zedomax.com &#187; Gardening

Lawn DIY – How to Make an RC Lawnmower!

Here’s a rather interesting hack that involves a regular lawnmower converted into an RC lawnmower. Brilliant!

This should make lawnmowing much more fun. Better yet, your kids will have a blast cutting the lawn.

This instructable will show you how to make your Arduino into an R/C interface that you can use for just about anything requiring remote control. I will also show you how I built an R/C lawnmower using my Arduino, a cheap R/C transmitter and receiver pair, and a couple of electric-wheelchair motors from Ebay. I have used this interface to control anything from basic LED’s to Bipolar stepper motors, mini-robots, lifeless R/C cars from the thrift store, and even a 100lb lawnmower (all with appropriate motor controllers). It is very flexible and easy to change and very simple to set up.

via hackaday

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Lawn Mower DIY – How to Diagnose/Repair a Lawn Mower!

max — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:08:25 +0000

For those of you with a lawn mower, you might want to note this great DIY that shows you how to diagnose/repair a lawn mower and its engine parts. I think this can be a great reference in the future if your lawn mower breaks down for some reason. Of course, don’t forget to check out the solar lawn mower mod and solar lawn mower robot too.

In this instructable I will show you how to repair a lawn mower engine, and how to finally kill those gremlins which have been lurching in its bowels. Of course there is now way I can tell you every single problem that could happen to your engine, so I will tell you the major parts of the engine, and how to repair them. I am not a trained mechanic. What I have learned comes from years of reading, and much trial and error. Hopefully from that I can teach you how to become more of an independent person, and maybe save you a few bucks

Lawn Mower DIY – How to Diagnose/Repair a Lawn Mower!

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Garden DIY – How to Clean Your Yard with Rental Goats!

max — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:31:07 +0000

You know, everytime I go to the zoo, one of my favorite animals to pet are the goats. They are so friendly and cool. But I guess goats can be used to clean all those unwanted bushes in your garden/yard as they can practically eat anything! This is such a great idea, especially if you have been resorting to machines and other methods that pollute our environment and add to the carbon footprint. And yes, “rental” goats. If you do rent some goats, I am sure your kids would enjoy them too.

With that in mind, take a look at this: brush-clearing goats! That’s right, rather than spending tons of money and time on diesel-powered machines, filing the proper permits, and administering dangerous herbicides, the Seattle-based Rent-a-Ruminant organization will loan your a team of 100 goats for all your brush-clearing needs—all at a very modest rates.

via bb

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Garden DIY – How to Clean Your Yard with Rental Goats!

Garden DIY – How to Make a Winter Indoor Herb Garden!

max — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:59:11 +0000

Winter is at our doorsteps and you don’t have to be sad that you can no longer grow your herbs outdoors, simply learn how to make winter indoor herb garden in the comfort of your home instead! – via keetsa

Indoor winter herb gardens make it possible to enjoy fresh herbs year round. These herbs can be grown organically, in an Earth-friendly manner.

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Garden DIY – How to Make a Winter Indoor Herb Garden!

Flower DIY – How to Make a “Steel” Flower!

max — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:20:04 +0000

Okay, I really admit it this time, the only flowers I can really maintain are those low-maintenance cactus, which I have one on my desk right now. (and it’s still ALIVE!)

For those of you who have hard time maintaining a “real” garden, you might want to try the alternatives (like me cactus) or learn how to make a steel flower. Make sure you put some anti-rust coating so your flower will be maintenance-free even if it rains.

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Flower DIY – How to Make a “Steel” Flower!

Garden DIY – How to Make a Growing Garden Green Chair!

max — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 19:06:10 +0000

Wow, here’s another great idea for growing a garden on a chair. If you have some skills with custom acrylic designs, this might be just the perfect way to use your creativity while saving space for your plants.

For those who like laying back in the garden and leaning against a sturdy tree or bush while quietly reading a book, this grow-it-yourself natural wood furniture concept might readily take root in your imagination. Best of all, you can watch while your favorite new seat grows right up from the ground in your own backyard or from a pot on the patio or porch.

via dornob

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Garden DIY – How to Make a Growing Garden Green Chair!

Garden DIY – How to Maintain a Good Garden with a Plant Sensor!

max — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 23:45:30 +0000

For those of you enthusiastic gardeners out there, you might be happy to learn that there’s a better way to maintain your garden with the plant sensor.

The EasyBloom plant sensor allows you to sense humidity, water drainage, and temperature. Simply stick it where your plants grow for a day, then stick the data via USB to your computer where you can analyze the environment where your plants are growing.

If you have a garden with inconsistent growth in certain parts, this EasyBloom Plant Sensor might be exactly what you need to help your plants grow healthier.

The $40 to $60 device analyzes sunlight, temperature, humidity, and soil drainage. Simply stick it in the soil for one day, then plug it into your computer’s USB jack and behold the breadth of the gardening guru’s wisdom. Matching the data from the soil to the EasyBloom’s library of plants, it suggests the best vegetables, herbs, trees, shrubs and flowers suited for your garden.

via green blog

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Garden DIY – How to Maintain a Good Garden with a Plant Sensor!

Garden DIY – How to Make a Wine Bottle Moss Garden!

max — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:26:04 +0000

It seems that more and more people these days have decided to re-use, recycle, and re-make cool artistic objects. Today’s subject is on how to make a wine bottle moss garden using your empty wine bottles and moss collected from your nearest forest. I think this is a great idea as you can keep most of that moss contained in the wine bottle while the moss will keep growing nicely.

So I did my best to replicate her art using my own medium: wine. My five-year-old son and I went into the woods last fall and collected two kinds of moss. He made his own terrarium in a glass cookie jar; I made mine in a bottle of Domaine Tempier rose 2007, my favorite rose from last summer. Unlike most wine bottles, rose bottles are clear to show off the eye-popping color of the wine. This also makes them better terrariums!

via dornob

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Garden DIY – How to Make a Wine Bottle Moss Garden!

Garden DIY – How to Make Asian-Style Stepping Stones!

max — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:36:29 +0000

Interestingly, I am noticing more of my non-Asian friends have more-Asian feel to their homes. Of course, you don’t have to be Asian to have Asian home decorations.

Here’s an awesome DIY that shows you how to make Asian-style stepping stones. (And let’s stay away from calling Asian things “oriental”, that has been classified as a “racist” term the last time I checked. I didn’t really mind this term until I took Asian American class in college, it turns out “oriental” can be very bad in prejudicing a group of people to be a certain way.)

Okay, enough of my insights I learned in college, just enjoy some Asian stepping stones now. :p

In this instructable, I show how to make unusual decorative pavers or stepping stones with an oriental flair.

Garden DIY – How to Make Asian-Style Stepping Stones!

, bed blog

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Garden DIY – How to Make a Worm Farm!

max — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 16:44:28 +0000

Since I love to go fishing, I’d probably use more fresh worms to catch my favorite fish but I guess worms can also be used to “fertilize” your soil for your garden.

Anyways, if you don’t want to go buy a bunch of worms, you can build your own worm farm!

Worms can do wonders for the garden: they aerate the soil and their castings are an excellent fertilizer. To get a constant supply of this worm fertilizer as well as extra worms for the garden, start a worm farm.

Use Red Worms or Tiger Worms only (available from most plant nurseries). The common garden worm is not suitable.

There’s also a great DIY guide you can buy here too.

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Garden DIY – How to Make a Worm Farm!

Garden Green DIY – How to Convert a CarPort into a GreenHouse!

max — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 06:01:43 +0000

Living in the city most of my life, I am having some withdrawls for a garden. Anyways, if you have an old carport laying around, here’s how to convert it easily into a greenhouse and grow your favorite plants. – link

Also check out these cool E-books you can buy:

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Garden Green DIY – How to Convert a CarPort into a GreenHouse!

Garden DIY – How to Make a Hydroponic Garden!

max — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:56:21 +0000

I’ve always been interested in hydroponic gardens as one day I wish to setup an in-home hydroponic garden where I can grow all my organic veggies.

Here’s some great guides on the internet that shows you how to make your own hydroponic garden:

How to Build a Hydroponic Garden – WikiHow.com
How to Build a Hydroponic Garden on a budget.
Setting Up A Hydroponic Herb Garden

Here’s some DIY E-books you can buy too:

A video on YouTube on how to build a hydroponic garden:

Garden DIY – How to Make a Hydroponic Garden!

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Outdoor Lighting – Pack of 3 Solar Lights!

max — Sat, 30 May 2009 02:12:28 +0000

Here’s an awesome deal of pack of 3 outdoor solar lights, all of these run on a single photovoltaic solar cell, great for keeping your outdoors bright without use of any household electricity but with solar power.

These are great for continuous lighting through the night for a dark driveway or yard area. Be sure to position the multi-angle floodlight trio in direct sunlight throughout the day for best solar absorption.

Price: $36.79 on Amazon

(via eco blog)

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Outdoor Lighting – Pack of 3 Solar Lights!

Bike Hack – How to Add a Garden to your Bike!

max — Sat, 23 May 2009 03:31:15 +0000

Are you a garden fanatic like me who waters and checks his grass daily? Well, you no longer have to worry about your garden when at work, just put your garden ON the bike!

A window box for the cyclist who is always on the move, or cycle tourist needing nutritious strawberries and beansprouts..
or simply for someone without a garden….or a moron,(like me).

Bike Hack – How to Add a Garden to your Bike!

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Solar DIY – How to Make a Solar Powered Roof Gutter Water Barrel!

max — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:34:19 +0000

Here in California, it’s freakin’ sunny as hell during the summer and in the winter, it rains like a mothufooko. Anyways, I’ve been working on my friend’s lawn and they have no lawn sprinkler nor do they want to spend the money on it. Every summer, that lawn gets dried up like crazy and I’ve always thought there’s gotta be a good way to re-use the water that you get during the spring, specifically the water thats coming down your roof gutter.

Well, I am in look as I found this awesome DIY that shows you how to make a solar-powered roof-gutter eating water barrels that can hold 1700 lbs. of rain water. There’s even an overflow system, water filter, and a pump that will use the sun’s power so you can water all your plants while saving earth and money!

Kudos, this is just what I needed, not that I am building one right now, perhaps before the winter begins this year.

A “Green” way of using rainwater with the convenience of city water.
The twin 85 gallon barrels are raised onto a very sturdy 4×4 box assembly held together with 5 1/2″ long 3/8″ carriage bolts because the total weight of all the water when full is aprox 1700lbs. This frame is resting on eight 2 inch thick 18″ square cement pads to prevent sinking. The barrels are raised to increase the head pressure and decrease the work load on the pump. The attached pump enables you to water plants even when the water in the barrels falls below the height of the nozzle used to water.

Solar DIY – How to Make a Solar Powered Roof Gutter Water Barrel!

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Solar lights for paths

David Allen — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 19:00:08 +0000

Solar lighting is great for the outside, it gives off enough light and there is no wiring to worry about. Power cables and the garden do not really go, even if they have been properly installed there is always the worry that water or something will get in. This is not a problem when it comes to lights like this.

Features:

Great for Lighting Up Driveways and Pathways in the Dark

Super Bright LEDS

Maintenance Free

Rechargeable Battery Included

Weather Resistant

Lasts up to 8 Hours on One Charge

Source [Red Ferret]

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Solar lights for paths

Pump DIY – How to Make a Hydraulic Ram Pump!

max — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 09:58:25 +0000

I’ve installed water pumps, sump pumps, you name it. But the all work using our precious electric energy. Well, I have seen hydraulic pumps before that use no electricity and glad to say they may be the future alternative for exisiting electric pumps.

I am sure you can apply this hydraulic pump to various different applications including a water pump to add more water pressure to your gardening equipment and other pumping equipment.

I will have to head over to Home Depot and see if I can make my own high-pressure hydraulic super soaker.

This instructable shows how to build a fairly simple water pump that needs no energy input other than water flowing from a higher point to a lower point. Most of the pump is constructed from PVC, with a couple of bronze pieces thrown in for flavor. I was able to source all of the parts from a local hardware store (Lowes) for a bit under $100.

To function, the pump does require a reasonable amount of water that will drop at least 3′-5′. The level that the pump can raise water to depends on the water’s head (total drop the water will make).

Pump DIY – How to Make a Hydraulic Ram Pump!

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MIT DIY Robot Gardners!

max — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 04:31:02 +0000

Here’s some interesting news from researchers at MIT developing robot “Garden” automation. I have to speculate on how “effective” this would be but I imagine it will be highly effective than not.

From the looks, it seems they’ve put a webcam, servo motor, and other goodies for plants in the project. This might be a sign that robot farming may not be too far from reality.

Heck, I’d like to purchase one of these robotic garden kits at Wal-Mart and grow my own “automated” farm with ability to expand to as many acres as you want.

Then all you’d have to do is buy some land and these extensible robotic garden kits.

Okay, enough of me rambling for the day, read on.

The machines are networked and communicate in real time. The project was put together by Nikolaus Correll, a postdoctoral assistant working in MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, with the aim of getting a similar system to someday work on a large, economically viable scale.

via cnet

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MIT DIY Robot Gardners!

Garden DIY – How to Make a Dry Rock “Zen” Garden!

max — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 04:14:07 +0000

For the weirdest reasons, I have been inclining towards gardening and related howtos. Here’s a cool DIY you can follow that shows you to recycle your old barn into a dry rock “Zen” garden. It looks pretty good to me, great source of information if you are thinking about doing something similar.

When our century old barn became too too dangerous to use anymore we had a salvage company remove as much of the old board and beams as possible.

It’s nice to think our old board will have a new life as an upscale floor someplace, but we were left with a terrible mess of crumbling granite foundation walls and splintered waste board.

This is how we changed an eyesore into a place every visitor wants to see. It required lots of our labour but not much cost or new material as we reused almost everything to make our Zen garden literally rise from the ashes.

Garden DIY – How to Make a Dry Rock “Zen” Garden!

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Garden DIY – How to Make a Flower/Vegetable Bed!

max — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:03:23 +0000

Pioneer Woman has a really extensive and detailed DIY on how to make a flower/vegetable bed, completely from scratch using home/garden tools. I didn’t know it took this much thought process to make such a flower bed but a very interesting read indeed and highly recommend to you garden-addicts.

I want you to know that this is the easiest thing in the world to do. If you’re even remotely comfortable with using a drill, this entire project can take under an hour. If not, it still won’t take you very long. And it’ll bring you a great sense of satisfaction…especially when you see that first little hint of a tiny green tomato showing itself.

via thepioneerwoman

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Garden DIY – How to Make a Flower/Vegetable Bed!

Garden DIY – How to Kill Gophers and Moles with a Solar Powered Sonic Deterrent!

max — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:52:21 +0000

I have to say I’ve been fighting a LOT of gophers while I used to live at my parent’s house. I did use the Sonic Mole Deterrent which requires 4 D-sized batteries and would run out every couple weeks or so but here’s the solar alternative that will keep going once you insert it into the gophers’ holes.

These Sonic Deterrents basically make noise, which is really annoying to the rodents. (and to you too.)

Of course, one trick to deterring these nasty little gophers is to not use the Sonic Deterent all the time, make sure you deter them and take it out. Sometimes the moles/gophers will get used to the sound and no longer work.

Another good alternative is to use poison, works great for killin’

Price: $17.95 on Amazon

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Garden DIY – How to Kill Gophers and Moles with a Solar Powered Sonic Deterrent!

Garden DIY – How to Grow Giant Tomatoes!

max — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 04:18:26 +0000

Well, I’ve noticed these giant tomato ads and couldn’t help post it, you can order these freakin’ GIANT tomato plants here for $10 and they come with 3 plants that will grow to over 8 feet in just 90 days!

Only if I had a house with a garden…

The Giant Tomato Tree is the virtual tomato factory that grows a new crop of farm fresh tomatoes every week. Grow in your yard as a garden wonder or display as a patio showpiece. It produces non-stop all season long!

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Garden DIY – How to Grow Giant Tomatoes!

Where to hide a key

David Allen — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:00:12 +0000

It is always handy to have a handy hiding place for a spare key, but putting under the doormat or somewhere just as obvious is just plain stupid and besides imagine explaining that to the insurance company. That is why this dummy garden sprinkler can work for you, simply place it somewhere safe in the garden and hide the key.

Features:

Looks like a regular sprinkler head

Tough water-tight plastic case holds multiple keys

Screw cap

Dimensions: 3.5″ x 1.3″ dia. (8.9 x 3.3cm)

Priced at $5.99

Source [Gear Diary]

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Where to hide a key

Garden DIY – How to Make LED Grow Lights for your Plants!

max — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 01:42:16 +0000

Hopefully, you won’t be using this LED grow light to grow your illegal plants (or maybe legal depending on where you are and what licenses you have), but here’s a great way to keep your plants healthy full of artificial LED light by making LED grow lights!

Specialized grow lights that closely mimic the sun’s rays are a better solution, but you can get the same effect with special LEDs that are also brighter, cheaper and last far longer. These bulbs actually work best as a supplement to sunlight during the day; however, they’ll also provide enough light after dark to ensure that your plants get the 12 to 18 hours a day they need to thrive. We connected three inside a clear plastic tube, a “light spike” that you can stick right into the pot for direct exposure, and added a controller that adjusts the brightness. Or you can string together multiple spikes to cover several plants at once. The system should keep your plants in great shape until springtime—just don’t forget the water.

via popsci

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Garden DIY – How to Make LED Grow Lights for your Plants!

Eco-Garden DIY – How to Make Your Own Rain Barrel!

max — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 20:19:33 +0000

Eco-Garden DIY – How to Make Your Own Rain Barrel!

Here’s a great DIY on how to make your own rain barrel and re-use that natural unfiltered water for your garden water:

1. Make sure you place or install the rain barrels on a level surface, as the barrels will get heavy once filled with water.

2. You want to make sure you keep small critters and debris out of your collected water, and you can achieve this, by installing mesh screens and covers on your rain barrel. You don’t want standing water attracting unsavory types, such as mosquitoes.

3. Take note of the weather, as cold temps ice and snow could possibly (or most likely) crack your rain barrel and destroy it.

4. To avoid an overfill on your rain barrel, try adding in another or adding a device which will runoff excess water into your yard.

5. Final tip is to use the collected rainwater. That is the whole point in harvesting it.

via eco blog

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Garden DIY – How to Make Newspaper Seedling Pots!

max — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:30:46 +0000

If you are into growing plants (not that kind hopefully unless you have a license for it in CA), you might want to learn how to make seedling pots using newspaper.

I tried the drinking glass newspaper pots (too big), the origami newspaper pots (too big and had to think too hard), and the toilet roll paper pots (good but didn’t start collecting soon enough). So, duh, I just made tiny versions of the drinking glass pots with (don’t tell anyone) a little piece of tape per pot.

via littlehouseinthesuburbs

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Garden DIY – How to Make Newspaper Seedling Pots!

Garden DIY – How to Make a Green Water Pump!

max — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:33:44 +0000

Check out this awesome DIY that shows you how to make a green water pump that can pressurize water upto 28psi without use of any electricity or gas, just water. I can see this thing saving local farmers a LOT of money, great DIY!

The one I built has a few novelties that make it more reliable, cheaper and easier to operate than most of the plans you find on the Internet. It developed a steady 28psi pressure at the pump and delivered about 1,000 gallons per day where we wanted it.

last season, it hammered over 145,600 gallons of pond water up to our garden over 700 feet away and over 100 feet higher than the pond! In the process, it saved us over 485 liters of diesel fuel we would have normally used to drive our diesel tractor to pump and tow the water around our farm.

Garden DIY – How to Make a Green Water Pump!

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DIY Hydroponocs – How to Make your own Hydroponics system!

max — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:33:35 +0000

Here’s a cool DIY hydroponics system you can make for growing all types of your favorite plants indoors.

This is a great way to keep your plants constantly filled with nutrients, now don’t burn your house down with lamps that are too powerful.

The air pump has become a staple component in most systems for various reasons. Moving water with air makes complete sense to me while solving several issues and being cheap, reliable and easily serviceable. Pump maintenance is algae free and time will tell just how reliable.

DIY Hydroponocs – How to Make your own Hydroponics system!

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DIY – How to Re-use Excess Waste and Make Your Own Rich Soil!

max — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 02:59:29 +0000