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2025-06-01 16:19:55 - Traduire -

Six More Things You Can Do With a Leaf Blower

Love or hate them, leaf blowers are undeniably effective: They have have transformed the chore of clearing leaves off your property from a back-straining misery into astroll across it. And while it’s true that old-school gas-powered leaf blowers have been maligned as loud, polluting scourges, these days you can get a clean, battery-powered model that won’t ruin your relationship with your neighbors while actively destroying the climate.And you might have good reason to. While leaf blowers are seemingly simple, single-use tools, they’re a lot more versatile than that. By my count, my leaf blower is actually at least six tools in one.Gutter cleanerYour home's gutters protect your property by directing rainwater away from your foundation and walls. But to keep doing that, gutters need maintenance and regular cleaning to ensure they’re not filled with leaves, birds’ nests, and other debris.Cleaning gutters can be a dangerous and dirty chore—or you can buy yourself a gutter cleaning kit that attaches to your leaf blower. Using your leaf blower in this way allows you to stay firmly on the ground, keeps you far away from the mulch-y, damp stuff collecting in your gutters, and makes the job much faster, because you don’t have to keep resetting a ladder every five minutes.Snow shovelClearing snow from your sidewalk, driveway, and other areas of your property can cause back strain, heart attacks, and a generally grim view of the world in general. But if you have a leaf blower, you don’t need a shovel. Leaf blowers are surprisingly effective at clearing away snow as long that's relatively dry and powdery—admittedly, if the snow is dense and wet you’re probably still going to need a shovel to clear it. But if you’re looking at a lot of fresh, light snow, that leaf blower will make short work of it.A portable air dryerLeaf blowers aren’t complex—they blow air out one end, and that’s it. This means yours can act as a portable air dryer. Just washed your car and don’t want to spend the next half hour drying it off by hand? A leaf blower will gently dry it for you. Having guests over and your patio furniture is damp? Leaf blower to the rescue. In fact, just about anything and anyplace where water beads up can be quickly dried with a leaf blower.Filter cleanerHave a vacuum, furnace, or other filter that's dirt-clogged to the point of unsuitability? Cleaning it will make the machine it fits into run better, but it's a chore: Shaking it out isn’t very thorough, and rinsing it with water means you have to build in time for it to dry before you put it back in place. So use a leaf blower to blow out that filter in seconds and put it right back to work.Caution: Some suggest using your leaf blower to clear out your dryer vent. While this may appear to work, it’s also a bad idea: The leaf blower can compact lint inside the vent, making its performance worse and increasing the chance of a fire greater. Stick with cleaning out those filters via another method.Seed spreaderGot a lawn to seed but short on time? Pick up a seed spreader attachment for your leaf blower. It works really well at spraying seedsquickly and efficiently.Wire threaderIf you’ve ever tried to thread a wire through a conduit, you know there’s a certain amount of black magic involved—even the most straightforward conduit can have you feeling like it leads through an alternate dimension where the laws of physics don’t apply. But with your trusty leaf blower and a plastic bag, you can run that wire through the conduit in seconds: Attach the wire to a standard lightweight plastic bag, drop it in one end of the conduit, and let your leaf blower blow that bag straight through to the other end.
#six #more #things #you #can

Six More Things You Can Do With a Leaf Blower

LIFEHACKER.COM

Six More Things You Can Do With a Leaf Blower

Love or hate them, leaf blowers are undeniably effective: They have have transformed the chore of clearing leaves off your property from a back-straining misery into a (very noisy) stroll across it. And while it’s true that old-school gas-powered leaf blowers have been maligned as loud, polluting scourges, these days you can get a clean, battery-powered model that won’t ruin your relationship with your neighbors while actively destroying the climate.And you might have good reason to. While leaf blowers are seemingly simple, single-use tools (you know, blowing leaves into piles), they’re a lot more versatile than that. By my count, my leaf blower is actually at least six tools in one.Gutter cleanerYour home's gutters protect your property by directing rainwater away from your foundation and walls. But to keep doing that, gutters need maintenance and regular cleaning to ensure they’re not filled with leaves, birds’ nests, and other debris.Cleaning gutters can be a dangerous and dirty chore—or you can buy yourself a gutter cleaning kit that attaches to your leaf blower. Using your leaf blower in this way allows you to stay firmly on the ground, keeps you far away from the mulch-y, damp stuff collecting in your gutters, and makes the job much faster, because you don’t have to keep resetting a ladder every five minutes.Snow shovelClearing snow from your sidewalk, driveway, and other areas of your property can cause back strain, heart attacks, and a generally grim view of the world in general. But if you have a leaf blower, you don’t need a shovel. Leaf blowers are surprisingly effective at clearing away snow as long that's relatively dry and powdery—admittedly, if the snow is dense and wet you’re probably still going to need a shovel to clear it. But if you’re looking at a lot of fresh, light snow, that leaf blower will make short work of it.A portable air dryerLeaf blowers aren’t complex—they blow air out one end, and that’s it. This means yours can act as a portable air dryer. Just washed your car and don’t want to spend the next half hour drying it off by hand? A leaf blower will gently dry it for you. Having guests over and your patio furniture is damp? Leaf blower to the rescue. In fact, just about anything and anyplace where water beads up can be quickly dried with a leaf blower.Filter cleanerHave a vacuum, furnace, or other filter that's dirt-clogged to the point of unsuitability? Cleaning it will make the machine it fits into run better, but it's a chore: Shaking it out isn’t very thorough, and rinsing it with water means you have to build in time for it to dry before you put it back in place. So use a leaf blower to blow out that filter in seconds and put it right back to work.Caution: Some suggest using your leaf blower to clear out your dryer vent. While this may appear to work, it’s also a bad idea: The leaf blower can compact lint inside the vent, making its performance worse and increasing the chance of a fire greater. Stick with cleaning out those filters via another method.Seed spreaderGot a lawn to seed but short on time? Pick up a seed spreader attachment for your leaf blower (this is a real thing I am not making up). It works really well at spraying seeds (or herbicides, or muck pellets, or anything else you want to spread over a large area) quickly and efficiently. (You can even make your own with a drill, saw, a plastic bottle or funnel, and some tape.)Wire threaderIf you’ve ever tried to thread a wire through a conduit, you know there’s a certain amount of black magic involved—even the most straightforward conduit can have you feeling like it leads through an alternate dimension where the laws of physics don’t apply. But with your trusty leaf blower and a plastic bag, you can run that wire through the conduit in seconds: Attach the wire to a standard lightweight plastic bag, drop it in one end of the conduit, and let your leaf blower blow that bag straight through to the other end.

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2025-05-13 13:00:53 - Traduire -

#333;">These Vegetables Require Less Water Than Most

Everything is more expensive this year, and that likely includes utilities like your water bill.
While growing vegetables in your yard can be enchanting and empowering, it isn’t very efficient (compared to farms) in terms of water usage.
There are a number of ways to become more efficient and sustainable, including using drip irrigation, but another way is to only plant vegetables that don't need too much water to begin with.
Watering at the root is keyBefore I get to the specific vegetables, it's important to go over a few general watering tips.Remember that vegetables get hydration through their roots, which live underground.
Watering from above, like a hose or sprinkler, has problems: you’re getting the plants wet more than the roots, which creates conditions for disease spread; you’re watering less precisely, therefore wasting water; and the impact of the water against the dirt causes droplets to bounce back up with whatever fungus or viruses are in the dirt, also spreading disease.
Watering gently and consistently at ground level with drip irrigation is the best option for both the plant and your wallet. To ensure you’re watering efficiently, group plants with similar watering needs together in your garden, so you can set the drip appropriately to water less. But even more important is remembering that roots grow over time.
A new seedling has shallow roots, whereas an end-of-season plant has deeply established roots.
More roots means that the plant can absorb more water from deeper underground.
Less roots means less hydration from the soil, so more water is needed at a shallower depth.
(Though some vegetables, like corn and lettuce, will always be shallow rooted, and thus aren’t good candidates for less water.)Hothouse plantsAccording to Oregon State University, a tomato plant's need for watering is negated by the deep roots the plants establish over the season.
As above, you want to water sufficiently early in the season as roots are established while taking care not to over water, which will result in those roots staying close to the surface.
If the plant needs water, those roots will grow deeper in search of moisture.
Reducing water greatly, if not cutting it off entirely mid-season, shouldn’t harm your harvest.
The lack of surface water will reduce disease spread, and tomatoes will ripen if you reduce their watering.
It’s not only tomatoes, either: Squash, which includes zucchini, summer and winter squash, as well as melons, eggplants, and hot peppers all behave the same in terms of water needs and roots. Beans

Credit: Amanda Blum

Most beans, particularly pole beans, have adapted to drought conditions over time.
As such, they can survive and produce flowers and fruit with minimal moisture.
Beans require water to germinate, so if you direct sow, ensure the seeds have consistent moisture levels.
Once germinated, you can reduce (but not eliminate) water.
Since beans have such a short season (usually 60 days or less), they require less water simply by existing for less time.
Less moisture is going to reduce common bean problems like powdery mildew, a quickly spreading surface fungus.Chard and okra

Credit: Amanda Blum

For some heat hardier vegetables like chard and okra, they still require water, but do better with weekly or every-other-weekly deep watering, as opposed to daily drip.
Okra is native to drier climates and prefers less water.
The deep roots of the plant allow it to draw enough water from the soil to sustain itself.
Chard and kale can use their huge leaves to shade the ground, which is an effective form of moisture retention.
Occasional deep waterings will be enough for the plant to continue growing.Blueberries prefer less moistureI know, blueberries are a fruit and not a vegetable, but I felt compelled to include the advice here anyway.
Consider it a bonus tip.
A few years ago, Micah Geiselman, a blueberry farmer from Morning Shade Farm in Canby came to inspect my many bushes, and he had surprising advice: “People over-water their blueberries,” he explained to me.
They appreciate good drainage and do better with less water. I’ve since changed the elevation of my blueberries to ensure better drainage and moved watering lines further away—the results were astounding.
I experienced better yields, but the berries themselves were plumper and better tasting.
This isn’t conclusive, of course, since there are too many variables to account for, but I take the advice of a blueberry expert seriously.

#666;">المصدر: https://lifehacker.com/home/these-vegetables-require-less-water?utm_medium=RSS" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: none;">lifehacker.com

#0066cc;">#these #vegetables #require #less #water #than #most #everything #more #expensive #this #year #and #that #likely #includes #utilities #like #your #billwhile #growing #yard #can #enchanting #empowering #isnt #very #efficient #compared #farms #terms #usagethere #are #number #ways #become #sustainable #including #using #drip #irrigation #but #another #way #only #plant #don039t #need #too #much #begin #withwatering #the #root #keybefore #get #specific #it039s #important #over #few #general #watering #tipsremember #hydration #through #their #roots #which #live #undergroundwatering #from #above #hose #sprinkler #has #problems #youre #getting #plants #wet #creates #conditions #for #disease #spread #precisely #therefore #wasting #impact #against #dirt #causes #droplets #bounce #back #with #whatever #fungus #viruses #also #spreading #diseasewatering #gently #consistently #ground #level #best #option #both #walletto #ensure #efficiently #group #similar #needs #together #garden #you #set #appropriately #lessbut #even #remembering #grow #timea #new #seedling #shallow #whereas #endofseason #deeply #established #rootsmore #means #absorb #deeper #undergroundless #soil #needed #shallower #depththough #some #corn #lettuce #will #always #rooted #thus #arent #good #candidates #waterhothouse #plantsaccording #oregon #state #university #tomato #plant039s #negated #deep #establish #seasonas #want #sufficiently #early #season #while #taking #care #not #result #those #staying #close #surfaceif #search #moisturereducing #greatly #cutting #off #entirely #midseason #shouldnt #harm #harvestthe #lack #surface #reduce #tomatoes #ripen #wateringits #either #squash #zucchini #summer #winter #well #melons #eggplants #hot #peppers #all #behave #same #rootsbeans #credit #amanda #blum #beans #particularly #pole #have #adapted #drought #timeas #such #they #survive #produce #flowers #fruit #minimal #moisturebeans #germinate #direct #sow #seeds #consistent #moisture #levelsonce #germinated #eliminate #watersince #short #usually #days #simply #existing #timeless #going #common #bean #powdery #mildew #quickly #funguschard #okra #heat #hardier #chard #still #better #weekly #everyotherweekly #opposed #daily #dripokra #native #drier #climates #prefers #waterthe #allow #draw #enough #sustain #itselfchard #kale #use #huge #leaves #shade #effective #form #retentionoccasional #waterings #continue #growingblueberries #prefer #moisturei #know #blueberries #vegetable #felt #compelled #include #advice #here #anywayconsider #bonus #tipa #years #ago #micah #geiselman #blueberry #farmer #morning #farm #canby #came #inspect #many #bushes #had #surprising #people #overwater #explained #methey #appreciate #drainage #waterive #since #changed #elevation #moved #lines #further #awaythe #results #were #astoundingi #experienced #yields #berries #themselves #plumper #tastingthis #conclusive #course #there #variables #account #take #expert #seriously

These Vegetables Require Less Water Than Most

Everything is more expensive this year, and that likely includes utilities like your water bill. While growing vegetables in your yard can be enchanting and empowering, it isn’t very efficient (compared to farms) in terms of water usage. There are a number of ways to become more efficient and sustainable, including using drip irrigation, but another way is to only plant vegetables that don't need too much water to begin with. Watering at the root is keyBefore I get to the specific vegetables, it's important to go over a few general watering tips.Remember that vegetables get hydration through their roots, which live underground. Watering from above, like a hose or sprinkler, has problems: you’re getting the plants wet more than the roots, which creates conditions for disease spread; you’re watering less precisely, therefore wasting water; and the impact of the water against the dirt causes droplets to bounce back up with whatever fungus or viruses are in the dirt, also spreading disease. Watering gently and consistently at ground level with drip irrigation is the best option for both the plant and your wallet. To ensure you’re watering efficiently, group plants with similar watering needs together in your garden, so you can set the drip appropriately to water less. But even more important is remembering that roots grow over time. A new seedling has shallow roots, whereas an end-of-season plant has deeply established roots. More roots means that the plant can absorb more water from deeper underground. Less roots means less hydration from the soil, so more water is needed at a shallower depth. (Though some vegetables, like corn and lettuce, will always be shallow rooted, and thus aren’t good candidates for less water.)Hothouse plantsAccording to Oregon State University, a tomato plant's need for watering is negated by the deep roots the plants establish over the season. As above, you want to water sufficiently early in the season as roots are established while taking care not to over water, which will result in those roots staying close to the surface. If the plant needs water, those roots will grow deeper in search of moisture. Reducing water greatly, if not cutting it off entirely mid-season, shouldn’t harm your harvest. The lack of surface water will reduce disease spread, and tomatoes will ripen if you reduce their watering. It’s not only tomatoes, either: Squash, which includes zucchini, summer and winter squash, as well as melons, eggplants, and hot peppers all behave the same in terms of water needs and roots. Beans Credit: Amanda Blum Most beans, particularly pole beans, have adapted to drought conditions over time. As such, they can survive and produce flowers and fruit with minimal moisture. Beans require water to germinate, so if you direct sow, ensure the seeds have consistent moisture levels. Once germinated, you can reduce (but not eliminate) water. Since beans have such a short season (usually 60 days or less), they require less water simply by existing for less time. Less moisture is going to reduce common bean problems like powdery mildew, a quickly spreading surface fungus.Chard and okra Credit: Amanda Blum For some heat hardier vegetables like chard and okra, they still require water, but do better with weekly or every-other-weekly deep watering, as opposed to daily drip. Okra is native to drier climates and prefers less water. The deep roots of the plant allow it to draw enough water from the soil to sustain itself. Chard and kale can use their huge leaves to shade the ground, which is an effective form of moisture retention. Occasional deep waterings will be enough for the plant to continue growing.Blueberries prefer less moistureI know, blueberries are a fruit and not a vegetable, but I felt compelled to include the advice here anyway. Consider it a bonus tip. A few years ago, Micah Geiselman, a blueberry farmer from Morning Shade Farm in Canby came to inspect my many bushes, and he had surprising advice: “People over-water their blueberries,” he explained to me. They appreciate good drainage and do better with less water. I’ve since changed the elevation of my blueberries to ensure better drainage and moved watering lines further away—the results were astounding. I experienced better yields, but the berries themselves were plumper and better tasting. This isn’t conclusive, of course, since there are too many variables to account for, but I take the advice of a blueberry expert seriously.

المصدر: lifehacker.com

#these #vegetables #require #less #water #than #most #everything #more #expensive #this #year #and #that #likely #includes #utilities #like #your #billwhile #growing #yard #can #enchanting #empowering #isnt #very #efficient #compared #farms #terms #usagethere #are #number #ways #become #sustainable #including #using #drip #irrigation #but #another #way #only #plant #don039t #need #too #much #begin #withwatering #the #root #keybefore #get #specific #it039s #important #over #few #general #watering #tipsremember #hydration #through #their #roots #which #live #undergroundwatering #from #above #hose #sprinkler #has #problems #youre #getting #plants #wet #creates #conditions #for #disease #spread #precisely #therefore #wasting #impact #against #dirt #causes #droplets #bounce #back #with #whatever #fungus #viruses #also #spreading #diseasewatering #gently #consistently #ground #level #best #option #both #walletto #ensure #efficiently #group #similar #needs #together #garden #you #set #appropriately #lessbut #even #remembering #grow #timea #new #seedling #shallow #whereas #endofseason #deeply #established #rootsmore #means #absorb #deeper #undergroundless #soil #needed #shallower #depththough #some #corn #lettuce #will #always #rooted #thus #arent #good #candidates #waterhothouse #plantsaccording #oregon #state #university #tomato #plant039s #negated #deep #establish #seasonas #want #sufficiently #early #season #while #taking #care #not #result #those #staying #close #surfaceif #search #moisturereducing #greatly #cutting #off #entirely #midseason #shouldnt #harm #harvestthe #lack #surface #reduce #tomatoes #ripen #wateringits #either #squash #zucchini #summer #winter #well #melons #eggplants #hot #peppers #all #behave #same #rootsbeans #credit #amanda #blum #beans #particularly #pole #have #adapted #drought #timeas #such #they #survive #produce #flowers #fruit #minimal #moisturebeans #germinate #direct #sow #seeds #consistent #moisture #levelsonce #germinated #eliminate #watersince #short #usually #days #simply #existing #timeless #going #common #bean #powdery #mildew #quickly #funguschard #okra #heat #hardier #chard #still #better #weekly #everyotherweekly #opposed #daily #dripokra #native #drier #climates #prefers #waterthe #allow #draw #enough #sustain #itselfchard #kale #use #huge #leaves #shade #effective #form #retentionoccasional #waterings #continue #growingblueberries #prefer #moisturei #know #blueberries #vegetable #felt #compelled #include #advice #here #anywayconsider #bonus #tipa #years #ago #micah #geiselman #blueberry #farmer #morning #farm #canby #came #inspect #many #bushes #had #surprising #people #overwater #explained #methey #appreciate #drainage #waterive #since #changed #elevation #moved #lines #further #awaythe #results #were #astoundingi #experienced #yields #berries #themselves #plumper #tastingthis #conclusive #course #there #variables #account #take #expert #seriously

LIFEHACKER.COM

These Vegetables Require Less Water Than Most

Everything is more expensive this year, and that likely includes utilities like your water bill. While growing vegetables in your yard can be enchanting and empowering, it isn’t very efficient (compared to farms) in terms of water usage. There are a number of ways to become more efficient and sustainable, including using drip irrigation, but another way is to only plant vegetables that don't need too much water to begin with. Watering at the root is keyBefore I get to the specific vegetables, it's important to go over a few general watering tips.Remember that vegetables get hydration through their roots, which live underground. Watering from above, like a hose or sprinkler, has problems: you’re getting the plants wet more than the roots, which creates conditions for disease spread; you’re watering less precisely, therefore wasting water; and the impact of the water against the dirt causes droplets to bounce back up with whatever fungus or viruses are in the dirt, also spreading disease. Watering gently and consistently at ground level with drip irrigation is the best option for both the plant and your wallet. To ensure you’re watering efficiently, group plants with similar watering needs together in your garden, so you can set the drip appropriately to water less. But even more important is remembering that roots grow over time. A new seedling has shallow roots, whereas an end-of-season plant has deeply established roots. More roots means that the plant can absorb more water from deeper underground. Less roots means less hydration from the soil, so more water is needed at a shallower depth. (Though some vegetables, like corn and lettuce, will always be shallow rooted, and thus aren’t good candidates for less water.)Hothouse plantsAccording to Oregon State University, a tomato plant's need for watering is negated by the deep roots the plants establish over the season. As above, you want to water sufficiently early in the season as roots are established while taking care not to over water, which will result in those roots staying close to the surface. If the plant needs water, those roots will grow deeper in search of moisture. Reducing water greatly, if not cutting it off entirely mid-season, shouldn’t harm your harvest. The lack of surface water will reduce disease spread, and tomatoes will ripen if you reduce their watering. It’s not only tomatoes, either: Squash, which includes zucchini, summer and winter squash, as well as melons, eggplants, and hot peppers all behave the same in terms of water needs and roots. Beans Credit: Amanda Blum Most beans, particularly pole beans, have adapted to drought conditions over time. As such, they can survive and produce flowers and fruit with minimal moisture. Beans require water to germinate, so if you direct sow, ensure the seeds have consistent moisture levels. Once germinated, you can reduce (but not eliminate) water. Since beans have such a short season (usually 60 days or less), they require less water simply by existing for less time. Less moisture is going to reduce common bean problems like powdery mildew, a quickly spreading surface fungus.Chard and okra Credit: Amanda Blum For some heat hardier vegetables like chard and okra, they still require water, but do better with weekly or every-other-weekly deep watering, as opposed to daily drip. Okra is native to drier climates and prefers less water. The deep roots of the plant allow it to draw enough water from the soil to sustain itself. Chard and kale can use their huge leaves to shade the ground, which is an effective form of moisture retention. Occasional deep waterings will be enough for the plant to continue growing.Blueberries prefer less moistureI know, blueberries are a fruit and not a vegetable, but I felt compelled to include the advice here anyway. Consider it a bonus tip. A few years ago, Micah Geiselman, a blueberry farmer from Morning Shade Farm in Canby came to inspect my many bushes, and he had surprising advice: “People over-water their blueberries,” he explained to me. They appreciate good drainage and do better with less water. I’ve since changed the elevation of my blueberries to ensure better drainage and moved watering lines further away—the results were astounding. I experienced better yields, but the berries themselves were plumper and better tasting. This isn’t conclusive, of course, since there are too many variables to account for, but I take the advice of a blueberry expert seriously.

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