Swiss Chard Update 2

It was 4 out of 6 actually and they made it to spring. It might have helped that spring came really early this year. They didn't get as much sun as I thought they would in front of the sliding glass door downstairs which is why I only got two cuttings from them all winter. Also, on closer inspection the stems got very weak so once the leaves got large the stems would collapse under the weight. I guess they need some air movement or to get bumped now and again to make the stems grow more sturdy. I took the second cutting and am now putting them outside to acclimate them before I plant them in the ground. The picture shows what they looked like just before the cutting.

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Fixing Weber-type Charcoal Grill Legs

Do you have a charcoal grill? After awhile if you have moved it around do the legs come out? I have two of these grills and they both have this problem. But then again I did get both of them out of the trash! I suppose they were in the trash in the first place because their owner was tired of dealing with the legs coming out. The problem is that the legs are typically just crimped as you see below instead of firmly attached. Well, we are going to fix this! First, what you will need is a drill, a small-ish drill bit, and either 3 screws long enough to go all the way through the leg with nuts to go with them, or 6 rivets and a rivet gun. The drill bit naturally will be sized to fit the size of the screws or rivets. I like rivets because with screws there is a chance the nuts will come loose and then you are going to have wobbly legs again. Rivets are a permanent fix. So now that you have everything you need, drill a hole through the leg where it attaches to the grill. Make sure ...

Shovel Handle Repair

Don't you hate when this happens? There you are digging in the garden and try to pry out a sapling stump and SNAP! If you can part with an old friend it is time to go buy a new shovel. If not (can you tell how much I have worn down the tip on this shovel?) it is time to replace the handle. Step one: Remove the Handle Notice where the rivet is installed through the handle. Find the pre-formed end. Look at the other side. If it has been flattened much bigger than the hole through the shovel you will need to cut it off. A Dremel tool with a cut-off wheel is the way to go. Don't forget the safety glasses. Now take a punch and hammer and knock the rivet through the shovel shaft. Now you can knock the piece of the broken handle out of the shovel shaft. Step two: Fit and Drill the Hole in the New Handle But where to get your new handle? I just read an article that mentioned the House Handle Company (http://househandle.com/index.ht...

Swiss Chard Update 3, or Winter Veggies 1

Long time readers may remember that I have overwintered Swiss Chard in my basement under lights for the last several years. This fall I started my winter Swiss Chard from seed to compare it to digging the old roots from the garden. I also had some collards that I bought from Home Depot that were originally planted out in the garden but with a cool, wet fall, the slugs, and the deer they weren't going to get a chance to do anything so I dug a couple of them up and planted everything in a window box. As you can see the chard is pretty tight. I was going to thin them but they seem to be more productive the way they are. They don't make as many big leaves but there is a lot more stem production and since we eat both the leaves and stems I am getting a better harvest this way. In this 6 x 8 inch area I am getting a cutting (for 2 people) a week. It took about 6 weeks to get started though. I think the best approach is to plant some seed and transp...

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