Egg Shell Planter

I wanted to try a new experiment making planter for seedlings using egg shells.

First I saved my breakfast eggs and only cut off the very top of egg.
Once I had 12 I made 2 small holes in the bottom of each washed and dry egg shell.
then I filed each one with a good potting soil mix and placed back in a egg carton tray.

I added the seeds, In this case Coriander / Cilantro and lightly watered.
I placed the carton with eggshells in a tray and filled with water so it could self wick and keep moist.

Watch my video to see the process.

Search eBay for Coriander / Cilantro seeds

The Coriander / Cilantro in egg carton now ready to plant

Ready to be planted in my balcony garden

Crush the shell before planting

The egg shell seedling planted in garden

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

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.

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