323/366: playing for high stakes

I was not playing for poker stakes, but tomato stakes. I decided to plant out all the tomatoes I had in pots in one section of the garden.

When I was at Bunnings I asked a man who had a big trolley of potting mix and other assorted gardening paraphernalia, which he would recommend for tomatoes.

Coincidentally, he just happened to be a horticulturist, so I was happy to take his advice and purchase the organic mix he recommended. He also suggested buying some Thrive for later fertilising, due to the correct balance of nutrients. I’m still learning about the ratios of nitrogen, potassium and the other thing.

The more you learn about any subject, the more you realise how little you actually know.

38/366: low stakes, high stakes

Not a game of poker, but another recycling issue. I wanted to stake up the rogue tomato plant growing in the herb garden (see day 21/366), so I manufactured my own arched support from two smaller arches.

 

 

Firstly I used pliers to remove the parts I didn’t want, and then I joined the two arches with a twist tie.

 

 

Since the twist tie was white, I disguised it with florist’s tape, which you stretch around to cover stems of flowers or in this case, the green coated wire.

 

 

Et voila! I feel a Spice Girls song coming on: two become one. Now try and get that tune out of your head. The stake, since it was fairly narrow, would not impinge on the roots, so it was nothing like driving a stake through its heart. Now let’s see if we reap any           tomatoes.

bunnings bonanza

Will miracles never cease? I achieved two major things the other day:

1: I went to Bunnings with a list of three items: fluorescent globe for the bathroom, spakfilla for painting preparation, and finally, tomato stakes for the garden.

Though I saw many, many items I could have easily bought, with the justification of “I needed them” or “It’s a practical purchase so it doesn’t count,” I was really pleased with myself because I ONLY PURCHASED WHAT WAS ON THE LIST! Anybody knowing me would realise what a feat that was.

2: Then I used all three items ON THE SAME DAY I BOUGHT THEM! I have been known to buy equipment for future projects that sit for years in the shed, garage or studio, and sometimes never come to light. For example, I still intend to mosaic that bird bath from how many years ago?

Firstly, I used my trusty best-ever birthday present of my cordless screwdriver/drill, and played handi sandi, taking the light fitting apart and replacing the globe successfully. To check I had the correct globe, I had taken a piece of string the right length with me to Bunnings.

Secondly, I used the filler to patch the wall I am going to paint later this week. Preparation is the key for painting, and having a smooth hole-free surface helps.

Thirdly, I put the two black stakes in the pot under the bay window, having chosen pretty ones because they were so near the house, then put together the green plastic one and placed it around the tomato plant near the shed, satisfied with the achievements of the morning.