Month: January 2020

January 30, 2020 Home Painting

The way to Incorporate a Wood Chair to Appear Like Wrought Iron

Wrought iron is a timeless design component in Tuscan and Mexican furniture, but it might be pricy. In addition, it can be exceptionally heavy, which makes moving it tough, particularly if you have young kids joining you at the table. New paint technologies which incorporate iron particles at a paint base allow it to be not only possible, but nearly effortless, to get that wrought iron look on lightweight timber.

Cover your work surface with a drop cloth. Lift the seat on a table or workbench to make it a little easier to achieve, if you have one available.

Remove the seat if it’s upholstered and can be unscrewed from the seat frame. If the upholstered seat doesn’t come off, then cover the fabric with plastic garbage bags held in place by painter’s tape.

Sand the seat with 220-grit sandpaper to remove the surface shine and assist the tip stick to your seat more effectively.

Wipe the seat down with tack fabrics to pick up all the sanding dust.

Put on your eye protection and painter’s mask. Apply a thin coat of spray-on wood tip to help the paint stick to your seat. Keep the spray may moving in constant back and forth movements to avoid letting the primer puddle up in any one spot. Let the primer dry according to the period mentioned on the tag.

Mix together the paint and particles if you’re using two-part iron powder paint, or shake the can well if you’re using a spray. Use the paint in a thin, even layer, stopping frequently to shake or stir your paint so that the iron particles don’t settle on the bottom.

Let the iron powder paint dry according to the time on tag, adding 30 to 60 minutes for rainy days or a generally damp climate, prior to deciding if you need another coat.

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January 25, 2020 Wine Cellars

The Best Plants for Aeroponics Systems

An aeroponic garden provides you with an innovative way to grow flowers and vegetables by employing an air mist environment without dirt. Aeroponic research led by NASA took off from the 1980s and has since demonstrated that aeroponic procedures work well with a huge array of plants. Lettuce and herbs are among the plants best suited to a house aeroponics system, which makes it feasible to grow plants inside year-round.

The Basics

In an aeroponics system, plant cuttings or seeds are suspended mid-air in a growing chamber, as a mist of nutrient-laden water is continuously sprayed on the roots of plants. Aeroponics systems are often used in a protected environment such as a greenhouse, in which environmental conditions like temperature and humidity can be controlled. Sunlight is the primary light source, with some supplemental lighting.

Benefits

An aeroponics system minimizes water usage by 98 percent, fertilizer by 60 percent and pesticides by 100 percent, according to NASA. The deficiency of dirt provides maximum root aeration and maintains roots dry, reducing the risk for diseases. Seedlings may be healthier because they don’t stretch or wilt while roots are forming. Harvesting can also be easier, particularly for root crops, and because plants grow faster, crops can be planted and harvested from the system throughout the entire year.

Vine Plants

Rumors normally must be commenced in pots and then descend to the ground after four weeks. With an aeroponics system, tomato crops can be started from the growing chamber and transplanted just 10 days later. Instead of a couple of tomato harvest cycles each year grown the traditional manner, aeroponic growing may yield up to six tomato crops annually. Based on “The Telegraph,” at the Greenwich Village restaurant Bell Book & Candle in New York City, chef John Mooney successfully grows tomatoes, tomatillos, eggplant, strawberries and watermelons in a rooftop aeroponics system. He adds that the only plants that he can not develop aeroponically are fruit trees and vegetables that grow underground, like potatoes, beets and carrots.

Leafy Greens

Research at the Cornell University Cooperative Extension has found that aeroponics is the most efficient way of growing leafy greens. Greens may get contaminated with dirt pathogens and bacteria such as e.coli, but aeroponics greatly reduces these risks. Chef John Mooney has had success with several varieties of lettuce with his rooftop aeroponics system and adds that while it requires a gallon of water to grow a head of lettuce over four weeks, a tower aeroponics garden uses 1/10 of the water since the excess is continually cycling back into the system to be reused.

Herbs

Aeroponics has been tested to develop cleaner, more constant herbs such as burdock at the University of Arizona’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Growing such herbs aeroponically is much less labor intensive than conventional procedures, and leads to a greater density per square foot of greenhouse space than traditional greenhouse growing. Mints, skullcap, stinging nettles, ginger and yerba mansa have also already been successfully tested in aeroponics systems, resulting in earlier increase, higher yields and multiple harvests.

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January 21, 2020 Tropical Style

Honeysuckle Butterfly Bush

With its delicate yellow blossoms and compact development, the “Butterfly” bush honeysuckle (Diervilla sessifolia “Butterfly”) is an appealing choice if you want to put in a new tree into your own garden. This plant shouldn’t be confused with the invasive butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii) which is banned for sale in several nations. Although low-maintenance, you must know about this bush’s growing demands before you make your purchase.

Size and Appearance

A mature “Butterfly” bush honeysuckle grows to about 5 feet tall and wide. The coppery new growth provides a colorful display in spring. The leaves turn dark green as they mature. From spring through the summer, the bush produces clusters of trumpet-shaped, pale yellow flowers which attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Although deciduous, the red stems of this “Butterfly” bush honeysuckle add a little color to the garden in winter.

Where to Grow

The “Butterfly” bush honeysuckle grows best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9. The tree should be planted in either full sunlight or partial shade. If grown in full shade, the plant will get leggy and, if it blooms whatsoever, the flowering will be minimum.

Soil Needs

The “Butterfly” bush honeysuckle is going to do well in most soils but grows best in well-drained, loamy soil. Soil pH is not a issue with this plant, but drainage is. The tree will not thrive in areas of standing water or if it is planted in heavy clay soil because the poor drainage can lead to root rot.

Care and Maintenance

Once established, the “Butterfly” bush honeysuckle is a low-maintenance plant. It can also tolerate short periods with dry dirt. During dry spells, water the tree intensely when you first notice the leaves wilting. The plant does not need regular feeding, but can be mulched with compost to provide nutrients. In late February or early March, prune your “Butterfly” bush honeysuckle to remove any dead branches and to thin out and shape the tree. The plant can send out suckers and these should be cut to the ground when they look.

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January 18, 2020 Home Painting

The best way to Polish Stained Concrete

A concrete floor can be stained to a number of shades and colours, and when that floor is correctly polished, the floor will be durable and almost maintenance-free. A special concrete polishing machine is required for the job, along with sanding discs varying from coarse to very fine. In many cases, it is possible to find a concrete polisher for lease at a local tool rental store, though you will probably have to get the polishing discs to match onto the polisher.

Sweep the floor thoroughly with a stiff-bristled push. If the ground has been exposed to water at all, permit the ground to dry for a few days before starting the polishing.

Attach a tough polishing disk (30- to 40-grit metal-bonded diamond) into the mat on the bottom of the polisher. Put on a dust mask and a pair of safety glasses, turn on the polisher and perform the dry polishing pad above the ground. Move the polisher in small circles along a linear path from one side of the room into another, then transfer past a row and work your way back, taking care to create a pass over the entire ground without working over any places over once to maintain the ground even.

Sweep the ground thoroughly, then switch into a medium-coarse (80-grit metal-bonded diamond) polishing pad and repeat. Follow up with a dry sanding with a medium pad (150-grit metal-bonded diamond).

Apply an even coat of penetrating concrete sealer to the full ground and allow the sealer to soak in the coarsely ground concrete floor for the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer.

Mop the floor with clean water to remove any deposits created by the polishing. Then, switch to a medium resin-bond diamond polishing disk (100-200 grit) and run evenly the polisher above the wet ground. Change to a nice resin-bond diamond polishing disk (400 grit), tighten the water from the mop bucket, clean the floor thoroughly with the mop, leaving ample clean water onto the ground, then make another pass with the polisher.

Keep on polishing and cleaning using progressively finer resin-bond diamond polishing pads above the wet ground till you finish with the finest pad you’ve got available (1,500-grit metal-bonded diamond or greater).

Give the ground a final mopping and touch up any areas that need extra buffing with the fine-grit pad.

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January 14, 2020 Tropical Style

When Do Willows Bloom?

Willow trees’ booming stage begins in February in warm areas, and it continues until June in colder climates. The trees’ long, tube-shaped blossom clusters called catkins produce their appearance just before leaves reappear on the branches. The flower clusters are full of nectar, which insects continue for pollination. Within 45 to 60 days after pollination, willow seeds are ripe and ready to begin another reproduction cycle.

Description

Willow trees are characterized by long, narrow, pointed, slightly serrated leaves that are yellow green on the top and also have a white or light-green underside. Leaf color changes within the yellow-green range according to species. Most varieties are deciduous. All willows are dioecious, producing female or male catkins on separate trees. Willow seeds are from fruits located just on the female trees. The trees begin to reproduce by airborne seeds after 10 years. They grow quickly and live 55 to 70 years.

Blooms

Willow trees with springtime bloom patterns include pussy willow, weeping willow and black willow. Salix caprea, also known as pussy willow, great sallow and goat willow, produces bright-white, slightly fuzzy blossoms on the male trees. The catkin flowers are 1 to 2 inches long, and each blossom is composed of numerous hairlike protrusions. The blossoms mature to yellow until they are disbursed by rain or wind. Both weeping willows and black willows have yellow, tubular-shaped blossoms. Black willow flowers open and float away, looking like white mist, even when they are pollinated.

Reproduction

The optimum age for a willow tree to reproduce is 25 to 75 years old. Willows produce large volumes of seeds each spring after the blooming phase. Seed capsules are light brown. At maturity, the capsules split open and release tiny, green seeds. Each fertilized seed has long, silky hairs that act as wings, allowing the seed to travel a long distance before falling to the ground. Willow seeds are distributed widely by water and wind. Each seed has a 12- to 24-hour time period in which to land and germinate. The seeds germinate best in quite moist soil conditions. Willow tree roots are propagated easily through cuttings. Roots form shallow networks near the ground.

Supply

The genus Willow (Silax) contains 90 varieties widely distributed across the eastern portion of america. Black willows, Scouler or mountain willows and Hooker willows are varieties often found in american U.S. zones. Willow trees adapt to many soil conditions but prefer a moist environment. They’re cultivated for erosion control since their extensive interlocking root systems form a barrier against water. Some non-native willow species are identified from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service as invasive plants due to their vigorously spreading root systems that overwhelm native vegetation. In traditional cultures, willow trees are valued as an early source of pollen for bees, as an excellent weaving material and for use in seasonal ceremonial practices.

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January 11, 2020 Home Cleaning

How to Clean a Shower Curtain Using a High-Efficiency Machine

Whether you’ve got a cloth shower curtain with a plastic lining or just one faux curtain, most shower curtains are washable, including in high-efficiency machines. The procedure removes dirt and soap scum accumulation. For synthetic drapes, handy, premeasured detergent and bleach cups create cleaning in front-loading, high-efficiency washers easy. If you’ve got a fabric curtain, read the manufacturer’s washing instructions, so you choose the right detergent and temperature options.

Synthetic and Vinyl Shower Curtains

Synthetic shower curtains have a fresh, crisp look in a toilet, and cleaning is straightforward. After detaching the curtain in the pole, put it in the drier, untwisting it to make certain that water reaches into the crevices. Place the detergent and bleach or premade cup to the high-efficiency drier, picking out the white or hot cycle to make sure that dirt particles and mildew are fully dislodged in the curtain.

Fabric Shower Curtains

Fabric shower curtains require more consideration; read the product care tag in detail. Harsh cleansers, such as chlorine bleach, cause color fading, and bleach erodes water-resistant substances on some drapes. Soap-scum buildup is often the offender. Overuse of high-efficiency detergent ends in detergent deposits, particularly with one-item washes, however substandard detergent does not eliminate mildew. Fabric drapes shrink when drier settings are too hot. If the care directions forbid bleach, then add vinegar as opposed to combat the mildew and other dirt.

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January 7, 2020 Home Cleaning

Best Ways to Clean Vinyl Seats

Whether you’ve got outdoor seats made from rigid vinyl or indoor ones covered using flexible, leather-like vinyl, the procedure for cleaning them is similar. Vinyl — more correctly called polyvinyl chloride, or PVC — is nonporous and vulnerable to powerful solvents, so only gentle cleaning supplies and methods are advisable.

Cleaning Soft Vinyl

You can frequently clean soft vinyl couches, chairs as well as automobile or boat chairs with nothing more than a damp rag. Should you want more cleaning power, you shouldn’t use anything stronger than dish soap or even all-purpose cleaner. Mix a ounce or so per gallon of warm water, and rinse with a rag or sponge. If you need to remove mildew, do it using a 4-to-1 combination of water and chlorine, but test this in an inconspicuous spot first to make certain it doesn’t cause any discoloration. Never use abrasives, powerful bleach or wax.

Cleaning Hard Vinyl

The process for cleaning hard vinyl is similar to that for cleaning delicate vinyl — with the exception that you can safely use baking soda as an abrasive to remove scuff marks. Wet the vinyl; sprinkle on some baking soda and rub it with a cloth, and rinse with clear water. You can also remove scuff marks, as well as dye stains, by massaging with denatured alcohol. After washing your hard vinyl chairs, protect them and maintain them shiny by coating them with car glue.

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January 4, 2020 Home Cleaning

How to Clean Tough Water Stained and Soap Scummy Shower Doors

Those filmy shower doors are not doing anything to the bathroom decor, and you may have noticed that a once-over with soap and water does not get rid of the soapy film or hard water stains. It is possible to prevent the soap scum by showering with liquid soap rather than bar soap, and if you squeegee the glass, then you are never going to have hard water deposits. Those are good strategies for the future, but now that the damage is finished, you may need to try some cleaning hints.

Start With the Soap Scum

You might already have some bathtub gloves, but should youn’t, you can buy a set for a few dollars. They’re made of nylon or fiber mesh and made to be somewhat abrasive, which is a handy feature for cleaning glass and metal — just jump in the shower, lather up the gloves with liquid soap and wash off. The gloves get into tight corners, but you may need the support of a toothbrush. When you turn on the shower and rinse the glass, then the soap scum ought to be gone, but the task isn’t finished.

Acid to the Rescue

The glass may appear crystal clear after rinsing and washing it, however, hard water marks often reassert themselves when the water disappears and the glass dries. The marks are brought on by the vitamins that make the water “hard .” Soap will not emulsify these deposits and loosen their bond, so it is useless to attempt to scrub them. Instead, you need to dissolve them with an acid. That may sound extreme, but you also need only a mild one, and you also have two good candidates in the kitchen — lemon juice and vinegar. In a pinch, you may even utilize a delicious soft drink — the tanginess means the soft drink includes an acid — typically phosphoric or citric acid.

Misting to Remove Minerals

Whether you choose vinegar or lemon juice, it is best to use it full strength: simply pour it straight from the bottle to a spray bottle. If you’ve just rinsed the glass, then wait for it to dry; then generously mist it with the sprayer. The acetic acid in vinegar or citric acid in lemon juice both need time to get the job done. Ideally the glass ought to stay wet for 10 to 30 minutes; you may need to mist one or two additional times to avoid the glass from drying out. After scrubbing with the rubbed and rubbed with the shower head, the hard water deposits should be gone.

A Glue for Stubborn Stains

The most troublesome parts of a shower door to wash are the metallic frame, the hinges as well as the handle, and misting may not get the work done unless you repeat it many times. There is a better means to do it: Make a paste using borax or salt and distribute it on the stain with a toothbrush. It may take one hour or more for the paste to work, but when you return and scrub the stain with the toothbrush, then it should come right off. If not, just repeat the therapy until it does.

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January 1, 2020 Fireplaces

Home Remedies & Recipes for Vegetable Bugs

Home vegetable gardeners have home made solutions to commercial insecticides. Most recipes for making your own insecticides use common household ingredients like soaps, cooking oils and spices sold in grocery stores. When these ingredients are safe for humans, they are lethal to insects. Homemade pest killers are best if used when pest infestations are only getting started. They also function better if combined with other management techniques like hand selecting and crop rotation.

Typical Recipes

A typical multi-species insecticide recipe calls for 2 gallons of warm water to which you stir 2 tbsp each of vinegar, canola oil and liquid soap, and 3 level tablespoons of baking soda. Another recipe calls for mixing 2 tablespoons of powdered hot red peppers and 6 drops of liquid soap in 1 gallon of water. Mix well and let it sit overnight. Stir again and let it settle.

Other Recipes

Garlic is effective against a huge variety of garden insect pests. Make a garlic-based bug spray by crushing and peeling the cloves in 1 garlic bulb. Mix the crushed cloves with 1 tablespoon of liquid soap, 2 tbsp vegetable oil and 2 cups of water. Allow to steep overnight, then strain out any solids. A recipe to control sucking insects like aphids, scale insects and thrips consists of 2 tbsp cooking oil and 2 tbsp liquid baby soap dissolved in 1 gallon of water.

Using Your Sprays

Pour your preferred insecticidal mixture into a spray bottle and then thoroughly moist either side of leaves, contacting as many insects as you can. Attempt to spray only the leaves, but do not worry if some gets on the vegetables; only make sure you clean the vegetables before eating them. Duplicate the spray per week as required. Water your plants well the day before using one of these sprays. Always test your home made pest killer by spraying it on a few leaves; check after 48 hours to ensure it didn’t burn the plant. Do not use any soaps which contain bleach; that can hurt plants. Apply mixtures from the early morning or early evening once the sun is less intense.

Cultural Controls

Homemade insecticide will function more efficiently in the event that you combine it with cultural controls which disrupt insects’ life cycles. The earliest cultural control is crop rotation. Increasing the identical vegetable in precisely the exact same spot year after year makes it effortless for overwintering insects to find the next year. For smaller gardens, hand-picking supplies an effective management of many kinds of insect pests. Practice decent garden sanitation to help keep pest populations down. That means removing weeds, trash along with also the “volunteer” vegetables in last year’s garden which could harbor insect pests. Remove and compost crop residue when you’ve harvested the good parts.

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