Need advice for someone starting in the trades
Erickson Handyman Service
4 months ago
last modified: 4 months ago
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Erickson Handyman Service
4 months agoDLM2000-GW
4 months agoRelated Discussions
Need advice, going to try and start seeds indoors again
Comments (24)I have the same shelf as zenman, but I don't use a heat mat. I buy the mylar blankets from the sports dept at Walmart. They are in a small box hanging on a rack and the cost is about $3. I drape this small blanket over the top shelf and attach it with clothes pins to cover down to the next shelf. I don't use any lights on the top shelf, and because heat rises, the heat from the lights on the second shelf heat the area above that shelf. The blanket holds the heat in and the tray with the dome cover holds the moisture in the tray. At the first sign of germination, I remove the dome and move the tray down under the lights and drop the lights down until they almost touch the plants. I grow in a building that is well insulated and will only add heat if the outside temp is below freezing. The lights create some heat, but I intentional grow tomatoes on a cooler shelf. Peppers, on the other hand, need to be on one of the open shelves that has a light under it as they will benefit from the extra heat that rises from that light. I also have my light fixtures plugged into surge protectors so that I can control all of the lights by just flipping a switch rather than plugging and unplugging cords. The sports blankets that I use look a little like aluminum foil, but are soft and almost transparent. When I first start the plants I use another blanket to wrap around the shelves because the silver color tends to reflect more light onto the plants (I think). Sometimes I remove it from the lower shelves and some years I just add a small fan to make sure there is some air movement on the plants. Later in the season, I remove it because I don't want the plants to be too hot, but I leave the top part covered and continue to use it as a germination chamber. I am attaching a picture, but the light wasn't on in the room when I took the picture so you have to look closely to see the top shelf which has no lights. I have watered from the bottom, from the top, and misted and I never have had damping off, so I can't say which is best. I would never mist if I wasn't running a fan though. Here is a link that might be useful: My shelf...See MoreNervous Nelly...Demo starting..need advice!!
Comments (16)The dust is endless. Yes. Echo what everyone says---use plastic sheets over everything you can and put away everything you don't really need (baskets, pictures, paintings, etc.). Piled stuff in the wall unit and sealed it up. Our electric fry pan got a lot of use--everything from pancakes to grilled cheese, etc. If you have kids, leave out a few fun things--stuff for s'mores, toppings for ice cream. Make it fun and an adventure! Wine. One thing I'll add from personal experience---make certain your contractor knows where his crews will be getting water from and doing clean-up. We asked the contractor to install a slop sink in the garage (plumbing was already there for the W/D) when the main kitchen sink was removed. He didn't, and over the next four months we battled the contractors to avoid using the new silgranite sinks to mix grout and mortar, etc. In the end, while we were cordoned upstairs during wood floor refinishing, the floor guys left poly soaked cloths in the new sink---then used sandpaper to "remove" the stain a few days later. Now we're faced with the contractor having to replace the sink without damaging the new granite and cabs. So---make sure your contractors know which sinks/restrooms they are allowed to use and install a slop sink if you don't already have one....See MoreNeed advice on starting lemon tree bonsai
Comments (13)Couple of thoughts. First, nice trees :) If it was mine I'd be wiring it into a cascade and really pushing the envelope, but that's just me. :) Yes indeed, you can cut it back and make a more proportioned trunk that way. It's actually quite pleasing to look at now even in its non-traditional thin trunk state. Don't remove the younger brother/sister. I'd keep it as is and wind it into the other trunk, wrap the entire thing and let them grow into each other...voila! Instant thicker trunk!! :) https://www.bonsaiempire.com/blog/trunk-fusion The techniques there are good and there are other examples online - I've seen some dynamite trees made by fusing and with yours they're so close together it would be a shame to not use them together. The key to yours will be getting branches to grow. In the meantime... Bonsai pictures are great but in addition, REALLY pay attention to trees in nature. You can learn tons from that and get wonderful ideas. I am constantly blown away by things that I've yet to see bonsai artists do. It'll also help you to break the rules in bonsai. For example, yes, officially, there should be a taper to a trunk, but more importantly, it shouldn't look ugly. Certain pines, and trees such as birches and poplars, can be quite old and not have very tapered trunks. Reverse tapers and bulges can often detract and seem non-pleasing. Never the less, trees are contextual. They grow certain ways because of the conditions. If you've got a thin trunk tree, or something else, dream the story that led to it and let the planting/pot/etc tell that story! We ALL love a good story!! Learn all you can about Lemon trees (or whatever trees you're growing) in general. Have fun and enjoy your trees!! Yes, there rules, and it's really easy to find them online. The fun is in working with nature, telling the story together and learning which rules support the story and which don't. Really enjoy your trees. It's amazing, but as I've learned multiple times, sometimes one winter, or one deer, or one storm is all it takes to drastically alter your bonsai forever or destroy it. It's beauty - enjoy it :) Hope this all makes sense. :) All the best!!...See MoreBuying a old 90s house and need advice on how to start
Comments (14)Thank you @arcy_gw. It is 1996 :) I am not familiar with houses always gone with builder built ones ready made. And I am now thinking of going from 2010s house to 1996 .... I am doing something out of my comfort zone and maybe can't express it well. I find the style old - it has sunken living, family and basement etc. But it has been renovated from inside with white cabinets, beautiful white stone in kitchen etc. It is not my style but its pretty, sophisticated neat look. In this house - majorly I would like to improve the backyard. Backyard is still ok. You see there is this green level area in the picture. Hmm.. even that has 1 inch up and down...not sure why. Do you see the brown line which is the fence with a deep 2 feet to 5 feet at some place land gone to waste with just useless vegetation. Can't i fill the dirt and level it and get a decent size backyard i am only concern about the backyard.....the windows etc may or may not come... The family room has 2 storey windows..i will change my life style and enjoy quite mornings there ..maybe....See MoreErickson Handyman Service
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