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  • Author Author: dubbie
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I've Been Gardening

dubbie

I logged in properly to Element14 today, for the first time for quite a while, to find 42 notifications waiting for me. Additionally, I didn't manage to finish my entry for the latest Project14 Competition for previously unfinished projects (it was going to be a worm robot) so I'll probably try finishing that later (maybe). I've been away on holiday overseas! Twice! and the garden has been flourishing and needing more attention, plus I have been sitting out in the garden watching the flowers grow (mostly cosmos), drinking the odd glass of wine and possibly a few little sleeps. Life has been good.

 

Still, the days are shorter now, it's getting colder, the garden doesn't need my attention so much, so I am hoping to get some robot building done. I have been given one of these children's battery powered tricycles which I plan to turn into an autonomous outdoor robot. It was broken but I worked out it was the battery (£18 for a new battery! - the whole tricycle only costs £55) and a switch problem - at the moment it only goes backwards.

 

Time for some autumn fun.

 

Dubbie

Parents

  • Glad to hear that you have been enjoying your garden.  We  have been busy lately preparing our fall/winter garden and getting ready to convert more of our lawn into new natural beds.

  • in reply to genebren

    Gene,

     

    Another three weeks of gardening have passed by like a flash - and the garden still isn't ready for winter, although it nearly is. I don't have that much lawn but I have been taking steps to reduce maintenance since I retired (4 years now!) so a bit less grass, a few more paths, a bit more self-sustaining borders. This autumn is the first time it is starting to come together. Admittedly, the amount of maintenance has not yet reduced but the amount of flowers has increased, and I now have some solar lighting - which isn't very good so I'm thinking of how to improve it. I also need a temperature sensor system for the greenhouse. I also want to monitor the temperature of my compost (I bought a good box to bury in it and that was as far as I got).

     

    We've had our first frosts so that will finish off any remaining flowers. It's nearly time to start sitting indoors, drinking tea and getting on with some Element14.

     

    Dubbie

  • in reply to dubbie

    Did you apply for the Just Encase Design Challenge ?  That would be a good project for your compost pile and greenhouse image.

     

    We're having a La Nina winter again this year, so having lots of rain.  My solar production has been non-existent the last couple of weeks and the 14 day forecast shows no sunlight...

     

    I just finished pulling up all the summer vegetable plants.  Still had dozens of cherry tomatoes, but they won't ripen in this weather - guess I need a greenhouse, too.  Not sure what my wife can do with green cherry tomatoes.

    image

     

    It is definitely time for tea and indoor projects!

  • in reply to dubbie

    "...I also want to monitor the temperature of my compost (I bought a good box to bury in it and that was as far as I got)..."

     

    My neighbour's cats do that... Cats snoozin' on composter bin lid = compost warm.

     

    There is a composting design challenge project in progress here which may be of interest:

    Solar Powered Smart Composter - Design & Component  (Blog1)

  • in reply to ralphjy

    Ralph,

     

    I did think of applying for the Just Encase Design Challenge, with the idea of a buried compost temperature measurement device, but then I had a reality moment and realised that I wouldn't find enough time to do it justice, plus it wasn't a robot, so I didn't. I'm looking forward to seeing other people's ideas - unless it's already finished and I've missed it!

     

    I too have a plate of slowly ripening tomatoes in the kitchen but I think they'll mostly get there. I built a small greenhouse when I retired (from a kit) and this year it has provided a steady supply of tomatoes, about one per day since the summer. I've probably still have enough to last me until nearly Christmas, unless they go mouldy first.

     

    With regard to solar, I'm thinking of trying out a solar project, using a DFR0559 solar power management module as I have a 5V @500mA solar cell. The winter seems the time to see if it will produce enough power for something useful for outdoors. Maybe a squirrel detector  as we seem to have gained one this autumn.

     

    Dubbie

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  • in reply to ralphjy

    Ralph,

     

    I did think of applying for the Just Encase Design Challenge, with the idea of a buried compost temperature measurement device, but then I had a reality moment and realised that I wouldn't find enough time to do it justice, plus it wasn't a robot, so I didn't. I'm looking forward to seeing other people's ideas - unless it's already finished and I've missed it!

     

    I too have a plate of slowly ripening tomatoes in the kitchen but I think they'll mostly get there. I built a small greenhouse when I retired (from a kit) and this year it has provided a steady supply of tomatoes, about one per day since the summer. I've probably still have enough to last me until nearly Christmas, unless they go mouldy first.

     

    With regard to solar, I'm thinking of trying out a solar project, using a DFR0559 solar power management module as I have a 5V @500mA solar cell. The winter seems the time to see if it will produce enough power for something useful for outdoors. Maybe a squirrel detector  as we seem to have gained one this autumn.

     

    Dubbie

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