Balcony Garden Update

Well the Garden on the Balcony was doing really good, but we have had a poor summer so far weather wise, and some bad storms.
Last week after a very strong winds tore threw the city it played havoc with my Tomatoes, although they have survived they are all now lying flat in a blanket mesh across the balcony.
One part of me wants to hack it down to small bushes but the other part says just leave it till its finished with all the fruit, as it is producing lots of cherry tomatoes.

One of the reasons I grew cherry Toms was because of the smaller size they grow, but even at about a meter high, they still got beaten by the winds, something that is hard to avoid when your so high up!

anyway heres some pics and video on the journey so far.

Freshly planted

halfway there

Looking good

After the wind

Lots of Tomatoes and Basil

EDC - Every Day Carry

Little bit different from the gardening videos but something I think is important to have..
EDC or Every Day Carry, a small collection of items that can be used in a an emergency situation
Mine is specific for my inhabitant Urban city Life and the things I feel will be most useful.

This is in addition to a BOB - Bug Out Bag that everyone should have packed and ready at home in case of emergency departure from storms, earthquakes, fire. a 3 day bag with food and preps, I will do a follow up video on a BOB.

If You like this sort of Survival topic I strongly suggest you take a look at fellow prepper Dan, at his Blog 
The Daily Prep

My HTC Android phone, access email, contacts, A watch with mini compass, Sun glasses Wallet with ID and cash, BG gerber Pocket Knife, Mint strips, Key fob with USB Thumb drive encrypted with copies of Passports , Birth certificat and photos, Dog Tag mirror for signaling, Whistle, and Hand crank mini torch.

Ikea Sunnan Solar Lamp Hack

Ikea Sunnan Solar Lamp Hack
I purchased The solar powered Lamp from Ikea called "Sunnan" it was only $20 which I think for the quailuty of the product is good value.

The best thing is the potenial to hack this to power other small appliances and devices, so I have made a video of taking it apart.

I also found a similar Solar Powered lamp on EBAY for $9.96 free shipping from Hong Kong

Ikea Sunnan Solar Lamp

Solar Cell and Power pack pops out

4 x screws to remove cover

3 x AA 1200 mAh  1.2v battries

small circuit with Diode and fuse

base comes apart with removal of 4 screws

Aquaponics disaster and update

After starting the Aquaponics in Sept 2011 the plants grew fantastic before a really bad Aphid attack took over.

I tried everything including a non chemical method of Garlic (boiled) mixed with a little Olive oil and spayed all the plants.

The results were disastrous killing most of the plants and most of my fish. So mid Dec I gave it another overhaul and clean out and replanted again and added some new fish stock.

Fingers crossed....

The system as of Jan 2012 doing well

Newly added fish stock

Replanted System in Dec 2011

Dec 2011 just before it all collapsed 

System planted Sept 2011

Cool Time Capture video

WARNING? Worm Farm is Out?

WARNING? Worm Farm is Out?
I have had my Worm farm on the balcony for just over a year, its been nice to take out the Veg leftovers and putting them in the bin and letting the red worms do their thing.
Although I don't actually have enough space to put the newly generated soil, it just seamed like a key part of my mini balcony eco farm system.
But now I cant wait to get rid of it..... and others take WARNING....
I have had an on going health issue for about 3 months, now im a vegetarian and eat pretty healthy don't smoke and keep reasonably fit, I kept getting a really bad cough followed by itch eyes and flu symptoms, it came way to often and started to get concerned so a trip to the Doctors for the usual anti viral med's, but nothing worked, this followed by weekly blood test, of which all were clear.
After some detective work at home I realized I was getting sick on a Monday, so process of elimination i narrowed down to chores I did on a Monday, and taking them weekly scrapes out to the worm bin was an unlikely cause, but guess what, seams like its quiet common to get "Compost Lungs" a bacteria spore that causes my exact symptoms and is quiet common also with Mushroom growers.

So if you have been suffering a constant cough, it may be your compost bin, this can be cured by wearing a dust mask when you attend it but I have decided to take mine out of the equation, and get well again.

Some other people with same symptoms from a worm farm LINK
Check Wikipedia  for more details   " Compost Lungs" 

Three Little Birds

Three  Little Birds

2 Birds try to wake up their little buddy that must have been hit by a car,
they kept flying down from small tree landing on the dead bird, squawking and going back up too the tree, by the time i got my camera some gulls frighten them and they didn't attend to it anymore.

Self Watering Propeller Bottle Garden

My latest design for using plastic bottles for indoor gardens is my Self Watering Propeller Bottle Garden!
The thing I like best about this is that it dosent ever need watering so you can seed it and leave it!
The method is using a Large soda bottle with 6 smaller ones cut and drilled into the sides and sponge used as a wick to soak up the water.
I have had one growing for about 3 weeks and and is doing very well, i think you will need to top up the main bottle about every 2 weeks.

Tools used:
Hand Drill, 1 inch drill bit, Scissors, Clear gutter Silicon,

Supplies:
1 Large Soda bottle, 6 x smaller Soda bottles, 2 x kitchen sponge, growing medium,

Method:
Fill the large soda bottle with water and freeze over night, this makes it easier to drill holes.
Then drill 6 x 1" holes around angled edge of bottle. Then thaw ice from bottle under warm tap.
Cut the small bottles in half about 2/3rds along bottle, then cut a slot with curved end between the label area.
Add silicon to neck of bottle and thread into hole of big bottle, repeat for all bottles.
Cut sponge to about 1 inch wide and thread threw small bottle neck into big bottle to form a wick.
Fill with growing medium and fill with water  / mix, place cap on main bottle.
wait 24 hours for soil to absorb moisture then seed choice of plant to grow.
In my example I used Coriander / Cilantro and spinach.
top up main bottle level about every 2 weeks.

Solar Charger / Solar Lamp

Solar Charger / Solar Lamp
So I found these small garden Solar lamps in my local store for $2.
I immediately grabbed a few to play with, and was very surprised and happy to see a rechargeable AAA battery inside. I cant even get rechargeable batteries at that price so for $2 battery and a solar charger is awesome.
I will add them to my BOB bug out bag for recharging my small FM radio or my small torch.
I then started thinking what else I can do with them so I tried to turn my Lounge lamp into a solar lamp from ambient room light.
It has worked well they do charge but the 9 LEDs but are not bright enough for a reading lamp but do make a nice night lamp with soft glow.
I also am going to use the steak part of the garden solar lamp as ammo for a catapult (which are illegal in Australia) so I only have the elastic not the handle.
I looked on ebay and they are available from several sources, Click for  Solar Lamps on ebay

My Lounge Solar Lamp

9 LED solar lights

Inside a rechargeable AAA battery 

The solar garden Lamp

Top pulls off

Staeak pops back in to make a nice spear

Solar Steak, Solar Lamp, and light cover, and 1 opened by removing 2x small screws