Has the pandemic changed you in any way?
Alisande
2 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (43)
Related Discussions
Has any one ever used unfinished compost this way?
Comments (1)Yes, most everything that you mentioned will grow well in unfinished compost. I do that all the time, due to a variety of reasons. First, I like that I can get huge amounts of wood chips (the most acid of all organic amendments) for free, from tree companies. When they arrive, you have to put them somewhere, or your wife will divorce you, and that is on top of the beds. The chips are easy to move around with a pitchfork, whereas finished compost is much more of a pain (I produce small amount of finished compost for seedlings only). And the chips (or grass clippings, or leaves) do eliminate weeding, the chips for two years or so. Clippings and leaves, likewise, are easily movable with a pitchfork when they are still whole. Clippings go under plants as soon as they are produced, while leaves overwinter away from the garden only because piles of leaves turn into mice cities around here in the winter, otherwise they would go on the beds right away. Then you are left with the problem of having temporarily acid soil. For fruit trees and berries, that is not a problem. You will just mulch them with chips indefinitely, and they will be happy like that. I can guarantee that blueberries, raspberries, hardy kiwis, grapes, blackberries, pears, apples and currant are quite comfortable with wood chips only. All my flowerbeds and perennials get wood chips only, except irises and moonflowers, which need wood ash. The pH of the soil will rise as the matter decomposes, to the point where eventually the soil will get close to its original pH. There is a particular sequence that one has to follow to take advantage of this varying pH. Basically, amongst common veggies, potatoes will grow in wood chips that have been only slightly amended and are still too acid for most everything. In that soil, still not totally finished, the next year you will be able to grow tomatoes and squash and melons. The next year you can grow chicory (radicchio) and garlic. The next year you can try pole beans and collard. The next year the soil should be well done. Other large amounts of wood chips go well as a thick mulch (on top of finished soil) for tomatoes, all cucurbita, pole beans, collards, garlic and onions, and herbs. At the end of the season, I rake it in one pile at one end of the bed, and that will be a potato patch next year (repeat rotation). That is basically how I manage my soil. About 60% of my 8 beds were once wood chips. I use kitchen compost, which is quite N-rich, to correct the nitrogen deficiency of the chips. I also use urea and manure from my neighbor's horses, to the same effect (essentially N management). You have to add some N to unfinished compost, depending on its original green-brown ratio. You may have to add N for a few years. I use a lot of leaves, which produce nice, somewhat unfinished compost by May which is friendly to most vegetables. I particularly like leaves compost with lettuce. Finally, for some veggies even years later the soil remains a bit too acid. I add wood ash, which I have in great abundance. Virtually all veggies benefit from wood ash in my acid soil, but greens (arugula, rapini, bok choi, kale, tatsoi, spinach) and beets, in particular, can not grow without some. They prefer a more alkaline soil. I use wood ash basically for pH management. So most everything will grow well in the soil you have, if something looks poor, look up its optimal pH, then put lime or ash under it, on a case by case basis....See MoreAre rising food costs changing the way you shop, cook, eat?
Comments (18)No, we haven't changed anything and don't plan to. We live in one of the greatest "foodie" areas in the world - the San Francisco Bay Area - and enjoy taking advantage of it. Dining out is my hobby. But DH prefers my home cooking, so we compromise. Eat dinner out 1-2x/wk, and eat lunch out 2-3x/week. Sunday we had Eritrean food; we love injera and all the various meat and veggie combos. Monday/Tues was my linguine with meat sauce; doesn't excite me but DH and MIL who lives with us, adore it. Tomatoes are in season so caprese salad is a standard for DH on the nights we eat at home. Today's lunch was at a local Anatolian (Turkish) restaurant we're becoming very fond of. Not fancy as most of the places we go to, but quiet and comfortable with homestyle food, assuming your food at home is centered around lamb, eggplant, tomatoes, sumac and hot chiles! Dinner at home tonight was marinated boneless rib-eye steaks off the grill, with glazed carrots and sticky rice. Tomorrow it's going out for Peruvian ceviche and beef heart anticuchos with some of my family, who are also foodies. Friday...hmmm, haven't thought of anything yet. Saturday we are getting together with friends for a high tea and private tour of a local historical home, provided by volunteers, which should be fun! It's mid-afternoon so dinner will probably be something simple and light. I have a couple of bunches of asparagus in the frig, so maybe an asparagus bisque might be in order. We are fortunate to be able to buy whatever we like, and to live in an area with a wide choice of good-quality food providers. I'm probably one of the few people in the US who doesn't shop at her nearby Trader Joe's; if I'm buying specialty food I prefer a couple of local independent high-end grocery markets which carry specific items we prefer. Oherwise I go to the biggest Safeway; based in nearby Pleasanton, CA, they have made a tremendous effort to improve their produce and carry better quality. I have found their produce to be consistently fresher, cheaper, and better than the nearby Whole Foods and much-vaunted local Berkeley Bowl. We eat a fair amount of meat, but I don't obsess about where it's from, although we have many friends who do and a good number of vegetarians amongst them. I'm allergic to wheat, buckwheat, rice, and gluten - not violently, but they give me asthma which is uncomfortable, so I go lightly on the carbs....See MoreHas your Facebook changed in the way it looks?
Comments (19)Country_bumpkin_al, when you make a post on your page, after it has posted, hold your cursor on the post and you'll see a star on the far right side. Click on the star and it'll highlight that post for you, which stretches it out all the way across the page. The highlight feature wasn't meant for this purpose, but if your FB friends really hate reading your page in 2 columns, you could do this to each post you make. (it might make any graphics you post kind of fuzzy)...See MoreHas anybody been to the optometrist during the pandemic?
Comments (43)Annegreit, I’m sorry you’re uncomfortable. I may be able to help you. Not medical advice, but experience with bouts of dry eye over the years. I have experienced a situation very similar to what you describe. In the past 20 years, along with an aging (drying) population, there has been a lot of progress made toward treating the common symptoms of dry eye and related issues such as blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid). Lots of excellent products as well. I was on the squeamish side too, but now could be walking down a hallway and drop a few preservative-free eye drops into my eyes without skipping a beat or looking. Oh, and erase that image of a tube of ointment (tip) touching your eyelid. IMO, way too much and you don’t want to be touching any tip to your eye (conjunctiva) or eyelid. You could scratch yourself. Ouch. I have some simple, safe, things for you to try. But first, let me say that it is unlikely that your dry stuck morning eye (lid) to be anything serious. There are a few common, relatively benign, causes for the symptoms you describe. As to going to an ophthalmologist, it depends on where you live — LA area or northern Maine. I need to get a few eye appointments squared away, but will likely wait until spring or summer. Here are some simple, largely regarded as safe, commonly suggested by doctors and ophthalmologists as a first line, pre appointment “try and see if this helps” approach. There are various situations that can cause dry eye or stuck eyelids. Often the condition is easily addressed. FIRST: some caveats. Please do not put any of those get-the-red-out drops into your eye. Always wash your hands well before and after touching your eyes. Educate yourself about dry eyes, itchy eyes and eyelid hygiene by going to reputable sights if looking online. Be gentle when touching your eyelid areas. With clean hands and a clean folded facecloth, make a warm water (not hot) compress (wring out excess water) for your eyes — apply gently over your eyes for a few seconds. Turn the facecloth to a clean, unused side and repeat. I usually hold mine gently over closed eyes for perhaps a minute. You can rinse in warm water and repeat. I have my own favorite brands of preservative-free, un-medicated, single use moisturizing eyedrops. There are several excellent brands. I use preservative free because when my eyes were very very dry (much better now), I could not tolerate the commonly used preservative. You do not touch your eye with any ampule tip — instead, just lean or lie back, hold the dropper above your eye and gently squeeze a drop (“distill” a drop) into your opened eye. The unmediated drops are buffered and have the correct pH and salinity to match normal tears, so there is no stinging or odor. It feels great! Gently close your eye and perhaps just let the moisture of the neutral, unmedicated eye drop sit there a few seconds. Optional. Here is what the single use ampule looks like: You just snap the top off, and use. Single use == single time use. I’ve been told that I can use more than once, but don’t keep for a day. Because there is no preservative, there is nothing to check any growth of bacteria once opened. And, again, you don’t need to or want to touch the dispensing tip to your eye. I always have then in my purse, toilet try bag and cupboard, and at bedside stand. So, because I don’t like to run out, I buy large box. But you can but in smaller amounts ;) There are several good eyelid cleaners. One that I use (when needed) is just a simple, balanced solution that is pumped out onto clean hands from a small bottle. Directions on box and inside. I apply this to clean hand and just gently massage around the area from where my eyelashes emerge. There are oil glads there that sometimes become inflamed or irritated or need a bit more cleaning than a morning shower. Feels great. No odor, but something faint, clean smelling. Great product. These products are over the counter and manufactured by companies that have been in the medical eye comfort/hygiene business for decades. They enjoy the confidence of many patients and physicians. I have no relationship to them. Oh, and over the years, I have had pets (cats, dogs) with dry eyes. I have used the eyedrops on them as well. (Pets and people with dry eyes can tear or get accumulations of goop in the corners of their eyes. Sterile ophthalmic ointment (as mdln offered, above). I used to use this before bedtime. With clean hands, I’d put a bit of the ointment on my finger tip, then apply to the inside of the lower lid. It kept my eyes moist overnight and prevented them from sticking shut by morning. I hope you find eye comfort soon, Annegreit....See Moreterezosa / terriks
2 years agomaifleur03
2 years agoterezosa / terriks
2 years agoZalco/bring back Sophie!
2 years agoAlisande
2 years agoAlisande
2 years ago
Related Stories
LATEST NEWS FOR PROFESSIONALS5 Landscape Pros on How Business Has Changed During COVID-19
Business is booming for many landscape construction and design firms, which have adapted to pandemic conditions
Full StoryLATEST NEWS FOR PROFESSIONALS7 Landscape Pros on How COVID-19 Has Changed Their Business
Landscape designers and architects are seeing great demand for their services as they adjust to the pandemic
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDESPerformance Fabrics Are Changing the Way People Design and Live
An interior designer talks about why performance textiles have become a game changer inside the home
Full StoryLIFEStop the Toy Takeover by Changing the Way You Think
Make over your approach and get gift givers onboard with your decluttering efforts by providing meaningful toy alternatives
Full StoryFARM YOUR YARD9 Ways to Change Up Your Vegetable Garden for the Coming Season
Try something new for edible plantings that are more productive than ever
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGN12 Ways to Make Any Bathroom Look Bigger
These designer tricks can help you expand your space without moving any walls
Full StoryGREAT DESIGNERSThe Controversial House ‘That Changed the Way We Live’
A rivalry with Le Corbusier nearly ruined Irish designer Eileen Gray’s career, but 2 new films celebrate her as ‘the mother of modernism’
Full StoryDIY Projects: Changing Your Look by Changing Your Table Arrangements
A guide to table decorations
Full Story
Chi