Spring Gardening

Gardening has been going well. I've managed to get seeds to sprout in containers this year, which I've had trouble with in the past.  The main thing has been consistent watering.  Over the years the soil has improved from solid clay.  I've turned most of the beds and added more compost so there is room to plant the seedlings. For watering I have planted most things close together, near fruit trees.  Close together with companion planting. The fruit trees keep the hottest part of the day less extreme for the garden. 

The first picture is of cantaloupe sprouts.  The second picture if mostly of corn. There are some strawberries, beans, and Swiss chard pictured too.

Here is a video of planting some of the corn.

Tune up your bike!

Greetings!  So today let's learn about how to do a basic "tune-up" on a bike. Most importantly is to be safe.  Check your brakes before riding and always be cautious.  A main thing to do is clean as much you can. A towel is good, maybe a flat-head screwdriver to clean tight spots.

   Brakes; add a bit of oil. Check for any fray or heavy rust on cables. If it seems unsafe don't ride and get it checked out first. Check that the wheel can turn without the brake pad stopping it. Adjust as necessary.  Make sure, usually with an Allen wrench, that all the screws are tightened.  Keep the part of the wheel the brake makes contact with clean of dirt and oil.

 Tires; make sure there are no visible holes or tears in your tire. If there are you are likely to keep getting flat inner tubes or won't hold air if tubeless.  New tires are reasonably priced, patching is difficult and makes your tire off balance a bit. Also check the bolts and make sure the wheels are firmly secured to the frame.  Check the wheels for roundness and that the bearing are intact. Clean and oil.

  Tires/wheel size and pressure; both tires and rims should have sizes on them, ex: 26in. x 1.5 other common sizes are 700cc x 2.  First number is the diameter width of the rim.  Second is the diameter of the tube.  Check the compatibility.  Some are tubeless. On the tire for tubes it will have a min and max p.s.i. Higher psi will be less rolling resistance, so brake sooner, more likely to get flats.  Lower psi will be a smoother ride.  Be careful not to be too low where hitting bumps could damage the rim, tube and tire.. The min and max are good for proper wear on the tire.

  Gears; now clean the gears and derailleur. Wipe the chain with a towel then add bike grease or motor oil.  Get a bit of oil in the axles and clean off more.  The chain should be on snug, enough to move easily and not fall off.  The rear derailleur usually takes care of this. Some bikes don't have them.  Adding or removing links to a chain is easy with a tool designed for it.  Then turning the bike upside-down can be helpful to check the gears. Make sure all gears can be shifted through without shifting the gear off track.

 Enjoy 

Organics pt. 2

    There are a few ways chemicals get into food. Absorption from soil, is a major way. Another way is, what's sprayed on the plant. These compounds, often aimed at weeds and insects, could build up in the animals, dairy, and consumers eating these plants.  Other than those ideas, fruits and veggies, straight from the garden, is a nice addition to most meals.
    When planting a garden I like to clear all trash from the area, and be careful of what goes into compost.  A clean water source is also important. For the soil and natural waterways, as I dig in I'll take the time to remove any plastics, painted woods, cement, asphalt, etc.. For compost, I'll be sure to remove any stickers or ties. I'll then build up compost, mixing different soils knowing they are free of contaminates.
     I haven't used sprays in my smaller backyard gardening. On a larger scale pests can take out entire crops in a few days if the conditions are right. Companion planting helps a lot by providing biodiversity.  I'll try to feed with a constant source of compost so the plants don't get stressed out or more susceptible to pests.   

 Happy Gardening!

Ready to plant

Gardening can likely be done anywhere in the world with water and soil. I got some purple carrots and onion seedlings to plant. I have some seed I'll plant as well. The soil in the garden is heavy clay. I'll add compost and mix into a small area, then plant. Here are some photos of the garden! 

 This is a bed of kale (left) and chard (right).

 Here pictured are beets (front), artichokes (mid), and brussel sprouts (far back).

I'll let these continue to grow as the season changes. Eventually I'll redig these beds and add more organic matter. 

Gardening

     Hello, welcome to the blog. Gardening has been going well. It's near the end of winter and I am turning lots of soil.  I've been using an electric lawn mower to compost leaves weeds and grass to amend the soil. I saved some seed, though some has gone bad because I left outside and it got damp. I planted a bed of kale, Swiss chard, and parsley.  The kale started fairly well, some chard started. I haven't seen any parsley, not too sure what it looks like sprouting.  I think the bed could have used more compost before planting.  Also better sun while keeping a balanced watering would have helped more seeds grow. 
   I've learned a few recipes for cooking these plants. I've cut them up and added them to eggs and other veggies for a stir fry type thing. This works well.  I was reading kale has some type of acid that stops you from digesting the nutrients so it's important to cook lightly first.  Otherwise I'd saute it with some olive oil and garlic.
    So I haven't blogged lately.  I have been working a lot.  Learning to cook and prep food.  I moved pretty far to a larger city.  It was a really great time.  I'm going back to school now.  I guess being there made me see a lot of possibilities in life.  I'm relearning a lot of skills because I haven't been taking more than one class since I stopped going awhile back.  I like blogging and hope to continue more often.  Writing helps me organize goals and ideas.
   I suppose this is all I'll write today. Happy gardening!