New School Permaculture: diy

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How to grow tomato plants without space using a hanging recycled plastic bottle by Master Nature

Master Nature
Ideas #1

The tomato revolution
has arived with the help of
Master Nature

The planet is facing many chalenges and the problems are very complex.

It is important to keep a positive attitude and to look for simple solutions even for the most complex problems.

Best place to start its the kitchen window using
urban permaculture

This new revolutionary way of growing vertical tomato and other food plants for people with limited space can be a lot of fun for adults and children.

It is a very interesting way to create a garden for people that have very limited room but still are passionate about nature and want to become gardeners.

If you have a small kitchen room with some window light or even with an artificial light you have all that is needed to create this amazing garden area.

You will find that this is the best do it your self (DIY) method for producing your own salad tomatoes and other greens even without experience or space.

Upside down tomato plants can save a lot of space and they are something that will for sure surprise you and your family.

Advantages

Free tomatoes - This method is a great choice for growing your own food at no cost and on your own house, even if you live in a big city.
Big Production - You will be surprised by how much you will produce even with a small bottle, all because there is a lot of free space for the plant to grow without the need of tutors or holding structures.
Help of gravity - With the help of gravity you will see plants grow a lot stronger and faster than in a regular pot.
Clean food - Since you are the gardener you will have clean organic food without herbicides fungicides and chemical fertilizers.
No labour - Besides the initial instalation there isnt much more time or energy needed, all you have to do then its water and harvest and thats it.
No Diseases - Since the plants are upside down you will see that you will not get pest or problems since air flow its really good and that keeps problems away.
Easy harvesting - This tomato plant will provide an easy way for you to do your harvest without havint to think of a structure to hold the plant.
Clean air at home - Having plants at home is the best way to have clean air and a more healthy environment at home and that improves our quality of life.
Fight climate change - We all know the importance of being active on the protection of the planet with all the polution and garbage that we see around us, with this method you will become part of the natural revolution and the CO2 reduction.
Nature connection - Nature is our master and our therapist, by taking care of a plant you will find a relaxed mental state on your day to day life and by taking care of a plant we solve all the worlds problems.

What do i need?

Container – The bigger the better for large production of delicious free.

Seeds or plants - Good Seeds, you can grow tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers.
Good soil – The best is organic chemical free soil from your local suplier.
Fertlizer – If you would really like to have a massive production you can use use an organic fertilizer, that will make a big difference if you want a huge crop.
Watering – Depending on weather and soil type you might have to water more or less frequently.

Container options

Professional container of vertical

upside down tomato growing

You can find or create several options for containers, from the basic DIY homemade versions with plastic bottles

to the more professional super productive versions of planters.

With some containers
plants can get massive

Its important to have a long lasting robust container that will not be damaged by the big root development and heavy plant growth, if the plant gets too heavy you will have to prune it and with that you will lose some production.

Most strong plastic, or strong containers will create no problems.

Your container needs to be deep and wide enough for the adult size of the variety of tomato chosen so that it can have maximum production.

If you would like a very productive professional container

send us an email to newschoolpermies@gmail.com

BEST TOMATO VARIETIES

Some varieties of tomatoes grow better upside down than others.
Varieties with small fruit are a usually the best but .
You can try with many varieties but the ones we prefer are:

Yellow Cherry

Doesnt need much light and has a short season production, its very productive.

Pear tomato

Tomato with unique and special shape that will make you eat them like candy.

European black

This is one of most beautifull varieties of tomatoes and the flavour its super unique.

You can try many varieties, some will adapt better than others, only time and experience will make you understand the best ones.

If you would like to receive this varieties above

send us an email to newschoolpermies@gmail.com

BEST soil options

There are many soil mixes that you can use and as a gardener with practice, experience and time you will be able to create your own.

There are some basic rules for good soil and they can be simplified as:

Organic – If you want to grow something special and clean of poison for your family, organic should be your first option.

Aerated - Soil that is soft not compacted and aerated its the best substrate for tomatoes and upside down plants.

Not sterilized – Sterilized soil has no life and that will make plants grow much more slow than with a living soil.

Living Fertilizers

Fertility its the key for healthy plants and nutrient dense food.

To be able to reach maximum results you will need to fertilize your tomatoes frequently because they really like that extra fertility.

Chose some natural fertilizers that are easily available for the plants and have a fast absorbsion with that you can have the best results.

Our best results are with liquid living fertilizer, in that way the plant can absorb super fast and we can see huge growth every day, and all natural.

If you need some more advice on soil creation or fertilizers

send us an email to newschoolpermies@gmail.com

Watering

Watering its an art that can take time to get perfect.

Most plants survive easy as long as they have soil and water but to have perfect results you have to "talk with your plant" and understand when its the best moment to water.

This is an art that can take many years to be perfect.

Our trick its to water everytime the soil gets dry but to
not let it get too much dry .

Sometimes its everyday, sometimes its every 3 days, sometimes its twice a day.

Another trick we use is to fertlize every time we water so that wen the plant is starting to have the need for water it can also have some "candy" and
get really big.

Depending on container you have you might have to water less or more, professional containers can have self watering systems and with that you might only have to water once a week.

How do i start?

You can start with the homemade (DYI) version of the
vertical upside down planting container.
It is a very simple process and can save you some money.
You other option its to get the professional version that will allow you to start immediately with the best possible conditions.

For the DYI version
One important tip its to cover the light with some tape because
roots dont like to be exposed to light.

On their natural environment roots are always in the soil and they are never exposed to sun light ;)

If you are looking for something ready to start that will allow for best results starting on the first growing season you can always get something specially prepared for this function.

For best results you can contact us and we can provide best ideas, sugestions and materials for you to have one on a lifetime crop.

We have for you, containers, seeds, soil and fertilizers that will make everything more easy in the moment of growing, caring and harvesting.

If you are interested send us an email to

newschoolpermies@gmail.com

One you have your crop you can use this method to dry the tomato in the sun and get a delicious product you that you can preserve for long time.

The most important thing of all its that you grow,

and to grow with what you grow.

And with what you grow

we all grow.

Master Nature

If you would like to keep learning more dont forget to join our facebook groups so that you can learn about many different topics for free and be part of a network of people with the same passions.

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Walipini - The amazing underground greenhouses

What is the origin of the walipini?

Growers in colder climates often utilize various approaches to extend the growing season or to give their crops a boost, whether it's coldframes, hoop houses or greenhouses.

Greenhouses are usually glazed structures, but are typically expensive to construct and heat throughout the winter. A much more affordable and effective alternative to glass greenhouses is the walipini (an Aymara Indian word for a "place of warmth"), also known as an underground or pit greenhouse. First developed over 20 years ago for the cold mountainous regions of South America, this method allows growers to maintain a productive garden year-round, even in the coldest of climates.

Here's a video tour of a walipini that even incorporates a bit of interior space for goats:

Source

How to make a homemade (DIY) cardboard solar dehydrator / Como fazer desidratador solar de cartão

Cardboard solar dehydrator

By Karin Weijers

My dear friend Helder asked me to write an article about dried food, like fruit and vegetables.
The main reason to dry your fruit or vegetables is because your garden is producing more than you can use at that moment.
Of course there are other methods preserving your crops for a longer time period.
Why drying, it is easy to do yourself, you can dry nearly everything, it keeps the vitamins and minerals in the original state (if the temperature is not above 41 degrees Celsius), if you use a self-made solar dehydrator it does not use external energy like gas or electricity, easy to store and it will stay for a long time.

Before you want to use dried food it is better to soak it in water, it returns to the original shape. After this you can eat or prepare a healthy meal. Of course you can eat the dried food without soaking but I suggest you drink some water and chew very good. Some more facts about dry fruit you will find in this interesting link

You can make banana, apple, beetroot, carrot, sweet potato, cassava as chips or even mushrooms or soak your favorite vegetables in a marinate and dry them so that you can get a nice flavour.

Kale chips recipe

Ingredients:

1 large bunch kale, any variety

2 - 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Strip the leaves away from the leafstalks and tough midribs (if you dry the whole leaves, the midribs end up with the consistency of twigs - not tasty!). Compost the leafstalks or save for soup stock.

Wash the kale leaves and dry well in a salad spinner or by gently rolling the leaves in a clean dishtowel.

Tear the washed and dried leaves into just slightly larger than chip sized pieces; they will shrink slightly as they dry. Toss the kale in a large bowl with the extra-virgin olive oil and the salt. Massage the leaves well with your clean hands. All of the leaves should be more or less evenly coated with the oil. If you like spicy flavors, add a dash of cayenne pepper. Nutritional yeast will add a cheesy flavor.

This link gives you some does and don'ts while drying fruits

And now the design for our homescale project

Made from two cardboard boxes, some clear plastic wrap, and a little tape. You can build a nearly free solar dehydrator.

Set it on a stool or chair and face it's solar collector towards the sun, and you have a functional food preservation machine for little work and even less money.

The above picture almost says it all. Using a long thin cardboard box for the collector and a taller, nearly square, cardboard box for the drying box.

Boxes could be made to size by cutting and taping together small cardboard pieces. Line the bottom of the collector box with a black plastic garbage bag or paint the bottom with black, water based, poster paint, (lamp black or soot mixed with a little vegetable oil would work as well).

If you use spray paint or other toxic paints, let the collector bake in the sun for a day or two before use.

Cover the top of the collector with clear plastic wrap or window glass, etc. Tape it together as shown.

To increase the efficiency, you may want to cover the sides and bottom of both boxes with fiberglass or styrofoam insulation.

TESTS FOR DRYNESS:

Rely on appearance and feel to judge dryness.

Cool a test handful a few minutes before deciding whether the food is done.

Consider fruit dry when no wetness can be squeezed from a piece which has been cut - it should be rather tough and pliable.

Consider vegetables dry when brittle.

PRE- AND POST-DRYING TREATMENTS FOR FRUITS & VEGETABLES:

Steam blanching is safe pre-treatment which can prevent spoilage - especially of low acid foods such as vegetables.

Important post-drying treatments are:

Conditioning - i.e. leaving in open air for long periods to equalize moisture content.

Pasteurizing - i.e. exposing the dried foods to high heat to eliminate harmful organisms

STORAGE:

Ensure food is thoroughly cool before storing.

Store in small quantities in glass or food-grade plastic.

Check supplies frequently for contamination or dampness.

Keep in a dry, cool place (between 4 C/40 F and 21 C/70 F).

PREPARING FOR EATING:

Fruits - cover with boiling water in saucepan and simmer the fruit covered for 10-15 min.

- sweeten to taste at the very end of cooking.

- remove from heat and cool still covered Vegetables.

- soak all vegetables except greens in cold water until they are nearly restored to their original texture.

- use only enough water to cover and always cook in the soaking water.

- cover greens with enough boiling water to cover and simmer until tender.