the process and make the process of photosynthesis actually happen.
Vertical Gardening
Do you long for masses of plants, but have only a small balcony or patio to work with? Fear not, garden lover, the answer is at hand with vertical gardening.
The idea of transforming a blank wall into a blaze of living colour has long been popular in Europe, where cramped conditions put outdoor space at a premium. So, if you want to get the most out of your outdoor living space, why not consider a vertical garden?
The types of vertical gardens you can create will be governed by the space available, the types of plants you wish to grow, and your imagination.
If you have a skinny garden bed along the base of a blank wall, careful planting can cover the wall from bottom to top with foliage. A trellis against a wall works especially well with containers placed at the base filled with climbers such as vines or roses.
Without a garden at the base of your wall, you are limited to stackable modules, containers or hanging baskets. You can use stackable modules that can be placed against a wall, attach a trellis to a wall, or use hanging baskets made from a breathable fabric
Plants which don’t require much soil, such as succulents, work best in small stackable trays. Trays also tend to have better irrigation than hanging pocket baskets.
The simplest and easiest vertical garden could be just a wire trellis hung on hooks attached to a wall, with plant containers placed on the ground below it. Fill the containers with climbing plants and in no time you’ll have your vertical garden.
If you are handier with tools, you can make your own stackable modules from a durable timber. Make sure you make allowance for drainage and apply a good preservative to the timber before filling with potting soil.
Vertical gardens work just as well for herb and vegetable growing and flower displays. Place your trailing herbs, such as oregano or thyme, towards the top of the wall and use the lower spaces for upright varieties, such as lettuce or tomato.
You don’t need to be an expert handyman or woman to create your own vertical garden. Even if you are more at home with a spade than a hammer or saw, there are modules that you can buy as opposed to making your own. And if everything else fails, you can always have an expert come in and create your vertical garden for you.
Now take another look at that blank wall outside and see how easy it is to change it into a glorious living vertical garden. Let your imagination run wild!
