Property Snake

Category: Green Living

  • 11 Greenhouse Management Ideas Everyone Should Follow

    11 Greenhouse Management Ideas Everyone Should Follow

    Managing a greenhouse can be a difficult task if you aren’t properly prepared, but the results are often worth it. Beycome, an innovative hub of real estate activity, lists greenhouses as a valuable addition to your home’s property value. So with some crucial knowledge, operating a full-sized greenhouse doesn’t have to be a stressful headache. From treating your glass to harvesting your plants, these tips can help you successfully manage your greenhouse.

    Testing Your Soil

    There are two main methods for testing the pH level of your soil: With a kit and without a kit. The kit is the simplest method, but it requires some upfront costs. Simply add soil and water to the test capsule and measure the color against the provided pH chart. Without a kit, the simplest method is to use vinegar and baking soda. Put a few spoonfuls of soil into two separate glass dishes or cups. Add vinegar to the first cup, if it begins to bubble and fizz then your soil is basic with a pH over 7. If nothing happens, add water and baking soda to the second cup. If the baking soda container fizzes, your soil is acidic with a pH under 7. If your soil does not react to either test, your soil is a neutral 7.

    Glazing

    Glazing is the material that protects your greenhouse from the elements and allows sunlight to reach your plants. Traditionally, glass is the primary glazing material for greenhouses, but there are many other options. Other than glass, painter’s plastic is the most popular option for covering greenhouse frames. Also known as polyethylene film, painter’s plastic is relatively cheap. Polycarbonate plastic is another popular glazing material that is slightly stronger than the painter’s plastic. However, it is slightly more expensive.

    Re-Potting

    Sometimes you need to re-pot saplings or plants that grow into larger containers. Start by slightly watering your plant, and then carefully remove the root ball by turning the pot on its side and slowly knocking out. Be careful not to pull on the stem and damage the plant. If there are any rotten or moldy sections of the root ball, carefully prune them from the main mass. After cleaning out the new pot, add a bit of soil, place the root ball on top, and add soil around the plant until it can sit comfortably. Finally, trim and prune any broken sections of the plant to encourage growth. Transplanting causes stress to your plants, so it may take a few days for your plants to return to their normal growth cycle. The plant’s root ball must be handled very carefully, as too much stress can shock the plant and quickly kill it.

    Proper Storage and Handling of Pesticides

    It’s important to limit the total amount of pesticides you store and handle to the bare minimum. Ensure your pesticides containers are properly sealed and away from possible flooding or groundwater contamination. Be cautious with the quantity and frequency of your pesticide use, as excessive pesticides can seriously harm your plant or stunt its growth.

    Managing Disease

    Plant diseases that appear in greenhouses are caused by a handful of factors: Lack of air circulation, unbalanced heat levels, nutrient deficiency, and unbalanced humidity levels. If heat levels are too high in your greenhouse, your plants may be prone to disease. Similarly, if humidity levels are too high in your greenhouse, your plants may still be prone to developing diseases. Use thermometers and humidity meters to keep your greenhouse environment in check. Avoid adding extra nutrients to soils like Miracle-Gro that come pre-mixed with time-released nutritional supplements. Gardening is a balancing act, if all these factors are balanced well then your plants will thrive.

    Providing Shade

    Providing shade is an essential component of managing your greenhouse. Some plants are prone to overheating and require shade to protect their leaves. Other plants require shade in order to induce a flowering period artificially. Additionally, proper shading can reduce the costs involved in cooling your greenhouse during the warm summer months. The most popular method for shading a greenhouse is to use shade cloth or shade fabric. This material goes over the primary glaze and protects your greenhouse from overheating.

    Managing Trees Next to the Greenhouse

    Nearby trees can pose an unexpected threat to your greenhouse plants. As tree roots grow and develop, they can grow into your greenhouse, damage your plant’s roots, and deprive them of water and essential nutrients. If there are trees next to your greenhouse, consider using containers that are separated from the ground and any creeping tree roots. If this isn’t feasible, be vigilant in checking your soil for any stray roots from nearby trees. Just one nearby tree can throw off the delivery of nutrients and water to your greenhouse plants. Beds and pots that are sealed on the bottom are ideal for protecting your plants from rogue roots. Ideally, a greenhouse that uses the ground soil should be far from any nearby trees. This also applies to greenhouses that use raised beds with open bottoms. 

    Managing Weeds

    The best measure against weeds in your greenhouse is sanitizing your growing media and basic prevention. Ensure your growing media is clean as well as your growing containers, and ensure they are covered when not in use. Weed blocking fabric provides a useful physical barrier between your plants and weeds. If weeds do emerge in your greenhouse, you may be able to physically remove them. It’s best to use organic or natural herbicides, and these are most effective against small weeds or seedlings. Larger weeds will need to be physically removed. A larger weed may only be burned or partially damaged by herbicides, so physical removal is necessary. It’s better to prevent weeds from entering your greenhouse at all than to remove them, but it is almost inevitable that you will encounter weeds in your greenhouse garden.

    Irrigation Systems

    Manually watering your plants provides an opportunity to consistently check on the health of your greenhouse, but it can be very time-consuming in the warmer months of the year. Because of this, irrigation systems offer a mostly hands-free method for watering your greenhouse plants. A boom irrigation system is one of the most popular methods, involving a pipe that sprays water as it moves across the top of your plants. Drip tape is another irrigation system that is laid across your soil and irrigates your plants through condensation. Lastly, irrigation wells can draw water from the ground, and deliver water to your soil via a widespread pipe sprinkler system. With a well-built irrigation system, managing a garden can be more of a pleasant activity.

    Preparing for Storms

    Storms can prove to be devastating to your greenhouse. However, with some storm preparations, you can protect yourself from any damage to your greenhouse. The most immediate threat to your greenhouse during a storm is wind damage. Heavy winds can bend, dislodge, and break crucial parts of your greenhouse structure. Wind loading is the process of preparing your greenhouse for heavy winds. The process starts by checking your greenhouse area for anything that could pose a threat during heavy winds. This includes loose materials, tree limbs that are near breaking point, and ventilation motor arms. Sealing ventilation and cranking exhaust fans will tighten a plastic covering against the frame of the greenhouse. Lastly, strategically placed trees such as pine, spruce, and other conifers can break strong gusts that can damage your greenhouse.

    Aside from wind-proofing your greenhouse, snow loading is the process of preventing greenhouse damage from heavy snows. If you live in an area with heavy snow, consider using a pointed, gothic frame design as an alternative to the standard, rounded design. Heating systems can melt snow that accumulates on top of the greenhouse. Diagonal bracing is essential in areas that receive heavy snow, and there should be no barrier between the interior and the glazing in order to provide adequate heating. Lastly, allow at least 12 feet between greenhouse installations to prevent snow from accumulating to dangerous levels.

    Harvesting your Plants

    Harvesting your plants can be a very rewarding end to your greenhouse season, but improper harvesting techniques can have a negative impact on your yields. Information on handling and storing your harvest can be found in GAP and GHP manuals found online. These are also known as the Good Agricultural Practices and Good Handling Practices programs. These practices are enacted to prevent spoiling of your yields through microbial infections. Storing your produce in air-tight jars, creating preserves out of fruits and vegetables, and thoroughly washing your harvests are all methods for protecting your harvest.

    As you can see, there are a variety of methods for properly managing your greenhouse. This article doesn’t cover everything, but it is a handy guide for outlining the essentials. A successful greenhouse has proper glazing, pH balanced soil, is free of weeds, is properly irrigated, prepared for storms, humidified, temperature balanced, free of rogue roots, and shaded appropriately. If you stick to these guidelines, you should encounter minimal problems while operating your greenhouse.

  • 8 Easy Steps to Make an Eco-friendly Bathroom

    8 Easy Steps to Make an Eco-friendly Bathroom

    If your family is anything like mine, then the bathroom is one of the most used rooms in the house, we use it constantly. Showers and bath time, especially with the little one, can use up so much water and energy. When we built our new house, I knew that we should make a conscious effort to make the bathroom more eco-friendly.  

    Today I share those tips with you in an effort to help save energy, save our planet and save your wallet from those expensive utility bills. You don’t have to join the latest climate change protest to make a difference, these small changes at home can help.

    Here are eight easy to implement tips to make your bathroom more eco-friendly with some eco-friendly bathroom products.

    Add low flow fixtures

    Low flow fixtures can reduce water consumption considerably, but what are they?

    Low-flow bathroom fixtures and fittings such as bathroom sinks, toilets, urinals, eco-friendly bathroom shower, and taps can make a huge change when it comes to saving water and energy.  They work by using gravity to create more pressure to flush waste away more efficiently while using less water. Check out how a low-flow showerhead can save you money in this article from SFGate.

    It is estimated by installing a low flow fixture you could save at least 20% of water per use.

    If you tend to use the shower every day, then a low flow showerhead should be installed.  A low flow showerhead restricts the amount of water that comes out of the shower while keeping enough water pressure to provide adequate cleaning.  The same technology is used with low flow faucets. Less water comes out as the design of the faucet restricts the water flow.

    Use LED Bulbs

    Not only can an eco-friendly bathroom save more water, but it can save you on your energy bills too.

    LED bulbs can be up to 90% energy efficient, which means that 90% of the energy being used is converted into light energy while only 10% is turned into heat.  Compare that to a traditional bulb that loses 80% of its energy to heat, and you can see the massive difference in energy saving. An eco-friendly bathroom decor must have LED bulbs to complete the eco-friendly bathroom renovation. Here are some cool LED bulb decor ideas from Pinterest.

    Ditch the regular towels and use organic

    Organic bathroom towels are one of the cheapest ways that you can help the environment today, sure they are a little more expensive to buy than ordinary towels but long term they are a money and energy saver.

    Organic bathroom towels are a great way to make your bathroom more eco-friendly right away.  Organic towels are made out of organic cotton, which absorbs more water than conventional towels, which means you can use them more and dry them less, saving on electricity.

    Natural body products for the win

    Think of how many branded products you use in your bathroom per year.  How many of these are natural and how many of these companies care for the environment?

    By using natural products in your bathroom, you are getting a cool bathroom vanity as well as you can help the eco-friendly companies, help the environment, and stop giving your money to corporations that litter the earth with harmful plastics.

    Eco-friendly companies often don’t use disposable packaging, which is an added bonus for the environment. Eco-friendly bathroom accessories are usually amazing for your skin, smell beautiful, and don’t cost much more than their harmful equivalent.

    Turn down the water temperature

    This is a simple tip, but often one that people don’t think of.  By turning down the water temperature by a few degrees, you can save the environment.

    Best of all, turning down the water temperature can have two separate eco-friendly benefits.

    Firstly by turning down the temperature of the water, your boiler doesn’t have to work as hard to heat the water up, this, in turn, uses less electricity. Here Popsugar will help you with useful tips on saving electricity.

    The second benefit of turning down the heat has a phycological effect on the person in the shower. A person in a colder shower is less likely to stay in there as long as someone in a warmer shower, this results in less water being used. Here Dummies shares some useful tips to control your water usage.

    Read more>> 15 Brilliant Basement Bathroom Ideas

    Fix leaks to save the environment

    You may think a little leak here, or there doesn’t do that much damage to the environment, but you would be wrong.  A small leak over the space of a year can waste hundreds of gallons of water.

    Tapwater which drips at a rate of 1 drip a second can waste over 3,000 gallons of water a year, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to you that over 10% of homes consume more than 90 gallons of water a day.  What a waste. Here Diynetwork shows some easy steps to fix your water leak.

    One of the most common fixtures in the bathroom to cause a leak in the bathroom toilet.  If your toilet has a leak you should either fix or replace it right away, if you need to replace it, you can find an affordable one at the Bathroom Supastore.  

    Before you think you don’t have a leak, you should know that most holes are tough to detect.  Some can be heard, but often leaks are silent.  A right way of knowing if you have a leak is to check your water usage on a monthly basis.

    An average family of 4 should not be using over 12,000 gallons of water a month. If your family does, you more than likely have a leak in your home.  A right way of knowing if you have a leak is by using a water meter.

    For using a water meter to detect a leak you should tell everyone at home not to use any water between a specific time (a few hours works best).  Then take a reading before and after the allotted time.  If the meter is different, you have a leak somewhere.

    Read more>> 5 Easy Painting Ideas Commercial Painters Use All The Time

    Add new fragrance with cool floor tiles

    Yes, you read it right. Bathroom flooring can be eco-friendly too. You can change your bathroom tiles, and your bathroom can be transformed as eco-friendly as well as it is going to look awesome. There are many options available while you are considering buying floor tiles—wooden (Cork & bamboo), Ceramic, Glass tiles are the examples of eco-friendly bathroom floor tiles.

    Green clean your bathroom

    There are many bathroom cleaning accessories that are being used in the bathroom which are harmful, if one can change the way of cleaning by using some DIY bathroom with natural products, or use a natural air freshener, then it can be a great step towards the eco-friendly bathroom.

    Read more>> How to Clean Windows: 10 Ultimate Tips

    Conclusion

    There are many eco-friendly things like bathroom paint, bathroom mats; countertops are available in the market, but you cannot install all of them right away. Most of the tips that are listed above are common and won’t require a lot of work to implement… So go on, apply these tips above and let us know how much money you save on your utility bills in the comments below.

  • Are Plastic Straws Recyclable? SAY “NO” TO PLASTIC STRAWS

    Are Plastic Straws Recyclable? SAY “NO” TO PLASTIC STRAWS

    After you’re done with your plastic straw, what next? You probably throw the straw away, leave it in your bag, or take it along with you. However, no matter what you do with it, it will end up in the trash.

    To everyone out there, the plastic straws in their drink seem harmless because they look small and, indeed, harmless. But are they harmless? Those tiny straws end up in a landfill and never decompose – and they never get recycled.

    But why aren’t plastic straws recycled? Isn’t all plastic recyclable? These are the questions that most of you are asking yourselves right now. The majority of plastic straws are made from polypropylene plastic, which is marked with a number 5, and yes, it is recyclable. However, straws are just too small, and they get lost in the sorting process or fall through the conveyor belts. So they do not get recycled.

    Another reason most plastic straws do not get recycled is that straws are contaminated with sticky substances, so even if they end up getting sorted, they are often discarded due to lack of cleanliness, high quantity, and poor quality of the plastic.

    So why is this even a problem we should address? Straws are one of the biggest plastics produced, and they are often used once and discarded right afterwards. In the United States alone, over 300 million straws are used and discarded daily, which amounts to over 1.5 billion discarded straws each year. An estimated 1.4 million kilograms of straws are sent to the oceans and waterways every day. These straws get in the fish, and when we eat the fish, we consume the plastic. So what is the use?

    The average time for plastic to biodegrade is 1000 years, and that depends on the environmental factors and type of plastic. So not only does it take time for these straws to degrade, but they also do no good to our ecosystem. Think about it: where do these plastics go once they degrade? Unlike carbon matter and other natural materials, when plastic degrades, it is broken down into smaller plastic particles called microplastics, which are then absorbed by the environment. These smaller particles are found in fish and other seafood that we eat.

    So you can see that straws affect all aspects of our lives – the quality of our food, water, ecosystem, and air – because they never degrade. They merely break down into smaller particles that seem to disappear but are still present in the environment.

    So what can you do about these straw issues? What exactly can you do to help? Simply say NO to plastic straws. Take your drinks without plastic straws, or instead use other straws made of materials like glass, paper, bamboo, or even steel.

    Now that we have talked about all the bad that plastic straws can do for you, let’s talk about some good. It’s certain that you’ll still have some straws in your home, so instead of disposing of them, why not reuse them? Here are 20 different ways to reuse plastic straws.

    Pen or Stylus Holder

    Instead of disposing of your straw, you can tape one straw to the side of your notebook to have a pen or stylus holder with you. You can check YouTube for videos on how to do that.

    Pin Holder

    You can turn your straw into a pin holder. It is great to use this DIY hack when you are traveling. All you have to do is bend one end of the straw and close it with tape. Put all your pins into the other end and seal it with tape.

    Small Vases

    Did you know you could make tiny vases out of straws? You can watch some videos on YouTube on how to make small vases. Once you’ve made them, you can put them in your living room, office, or bedroom.

    Cat Toys

    If you have cats, you’ll know for sure that cats love straws. So don’t let those straws in your home go to waste. You can turn them into toys for your cats – it will increase the bond between you and your cat.

    Single-Use Toiletry Dispensers

    You know that annoying feeling when you are traveling and have to pack an entire container of sunscreen, conditioner, or lotion in your bag? The majority of us never bring everything and always leave one behind. But with this straw hack, you can carry everything along with you. Use a cigarette lighter to convert your straws into containers that can hold enough product to be used, so you don’t have to carry the whole container of shampoo when you just need a little. Just make sure you label what’s in each straw to avoid any confusion.

    Eyedropper

    You can create your eyedropper using this plastic straw hack. Insert a plastic straw into the liquid and close the second end of the straw with your finger. The liquid will stay in place until you’re ready to release your finger.

    Hair Curlers

    Who’d have thought that you could use drinking straws as hair curlers? I am sure you didn’t. You can use straws to create lovely waves. Make sure your hair is wet, separate them into sections, and wind them around a straw. Secure the end of your hair to the straw with a pin. After all of your hair is curled around the straw, blow dry your hair to set the curls before removing all the straws.

    Vacuum Sealer

    If you keep your food in a plastic bag, you want to be sure that you are getting as much air as possible out of the bag, because leaving air in the food causes it to oxidize rapidly and go bad. But why worry about that when you have a straw with you? Put your food in the bag and insert the straw in the bag. Then seal the zipper around the straw and suck out as much air as you can. Take the straw out of the bag and close it.

    Prevent Tangles

    If your jewelry keeps getting tangled, all you need is a plastic straw. Thread a chain through a straw and clasp it shut. This method helps to prevent your jewelry from tangling while traveling.

    Unclog a Ketchup Bottle

    You don’t have to create a mess to get your ketchup to pour again. When you insert a straw into the bottle of ketchup until it reaches the bottom and then remove it, the straw shape will allow air into the sauce, which will start flowing without hassle.

    Easy-to-Make Seasoning Holders

    You can carry your favorite seasoning without carrying the entire bottle in the same way you can with your conditioners and creams. All you need to do is fold one end of the plastic straw, shut it with tape, pour your seasoning into the other end and seal the other end with tape.

    DIY Plant Watering

    You can make your plants water themselves with this simple trick. All you need is a straw, a wine bottle, and a cork. You can watch videos on YouTube or search online for step-by-step instructions on how to create it. This hack will water your plants while you are away. It will keep water flow to a minimum so you can be sure the plants don’t drown. It will also save you the money of getting someone to water your plants while you are away.

    Paintbrush Drying Rack

    You can use the straws in your home to provide a great way to store all of your clean and drying paintbrushes. All you need for this hack is duct tape, a coffee can, and two straws. You can search online or watch videos on YouTube on how to make the paintbrush drying rack.

    DIY Caulking Helper Tool

    It might seem very easy to apply caulk, but it is not easy to make it look nice, let’s admit that. But all your days of messy caulk are over with a straw, because all you need to turn messy caulk into a smooth line is a straw. Run the tip of a PLASTIC straw along the wet caulk line. You can also decide to tape the straw (just a small length) into the nozzle of the caulking gun to get caulk into all the tight corners.

    Improve the Aesthetics of Your Flowers

    Yes, of course, you can enhance the aesthetics of your bouquet by sticking the too-short stems into straws after you’ve trimmed the straw to get the desired height and inserted the straw into your vase. Make sure you fill your vase with water, and fill it high enough so that the water reaches the stem.

    Hull Strawberries

    Yes, you can hull strawberries. Hulling strawberries means removing the white center and green leaves. You can easily hull strawberries by inserting a straw into the fruit. You should start at the pointy end of the strawberry and move the straw straight up. Hulling strawberries makes them look really nice.

    Make Croquet Wickets More Visible

    Most times when we play croquet, it can be really hard to see the wickets. But you don’t have to worry about the hidden wickets anymore. You can make the wickets more visible by running them through a straw before you insert them into the ground. This will help you aim better, because now you can see the croquet wickets easily – all thanks to plastic straws.

    Save Your Coffee

    We tend to have lots of things in our hands while driving, and coffee is one of them. If you are driving and you have coffee in hand, all you have to do is get a straw, fold it in half, and stuff the folded end into the opening in the lid of your cup. This will help prevent your coffee from spilling should you take any sharp turns.

    Remove Cork Floaters in Wine

    There are times when you try to open a bottle of wine, and the cork breaks up. Trust me; we have all been there. But what can you do? You can use a plastic straw to get the broken pieces out. All you have to do is place the straw over the piece of cork, then cover the other end of the straw with your finger to create a vacuum and pull the cork piece out. Repeat the process as needed. Search online and watch a video on YouTube to see how to use plastic straws to remove cork floaters in wine.

    Create DIY Jell-O Worms

    If you have children and want to have some fun with the family, you can create your own disgusting-looking jelly worms with lots of plastic straws. All you have to do is pour hot gelatin into the straws and allow the gelatin to cool. Once it has cooled, squeeze your jelly worms out of your plastic straws and have fun.

    So there you have 20 ways to use the straws you have at home.

    With the way things are going, does this mean there will be no more straws? The answer to that is NO! There are countless alternatives to plastic straws, such as stainless steel or bamboo straws. You can carry your stainless steel straw around, or you can get one at a bar.

    One of the most common alternatives to plastic straws is paper straws. Paper straws are better for the environment than plastic straws. They are disposable and biodegradable. However, you should know that paper straws might get mushy if you take longer to finish your drink.

    In addition, most companies are gunning for edible straws, straws that will be suitable for long, icy drinks. However, they might not be able to replace plastic straws. There are also other plastic alternative straws that are on the market. No one knows how economically viable these alternatives are, but they could end up replacing plastic straws for good.

    The most important and reasonable alternative to a plastic straw is no straw at all. Why use a straw in the first place? You can drink your beverage without one. The truth is that while paper straws can reduce the use of plastic straws, they won’t fully eliminate the problem of plastic straws. The best way to get rid of plastic straws is to stop using straws.

    Everyone knows that plastic straws are bad for the environment. We all know what they do to our ecosystem. So should we just go ahead and ban plastic straws? Although it is easy to say yes to this question, the solution is not as easy as it seems.

    As a woman, you put on makeup and lipstick and go to a bar or restaurant to get something to drink. Would you rather drink from the bottle or with a straw?  Most women would prefer to drink from the straw. Also, cold, icy cocktails are difficult to drink without using a straw, and using a paper straw will become hazardous if they start becoming mushy in the drink.

    And yes, these two cases make it hard to decide if we should go ahead and ban plastic straws or not.

    That is not all. People with disabilities such as multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy need plastic straws to hydrate. If we put a ban on plastic straws, what about the needs of disabled people? Should we leave them to their fates while we live our normal lives?

    Most importantly, banning plastic straws might not make the public aware of the environmental issues caused by single-use plastics. So what is the use?

    Placing a ban on plastic straws might be the right thing to do, but we should focus on our biggest enemy: PLASTIC, not one of its constituents. We should focus on using less of everything plastic, be it plastic bags, water bottles, plastic cups, etc.

    Conclusion

    For some of us, plastic straws are useless in our lives, while for others, plastic straws are very useful.

    Since we can’t say for sure that the plastic straws are going to be recycled and since we know that it takes 1000 years for plastic to decompose (depending on the plastic and environmental factors), we should reduce straw use completely. Learn to say NO to plastic straws.

    If you keep using plastic straws that don’t get recycled, you are helping to create contamination that cost some cities millions of dollars per year to remove. Not only that, you are helping to poison our fish, sea, air, and ecosystem. This means you are also poisoning yourself, because these straws will end up in the oceans and get into the fish and seafood you eat.

    So if you don’t have sensitive teeth, please tell restaurants that you don’t need a straw, or simply leave it in the paper wrapping so another customer can use it. If you know you love straws and can’t do without them, invest some money into buying a reusable straw and take it along with you wherever you go to avoid using plastic straws.

  • The Ultimate Apartment Gardening Solution: Time to Show your Creativity

    The Ultimate Apartment Gardening Solution: Time to Show your Creativity

    It gives immense pleasure if you can grow your own vegetables, fruits, herbs, or some flowers to make your place look beautiful. But we urbanites often visit the farmers for all the fresh fruits and veggies, or we buy it from the local store without knowing how many days they are lying in there. Apart from that, we must not forget about how plants filter the air and help us in living.

    Due to our schedule, we are not capable of maintaining a whole backyard garden by ourselves, or even worse, we do not have the position in our house to do it. Well, thank me later, I am about to give you ideas of growing a garden in your own apartment.

    Why growing a garden is good?

    If you can involve your whole family including the kids in growing a garden, it will be a great physical activity for them, as gardening needs the right amount of efforts. If the kids can get involved, then growing their own vegetables and fruit will make them happy and positive, and they will not throw any tantrums while eating. Other than that, the fruits and vegetables will be fresh and loaded with nutrients; they are a good source of phytochemicals, antioxidants, vitamin A, and vitamin C. Also check out what Harvard Medical School says about the immense health benefits of growing your own vegetables.

    Apartment gardening for beginners

    If you are thinking of gardening for the first time, you need to focus on your budget first. Do not overdo, it will waste your money as well as your effort. So for easy gardening for beginners, I would suggest going for small. Try planting one or two plants before investing a lot.

    Think more about what you need. You can go for herbs or green vegetables rather than choosing an expensive and rare flower. It would help you financially from buying not so fresh herbs or salad greens. Which.co.uk has provided a brief idea of how much money you can save when you grow vegetables and fruits.

    The ultimate guide to apartment gardening

    You can grow your garden both inside and outside of your apartment. Let’s see which areas you can choose.

    Outdoor Apartment gardening ideas:

    Gardeners can rejoice if you have patios or balconies in your apartment, but a vital thing to keep in mind is the sunlight.

    You need to understand that plants do require sunlight, but there are some plants which dry out quickly when it’s in too much sunlight.

    • More than six hours or full eight hours of direct sunlight means full sun.
    • Partial shade means four to six hours of sunlight.
    • Less than that is shade.
    • If your plants are getting sunlight through trees or leaves, then it is considered as filter sunlight.

    You should know about the plants which will be appropriate in according to the sunlight your outdoor areas get.

    Here’s an infographic for you to know about which veggies require how much sunlight.

    Indoor apartment gardening ideas:

    If your apartment doesn’t have a balcony, so don’t worry. You need to have some serious imagination power to choose a space for indoor apartment gardening. An easy finding would be on top of the table or in the corner of a room. Other than that you can choose a space near a window, or windowsill. In a broader scenario, you can select a wall and install some shelves in there; there you can have a wall garden. To add to the beauty, a fairy light will be so lovely.

    Remember to do research on which plants you can grow inside of your apartment since it’s important to know which plants are the best fit for indoor apartment gardening.

    The containers you can choose for both the cases are clay pots, plastic pots, hanging baskets, other than that you can use your creativity in making a wooden crate or anything you wish.

    In case of small apartment gardening, consider the plants which will grow up rather than growing on the side. It will look good as well as save some space.

    Gardening in your apartment doesn’t just entail beautifying a particular space; it needs dedication to thrive. You need to care daily by watering plants, feeding them, dealing with their presented problems like pests and insects’ infestations, and even harvesting. Let’s go through some solid ideas from Wikihow on how to maintain your indoor plants.

    Here are some other factors which are worth mentioning:

    Soil and plants are Friends Forever

    If you are thinking of buying garden soil, you can do that as plants can grow in garden soil no matter where you plant it. The problem will arise if you need to move the pots around, as the garden soil is heavy and hard. While adding nutrients, Garden beds are comfortable to turn; this will not be possible for the pots with garden soil.

    On the other hand, potting mix is light and fluffy, it holds the moisturizer that is needed for the plants, and don’t dry out the water.

    Several types of potting mix can be found in the market. You can find different kinds of veggies, flowers. You need to make up your mind which plant you will grow first.
    If possible go for organic potting mix.

    Check out how to Make the best potting soil recipe for your plants, really easy.

    Water: Even plants need to drink

    You need to know how much time you can give to care about your plants. Some plants need watering more than once. So if you don’t have the time to do that, you should consider buying self-watering pots, and moreover, do check on the water availability in your apartment.

    Fertilizer: Energy booster for your herbs

    Fertilizer that contains twice as much phosphorus as potassium or nitrogen is considered as a good one. For potted plants, dry fertilizer is useful as water can carry it to the roots of the plants.
    Some soil available in the market has already added fertilizer, if you are using that, you do not need to buy fertilizer.
    Always wait for at least two weeks before adding fertilizer, as at the early stage the plants need to recover from any root damage.

    Weather: Different plant, different weather

    You should know about the weather conditions in your area. It can be windy or sunny or cold, so you need to pot plants analyzing the weather conditions.

    • Windy: if it’s too windy, then you need to follow some guidelines like if you want to save the fragile plants from the wind, you need to place larger plants in front of them, or you can use low pots and keep the plants near the floor. Too much wind dries the plants. So you should take care of them by frequently watering, if you do not have the time, go for drip irrigation system or self-watering pots.
    • For winter, gardening can be a little tricky. If you are planning to keep your plants out, then you need to choose those plants which are two times more cold tolerant, depending entirely on the weather conditions of your area.

    Tools: Before you play with dirt

    You will need some gardening tools to make your work easy. Many gardening tools are available today for modern gardening, however here I’m mentioning few which will be essential.

    • Gloves: you would not want your hands to get dirty. So you will definitely need a pair of hand-gloves. Try to choose a rubber or latex one. This will not only keep your hands clean but also will protect your hands from sharp tools or thorns of the plants.
    • Watering can: if you are using self-watering pots then you would not require a watering can; otherwise you have to have one. Buy watering cans that have measure mark; thus you can keep track of how much watering you have done to a plant.
    • Garden fork: as you need to let the air pass through the soil, you need to loosen it with a garden fork.
    • Pruning shears: this or garden scissors will help you to harvest small vegetables or to trim the unwanted branches or dried leaves of your plants.
    • Hand trowel: this you will need in case of planting small plants. Will recommend you to choose a hand trowel which is not heavy an comes with a rubber handle to have a better grip.
    • Herb drying rack: if you are growing herb in your garden, you need to have this to preserve your herbs for future use.
    • A container or bucket: it is for that time when you would require a tool but can not remember where you have kept it. For that reason, you need to place all your gardening tools in a container, so that you can find them any time you need.

    Examples of fruits and vegetables you can grow in your apartment are tomatoes, carrots, green beans, salad greens, bell peppers, mushrooms, spring onions, avocadoes, lemons, cucumber, cauliflower, green onions, oranges, pineapples, strawberries, beets, pepper, and chillies, etc.

    What fruits and herbs to grow in the apartment gardening

    Tomatoes

    Tomatoes are very popular when it comes to growing of plants in your apartment. So many controversies about tomato being a fruit or vegetable make it interesting to beat the odds. You can have them both! Tomatoes give little problems as long as you water it daily, expose it to sunlight and make sure the soil stays moisturized. Consistency is key in nurturing of plants. Therefore, to get the best results, follow the rules to the last.

    Containers that can be used to store tomatoes include wooden nurseries, plastic containers and so on. These containers can be kept on the window sill for adequate exposure to sunlight. Tomatoes can be very attractive in your apartment. The bright red colour and green leaves stand out delicately.

    Meyer Lemon

    Meyer lemons are good for indoor plantings or home gardening. It can be sensitive to cold. Therefore, they need to be placed in a pot, close to the warmth, i.e., the sun.

    For growth control, dwarf citrus trees should be purchased from garden stores. For maintenance, buckets or containers should be placed below the tree to secure the sticky sap the tree produces. It could cause permanent damage to surfaces.

    Carrots

    Carrots are relatively very easy to grow in your apartment. They should be put in containers and have a constant moisture supply. The containers should be perforated to allow healthy nurturing.

    Moreover, the bright orange colour of carrots is very attractive and can put an upward curve on your face at any time of a given day.

    Pineapple

    Pineapples are exotic decorative fruits which are easy for home growth. Although they take a longer time to grow and take a lot of space, they provide beauty to the environment.

    They are planted by utilizing the discarded bits of another pineapple – the crown is sliced off and planted. They feed on enough water and adequate sunlight for healthy growth.

    Avocado

    This is usually a first-choice fruit to plant by individuals who engage in apartment gardening. It is quite easy to go about, as what you need to achieve this, is another avocado.

    The inside of one avocado is dug out, and the seed is placed inside a container, alongside water. Toothpicks can be utilized to create holes in the avocado.

    Cauliflower

    Cauliflowers also grow better inside. They may or may not be placed on window sills as they need cool weather to generate an impact. Cauliflowers need a consistent room temperature – neither too hot nor cold.

    Another feature of them includes their graceful way of adding elegance to an environment.

    Oranges

    Oranges might tend to be technical to plant sometimes. A lot of research has to be carried out on the kind of tree to purchase.

    For home adequacy, purchasing a tree of two to three years old is advisable. Likewise is a variety of Trovita and Calamondin dwarf trees coupled with a pot with perfect drainage.

    Oranges usually take a year to harvest; provided sunlight and water are guaranteed.

    Green Onions

    Green onions are easy and fast to grow, and the best part is, they keep growing over and over again. You can start getting results as soon as the next day; final products can be seen after a week.

    It doesn’t need much. All that’s required is either water or soil, in a sunny spot.

    Bell Peppers

    Bell peppers are easy to grow. Although they take time, they are totally worth the wait. Bell peppers require a sunny environment and must be properly watered from time to time.

    The wonderful and attractive red color of these peppers, provide a beautiful environment in the home.

    Green Beans

    These are great for first-time apartment gardeners. Green beans can be categorized into bush beans and pole beans.

    As the name implies, pole beans have climbing vines, while bush beans are compact and don’t need support to stand. Hence, bush beans are the best for indoor apartment gardening.

    They come in varieties of colours, shapes, as well as size. Green beans need at least six hours of sunlight for healthy development.

    So, what are you waiting for? Choose some plants you want to grow in your garden, do a few types of research if the weather conditions permit those plants to grow, and then start with the gardening. One more thing, please make sure that your apartment has been given the access to grow plants; otherwise, all your researches, the money you have put into it will go in vain. I wish you all the good luck and happy gardening.

  • How to Install Solar Panel on Roof

    How to Install Solar Panel on Roof

    Solar power as a sustainable source of energy is an easily available and frugal alternative to other energy sources. It has certainly become the latest trend in renewable energy. A clean, green source of energy, solar power is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. It is a safe, environment-friendly, and free source of energy. Having a solar power system in your home gives you domestic freedom and financial help. Prolonged use of solar power can also reduce your electricity costs considerably. Some governments also provide a reduction in tax for solar power users! It is no wonder that more and more people are switching to this safe and reliable source of energy for their daily needs. And the feeling of doing something good for the environment is an added plus! Some governments also provide a reduction in tax for solar power users! It is no wonder that more and more people are switching to this safe and reliable source of energy for their daily needs. And the feeling of doing something good for the environment is an added plus!

    Installing a solar system in your home is the first step to a cleaner and greener living. However, solar system installation is not as easy as it probably sounds! Firstly, you need to find out if your house is suitable for a solar panel. Before any real installation begins, you need to decide what type and where you want your solar panel installed. And even though it is possible to install a solar panel yourself, it is still better to contact an experienced and trustworthy solar system installer. Installing a solar panel is a big and expensive commitment. Do not take it lightly. Do your research before taking up a solar panel installation project by yourself or hiring a solar system contractor. The following steps can guide you through the process of solar panel installation on your roof.

    Cost of Installing Solar Panel

    Solar panel installation is neither easy nor inexpensive. In fact, it can be pretty costly. To calculate the installation cost, take the total cost of installation including the parts and labor, and divide it with the electrical power it produces. However, there are many factors that affect the cost of installation. The time, as well as the amount of sunlight that each location gets, varies considerably. This affects the number of solar modules you need and the type of system you can set up. Due to this, the average cost per watt of solar panel installation also varies from place to place. Other factors include the amount of electricity you use, the type of panels and inverter you install. However, once you have a running system, it does start paying for itself in some time. Once the cost of installation breaks even, you can save a lot of money too.

    Ensure Your Roof is Suitable

    We cannot overstate the importance of this! Before you go ahead and incur the vast expenses of a solar panel installation, do make sure that your roof is suitable for a solar panel system. If your roof is covered in shadows for most of the day, it won’t get enough sunlight to justify installing solar panels. On the other hand, the structural shape of your roof is also an equally important factor. Despite getting ample sunlight, if your roof structure is not good enough to hold a solar panel, then no use wasting money over it. Hence, it is very important to know it is suitably sunlit for most of the day and is also structurall sound. It is also advisable to do any reparation or changes to your roof before you install the solar panels.

    Getting Permissions and Certifications

    After the first inspection of your roof, the next step is getting the permissions and certifications for a solar system in your house. If you have an installation company working for you, they should handle getting you any permits or paperwork needed to install the system in your house. There are also certain certificates you need to get from the government for the same. Several governments also offer Feed-in Tariffs (FiT) or federal Investment Tax Credits (ITC) to anyone installing a solar system. If you’re not working with any solar contractor, this can be a little difficult for you. Make sure you register for any tax credit or similar certification as needed. Also, ensure you have all the necessary permissions and certificates before you start any installation process.

    Measure Your Roof and Fix Panel Location

    The next step is to inspect your roof or get it inspected with the installation company personnel. A thorough inspection of the roof and your electric panel will help determine if your roof is sound enough to hold the solar panel system. Once the inspection is done, you will need to find the ideal location on your roof that gets direct sunlight throughout the day. Also consider the possibility of adding more panels in the future when selecting an area. Now, measure the dimensions of your roof to ensure that the solar panel can fit in the available space. Ideally the solar panels should go on a place that faces the sunrise. So, a location in the east is ideal. Also make sure that your selected area is not under any shade (in any season) as it can stop the solar array from working.

    Install the Mounts/Brackets

    The next step is to install the brackets or mounts for the solar panels. The solar panel mounts or brackets are the frames of support on which the panels are fixed. These mounts effectively raise the panels from the roof surface. However, the type of mounts you install depends on the type of roof you have. Brackets are generally used on sloped roofs and provide a fixed positioning of the panels. A mount rail or bracket system allows you to position the panels in any angle you want. However, keep all the solar panels at the exact same angle and height in order to maintain the same voltage production. Mounting these brackets is not very difficult. However, if you are installing it on your own, follow the instructions that come with the system carefully. Do ensure that your solar panel installation is done according to the manufacturer’s instructions!

    Attach the Panels to Mount Rails

    Once your mount rails are installed, you need to attach the panels to them. This is a tricky process and you should do it with proper preparation and according to the instructions. Also be very cautious while installing them on your own. To attach your solar panels to the brackets or rails, place them onto the frames or rails properly. Now, fasten them onto the rail system with nails or bolts. Also, double check that everything is properly fitted. Even if you have a solar system installation company doing the work for you, check that they have aligned and angled all the solar panels properly to catch maximum light.

    Connect the Panels to Each Other

    When your panels are securely installed, connect them to each other based on how you want to produce power. It is advisable to connect a ground wire from all your hardware to the earth when installing solar panels. You should make sure that all the wiring is connected to a conduit or is shockproof. Also, check all the wires are insulated and wrapped in electrical tape to make it waterproof. If possible, install a conduit over all wires you use for paneling to protect them from rain and sunlight.

    Connect the Panels to Batteries and Controllers

    Next step is to connect the solar panels to the controller. The controller is in turn connected to the battery. A battery is a device that stores the energy generated by the solar panels. And the controller protects the battery by regulating the flow of electricity it receives from the solar panels. Hence, it is essential to install a controller for more effective and productive systems. It is better to let a certified solar installer or an electrician handle this step. An electrician can do all the wiring and connections necessary to get your system running.

    Get the Inverter Installed

    The next step is to install the inverter. Again, this is a very crucial step as inverters are essential to get usable energy. Your solar panels generate electrical energy in the form of direct current (DC) while all the major appliances in your house operate on electricity in the form of alternating current (AC). An inverter is a device that converts the generated direct current (DC) into usable alternative current (AC). Ideally, you should install the inverter in the loft, the garage or an outbuilding. The main criterion is to select a dry, clean and properly ventilated space. Solar systems generally come pre-wired from the manufacturer and only need to be connected to the inverter. But, it is advisable for you to let a professional electrician handle this step. Finally, get an electrician or your contractor to do a final check of your systems to make sure everything is in order.

    Solar panel installations have become pretty easy over the years. And considering the current pace of technological advancements, this process is bound to become even simpler in the near future!