Friday, March 29, 2013

Fruit and Nut Trees

copied from here for semi-permanent storage

 http://www.survivalblog.com/2013/03/a-fruit-and-nut-tree-primer-by-jujubee.html

 

A Fruit and Nut Tree Primer by Jujubee

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I am seeing fruit and nut trees for sale now in the Southeast where I live so I wanted to share some thoughts on how I approach tree cultivation. I usually try to plant trees earlier in the winter in order for the roots to get a good start but retail outlets know that people start getting restless towards the end of winter and want to get their gardens and orchards going and they are only too happy to accommodate them. I am an arborist by trade and I’ve provided some guidelines I follow in raising trees. It is not all-inclusive, it is just a quick read for folks who are trying to start or tend to their trees and don’t have much experience. You could spend a lifetime growing and studying trees and still not learn all there is to know but you have to start somewhere so don’t be worried that you won’t get it right- if the location you chose doesn’t turn out to be ideal, move it. You can spend a small fortune on having a contractor put in a tree or if you have the time and the strength, you can do a little research and get a smaller, less expensive tree and do it yourself. And trees are very forgiving!

Trees are long-lived enough to have phases of productivity that include adolescence, adulthood and advanced maturity. The important thing to realize with trees (and most living things) is that their goal in life is to pass on their genetic material by producing and germinating seed. This is their sole purpose in life. How they look, what their flowers and fruit smells like- all these things contribute to the perpetuation of their species. If a tree can produce a luscious fruit, it will entice an animal (man included) to eat the fruit and spread the seed. When a once-healthy tree is nearing the natural end of its life, you will often see a one last grand effort, a flush of buds as they give up all their reserves for one final fruit/seed set, then die in the dormant season. You could call it a selfless act, if trees had a conscious, because they could otherwise limp on for a few more rather unproductive seasons. And even after death, trees provide compost and mulch. So, with that in mind, here are my few basic guidelines for growing trees to their full potential and productivity:

1. Buy healthy plants- don’t start off at a deficit. Price is not always an indicator of health so look closely at the pot- if it is in a container, is it root-bound? You probably won’t be able to pop off the pot and check (which will also show whether the root has wound its way around the pot, also bad) but you can try to wiggle your finger into the potting soil. Can you? If you cannot even penetrate more than an inch or so, pass it by. Also check the graft site (fruit and nut trees are grafted onto root stock trees) at the base of the tree for fungus or poor grafts- you don’t want that either. Some of the best pear trees I’ve ever planted came from a Big Lots store. I tend toward the older varieties because they are tried and true and I don’t have the time to experiment. The other consideration is whether to buy dwarf, semi-dwarf or standard size trees. Dwarf and semi-dwarf will produce sooner but will die sooner, too. But if you cannot manage heights, go with dwarf. A standard size tree will live a long time and produce great quantities, in general, but it takes longer for standard trees to begin producing. Your best bet is to plant a combination of dwarf, semi-dwarf and one or two standard trees.

2. Location, location, location. To plant, that is. Do a little research on your species and variety- if it needs full sun, give it full sun or it will likely not reach full potential. Be wary of planting on high spots in general- think of how water flows and wind blows. Hilltops can catch the wind and are the first areas that water flows from- if nothing else, plan for the ‘military crest’ of the hill, just below the hilltop. Giving your trees a bit of protection from the wind in their early years will give them time to grow deep roots for both stability and water uptake. Planting trees in a slightly lower area allows for the possibility of water availability longer after a rain but make sure the site drains- very few trees can tolerate wet feet! The other consideration is air flow –while protecting your trees from the wind, you also want to make sure there is adequate air flow to help combat bacterial infections such as fire blight by allowing the site to dry out after rains. Make sure there is enough spacing between trees (check the spread for your variety on the tag) to allow for good air flow- this small act of prevention can keep many diseases at bay just by naturally regulating surface moisture levels.
A quick word on pesticides- I try to avoid them whenever possible. I may lose some trees but too often, pesticides are used to make up for poor siting or bad stock. I am not able to fence in my current orchard so I spray a deer spray (which is mostly concentrated urine) to keep the deer and rabbits out and it works pretty well for me. It has a very strong urine smell so be aware of the wind direction when spraying or it will keep your ‘dears’ away from you, too!

3. Nutrition. There are three main nutrients plants need: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) - commercial fertilizer is labeled with the parts of each (N-P-K), for example, 10-10-10.  Just like your children need calcium for strong bones as they are growing, so your trees need phosphorus to develop a strong root system. I’m old school and prefer to feed my trees real food instead of chemicals- there’s debate enough about that for another forum- so for phosphorus I give them bone meal. I will sometimes toss an old sun dried bone in the planting hole if I have one. For nitrogen I have access to a Starbucks that gives me all the old coffee grounds I could want and the worms love it, too. For potassium I use wood ash and throw a few small chunks of charred wood in the there, too, for biochar. I find that the chemical nutrients release too quickly and you get peaks and valleys of fertilization whereas the bone meal and coffee grounds slowly decompose at an even rate.

4. Water. They need it, and will die without it. If you don’t get at least an inch of rain per week during the growing season, give them water. Better to use a soaker hose or apply it to the ground directly rather than spraying the leaves for a number of reasons but mainly because the roots uptake the majority of water. But remember, the leading cause of death of plants in general are water-related, either too little or too much. And that brings me to the final point…

5. Mulch. Mulch will hold in moisture around the root ball, it will help protect the roots from frost damage in the winter and dryness in the summer and hold back weed growth while slowly decomposing and providing nutrition. Use composted mulch – green chipped wood requires nitrogen to decompose and will rob your tree of it.  But, do not pile up mulch against the trunk, making the ‘volcano’ look! This actually harms the tree by promoting fungus growth around the trunk and can actually smother the roots, inhibiting respiration. So visualize a ‘crater’ instead of a volcano- always make sure the flare of tree trunk is exposed and start your mulch ring about an inch from the trunk, building a crater outward about two feet, with the edge being about 4”-6” thick. Now you have formed a bowl for water to be held in for a slow absorption. You can take the mulch ring all the way out to the tips of the limbs (called the dripline of a tree) if you wanted and reduce further the grass under the tree, which will also rob your tree of nutrients in order to feed themselves. Do be careful to change out the mulch and fallen leaves in the late fall or early winter- disease spores can over winter in the mulch!

So if you have room for a tree, make this year the year you start your orchard. You don’t need any specialized equipment or knowledge beyond what I’ve covered in order to get started. A little time investment every month or so during the growing season to keep the weeds and grass back and keep it watered will pay dividends for many years to come.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Possible band, unless we scuttle the idea

Mark's coworker is one of the horn guys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy9a67Sv2Lo

Pig Source

http://www.savorwisconsin.com/AllListings/detail.asp?recordid=801&table=producer

Roger is the owner, about $200 for 200 lb pig, dressed about 150lbs, $40 for dressing and inspection in Kewauskum, pick up pig in Kewauskum, allow 2 to 3 weeks lead time so they dont run out of pigs.

Hiking Holy Hill Ice Age Trail

http://www.everytrail.com/guide/ice-age-trail-holy-hill

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Fuel Cost Calculations

http://www.hearth.com/fuelcalc/oil.php

Use link above for simple calculator.

Unsure what a good efficiency is for a wood fireplace insert with heat exchanger.


Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Antibiotics

Saw on the net, do your own research.

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Fish Antibiotics for Human Use (no prescription required!)

Fish Antibiotics for Human Use (no prescription required!) | Knowledge Weighs Nothing: Believe it or not, many of the common antibiotics we are prescribed are also used to keep fish healthy in aquariums. Sceptical? I bet you are, but it is true! Most of the antibiotic medicines used to treat bacteria in aquariums contain just the one ingredient – the active antibiotic, and in many cases this is exactly the same antibiotic used for humans, nothing more, nothing less. The other strange thing is these aquarium antibiotics come in the same common dosages which are used on humans. To me that seems very strange. I have checked several sources, some of which were created by medical doctors and below is a list of aquarium branded medicines which contain commonly prescribed human antibiotics:

FISH-MOX which is Amoxicillin 250mg (http://www.drugs.com/amoxicillin.html)
FISH-MOX FORTE which is Amoxicillin 500mg (http://www.drugs.com/amoxicillin.html)
FISH-FLEX which is Keflex 250mg (http://www.drugs.com/keflex.html)
FISH-FLEX FORTE which is Keflex 500mg (http://www.drugs.com/keflex.html)
FISH-ZOLE which is Metronidazole 250mg (http://www.drugs.com/metronidazole.html)
FISH-PEN which is Penicillin 250mg (http://www.drugs.com/penicillin.html)
FISH-PEN FORTE which is Penicillin 500mg (http://www.drugs.com/penicillin.html)

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Gas Dryer


  1. THESE GUYS IMPLY A DRYER SET FOR NATURAL WOULD RUN ON PROPANE, BUT RUN HOT AND NOT SAFE.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  1. THE DRYER MANUAL FOR G2 IS AT THIS LINK, IT IS AN ODD FORMAT, NOT A PDF SO MAY TAKE AN APPLICATION TO OPEN AND VIEW, IT DID GET THE APP AND IT WAS EASY TO INSTALL.
    <embed src="https://www.box.com/embed/xm63lfx7djk07uk.swf" width="466" height="400" wmode="opaque" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always">

    ok to run nat gas dryer on lp gas?

    What would happen if you hook up a gas dryer set to run on natural gas to a propane gas line?
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  3. #2
    Gunguy45's Avatar
    Gunguy45 is offline Super Moderator
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    It needs to be converted first. Propane has more heat energy than Nat Gas so if I'm thinking right you would probably have massive flames if you just hooked it up and ran it.

    Don't do it until one of the Pro's weigh in on what exactly is required.
    Vic
    "Vita brevis"
  4. #3
    Sharp Advice's Avatar
    Sharp Advice is offline Admin, Forums Host & Manager
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    Hello wino4now. Welcome to the Gas Appliances topic and the Do-It-Yourself Web Site.

    Gunguy45 is correct. There would be excessively large burner flames. A condition that isn't safe and will cause odors, carbon monoxides, sooting and over heating in the burner compartment area. All very unsafe conditions....

    Burner MUST be converted to use natural gas in place of propane. The instructions to make the conversion is located HERE

    Retail appliance parts dealers can also help and have the necessary conversion parts specific to the brand and model. They will need the make, model and serial numbers. Appliance parts dealers are an excellent source for original replacement parts and problem resolving matters. Dealers are listed in the phone book under appliances.

    Be sure the electrical power to the appliance is turned off, before attempting any repairs or services. Always check for gas leaks whenever moving the appliance and/or a service or repair includes any connection of a gas part.

    Use the reply button to add additional information or questions. Using the reply button keeps or moves the topic back up to the top of the list automatically and keeps all communications on this subject in this thread.

    Web Site Host, Forums Manager, Moderator Hiring and Promotions Agent, Gas Appliances Topic Moderator, Multiple Forums Moderator & Natural Gas Appliance Diagnostics Technician.

    DRYER SERVICE TIP:
    It's always advisable to clean the entire exhaust venting system every 2 years. Or during any dryer maintenance, replacement and or repairs.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Gold stock setups

CDE - Chart LinkEGO - Chart LinkEGO - Chart LinkSIL - Chart LinkAG - Chart LinkRGLD - Chart Link
SSRI - Chart LinkSSRI - Chart LinkRIC - Chart LinkRBY - Chart LinkSVM - Chart Link
ANV - Chart Link

Irish Soda Bread

I got this one from link below, sure want to try this in a Dutch Oven over an open fire.    With some gravy and ribs, sounds awesome.

 http://www.paratusfamiliablog.com/2013/03/quintessential-survival-bread.html

 Easy Bread


At its core, survival depends upon efficient, simple and effective methods for dealing with the necessities of daily life.  Food is no exception.  Although you can store yeast (for finite periods of time), make yeast from a starter and even cultivate new yeast, there are times when making yeast bread is too time consuming or altogether impractical.  Enter the quintessential survival bread - Irish Soda Bread.  This bread requires nothing but the most basic of pantry essentials - flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar and buttermilk (easily made with powdered milk and a splash of lemon juice or vinegar), making it tremendously practical as well as delicious.  One of its strongest attributes is that it requires absolutely no fat in the form of butter, shortening, lard or oil!  How's that for survivability?

Soda bread is really nothing but a glorified biscuit in bread form, however, being in bread form renders it infinitely flexible.  It is extraordinarily quick, requiring almost no kneading, rolling or even cutting into shapes.  It bakes in cast iron, so no special cookware is required and it lends itself to wood cook stove cooking admirably.  Because Soda bread requires no yeast, it is the perfect starting point for the inexperienced cook and the experienced baker will appreciate its no-fuss approach to bread-making.  It is also the perfect answer to hearty bread in minutes rather than hours.  Soda bread is equally comfortable sopping up gravy drippings as it is being smothered in jam or honey.  Basically, soda bread is one versatile bread.

This bread is really good warm, however, once cold, you can slice it thinly and make sandwiches with ease.  Grilled Cheese on Soda bread is the perfect rainy Sunday afternoon repast, especially if you add a hot cup of tea!

In survival situations, sometimes the right answer is the quick answer.  And that is where Irish Soda Bread comes into its own....

Irish Soda Bread
4 C flour (white, wheat or a combination)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 T sugar
2 C buttermilk (preferably room temperature)

Preheat oven to 375°

Sift (or not) the flour, soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.  Add sugar.  Stir with a fork.  Add buttermilk (I use regular milk with a bit (splash) of lemon juice or vinegar added or even powdered milk mixed with warm water and a little vinegar or lemon juice) and stir until it forms a ball.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes (do not knead for more than 2 minutes - it will make the bread tough).

Form dough into a ball and place in a well-buttered 8" cast iron skillet (if you don't have cast iron, you can use a cake or pie pan).  Press down slightly and cut a cross in the top of the loaf.

Bake at 375° (or a medium/hot wood cook stove oven) for 35-40 minutes. (This bread does not require time to rise).

Just kneaded

In a well-buttered 8" skillet

Cross cut on top

Just out of the oven

Slice any way you like

____________________________________________

And this, my friends, is the Quintessential Survival Bread.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Spaceweather Good Links

Space Weather User Picture Links Amazing!

And here is where I stole the tag line "Eyes Open, No Fear"
You'll have to search through the related videos on the right to find the current day outlook.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU_uOI1LjqM&list=UUTiL1q9YbrVam5nP2xzFTWQ&index=1



Saturday, March 16, 2013

Prepper Quiz

I like this basic knowledge stuff, like 100 years ago you or someone in your family would just know this stuff.

 

http://www.prepper-resources.com/prepper-quiz-3-test-your-knowledge/

 

Prepper Quiz #3, Test your knowledge!

It’s been a while since I have taken the time to put up a quiz, at least since last fall.  Have fun racking your brain coming up with answers for the following questions.  Let me know if you get them all correct!
Prepper-Resources.com Quiz #3
1.  One Troy ounce = _____ ounces.
2. Name 2 plants that can be sown indoors during this month (March), prior to moving them to an outdoor garden.
3. When dry salting meat for preservation, for every 100lbs of meat ___ to ___ lbs of salt should be weighed out.
4. The continuing presence of bacteria in a well, new or old, after the well has been chlorinated and flushed, is an indication that _____.
5. One should heat water to _____ degrees Fahrenheit for _____ minutes in order to kill all microorganisms.
6. When cooking outside it is optimal to locate your fire ___ to ___ yards downwind from your shelter (tent).
7. Each click on the bezel ring of a compass represents how many degrees?
8. Most 4×4′s can be driven into water that is _____ without taking special precautions.  Beyond that two major concerns would be water getting into the _____ and _____.
9. You have MREs in your food storage stash.  Each MRE provides an average of _____ calories.
10. A person weighing 160 lbs will burn _____ calories in 1 hour by jogging at 5mph.  You have to burn _____ calories MORE than you take in to lose 1 lb of fat.
Bonus. Something is wrong with your furnace and you need to call a repairman.  There is only one problem, all of your Preps are in the basement and you are worried about tipping off the repairman as to your motives.  There is simply too much stuff in your basement to move out and you need to get your furnace fixed.  What should you do?
*****
 Answers
1. 1.09714286 ounces
2. Several answers: Broccoli, Cabbage, Eggplants, Lettuce
3. 10 to 15
4. Surface water is somehow entering the well.
5. 160 degrees F for 30 minutes
6. 30 to 40 yards from your tent, you don’t want animals sniffing around.
7. 3 degrees.
8. Axle deep.  Air intake, Engine computer.
9. 1250 Calories.
10. 606, 3500 calories.
Bonus Answer:  You might be thinking that you should cover everything with sheets, but that would be even more suspicious.  I would definitely remove/secure any weapons or loose ammunition but for the most part just leave everything as is.  Go down there with the repairman if it makes you feel better and if he asks you about the supplies (he probably won’t) just be honest about it but shrug it off as no big deal.  ”Yea man, you know how it is.  My wife is crazy so she has me preparing for the Zombie Apocalypse.”  Most likely he won’t even care what you have down there, remember this is a guy who goes to multiple homes every day and has no doubt seen quite a few strange things.  If you are worried about the furnace repairman taking notes on what homes to come back and loot should T-SHTF, you’d better believe the UPS and FEDEX people who delivered all that stuff have you marked on their hit list as well. :)

Body Armor

From The Gun Tutor Safety, Security, Sport I’ve been reading a lot about National Institute of Justice (NIJ) tested body armor. As a security guard, I don’t face a lot of high risk threats, though I work in areas where weapons are not unheard of, and where threats can emerge at a moment’s notice. The reality is that on most days you won’t need the vest, but on a day that you do, you really really do. I have also worked bail enforcement, and if I return to bail work I most certainly want to wear a vest while on the job. For these reasons I have been thinking a lot about getting a vest to wear while on shift. Choosing body armor can be a daunting task. There are a lot of companies out there offering body armor that describes itself as meeting the NIJ standards, however, when you get down to the details, many of these manufacturers do not offer gear that has been tested and certified by the NIJ. Most of the manufacturers offering vests at “discount” rates have simply bypassed testing and certification. The NIJ tests vests at several levels: 1. Type IIA is tested against and must stop 124 grain 9mm FMJ ammunition at 1225 ft/s ± 30 ft/s and 180 grain .40 caliber rounds at 1155 ft/s ± 30 ft/s. 2. Type II is tested against and must stop 124 grain 9mm ammunition fired at 1305 ft/s ± 30 ft/s and . 357 Magnum 158 grain Jacketed Soft point bullets fired at 1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s. 3. Type IIIA is tested against and must stop .357 SIG 125 grain flat nose bullets moving at 1470 ft/s ± 30 ft/s and 240 grain semi-jacketed hollowpoint .44 Magnum rounds moving at1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s . 4. Type III is getting into plate ammunition, although there is flexible type III that is manufactured, which is a little different than the standard soft armor typically considered a bullet proof vest. These plates are tested against and must stop military grade M80 7.62 rifle rounds. 5. Type IV is tested against, and must stop, armor piercing rounds. Steps you can take to select quality body armor: 1. Go online to the NIJ website to find manufacturers that have been tested https://www.justnet.org/other/ballistic_cpl.html 2. Visit the manufacturer sites and find distributors. 3. Contact distributor sales reps to determine what documentation you must provide to purchase. In most states it is legal for civilians to purchase body armor, however, some manufacturers only supply police and military clients for liability reasons. 4. Measure yourself according to the manufacturer or distributor guidelines. 5. Place your order. Some manufacturers, to reduce the cost of production, test at an independent lab. These tests can prove gear is equivalent to NIJ certified manufacturers, but you are also at the mercy of the lab. Are the distances, loads and projectile speed consistent with the standard? Where numerous tests conducted, or was only one panel tested? Does testing follow all NIJ guidelines such as the proper backing material for testing? To see the full standard published by the NIJ, download the PDF here http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/223054.pdf Another option for security guard or civilian purchase is to buy refurbished police body armor. Departments buy new vests every five years after the warranty has expired. Manufacturers can rework these vests, fixing defects and providing additional years of use. Though not, new, these vests can be a good option to increase safety at reduced cost, especially if your security job is limited in pay and benefits. If you see advertising for low cost body armor that presses you to “buy now” to get in on a special offer, take a look to see who the manufacturer is and how the vest has been tested. When stepping forward to protect others, whether you are acting as a civilian to guard your family at risk from a home invasion or as a security or law enforcement officer stepping forward to stop crimes against the community, protecting your own life is paramount. A bullet proof vest may be a helpful tool in maintaining your safety. Share this: Facebook inShare1 Email Digg StumbleUpon This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged body armor, bullet, buy, civilian, National Institute of Justice, police, proof, purcase, rifle plate, security, Vest. Bookmark the permalink. ← 5.11 Tactical Gear For the Holidays Massad Ayoob Discusses the Zimmerman Case and Stand Your Ground → 2 Responses to How to Select and Purchase Body Armor and Bullet Proof Vests Bruce says: December 3, 2012 at 12:56 pm Good information, Alan. I just got a plate carrier form Grey Ghost Gear when they had their 1/2 off sale. Now I am think about the armor to fill it. Do I go with hard plate versus soft armor? I have found some hard plate cheaper, but is that needed? Do you have any input there? Reply dynamiteutah says: December 3, 2012 at 1:27 pm Yes, I have some initial thoughts. A lot of soft body armor wraps around the side and overlaps on the ribs, which can make it hard to fit into a plate carrier, unless it is designed to combine soft and hard armor. I was looking at soft armor that fits into plate carriers, but my thought was that the soft armor could bunch up and allow a bullet to slip through the openings. My thought is to use level III plates with a plate carrier and get a level II wrap around vest for concealment. The level II’s are tested against 9mm and .357 mag, so I feel confident with that in most situations. The level IIIa steps up to stop .44 mag, but I’d think it rare to face such a revolver in a robery or home invasion scenario. Reply adsense Hosted Advertising Hosted Advertising The Gun Tutor Proudly powered by WordPress.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Vinegar Rocks, but what is you cant fine any, like 22LR Ammo?

Make your own!
this from Survival Mom

http://thesurvivalmom.com/2013/03/10/march-skill-of-the-month-make-your-own-vinegar/

Making your own vinegar is a simple and cost efficient skill to learn, practice, and perfect.  It is an old-school skill that would benefit you now and in an emergency.  If store shelves become barren, and you have access to fresh fruits and even vegetables, this is a staple that you can continue to make even if society comes to a grinding halt.
vinegar March Skill of the Month: Make your own vinegar
image by Sean MacEntee
I’m not discouraging Survival Moms from buying gallons of white vinegar from your local stores, but save it to clean your windows and pickle your cucumbers.  Use your homemade vinegar to add the “Wow!” factor to your fresh recipes!
There are also health benefits to homemade vinegar.  It has long been used in the homeopathic community.  Many swear by its antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Making your own vinegar is fairly simple and straight forward.  I found several sites with varying steps.

Here is the simplest process I found

You will need:
  • A glass jar, crock, or enamelware pot
  • A piece of cheesecloth  or kitchen towel big enough to go over the container
  • A way to secure the cheesecloth or towel to the container (kitchen twine, rubber band, etc.)
  • Peelings from clean, organic fruits or vegetables (Using apples can be the easiest choice for beginners.)
  • Distilled water. Chemicals in tap water will interfere with the process.
  • A warm, dark place to store the vinegar while it is “working”.
Process:
1.  Sterilize the container by filling it with boiling water and letting it stand for 5 minutes. Pour the water out.
2.  Grind up your apples and press the juice through a cheese cloth.  As a reference, twenty pounds of apples will yield 1 gallon of juice.  Use the amount of fruit that you are comfortable processing. (It is also okay to simply use apple cores and peels for this process.)
3.  Place the juice, cores, or peels in the container and cover with distilled water. Secure the cheesecloth or towel over the lid so that insects and dirt can’t get inside.  The cloth allows the natural bacteria and wild yeast in the air to colonize in the vinegar, which in turn causes it to ferment. Some people add wine or beer yeast (not baking yeast) to their batch to encourage fermentation.  This is a personal choice and does not appear to be necessary.
4.  Store the container in a dark area between 60 and 80 degrees F.  Gently stir once a day to make sure that the ferment is mixing with the rest of the liquid.
After a few weeks you will start noticing a vinegary odor. Allow the vinegar to continue to ferment until you have the intensity that you want.  This process should take 3 – 4 weeks.  Near the end, feel free to begin tasting to find the flavor you desire.
You should begin to see the mother forming.  This is normal.  From Wisegeek:
The mother of vinegar is the slimy, gummy, jelly-like substance or layer of film that can form on the top or bottom of your vinegar.  It can sometimes make the vinegar look cloudy.
It is the mother that gives the vinegar its characteristic sourness.
Mother of vinegar can be easily filtered out using cheesecloth or a coffee filter.  The mother can then be discarded OR saved and used to create your next batch.
Mary Audet says:
To ensure success, especially for your first time, before it is fermented, you can add a half a cup of organic unfiltered vinegar from the health-food store, or use a vinegar starter or mother available on the internet.
She continues:
At this point you can strain through clean cheesecloth and bottle. Store your containers in a cool, dark place. This homemade vinegar can be used as any other vinegar.
Each ingredient you use will cause it to have a different flavor. For example we all know what apple cider vinegar tastes like, but peach vinegar has a much different taste, fruitier and mellower. Experiment with different combinations and ingredients to see which you like the best.
If you want to store homemade vinegar at room temperature for more than a few months, you must pasteurize it. Do this by heating it to 170 degrees F.  Use a cooking thermometer to determine the temperature and hold it at this temperature for 10 minutes. Put the pasteurized vinegar in sterilized containers with tight-fitting lids, out of direct sunlight.
Caution:
The acidity of homemade vinegar varies greatly. If you make your own vinegar, do not use it for canning, preserving, or for anything that will be stored at room temperature. The vinegar’s acidity, or pH level, may not be sufficient to preserve your food and could result in severe food poisoning. The pH level in homemade vinegar can weaken and allow pathogens, such as the deadly E. coli to grow. Homemade vinegar is well suited for dressings, marinades, cooking, or pickled products that are stored in the refrigerator at all times.
chive blossom vinegar March Skill of the Month: Make your own vinegar
image by julia stewart40
You can experiment with herbs, fruits, and vegetables to get different flavors of vinegar. This page provides a list of items that work well.

Simple instructions for flavored vinegars

Again from Mary Audet:
Place your herbs or fruits in a sterilized jar.  Pour your vinegar into the jar and fill to within one half an inch of the top. Cover with plastic wrap and then a tight top, if using metal. Let the flavors blend for six weeks in a cool, dark place.  Strain and re-bottle making sure you label your yummy new flavors!
Caution:  You should never leave these items in the vinegar.  They will cause the vinegar to spoil.

Online resources

How to make your own vinegar
How to make homemade vinegar
What is mother of vinegar?

Videos

If you’re like me, you’re a visual learner.  Here are two videos made by Super Mom.  She did not post her third and final phase, but the first two videos are very informative.  As I stated earlier, there are slight variations in making homemade vinegar.  Her process is worth viewing.
Make Your Own Vinegar ~ Day 1

Make Your Own Vinegar ~ Day 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47vSRyR5wfg

Jars of homemade vinegar fermenting:

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Companion Planting Garden

For those that don’t know, companion planting refers to planting vegetables, plants and flowers together, that benefit each other in some way.

For example, planting onions next to carrots helps repel carrot fly.  All beans fix nitrogen into the soil via nodules on their roots. Nitrogen is vital for green leafy vegetables, so they will benefit from being planted together, or be planted in the same soil, after the beans have been harvested.

French marigolds produce a pesticidal chemical from their roots and as the old saying goes – plant marigolds everywhere.

There are a number of different combinations, some repel pests and some provide vital nutrients for other plants. The awesome graphic above was created by Roots Nursery, for more information and to see a much larger version of the graphic, check out the link below.



Vegetables
Common name Scientific name Helps Helped by Attracts Repels/Distracts Avoid Comments
Alliums Allium fruit trees, nightshades (tomatoes, capsicum peppers, potatoes), brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi, etc.) carrots carrots
slugs, aphids, carrot fly, cabbage worms[1] beans, peas, parsley Alliums include onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, chives, and others
Asparagus Asparagus officinalis Tomatoes[2] Aster Family flowers, Dill, Coriander, Tomatoes, Parsley, Basil, Comfrey, Marigolds coupled with Basil seems to encourage lady bugs
Onion, Garlic, Potatoes
Brassicas Brassica potatoes, cereals (e.g. corn, wheat) geraniums, dill, alliums (onions, shallots, garlic, etc.), rosemary, nasturtium, borage
wireworms mustards, nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, etc.) Brassicas are a family of species which include broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, and cauliflower.
Beans Phaseolus Corn (see Three Sisters), Spinach, lettuce, rosemary, summer savory, dill, carrots, brassicas, beets, radish, strawberry and cucumbers and mint Eggplant, Summer savoury
California beetles Tomatoes, chili peppers, alliums (onions, garlic, etc.), brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, etc.) Hosts nitrogen-fixing bacteria, a good fertiliser for some plants, too much for others
Beets Beta Vulgaris lettuce, kohlrabi, onions and brassicas Catnip, Garlic, Mint

Runner or pole beans[2] Good for adding minerals to the soil through composting leaves which have up to 25% magnesium. Runner or pole beans and beets stunt each other's growth.
Broccoli Brassica oleracea
geraniums, dill, alliums, rosemary, nasturtium, borage

mustards, Tomatoes, peppers Rosemary repels cabbage fly, geraniums trap cabbage worms, same general companion profile as all brassica (cabbage, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, etc.)
Cabbage Brassica oleracea
geraniums, dill, alliums, rosemary

mustards, Tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, and pole/runner beans Rosemary repels cabbage flies, geraniums trap cabbage worms, same general companion profile as all brassica (cabbage, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, etc.)
Carrots Daucus carota Tomatoes, Alliums (onions, chives, etc.), lettuce alliums (leeks, shallots, etc.), rosemary, wormwood, sage, beans, flax assassin bug, lacewing, parasitic wasp, yellow jacket and other predatory wasps
Dill, parsnip, radish Tomatoes grow better with carrots, but may stunt the carrots' growth. Beans (which are bad for tomatoes) provide the nitrogen carrots need more than some other vegetables. Aromatic companion plants repel carrot fly. Sage, rosemary, and radishes are recommended by some as companion plants, but listed by others as incompatible. Alliums inter-planted with carrots confuse onion and carrot flies. For the beneficial insect-attracting properties of carrots to work, they need to be allowed to flower; Otherwise, use the wild carrot, Queen Anne's Lace, for the same effect. Flax produces an oil that may protect root vegetables like carrots from some pests.
Celery Apium graveolens
Cosmos, Daisies, Snapdragons

corn, Aster flowers Aster flowers, can transmit the aster yellows disease
Corn / Maize Zea mays beans Sunflowers, legumes (beans, peas, soybeans etc.), peanuts, cucurbits (squash, cucumbers, melons, etc.), amaranth, white geranium, lamb's quarters, morning glory, parsley, and potato[2]

Tomato, Celery Provides beans with a trellis, is protected from predators and dryness by cucurbits, in the three sisters technique
Cucumber Cucumis Sativus
Nasturtiums, radishes, marigolds, sunflowers, peas, beets, carrots, and Dill Beneficial for ground beetles
Tomato, Sage
Common name Scientific name Helps Helped by Attracts Repels/Distracts Avoid Comments
Eggplant or Aubergine Solanum melongena Beans, Peppers Marigolds, tarragon, mints


Marigolds will deter nematodes.
Leek Allium ampeloprasum v. porrum Celery, apple trees carrots
cabbage worms, aphids, carrot fly, others Legumes (beans, peas, etc.), Swiss chard Same companion traits as all alliums (onions, garlic, shallots, chives, etc.)
Lettuce Lactuca sativa
Radish, Kohlrabi, beans, carrots

celery, cabbage, cress, parsley Mints (including hyssop, sage, and various "balms") repel slugs, a bane of lettuce and cabbages
Mustard Brassicaceae, Sinapis alba Cabbage, cauliflower, radish, Brussels sprouts, turnips

various pests
Same general companion profile as all brassica (cabbage, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, etc.)
Nightshades Solanaceae
carrots, alliums, mints (basil, oregano, etc.)

beans, black walnuts, corn, fennel, dill, brassica (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, etc.) Nightshade plants include tomatoes, tobacco, chili peppers (including bell peppers), potatoes, eggplant, and others
Common name Scientific name Helps Helped by Attracts Repels/Distracts Avoid Comments
Onion Allium cepa Tomatoes, brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, etc.) Carrots
aphids, carrot fly, other pests Beans, lentils, peas, parsley Same companion traits as all other alliums (chives, garlic, shallots, leeks, etc.)
Peppers Solanaceae, Capsicum themselves, marjoram tomatoes, geraniums, petunias Tomato Hornworm
beans, kale (cabbage, Brussels sprouts, etc.) Pepper plants like high humidity, which can be helped along by planting with some kind of dense-leaf or ground-cover companion, like marjoram and basil; they also need direct sunlight, but their fruit can be harmed by it...pepper plants grown together, or with tomatoes, can shelter the fruit from sunlight, and raises the humidity level.
Potato Solanum tuberosum
Horseradish

Atriplex, carrot, cucumber, onion, raspberries, squash, sunflower, tomato Horseradish increases the disease resistance of potatoes
Parsnip Pastinaca Sativa fruit trees
a variety of predatory insects

The flowers of the parsnip plant left to seed will attract a variety of predatory insects to the garden, they are particularly helpful when left under fruit trees, the predators attacking codling moth and light brown apple moth. The root also contains Myristricin, which is toxic to fruit flies, house flies, red spider mite, pea aphids, a simple blender made extraction of three blended parsnips roots to one litre of water through a food processor (not one for preparing food) and left overnight, strained and use within a few days.
Pumpkin and other Squash Curcurbita spp corn, beans Buckwheat, catnip, tansy, radishes Spiders, Ground Beetles

Radishes can be used as a trap crop against flea beetles, Curcurbita can be used in the three sisters technique
Radish Raphanus sativus squash, eggplant, cucumber,[2] lettuce

flea beetles, cucumber beetles
Radishes can be used as a trap crop against flea beetles
Spinach Spinacia oleracea
Peas, Beans


The peas and beans provide natural shade for the spinach
Tomatoes Solanum lycopersicum roses, peppers, asparagus basil,[3] oregano, parsley, carrots, marigold, Alliums, celery, Geraniums, Petunias, Nasturtium, Borage, any type of onion or chives Tomato Hornworm asparagus beetle Black walnut, corn, fennel, peas, dill, potatoes, beetroot, brassicas (kohlrabi, cabbage, etc.), rosemary Black walnuts inhibit tomato growth, in fact they are negative allelopathic to all other nightshade plants (chili pepper, potato, tobacco, petunia) as well, because it produces a chemical called juglone. Dill attracts tomato hornworm.

Growing tomatoes with Basil does not appear to enhance tomato flavour but studies have shown that growing them around 10 inches apart can increase the yield of tomatoes by about 20%.[3]

Herbs

Herbs
Common name Scientific name Helps Helped by Attracts Repels / Distracts Avoid Comments
Basil Ocimum basilicum tomato,[3] peppers, oregano, asparagus, petunias chamomile, anise butterflies asparagus beetle, mosquitoes, thrips and flies common rue is said to make tomatoes taste better, chamomile and anise are supposed to increase the essential oils in many herbs like basil
Borage Borago officinalis Almost everything, especially strawberry, cucurbits (cucumber, gourds), tomatoes and cabbage
Predatory insects, honeybees many pests
Predict a square meter for its adult size. Borage is the magic bullet of companion plants[citation needed]
Caraway Carum carvi Strawberries
Parasitic wasps, parasitic flies


Chamomile Matricaria recutita Basil, Wheat, Onion, Cabbage, Cucumber
Hoverflies, wasps

Growing near herbs will increase their oil production.
Chervil Anthriscus cerefolium Radish, lettuce, broccoli

aphids radish loves shade, fortunately it grows well with shade-tolerant food plants; will make radishes grown near it taste spicier
Cilantro / Coriander Coriandrum sativum spinach beans, peas tachinid fly aphids, spider mites, white flies and potato beetle

Chives Allium schoenoprasum Apples, carrots, tomatoes, brassica (broccoli, cabbage, mustard, etc.), many others carrots
cabbage worms, carrot fly, aphids beans, peas Same companion traits as all alliums (onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, etc.)said to prevent apple scab after 3 years planting at base of apple trees
Common name Scientific name Helps Helped by Attracts Repels / Distracts Avoid Comments
Dill Anethum graveolens Cabbages, Corn, Lettuce, Onions, Cucumbers
Tiger Swallowtail butterflies/caterpillars, Hoverflies, Wasps, Tomato Hornworm, honeybees, Ichneumonid Wasps Aphids, spider mites, squash bugs, cabbage looper carrots, tomatoes one of the few plants said to grow with fennel
Fennel Foeniculum vulgare Dill Dill ladybugs, syrphid fly, tachinid fly aphids Almost everything Fennel is allelopathic to most garden plants, inhibiting growth, causing to bolt, or actually killing many plants
Garlic Allium sativum Apple trees, Pear trees, Roses, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Celery

Aphids, cabbage looper, ants, rabbits, cabbage maggot, vampires Beans, cabbages, peas Deters rabbits, same companion traits as all alliums (onions, chives, shallots, leeks, etc.)
Hemp Cannabis sativa L. subsp. sativa Brassica (cabbage, brussels sprouts, other kales)



Repels many types of beetles which attack cabbages.
Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis Cabbage, grapes
honeybees, butterflies Cabbage moth larvae, Cabbage Butterflies
Stimulates growth of grapes.
Lovage Levisticum officinale Almost all plants beans Ichneumonid Wasps, ground beetles (good)
rhubarb Is thought to improve the health of almost all plants, like borage and geraniums, is considered a "magic bullet" of companion planting
Oregano Origanum vulgare Tomatoes, peppers, many other plants basil
aphids
provides ground cover and much-needed humidity for pepper plants if allowed to spread among them
Parsley Petroselinum crispum Asparagus, corn/maize, tomatoes
Swallowtail Butterflies, wasps, flies
Alliums, lettuce Sacrificially attracts insects that predate upon tomatoes
Common name Scientific name Helps Helped by Attracts Repels / Distracts Avoid Comments
Peppermint Mentha piperita Brassica (cabbage, kohlrabi, broccoli, and the other kales)

cabbage fly, ants, cabbage looper
Repels cabbage flies, has same general companion properties as other mints
Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis sage, cabbage, beans, carrots, thyme

bean beetle basil Deters cabbage flies, repels many bean parasites
Sage Salvia officinalis rosemary, cabbage, beans, carrots
honeybees, cabbage butterfly cabbage flies, carrot fly, black flea beetle, cabbage looper, cabbage maggot
Deters cabbage flies, repels many bean parasites
Southernwood Artemisia abrotanum Fruit trees



Controls cabbage moths and malaria mosquitoes.
Spearmint Mentha spicata


ants, aphids
Controls ants and aphids, has same general companion properties as other mints.
Summer Savoury Satureja hortensis Green beans, onions,



also delays germination of certain foul herbs
Tansy Tanacetum vulgare beans, cucurbits (cucumbers, squash, etc.), corn, roses
honeybees flying insects(Ichneumonid Wasps), Japanese beetles, striped cucumber beetles, squash bugs and ants
Is reputed to generally repel insects (except for nectar-eating types). This herb should not be consumed, as it is quite toxic.
Tarragon Artemisia dracunculus Everything, but especially eggplant



Its scent is disliked by most pests, and this plant is also thought to have Nurse Plant properties, enhancing the growth and flavor of crops grown with it.
Thyme
Cabbage and broccoli



Deters white fly

Flowers

Flowers
Common Name Latin Name Helps Helped by Attracts Repels / Distracts Avoid Comments









Geraniums Pelargonium spp. Roses, corn, peppers, grapes

leafhoppers, Japanese beetles Tomatoes, Tobacco, Eggplants and other nightshades A trap crop, attracting pests away from roses and grape vines, distracts beet leafhoppers, carrier of the curly top virus, keep away from Solanaceous plants like eggplant, and tobacco
Lupin Lupinus Cucurbits, brassica, lettuce, rosemary, dill, strawberry summer savory Honeybees
tomatoes and other solanaceae This wildflower is a legume, hosting bacteria that fixes nitrogen in the soil, fertilizing it for neighboring plants
Marigold Asteraceae Calendula Tagetes most plants, especially tomatoes and peppers, cucurbits (cucumbers, gourds, squash), brassicas (broccoli, kale, cabbage)
snails nematodes, beet leaf hoppers, other pests
Marigolds are a wonder-drug of the companion plant world, invoking the saying "plant them everywhere in your garden". French marigolds produce a pesticidal chemical from their roots, so strong it lasts years after they are gone. Mexican marigolds do the same, but are so strong they will inhibit the growth of some more tender herbs. Certain Varieties of marigolds (Tagetes) can help manage eelworms (Root-knot nematode) when planted the year before [1]. Tagetes has also been found effective against perennial weeds such as Ranunculus ficaria (Celandine), Aegopodium podagraria (Ground elder), Glechoma hederacea (Ground ivy), Agropyron repens (Couch grass), Convolvulus arvensis (Field bindweed), Equisetum arvense (Field/Common Horsetail) and other 'starchy' weeds.[citation needed]
Petunia Petunia x hybrida cucurbits (squash, pumpkins, cucumbers), asparagus

leafhoppers, Japanese beetles, aphids, asparagus beetle
Is a trap crop almost identical to geraniums in function
Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus Many plants, especially cucurbits (melons, cucumbers, gourds), beans, tomatoes, apple trees, brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, etc.), radish[citation needed]
predatory insects aphids, cabbage looper, squash bug, white fly, cucumber beetles radish[citation needed], cauliflower Both work as trap crops for aphids, is among the best at attracting predatory insects[citation needed]
Sunflower Helianthus annuus corn, tomatoes

aphids
Was grown as a companion for corn(maize) before modern Europeans arrived in the Americas, supposedly increases their production, ants herd aphids onto sunflowers, keeping them off neighboring plants
Tansy Tanacetum vulgare cucurbits (cucumbers, squash, etc.), raspberries and relatives, roses, corn

sugar ants, Japanese beetles, cucumber beetles, squash bugs, mice
Toxic to many animals, don't plant it where livestock browse
Yarrow Achillea millefolium many plants
predatory wasps, ladybugs, hoverflies, damselbugs

May increase the essential oil production of some herbs. Also improves soil quality, use the leaves to enrich compost, or as mulch.
Zinnia Zinnia beans, tomatoes, peppers

whiteflies
Attracts hummingbirds that eat whitflies, attracts pollinators

Other

Other
Common Name Latin Name Helps Helped by Attracts Repels / Distracts Avoid Comments
Alfalfa Medicago sativa Cotton
assassin bug, big-eyed bug, Ladybug, parasitic wasps Lygus bugs
Used by farmers to reduce cotton pests, a good crop to improve soil; fixes nitrogen like beans do. Also breaks up hardpan and other tough soil.

Trees

Common Name Latin Name Helps Helped by Attracts Repels / Distracts Avoid Comments
Apple Malus domestica
Clover, Chive, Garlic, Leek, Nasturtium, Southernwood, Daffodils, Comfrey

Cedar because of apple-cedar rust. Walnut because its roots produce growth inhibitors that apple trees are sensitive to[4]

Apricot Prunus armeniaca



peppers A fungus that peppers are prone to can infect apricot trees causing a lot of harm.
Walnut Juglans
European Alder (sacrifice plant)


Black walnut is harmful to the growth of all nightshade plants, including Datura or Jimson weed, eggplant, mandrake, deadly nightshade or belladonna, capsicum (paprika, chile pepper), potato, tomato, and petunia.