Organic Gardening Articles Directory » DIY

How to Install Vinyl Siding

admin — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:56:28 +0000

Vinyl siding can make it easy to re-side you property, no matter how hard it may look in the beginning. You can even cut down the costs of siding installation to less that half, if you install it by yourself. Installation of Vinyl sliding by yourself is easy, if you understand how to do that. In this article you will find some useful tips on how to install Vinyl Sliding.

Necessary Steps

Prepare the space so that you can work comfortably. Tie back branches from trees, shrubs etc, away from the property. Remove all things that can potentially interfere with the installation. In order to make the vinyl accessories fit properly, scrape the old sealant out of the junctions between the previous sliding windows/doors.
Nail 1×3 furring strips 16″ on center from the foundation to the eaves, just in case the walls of the house are not leveled properly.
Now you must find the lowest corner of the house: use a mason’s line and neatly line the level of the property. Make a level chalk line all around the property, by measuring the distance as specified by the Vinyl installation guidebook.
Nail starter strip all around the base of the property, by using the chalk line you made as a guide. You must leave 1/4″ space between the ends where two pieces bump into each other.
The next step is to install the inside and outside corner posts. Allow the post to extend below the bottom of the old siding for around 1/4″ and also leave a 1/4″ gap at the eaves.
You need to install J-channel, first on the sides. After that, install them across the tops of all windows and doors. Notch the J-channel to allow a drip edge at the corners. Next, install the J-channel along the sloped eaves at all gable end walls.
Install the siding panels, working from the starter strip up. Stagger the joints 4” apart.
The panels should be overlapped 1″ at each joint. Keep the overlap away from the entrances in order to reduce its visibility. You should leave 1/4″ gap wherever the ends of panels bump into J-channel or corner posts.
You should not force the panels up against the previous row. Let them hang loose. And check every fifth or sixth course, to ensure that the run is level.
After that, mark the section you are about to cut to notch a panel, where it will fit under the window. Then take a tin snip and cut from the top of the panel. Score the panel horizontally and cut it apart using a utility knife.
Hollow the cut edge 16″ on the center, using a snap-lock punch (make sure that lugs are on the outside of the panel), then push the siding panel into place.
With the help of a circular saw, rip the panel to width at the horizontal eaves, punch the cut edge 16″ on center (with the snap-lock punch). Then, push the panel into place.
After the work is done, don’t forget about gutter protection and a glass of beer!

Next time I will try to write about soffit and fascia. Keep your finger on the pulse!

Chicken coops

admin — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:30:35 +0000

Apart from fruits and vegetables a lot of gardeners grow chickens as well. Chickens give meat and eggs and help you to save money. Some of the gardeners would like to have chickens but leave this idea thinking that building a chicken coop is very hard thing to do. It is not true. Chicken coops can be built in one or two days. Chickens don’t require a lot of space so you don’t have to build a huge house if you plan to have 5-6 hens.

I’ve found a very nice tutorial on Youtube, that you might find useful. You may also want to visit backyardchickens.com for free chicken coops plans.

Making container for my balcony garden

admin — Fri, 08 May 2009 19:22:45 +0000

Hello folks! I hope the weather is nice in your area and you spend your free time in the garden. That’s what I was doing for the last two days. As you know, my garden is not really big: just two windows and the balcony. But that’s enough for me to grow cucumbers, tomatoes, flowers and different herbs. Such as dill, basil, etc.
I am going to publish a new videos today. Container gardening is the best solution if you have limited space so I made a wooden container for my cucumbers. It took me about 2 hours in total (in two days period as I was tired yesterday and left the work till today), didn’t cost me anything and… I had a fun making it Enjoy the videos

Help the world! Use paper pot maker!
Have a look on my home garden seeds for sale!

Some very VERY good news!

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 19:28:08 +0000

Hello everyone!
Let’s cut the long story short: a few weeks after struggling to find the cheapest paper pot maker, I found a letter in my inbox from the nice guy from USA who makes a next generation paper pot makers! They are even better than the wooden ones as
1) They are made from vinyl, NOT from wood so by buying them you save a forests.
2) They are VERY cheap in comparison with the wooden ones. So you save your money!
3) Other pot making devices require you to struggle getting potting soil into the pot, properly moistened and compressed without damaging the pot you just made. So you save your time and nerves!

He offered me to become a dealer and of course I agreed. I’ve made a new page where you can buy Next Generation Paper Pot Maker for just 9.93$! This is an amazing price for such gadget and it is currently the lowest price on the Web!
So from now on if you are looking to buy one this is the right place to do that. I am not kidding and I am so sure this is the lowest price that I promise to send you the difference back if you’ll find this tool any cheaper. However I do not recommend you to do that as it is waste of time. You could spend it in the garden

The other news a wanted to share with you all: I’ve reduced the price for home garden seeds from 5$ to 3.99$ in order for you to be able to save a dollar because of the financial crisis. And the shipping is FREE by the way.

At the end I want to thank all people who has signed to my RSS feed and who has requested to receive updates via email. That means someone likes what I am writing about and it makes me think that the popularity of organic living will continue to grow. Thank you all! Let’s force the world to change!

DIY-Upside down tomato planter

admin — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:03:13 +0000

Hello folks,
Sorry for 1 week break – I took a break from my Internet life and went fishing. Unfortunately I didn’t catch anything – the weather is still too cold and windy. Also I almost lost my wedding ring – it went off my finger and flew into the river while I was shaking the dirt off my trousers. So I had to take my shoes off and go into the cold waters (the water was about -5 C ) in order to take it. Anyway, let’s go back to our home garden seeds, plants and soil.

I wrote about upside down tomato planter recently and gave a link to Amazon where you can buy it for 13.99$. The price as affordable however for those who count their pennies I’ve got a video that shows you how to make your own upside down tomato planter! All you need to have is a bucket, soil (I recommend to use organic potting soil for best results), coffee filter or newspaper and a knife. Enjoy the video, guys!

Have a look on my home garden seeds for sale!
(c)Home Garden Seeds

I’ve got an idea.

admin — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:18:28 +0000

Ok, guys, I need your advice. I was writing about “Must Have” tool for organic gardeners – Paper Pot Maker. I think the majority of you know about this lovely little gadget that helps you to make paper pot, helps the nature and saves your money. But this thingee costs about 16-18$ in average. I think it is a little bit high, really. So I’ve decided to find a craftsman and ask him to make some paper pot makers for all of us.
What I need from you is simple. Just write in the comments if you would like to buy one, how much would you pay (inc. shipping fee) for that tool and what size would you like it to be. I want to check if it’s worth ordering or organic gardeners still prefer to use that nasty plastic pots
I will be waiting for your comments on that.
P.s. I would also ask you for a BIG favour for me. If you have a Digg account, please digg this article for me (you can see the social button below the post) and ask you friends who are interested in organic gardening to comment as well. If you have a gardening blog, let your readers know. I promise to find the best solution for everyone. Let’s unite and save forests! Are we organic gardeners or what??

Make a Self Watering Container from 2 litres bottle.

admin — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:35:03 +0000

Ok, guys, today I want to write about saving our money again.
All of us probably have seen self-watering containers in the shops or markets. Some of us probably use them to grow home garden seeds. They are really good for those who have to visit their family or friends during the summer and don’t want to kill their plants and vegetables. But these containers cost a lot. Not everyone can afford to buy them. I am also guessing that some of us wanted to build self-watering container themselves, they saw a lot of tutorials on the Web but 95% of the tutorials ask to buy garden containers anyway, drill them and all that sort of things. I don’t know about you, but am too lazy to do that (I know I shouldn’t say that but at least I will be fair with myself ). But today I’ve found the tutorial for making a self watering container from 2 litres bottle and I think this is the easiest and best way to make it. It takes maximum 10 minutes and costs virtually nothing. You will be able to plant home garden seeds straight away! Have a look on the video-tutorial from Youtube. I hope you’ll find it useful.
P.s. If you are busy and can’t spend a lot of time in your garden, you also may want to buy vegetable and tree Ooze Tube.

Have a look on my home garden seeds for sale!
Help the world! Use paper pot maker!

(c)Garden Seeds

The Brilliant Idea or Free Organic Fertiliser

admin — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 18:47:16 +0000

A few days ago I’ve come across something called Aquaponic Gardening. In two words, it is a special system that combines aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (growing plants without soil). The fish provide nutrients to the plants and the plants absorb nutrients that can become harmful for the fish if left up to high levels. The pump pumps water from the container with live fish, then the water goes though the container with the plants, the roots of the plants absorb the necessary elements and then clean water goes back to the container with the fish. There are few advantages (one of them – you don’t have to become an organic weed killer as there will be no weeds) and few disadvantages but in overall the idea sounds great.

BUT
I was thinking yesterday – how many of us can make such system? 10 percent? May be less. All we want to do is to plant our home garden seeds and get a harvest. And what about expensive tanks, pumps and electricity bills? How many of us can afford that? And then a brilliant idea came to my mind. It is simple but smart (heh-heh, I am being modest today).

You can see the picture below:

Ok. This is my idea. Just place two or free fishes in the water container, use water from it and add new water periodically. Of course, don’t forget to feed the fish. This method is even better for the plants as apart from the nutrients from the fish, plants will get vitamins from the soil.

Help the world! Use paper pot maker!
Have a look on my home garden seeds for sale!