HOME AND GARDEN STORE: 2009

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Cloud b Twilight Turtle - Constellation Night Light

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

iRobot 500 Series Roomba Vacuum-Cleaning Robot with On-Board Scheduling

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

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Sunday, July 26, 2009

AeroGrow AeroGarden with Gourmet Herb Seed Kit, Black

Product Description
Enjoy the taste and fragrance of fresh herbs, vegetables and salad greens grown right in your kitchen. The AeroGarden grows them all with no dirt, mess or pesticides. Plants grow in water, nutrients and air, up to twice as fast as plants grown in soil. It’s easy, foolproof, and 100% guaranteed. It’s self-watering and self-feeding. The AeroGarden automatically controls the built-in grow bulbs and tells you when to add more water and nutrients. Grow fresh Italian Basil, Purple Basil, Chives, Dill, Mint, Parsley & Thyme with the included Gourmet Herb Seed Kit. Seed kits for cherry tomatoes, chili peppers, romaine lettuce, petunias and more also are available.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Cicada

Cicada Books

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedi

A cicada (pronounced /sɪˈkeɪdə/) is an insect of the order Hemiptera, suborder Auchenorrhyncha, in the superfamily Cicadoidea, with large eyes wide apart on the head and usually transparent, well-veined wings. There are about 2,500 species of cicada around the world, and many remain unclassified. Cicadas live in temperate to tropical climates where they are among the most widely recognized of all insects, mainly due to their large size and remarkable acoustic talents. Cicadas are sometimes colloquially called "locusts",[1] although they are unrelated to true locusts, which are a kind of grasshopper. They are also known as "jar flies". Cicadas are related to leafhoppers and spittlebugs. In parts of the southern Appalachian Mountains in the United States they are known as "dry flies" because of the dry shell they leave behind.
Cicadas are benign to humans and do not bite or sting, but can be pests to several cultivated crops. Many people around the world regularly eat cicadas: the female is prized as it is meatier. Cicadas have been (or are still) eaten in Ancient Greece, China, Malaysia, Burma, Latin America, and the Congo. Shells of cicadas are employed in the traditional medicines of China.[2]
The name is a direct derivation of the Latin cicada, meaning "buzzer". In classical Greek it was called a tettix, and in modern Greek tzitzikas - both names being onomatopoeic

Taxonomy
Cicadas are arranged into two families: Tettigarctidae (q.v.) and Cicadidae. There are two extant species of Tettigarctidae, one in southern Australia, and the other in Tasmania. The family Cicadidae is subdivided into the subfamilies Tettigadinae, Cicadinae, and Cicadettinae, and they exist on all continents except Antarctica.

17-year cicada, or magicicada

Cicada found in Chicago, IL, USA, on June, 2007
The largest cicadas are in the genera Pomponia and Tacua. There are some 200 species in 38 genera in Australia, about 450 in Africa, about 100 in the Palaearctic, and exactly one species in England, the New Forest cicada, Melampsalta montana, widely distributed throughout Europe. There are about 150 species in South Africa.
Most of the North American species are in the genus Tibicen - the annual or dog-day cicadas (so named because they emerge in late July and August [1] ). The best-known North American genus is Magicicada, however. These periodical cicadas have an extremely long life cycle of 13 to 17 years and emerge in large numbers.[1] Another American species is the Apache cicada, Diceroprocta apache.
Australian cicadas can differ from many other types because of that continent's diversity of climate and terrain. In Australia, cicadas are found on tropical islands and cold coastal beaches around Tasmania; in tropical wetlands; high and low deserts; alpine areas of New South Wales and Victoria; large cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane; and Tasmanian highlands and snowfields.
Thirty-eight species from five genera populate New Zealand, and all are endemic to New Zealand and the surrounding islands (Norfolk Island, New Caledonia). Many New Zealand cicada species differ from those of other countries by being found high up on mountain tops.

Description
The adult insect, sometimes called an imago, is usually 2 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) long, although some tropical species can reach 15 cm (6 in), e.g. Pomponia imperatoria from Malaysia. Cicadas have prominent eyes set wide apart on the sides of the head, short antennae protruding between or in front of the eyes, and membranous front wings. Also, commonly overlooked, cicadas have 3 small eyes located on the top of the head between the two large eyes that match the color of the large eyes, giving them a total of five eyes. Desert cicadas are also among the few insects known to cool themselves by sweating,[3] while many other cicadas can voluntarily raise their body temperatures as much as 22 °C (72 °F) above ambient temperature.[4]

Cicada found in Chicago, IL, USA, on June, 2007

Scientific classification

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Arthropoda
Class:Insecta
Order:Hemiptera
Suborder:Auchenorrhyncha
Infraorder:Cicadomorpha
Superfamily:Cicadoidea
Family:Cicadida

Cicada found in Lampang,Th,on June 2009

Cicada Books

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Monday, July 6, 2009

Vampire Artwork

VICTORIA FRANCES VAMPIRE GIRL POSTER NEW GOTHIC ST4179

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VICTORIA FRANCES VAMPIRE GIRL POSTER NEW GOTHIC ST4179

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Sunday, July 5, 2009

Astore link

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Growing peanuts in a home garden

Growing Peanuts Outdoors
Make sure you have raw peanuts. You can purchase seeds for a catalog or garden center or buy raw peanuts at the grocery store.

Growing Peanuts with the Garden Soil Method
Growing peanuts in the soil is the way peanuts have been grown for years and is recommended if you are going a large crop. I am talking acres!

Plow the ground deeply. This will be at least seven inches or more. I myself prefer 12 inches.Plant the peanuts after the last frost in very sandy soil. This will ensure good drainage. A good peanut crop requires that the soil drain well.

Sow the peanuts two inches deep and space the seeds seven inches apart. Make sure that any peanut seed is whole. A broken peanut will not germinate.

Peanuts are heavy feeders so add a lot of compost and manure.

Mulch! This will keep the soil loose so that the peanut crop will grow well. It also cuts down on weeds and will retain moisture.

Water well when planting. Do not water again until the peanut plant sprouts.

Growing peanuts using Square Foot Gardening method.
This is the way I plant peanuts. I find it suits my gardening zone better plus I like square foot gardening.

Set up your garden bed using the Square Foot Gardening method.

For growing peanuts I use a one foot garden raised bed width and build the raised bed about 1 foot high.

I add rich compost to the garden bed every 7 inches, where I plan to plant each seed. I dig a hole, remove the soil and place a one-pound coffee can of compost in the hole.

Follow the planting instructions above.

Taking care of and harvesting your peanut crop
Using either method your peanuts should germinate and appear above ground in one week. When you begin watering the plants regularly, do not over-water. Over-watering will create poor peanuts or no peanuts.

Keep the peanut garden area free from weeds. Weeds hinder peanut plant growth and take away nutrients form the peanut crop growing below

In 130 days your plants will be mature and the crop should be ready to harvest. You will be harvesting you crop in the fall and will pull the whole plant out.

Tip: If you use a spading fork first to loosen the soil, the plants will remove easily. Foliage on the plant will be yellow when ready for harvesting.

Allow the peanuts to dry for two to four weeks, Store in a cool place until you are ready to roast them.

The reason I like square foot gardening for raising peanuts outdoors is that they are easier to harvest and the square foot gardening methods using mulch creates a no weeding effect. The peanuts are also cleaner and I think you have a larger crop in a much smaller area

Friday, June 26, 2009

Growing blueberry in the home garden

Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet
Horticulture and Crop Science
2021 Coffey Rd., Columbus, Ohio 43210-1086

Growing Blueberries in the Home Garden
HYG-1422-98
Gary GaoExtension Agent, HorticultureOSU Extension, Clermont County
Blueberries are a very popular fruit in the United States because of their unique flavor, small edible seeds, and ease of preparation. Blueberries can be eaten fresh or used for jelly, jam, pies, pastries, or juice. Blueberry fruit is also low in calories and sodium, contains no cholesterol, and is a source of fiber. A major constituent of the fiber is pectin, known for its ability to lower blood cholesterol. Blueberries contain measurable quantities of ellagic acid, which has inhibiting effects on chemically induced cancer in laboratory studies. Blueberry juice also contains a compound that prevents bacteria from anchoring themselves to the bladder, thereby helping to prevent urinary tract infections.

Should I Grow Blueberries at Home?
Blueberries could make a good fruit crop for home gardens since they require small space. At present, blueberry plants are not common in home plantings because the plants require highly acidic soil conditions for best results. Few backyard soils in Ohio are naturally acidic enough to grow quality blueberries. The grower of blueberries must, therefore, make extra effort to acidify the soil before plant establishment. Then, the acidity level must be maintained over the life of the planting. Due to the special concerns associated with the rather demanding soil requirements of growing the crop, the soil must be amended with organic matter and the pH must be corrected before proceeding to establish the planting.

Blueberry plants begin to produce fruit in the third season; however, they do not become fully productive for about six years (Figure 1). Once in production, it is necessary to protect the fruit from loss to birds.

Climatic Requirements
In general, the climate throughout Ohio is suited to the production of blueberries. Plants are generally not hardy when temperatures drop below -20F.
Site and Soil Requirements for Blueberry Production
The highbush blueberry requires full sun for optimum yield and quality, and grows best where the soil is very acidic and well supplied with moisture. Soil pH should be in the range of 4 to 4.5 and have 4 to 7% organic matter or more.
On loam or clay loam soils, it is suggested that plants be grown on raised beds, 4 feet wide and 9 inches high for better water drainage. Such beds are not needed for production on sandy soils.

Soil Preparation
It is very important to test soil for pH, lime index, nutrient status, and organic matter content before conducting soil preparation. Your soil should be tested twice; once before soil preparation and acidification, and once after sulfur and fertilizer have been added. Further adjustments may then be necessary. Your local Extension offices have soil-testing forms, bags, and instructions available. Increase soil organic matter by adding grass clippings, manure, or leaves (not red maple or beech) according to soil test recommendations. Incorporate the materials into the top 4 to 6 inches at least one year before planting.
Suggestions for Soil Acidification

If soil pH is above 4.5, apply granular sulfur to lower soil pH. Refer to Table 2 for general guidelines for the amount of granular sulfur to apply to 100 square feet of soil to be acidified. The material should be well mixed throughout the top 4 inches of soil, three months before planting.

Planting
At planting, dig a hole 18 inches deep and 18 inches wide and mix 1 cubic foot of peat moss with top soil until the hole is filled 4 inches from the top. Set the plant and cover the roots with the remaining peat-soil mix. In heavy soils, an equal amount of peat can be mixed with an equal amount of soil. Set plants 5 feet apart with rows 10 feet apart. Apply 4 inches of sawdust or wood-chip mulch in a 2 feet wide band after planting, and maintain a 4 inch depth and 4 feet band over the life of the planting.

Fertilizers
Fertilizers for blueberry production are best applied using soil test results as a guide. At planting, apply 1/2 to 2/3 pound of ammonium sulfate (or 10 to 16 ounces of 10-10-10) per 100 feet of row 4 weeks after planting. Keep fertilizer at least 6 inches away from plant.
In the second through twelfth years, apply 1 to 1.5 pounds of ammonium sulfate (2 to 3 pounds of 10-10-10) per 100 feet of row each year for fertility and acidity maintenance. Apply 0.5 pound of the ammonium sulfate at bloom, and the remaining 0.5 pound 4 to 6 weeks later. If plant leaves become chlorotic, apply 2 to 3 ounces of ferrous sulfate or iron chelate around the base of the plants each year.

Watering
Blueberry bushes have very shallow root systems and are very sensitive to water fluctuations. They need at least 1 to 2 inches of water per week. In dry seasons, supplemental watering is essential to obtain good yields of high quality products. However, do not apply water after early September unless soil is very dry.

Pruning
Blueberry plants normally do not need to be pruned for the first three years. Remove blossoms that appear in the year of planting and second year after planting to stimulate vigorous growth.
It is important to know the anatomy of a blueberry bush before attempting to prune blueberries (Figure 2). During the fourth year, the dormant plants should be pruned in mid-March. At this time, remove dead and weak branches and thin, terminal wood with small buds. Prune interior crossing branches to admit light to the center of the plant.

Mulching
Generous use of mulches like sawdust or peat moss will help control weeds, conserve moisture, and keep roots cool. Increased organic matter from decomposing mulch will help improve soil structure and nutrient uptake of blueberry bush. Replenish mulch as needed to keep the mulch depth at 2 to 4 inches.

Insects and Diseases
Some potential insect problems in blueberries include blueberry tip borer, plum curculio, cranberry fruit worm, and cherry fruitworm. Disease problems include mummy berry, powdery mildew, twig blights, botrytis blossom blight, leaf spots, and cane gall. For more information about growing blueberries, obtain a copy from your Extension office of Bulletin 591, "Growing and Using Fruit at Home" and Bulletin 780, "Controlling Disease and Insects in Home Fruit Planting."

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Kamil Kurka's coffee maker looks like it beamed down from the Enterprise

This coffee maker by Kamil Kurka doesn't look like it belongs to our century. Beyond its good looks — after all, I think a design like that can speak for itself — the unit also features controls that'll let you customize your cup o' joe. You can set how hot you want it as well as how much you want to make, which probably helps brew a more consistent beverage than the eyeballing I do every morning.

The only downside is that it looks like you'd be brewing just one cup at a time, much like a French press. Still, with good looks like that, who minds waiting for a second cup? Here's hoping Kurka's coffee maker design finds its way on to a shelf in the future.

Monday, June 1, 2009

JOMCHANG VILLA IJ 1.6.2009

JOMCHANG, A small exclusive private residential development on Phuket's western coast, sits discretely on a secluded headland with something of a mythical past - a past intertwined with the very origins of Phuket. It's called Jomchang, a name derived from one of the mythical settlers of the island's pre-history, Toh Yomding - a man blessed with magical powers.
Few, if any, development sites in the world match Jomchang. It is situated on a secluded headland on the west coast of Phuket, where an almost forgotten stretch of the most beautiful coastline Phuket has to offer has been opened up by a new road – and Jomchang’s developers got to it first.
Jomchang is an ambitious project. And it has a peerless cross-professional team of designers, engineers and project managers dedicated to an imaginative residential response to an exquisite site. The Jomchang team is a team with imagination. With flair. And with a wealth of experience
News: October 2007
We have just completed a restructuring at Jomchang to allow sales by leasehold. Outline details of this very secure, renewable lease structure can be found under Project Information
A new pricing structure has also be introduced, both to the few remaining plots on the original Jomchang and also on Jomchang Two.
Contact us today for details of the new structure and price.

http://www.jomchang.com/

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