Ebook Sample Content Preview:

Let me begin this chapter by assuring you that one of the loveliest wines I have ever tasted was made with gorse flowers by a member of the Bourneouth Wine- Makers' Circle.

This I sampled while lecturing at the Town Hall there on the occasion of the Amateur Wine- Makers' Second Annual Conference and Show.

Flower wines, cannot, of course, be likened to any other homemade wine-or commercial wine- because their flavors are unique; they can only be described as delicately aromatic, their bouquet cannot be found in any other wine.

Their popularity is lessened only by the labor of collecting the flowers; but by choosing a spot where they abound, enough for a gallon or two may be gathered in an hour.

Care is needed if we are to get the best from our ingredients. When gathering the flowers it is best to use a basket of ample size because crushing will damage the flowers and we shall not get such a delightful wine.

All flowers should be gathered on a dry day but not necessarily on a sunny one; though it must be sunny when collecting dandelions otherwise they are either closed or half-closed and difficult to find. In their closed state

they teem with insects which would get into the wine and spoil it. Dandelions close when gathered but this does notn matter. In fact it is a great help because we should use only the petals of dandelions, and when they are closed the petals may be pulled out all together merely by holding the head of the flower and pulling on the petals grouped together.

Although only petals should be used many people make quite good dandelion wine by using the whole heads, but I use petals only.

To achieve the best result a wine yeast should be used and this may be an all-purpose wine yeast. Invert sugar should not be used in these recipes because it is inclined to slightly alter the aroma of the flower and change the delicate color of the wines made from recipes in this chapter.

Bakers' yeast is included in the recipe together with household sugar; those preferring to use a wine yeast 'started' as directed may, of course, do so.

Ebook Sample Content Preview:

Every year, the environmental problems are getting worse. Global warming, pollution, and other concerns are now very evident. Many environmentalists are now taking an active part in the hope of saving the world before it’s too late. One way to effectively address such problems is by using solar power. With many households and establishments using generators to back up their power supply, which do you think is the best choice?

Power failure happens in the most unexpected hours and so having a generator can provide the needed power. The portable generators are widely used and you can even find large generators that provide emergency power. If you want to help in reducing pollution and other environmental problems, why don’t you opt for solar power instead?

The initial cost is a very important consideration but you will also need to look in the benefits that you can gain the future. Installing a viable solar power system can be quite expensive than just purchasing a portable generator. However, once you’ve installed the power system, you can already enjoy free unlimited power supply. Maintenance is minimal and you will not spend huge money on it. You don’t need to buy fuel just to run the system because the energy of the sun fuels the solar power system. In a portable generator, you will need to buy fuel to run it and so you will continue to spend money to enjoy power supply.

Generators can be purchased easily, online or locally, and so it’s quite convenient to obtain them. On the other hand, solar power is not that convenient to install and purchase as well. The market for solar power is rather small but because of the technological advancements, the market will soon grow. Today, the best way to obtain solar power kits is through the internet. Anyone can settle for a little bit of inconvenience especially if huge benefits are involved. Besides, after the installation of the solar power system, you don’t need to monitor it often unlike in generators where you will refill the fuel, change the oil and filter, and two times servicing in a year. The solar power system can last for twenty years even with minimal maintenance.

Both solar power and portable generators are efficient. However, when it comes to cost-efficiency, solar power is ahead. As long as the sun shines, energy can be generated. The system can also store energy so that it can be used at night or during rainy days. In a generator, you will need to re-fuel from time to time. You will need to pay for the fuel every time. Sunlight is free but fuel is not and so the cost efficient option is very obvious.

In terms of dependability, solar power and generators are almost the same. Solar power is best used in places where there is bright sunlight all throughout the year. If the period of bad weather is lengthy, all the stored power can be consumed. Generators can be used whether it’s sunny or rainy but the problem lies with the source of fuel. If you can’t refuel the generator, it will not work.

It’s your choice whether you will use solar power or a portable generator. It all depends on your capacity to pay for the device. You can further evaluate these two by reading this article carefully.

Ebook Sample Content Preview:

Hanging a picture may seem like the simplest of all home improvement projects. While it is quite easy, there are factors like wall type and object weight that you need to consider before hammering away. If you're a beginner or if you've hung pictures before but always done some in a hit or miss kind of manner, these tips will come in useful.

The first thing you need to do is purchase the right fasteners for your picture and your walls. The most common fasteners for hanging things are picture nails and hooks. While these are the most common type of fastener, they are not the most appropriate or effective ones to use in all cases.

If you are going to hang anything on a concrete, stucco or brick wall, then you should not try to use a regular nail. A concrete screw will securely anchor your object and will prevent you from chipping the wall's surface. If you use a nail in a concrete or stucco surface, you can end up removing chunks of the wall around the nail when hammering.

If your object is heavy, then you might want to insert a plastic anchor or molly bolt-for fastening into the hole to ensure that there is no damage to your wall. Make sure that you are using the right type of fastener for your wall surface.

Once you've figured out the type of wall surface and the most appropriate fastener to use, you will need to decide on placement.

The first thing you want to decide is how high you want to hang the object. The basic rule of thumb is to hang pictures so that the center of the picture is at eye level. Have someone hold a tape measure against the wall and then stand back and see what number is at your eye level, that's where the center of your picture should be.

Once you decide on the height on the wall, you need to measure the picture itself to determine the mounting height. You will then measure from the bottom of the picture to the highest point of the hanging wire. You can then figure out the hanging height by subtracting half of the picture's height and adding the difference of the eye-height level you measured before.

Your measuring isn't done yet though. You want to take that figure and measure that distance on the wall so you can make a mark where the bottom of the hook will hit. After you have that vertical mark, you want to measure horizontally to ensure that your picture is in the center of the space. Next you will mark where the vertical and horizontal lines cross.

Holding the faster in place, you will nail or screw the fastener into the wall. After the nail or screw is in place, you want to carefully hang the object on the wall. Make sure you are careful not to mark or scrape the wall with the frame.

Once the picture is on the hook, you should step back to see whether it is level. You can shift the picture to either the left or the right to adjust the level.

If you find (after hanging) that the picture is either too low or too high, you can adjust the wire on the back of the picture rather than making a new hole.

If you are planning on hanging multiple pictures and/or objects on one wall, then you want to plan out your measurements very carefully. Start by holding up your pictures or laying them on the floor in the pattern you want. Measure the wall space and measure each picture to ensure that you have enough space. You want to make the vertical and horizontal marks for each picture rather than just guessing. It is often easier to offset the pictures when you estimate. If you do want all of the pictures even, then you need to use a level and be really exact in your measurements. A laser level can be useful in these types of situations.

Don't be intimidated with all of these steps if this is your first time hanging a picture. Taking your time and doing all the prep work outlined above will ensure that your picture is centered, level, and really adds character to your space.

Ebook Sample Content Preview:

Chapter 3: Tools and Materials for Your Greenhouse

Remember that you are not limited to a certain variety of plants to grow in a greenhouse. Bear in mind, however, that your preference for certain fruits, vegetables and plants will determine the type of greenhouse you like to build. “Know thy crop” is an important factor before deciding on the greenhouse type you will install.

You will need a good soil for planting seeds. Compost, potting or gardening soil and a little sand or perlite are a good start. Read all directions in your seed packets.

Keep some of those black plastic flats that nurseries use to display their plant containers. These are useful for starting sees and transplants.

Benches in greenhouses are essential, as they hold trays of plants that have already sprouted from seeds.

Styrofoam cups - have several of these handy. Seeds sprout quickly and once they grow large enough to move into separate containers, they can be gently lifted and transferred into ordinary Styrofoam cups.

You can also use yogurt plastic cups, and large commercial type containers that can hold more than one plant. In fact, any container you can think of will be suitable.

Other materials you should have on hand are broken clay pots, cracked walnuts, marbles, charcoal or gravel. These help in proper drainage. Be sure to soak clay pots in water a few minutes before using them. This will prevent the clay from absorbing the moisture from the potting soil.

If you want to have trellises inside your greenhouse, you can make them out of coat hangers, which you can bend to any shape your heart desires.

Herbs are perfect for keeping pests at bay. They are what one writer calls “nature's insecticides”. Have a variety of them inside your greenhouse. You can make a natural insecticide by adding onions or garlic to a jar of water. Leave it for a week and spray on your plants.

Other garden tools that will help you run your greenhouse efficiently are air coolers for the hot summer. This is to maintain the temperatures at desired levels. Power vents in the roof are also a good idea to release hot air that can build up suddenly in the summer.

In the winter, a good heater would be nice to warm the greenhouse. Other accessories you need are a humidifier, a CO2 generator, and a mister.

Greenhouse lighting system.

A type of light called high intensity discharge lighting (HID) used to be employed by commercial growers in large greenhouses. However, the idea of artificial lighting to stimulate plant growth became increasingly popular.

H.I.D. lighting not only adds to natural sunlight, but can actually serve as a substitute during long winters when natural sunlight is in scant supply. They are energy efficient and operational costs are low. Here are just a few of the benefits of HID lighting:

Increases the health and strength of plants, and stimulates growth and yield rates,

Supplements natural sunlight; by using HID lighting, you also extend “day length”,

Enables container outdoor plants on decks and patios during the summer to be moved indoors during the winter,

Are definitely more powerful than conventional fluorescents.

Greenhouse tables, shelving and plant holders

These are indispensable, especially when you need to work inside your greenhouse and to maximise and organize your greenhouse space. As your plant varieties grow, you will need shelves and tables and plant holders to facilitate your gardening. One popular type of bench that greenhouse hobbyists like is the cedar double layer bench. They are durable and efficient to use.

For shelves, you can opt for two and three section lengths made of aluminum.

Given that watering your plants is an essential - indispensable -part of any greenhouse gardening, a good watering system is required. You can choose either the automatic or hand held watering system to make your watering needs more efficient.

For automatic irrigation systems, there are models that come equipped with an automatic drip irrigation and fertilizer system. Day or night, they regularly water the plants and adjust the flow of fertilizer. Some have a tank in which the water and fertilizer are mixed and are distributed to plants via hoses, Y-connections and drip pins.

Greenhouse garden coil indoor/outdoor watering wand

This is a "self-coiling" garden hose made of rugged and durable polyurethane tubing. It produces ultra-fine mists and sprays in soft, gentle streams. Some wand models extend to as long as 50 feet. No hassle storage because of self-coiling mechanism.

Greenhouses constantly evolve in style and design. It follows then that tools and accessories will grow in number or existing ones will be considerably improved. Manufacturers are probably inventing more tools and accessories this very moment that will make our work in greenhouses easier and quicker.

The ones we just described are already being used by many greenhouse enthusiasts. In a few years, new products will definitely appear in the market.

Ebook Sample Content Preview:

Commercial greenhouse kits could prove to be quite useful for new entrants into this project. It provides the investor with the right kind of tools and equipment needed to undertake this business. With such a kit, one can immediately embark upon a commercial greenhouse project.

Points to be considered before purchasing commercial greenhouse kits

Before actually making the purchase, you must plan well, get your course straight and be mindful of your targets. It is therefore strongly advised that you do proper pre-purchase planning and research, and ponder over the various pros and cons associated with your project. In this context, it would be worthwhile that you gather maximum information about greenhouses.

Secondly, before going for the purchase, one must decide on the size of greenhouse That would be set up. This depends upon the size of one's holding and the nature of the crop and the amount investment that is available. Indeed, an oversized greenhouse will be more expensive to maintain if you do not have enough capital to fully populate it with plants. Empty spaces might still be using up your resources and could add to your overheads.

Another important point that must be considered before acquiring your kit is the type of plants that would fill up your greenhouse. Since, a commercial venture is always valued in terms of profitability, it is advisable to grow crops that are in demand. Once the type of crop is decided, the parameters associated with the greenhouse, such as its size, the medium of cultivation and the environment that is to be maintained inside can be determined. Incase your crops require more space, your kit should include space saving equipment such as racks. In case the plants are sensitive to temperature variation, it is a good idea to get a kit that includes sensitive thermometers and temperature control gadgets such as heaters and thermostat based mechanisms to regulate temperature.

There are various types of commercial greenhouse that are available. Choosing the best design that is ideal for your business is also an important decision you need to make before you actually go on to purchase a commercial greenhouse kit. In this regard, you must be mindful of your requirements it terms of the topography and climate of your site. Going for an expensive design that may not be required in your area could unnecessarily drain your budget. The amount wasted thus could alternatively be used to buy other useful equipments that could increase the size of your harvest.

Ebook Sample Content Preview:

Remember that you are not limited to a certain variety of plants to grow in a greenhouse. Bear in mind, however, that your preference for certain fruits, vegetables and plants will determine the type of greenhouse you like to build. "Know thy crop" is an important factor before deciding on the greenhouse type you will install.

You will need a good soil for planting seeds. Compost, potting or gardening soil and a little sand or perlite are a good start. Read all directions in your seed packets.

Keep some of those black plastic flats that nurseries use to display their plant containers. These are useful for starting sees and transplants.

Benches in greenhouses are essential, as they hold trays of plants that have already sprouted from seeds.

Styrofoam cups - have several of these handy. Seeds sprout quickly and once they grow large enough to move into separate containers, they can be gently lifted and transferred into ordinary Styrofoam cups.

You can also use yogurt plastic cups, and large commercial type containers that can hold more than one plant. In fact, any container you can think of will be suitable.

Other materials you should have on hand are broken clay pots, cracked walnuts, marbles, charcoal or gravel. These help in proper drainage. Be sure to soak clay pots in water a few minutes before using them. This will prevent the clay from absorbing the moisture from the potting soil.

If you want to have trellises inside your greenhouse, you can make them out of coat hangers, which you can bend to any shape your heart desires.

Herbs are perfect for keeping pests at bay. They are what one writer calls "nature's insecticides". Have a variety of them inside your greenhouse. You can make a natural insecticide by adding onions or garlic to a jar of water. Leave it for a week and spray on your plants.

Other garden tools that will help you run your greenhouse efficiently are air coolers for the hot summer. This is to maintain the temperatures at desired levels. Power vents in the roof are also a good idea to release hot air that can build up suddenly in the summer.