Bob Waur

I try to figure out the best placement of new plants. I take in account light, drainage, soil type, and water. I try to envision future changes to find the best placements as the plants grow . I plant 10% more plants than I wish to end up with knowing I will loose some and others will not reach full potential because of my not understanding all the factors affecting the plants in the future. I let the plants figure out the final "design" and teach me what my errors are so that I can do better with future additions. I have learned to not be in a hurry to put in new varieties until I have studied the present successes and failures. After all, we need to evaluate the latest additions through all four seasons to be able to understand the possible mistakes we have made and to be able to do better in the future. I try to do a walkabout through the forest every day and just observe how things are growing.

Pearl Sutton wrote:Hi Bob Waur!
Fixed! And you know it's not a button, it's a line in your profile settings, right? If you don't know this, read back earlier in this thread, there are pictures...
Have a great day!
:D

Thanks Pearl!
Have a great day!
Bob

Hi Pearl,
I have no button to add bumper stickers. Please help.
Bob

WOW! I was just out in a corner of the upper 40 and saw that I had a MASSIVE invasion of Sickle pod (Senna Obtusifolia) that must be dealt with before going to seed. Then I see a chance to win one of your hand weeding sickles...the PERFECT tool for the job. Please drop my name in the hat.
Bob Waur
Fingers crossed

Anne Miller wrote:

Bob said  The hard part was finding the correct wicking material. I tried about eight different materials and came up with this

I find this idea fascinating.  The title sort of threw me since I don't know what an Evapotranspiration Monitor is.

Googling this was no help.

I have all the materials to make this.  Dog bowl, terra cotta pot.

Here is what I don't understand:  What is the wicking material?   Sand, dirt, potting soil?

Do I fill both pots with soil and then fill with water?  How much soil and how much water?

I find sticking my finger in the soil useless to monitor when I need to water as it is always dry except when I flood the garden bed.

The terracotta pot is the wicking material. It wicks the water up where it is exposed to wind and sun and mimics the transpiration of water by plants.
Do not put anything in the bowl or pot. Wait for it to rain and then check each day to see when the bowl and pot are empty... then it is time to water until the next rain recharges the ET monitor. As long as there is water in the bowl your soil moisture is good. Remember, the sizes of the bowl and pot are critical.

One very useful 'weed' to add to your list is Senna obtusifolia, aka coffee weed, sicklepod, a legume that is considered a serious weed in monoculture row crops. It produces a serious amount of biomass and is easily controlled by pulling it up and dropping it before it sets seed. It uproots easily even though it has a substantial taproot which aids in soil aeration and nutrient accumulation. Seeds can be dried and ground to use as a coffee substitute. The green leaves of the plant are fermented to produce a high-protein food product called "kawal" which is eaten by many people in Sudan as a meat substitute. Do not confuse this plant with Crotalaria which is toxic. The difference is obvious when viewing the leaves.

Dan Boone wrote:

Bob Waur wrote: I use the vinegar and throw in a piece of the dill so it 'looks' like dill pickles too.

That goes part way to answering the question that I have.  I was wondering if you use the "green matter" from your infused vinegar jars or just the vinegar.  I'm also wondering how tightly you back the herb in the jars.  Is it a matter of cramming in as much as will fit, or loosely filling the jar, or... ?

I pack it in pretty tightly to half way full and then pour in the vinegar. This gives a good dill flavor and there is a reasonable amount of flavored vinegar to use.

Skandi Rogers wrote:So you're making a strongly flavored dill vinegar? That's an excellent idea! my dill is never ready at the same time as the cucumbers, dill is ready now, cucumbers are only a few inches high.

Yes. My cucumbers are rarely ready when the dill is. That is what prompted me to try this. I use the vinegar and throw in a piece of the dill so it 'looks' like dill pickles too.

Joshua LeDuc wrote:I find this interesting Bob, as I'm sitting here looking at a 10 foot long row of dill that is ready to go to seed.

So are you saying that you give the dill a water bath and THEN store in vinegar?

Joshua, I place the dill in vinegar and then waterbath it. I prefer the seed heads over the 'weed', gives a stronger flavor. With a10 foot row you should be all set for the next 5+ years!

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this way to store dill for next years pickles. I always have lots of dill still growing after I have finished this years pickles and hate to just throw it on the compost heap. I have tried freezing and dehydrating but it never seems to have the punch that fresh dill has. Now I put it in pint jars and cover with pure vinegar. A six minute waterbath and It is shelf stable for several years. I only use one tablespoon per quart of pickles as it is very strongly flavored. It cannot be detected that you did not use fresh dill. A little when fermenting pickles give them an extra zing, too. I also use it in some salad dressings and when making a stew with wild game.