What did you do in the garden today?

[Nym]

Not sure about the exchange rate, but here is that item in the USA...

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You can buy that Ryobi power cutter in kits with additional batteries as well, for extra money of course.

FWIW, I only have the one battery in my Harbor Freight power cutter, but I only have to recharge it once every 2 months for as much as I use it. I use the tool a lot, but not everyday, and when I do use it, it's only for a few minutes at a time cutting up a box or two.

49.00 US Dollars = 74.524449 Australian Dollars

everything is expensive here. Buying from the US is a thing of the past these days, especially the postage costs.

 

[saysfaa]

...

Actually, tea bags might work well too.

They do!!!

I'm so glad I asked here. I would not have thought of tea bags. Thank you for all the ideas and discussions.

I'd never considered dissecting a tea bag. It was much more interesting than I expected.

I first made tea before taking apart the tea bag. Then sacrificed a tea bag of tea to take it apart dry. Either way works; dry is easier. They were different brands with small differences in construction (only folding vs sealing, tiny staple vs stitching).

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I still use cardboard in my garden areas. I’m planning on making more paths on my slope this season and will put down cardboard under a layer of weed barrier than cover with wood chips. That should keep the paths weed free for a while. Yesterday I worked on tweaking my garden plan. I also order some fabric to make produce (mostly, peas and beans) picking aprons with the grandkids. They got a sewing machine for Christmas and I thought they would enjoy a project.

 

[Acre4Me]

why do you have trouble growing cucumbers? I dig a hole just to put a handful or two aged manure and put a seed in. the only other thing it needs is water and sun. some dried grass around the stalk to keep snails and slugs away. I water it on the ground and early in the morning when it is cool. do you do any different?

I’m guessing it is a disease of some kind. Probably wilt and maybe others. So, I definitely find that the hybrids with disease resistance provide better success. Still, not great though. I try really hard to avoid spraying pesticide, and the cucumber beetles may be part of the problem bc they do spread disease. However, I hesitate to spray for them as the pesticides would kill bees or other beneficials. So, this year I may try beneficial nematodes in the ground. I can buy and liquify them to add into the ground, keep the ground wet/moist while they attack the larvae of various bugs in the soil, including cucumber beetles. It’s just an expensive option, but maybe worth a try to minimize the beetles or other problem pests, and avoid pesticides. It is really nice to grow cucumbers and eat them from the garden, so we keep trying!

 

[Sally PB]

I switched over to a battery grass trimmer about 15 years ago and it still works like new with a fresh battery. Same story on my battery tiller, battery chainsaws, battery push lawn mower, etc... No regrets in leaving the gas engine tools behind.

I would MUCH rather have battery tools than deal with gas. The mess, the smell, the we're out of gas! moment.

As to the batteries, my Li-Ion batteries are proving serviceable life going beyond 10 years. As I have stated, I'm in the Ryobi line of tools. The old Ni-Cad batteries died in about 3 years and had no value after that. But the newer Li-Ion batteries are proving to last much, much longer. My oldest Li-Ion batteries are now over 10 years old and still provide about 80% of their original capacity. No complaints from me.

Recycling the batteries can be a problem. Not many people will look for a safe place/way to dispose of them. A a lot of people will just toss a battery that isn't putting out enough power, rather than looking to see if there is a way to refurbish them. Kudos to you.
If we weren't such a throw-away society, maybe there'd be pressure to make batteries last longer, or be repairable so that they'd last longer.

I know I would welcome a less toxic battery for my tools. I would think everyone would as long as the batteries were another step forward in terms of capacity and performance.

Oh, man, that would be awesome! That's what we need to work toward!

Now that California is eliminating small gas engines, my hope is that market will respond with better, and safer, battery technology because there are a whole lot of customers in California that have no other options.

Yes, if the public will DEMAND better, producers will have to give it to them, or be eclipsed by the companies who do. We can force the change through legislation, but voting with your pocketbook seems to work better and faster.

Create the market for better batteries. Create the demand for better batteries.

 

[Molpet]

I have converted almost all my small gas engine yard tools over to battery operated tools. I have been much happier with the batteries. Where I live, my grass trimmer, chainsaws, tillers, etc... will sit in the garage for more than 6 months out of the year. My old gas engines would clog up the carburetors and not run properly. For example, I used to replace my gas grass trimmers every 2-3 years because they cost too much to fix than to buy a new one. I switched over to a battery grass trimmer about 15 years ago and it still works like new with a fresh battery. Same story on my battery tiller, battery chainsaws, battery push lawn mower, etc... No regrets in leaving the gas engine tools behind.

I still think professionals are better served with gas machines, but that is not how most of us use our tools. The battery run time on my tools is enough to maintain my property, but not enough if I was working all day cleaning multiple yards for a living.

As to the batteries, my Li-Ion batteries are proving serviceable life going beyond 10 years. As I have stated, I'm in the Ryobi line of tools. The old Ni-Cad batteries died in about 3 years and had no value after that. But the newer Li-Ion batteries are proving to last much, much longer. My oldest Li-Ion batteries are now over 10 years old and still provide about 80% of their original capacity. No complaints from me.

Having said that, I know that Li-Ion batteries are made from toxic materials and when the batteries do go bad, they will probably be toxic in a landfill. In theory, they can be recycled, but I seriously doubt any of that is going on. My hope is that at least the batteries are disposed of in a manner that reduces the toxicity of the materials. Our local recycle center has separate bins for batteries.

A month or so ago, I watched a YouTube video on new upcoming battery technology. Someone is working on Sodium "salt" based batteries. The idea is that salt is not toxic in the mining, production, or disposal. I know I would welcome a less toxic battery for my tools. I would think everyone would as long as the batteries were another step forward in terms of capacity and performance.

Now that California is eliminating small gas engines, my hope is that market will respond with better, and safer, battery technology because there are a whole lot of customers in California that have no other options.

FWIW, I lived in Santa Barbara for two years while I was serving in the Navy. Santa Barbara was beautiful with clean air. However, when I had to go to Los Angeles for training, you could see, taste, and feel all the pollution in the air as you went over the mountain top and headed down into the Los Angeles basin. It was really disgusting for this boy from northern Minnesota. I don't blame California one bit for doing anything, and everything, they can do to clean up their air.

I have a few battery yard power tools. When I first got them I would go through 2 batteries before I needed a break. Then it was 1 battery. After covid a battery will last me 3 days . Same batteries, long covid sucks.

 

[Sueby]

why do you have trouble growing cucumbers? I dig a hole just to put a handful or two aged manure and put a seed in. the only other thing it needs is water and sun. some dried grass around the stalk to keep snails and slugs away. I water it on the ground and early in the morning when it is cool. do you do any different?

We have the same problems as @Acre4Me - wilt & bugs. Mostly cucumber beetles that spread disease. That is the reason I usually only grow parthenocarpic under netting these days. I also try not to use any pesticides so the wilt gets the plants before any fruit has even grown. It's awful & such a pain because cucumbers should be so easy! Frustrating.

 

[Molpet]

Has anyone tried a trap crop for cukes beetles? I was going to try Hubbard squash, it's supposed to be their favorite

 

[Sueby]

I have tried a trap crop of cukes first & away from the garden, but it wasn't long till they got so bad they found the garden. It bought me a couple weeks maybe. They get so, so bad here.

 

[jerryse]

Has anyone tried a trap crop for cukes beetles? I was going to try Hubbard squash, it's supposed to be their favorite

I tried it last year and used a systemic on the trap crop. I found dying and dead cuke beetles on the trap crop. Not much use in a trap crop without killing bugs. Also worked on vine boers and squash bugs.