Author: mixim

GardenBot

What is GardenBot?

GardenBot is an open source garden monitoring system. This site is a collection of tutorials for how to build things (like a soil moisture sensor), software for running GardenBot, resources, links, and more.

To get started, you will want to browse the How-To section to see what is required to build the various modules.

The ultimate goal of the GardenBot project is to be a complete garden monitoring and automation system. A key design consideration  is to keep everything as easy as possible — especially for users new to Arduino and DIY electronics projects.

Conscious Eating

Conscious Eating has been referred to as the “Bible of Vegetarians,” for both beginners and advanced students of health. This classic work in the field of live-food nutrition is an inspirational journey and a manual for life. Included is new information on enzymes, vegetarian nutrition for pregnancy, and an innovative international 14-day menu of gourmet, Kosher, vegetarian, live-food cuisine, plus 150 recipes.

Published on Nov 20, 2012

Continue reading “Conscious Eating”

Polyuria

Polyuria is a condition usually defined as excessive or abnormally large production or passage[1] of urine (at least 2.5[2] or 3[3] L over 24 hours in adults). Frequent urination is sometimes included by definition,[4] but is nonetheless usually an accompanying symptom. Increased production and passage of urine may also be termed diuresis.[5][6]

Polyuria often appears in conjunction with polydipsia (increased thirst), though it is possible to have one without the other, and the latter may be a cause or an effect. Psychogenic polydipsia may lead to polyuria.

Polyuria is physiologically normal in some circumstances, such as cold diuresis, altitude diuresis, and after drinking large amounts of fluids.

The most common cause of polyuria in both adults and children is uncontrolled diabetes mellitus,[3] causing an osmotic diuresis. In the absence of diabetes mellitus, the most common causes are excessive secretion of aldosterone due to adrenal cortical tumor,primary polydipsia (excessive fluid drinking), central diabetes insipidus and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.[3]

Polyuria may also be due to various chemical substances (diuretics, caffeine, ethanol). It may also occur after supraventricular tachycardias, during an onset of atrial fibrillation, childbirth, and the removal of an obstruction within the urinary tract. Diuresis is restrained by antidiuretics such as ADH,angiotensin II and aldosterone.

Cold diuresis is the occurrence of increased urine production on exposure to cold, which also partially explains immersion diuresis.

Substances that increase diuresis are called diuretics.

Substances that decrease diuresis allow more vasopressin or antidiuretic hormone (ADH) to be present in the kidney.

High-altitude diuresis occurs at altitudes above 10,000 ft and is a desirable indicator of adaptation to high altitudes. Mountaineers who are adapting well to high altitudes experience this type of diuresis. Persons who produce less urine even in the presence of adequate fluid intake probably are not adapting well to altitude.[7]

Aboulia

Aboulia or abulia (from the Greek βουλή, meaning “will”,[1] with the prefix a- used as a privative), in neurology, refers to a lack of will or initiative and can be seen as a disorder of diminished motivation (DDM). Aboulia falls in the middle of the spectrum of diminished motivation, with apathy being less extreme and akinetic mutism being more extreme than aboulia.[2] A patient with aboulia is unable to act or make decisions independently. It may range in severity from subtle to overwhelming. It is also known as Blocq’s disease(which also refers to abasia and astasia-abasia).[3] Abulia was originally considered to be a disorder of the wil

rhizome

In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (/ˈraɪzoʊm/, from Ancient Greek: rhízōma “mass of roots”,[1] from rhizóō “cause to strike root”)[2] is a modified subterranean stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks and rootstocks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and are diageotropic or grow perpendicular to the force of gravity. The rhizome also retains the ability to allow new shoots to grow upwards.[3]

If a rhizome is separated into pieces, each piece may be able to give rise to a new plant. The plant uses the rhizome to store starches,proteins, and other nutrients. These nutrients become useful for the plant when new shoots must be formed or when the plant dies back for the winter.[3] This is a process known as vegetative reproduction and is used by farmers and gardeners to propagate certain plants. This also allows for lateral spread of grasses like bamboo and bunch grasses. Examples of plants that are propagated this way includehops, asparagus, ginger, irises, Lily of the Valley, Cannas, and sympodial orchids. Some rhizomes are used directly in cooking, including ginger, turmeric, galangal, and fingerroot.

Stored rhizomes are subject to bacterial and fungal infections making them unsuitable for replanting and greatly diminishing stocks. However rhizomes can also be produced artificially from tissue cultures. The ability to easily grow rhizomes from tissue cultures leads to better stocks for replanting and greater yields.[4] The plant hormones ethylene and jasmonic acid have been found to help induce and regulate the growth of rhizomes, specifically in Rheum rabarbarum (rhubarb). Ethylene that was applied externally was found to affect internal ethylene levels, allowing for easy manipulations of ethylene concentrations.[5] Knowledge of how to use these hormones to induce rhizome growth could help farmers and biologists producing plants grown from rhizomes more easily cultivate and grow better plants.

The poplars (Populus) are an example of trees that propagate using a rhizome. The Pando colony in Utah is a famous example, which has been living for about 80,000 years. The rhizome of a poplar colony is the key to its longevity: foragers, insects, fungus, and forest fires may destroy the above-ground portion of the tree, but the underground rhizome is somewhat protected against these threats.

A stolon is similar to a rhizome, but, unlike a rhizome, which is the main stem of the plant, a stolon sprouts from an existing stem, has long internodes, and generates new shoots at the end, such as in the strawberry plant. In general, rhizomes have short internodes; they send out roots from the bottom of the nodes and new upward-growing shoots from the top of the nodes. A stem tuber is a thickened part of a rhizome or stolon that has been enlarged for use as a storage organ.[6] In general, a tuber is high in starch, for example, the common potato, which is a modified stolon. The term tuber is often used imprecisely, and is sometimes applied to plants with rhizomes.

Some plants have rhizomes that grow above ground or that lie at the soil surface, including some Iris species, and ferns, whose spreading stems are rhizomes. Plants with underground rhizomes include gingers, bamboo, the Venus Flytrap, Chinese lantern, Western poison-oak,[7] hops, and Alstroemeria, and the weeds Johnson grass, bermuda grass, and purple nut sedge. Rhizomes generally form a single layer, but in Giant Horsetails, can be multi-tiered.[8]

Many rhizomes have culinary value, and some, such as zhe’ergen, are commonly consumed raw.

Do Good Seeds Float and Bad Seed Sink?

Source:

http://www.gardensnorth.com/site/aboutus…

“While cleaning seed I observed that some of the seeds floated in the bowl of water they were in, and some sank. I assume that the “floaters” should be discarded because they are likely “empties” anyway.”

While in some isolated cases it might be true that floaters indicate a seed without embryo, it has not been my experience over the years testing many thousands of species, that this old “rule of thumb” has much basis in reality. I would never reject the floaters for this reason alone.

It is perhaps the case that many of these notions are simply accepted without thought, on the basis of common sense and further investigation is deemed unnecessary. However there are other reasons, aside from the lack of an embryo that would cause a seed to float.

And the only way one ever finally does answer the question is to take the experiment through to its logical conclusion- and that is to sprout both floater and sinker. Doing this will lead to surprising results.

Unfortunately, often the myth, rather than the science is what remains.

Norm Deno has the following to say: “The notion that all good seed sinks in water and bad seed floats is just not always true. All Iris setosa seed floats even after a month in water. In fact, it starts to germinate after a couple of weeks floating. Iris pseudoacorus seed floats for a few days and then all sinks. Large sample seed of Cornus amomum were collected from our own colonies and after thorough washing and cleaning, about half the seed floats and half sinks. Both types gave about the same germination both in percent germination and in the rates and other germination characters.”

I have old packets of seeds. How can I tell if they are still viable?

Answer: Most seeds last for several years, however others have a relatively short life. How do you know if your seeds are still viable? When properly stored in a cool, dry place, seed’s shelf life can be extended. Yet, even then, there is no guarantee that they will still be productive for next season’s planting. There are two easy tests you can take to check to see if there is life left in your old seeds.

Water test: Take your seeds and put them in a container of water. Let them sit for about 15 minutes. Then if the seeds sink, they are still viable; if they float, they most likely will not sprout. This method, in my opinion, is not the best way to check your seeds. For surer results, try performing a germination test.

Germination test: Take some of your seeds, preferably 10, and place them in a row on top of a damp paper towel. Fold over the paper towel and place in a zip-up plastic bag and seal it; this helps to keep the towel moist and protected. Then put in a warm location, like a high shelf or on top of the refrigerator, and check the seeds often—around once a day—to see if they have began to germinate and/or to check the moisture of the paper towel. If it needs more water, carefully mist the towel to where it is damp, but be careful not to apply too much water. Make sure the location you have chosen is away from exposure to direct sunlight. This can overheat your seeds.

Your seeds should begin to germinate in several days up to a couple of weeks, depending on the seed-type. A good rule of thumb is to wait roughly 10 days; however, if you want to give your seeds the best chance, research the germination time of your specific seeds. Once the allotted time has passed, check to see how many have germinated. If you placed 10 seeds on the paper towel, this will be pretty easy to calculate. If less than 5 seeds sprouted, your old packet may not have much success when it comes to planting. If more then 5 sprouted, than your seeds still have a lot of vigor left in them!

Some people wait to perform this germination test around the time of planting, so that the successfully sprouted seeds can be placed directly in their garden—a good way to cut time and ensure the plants will flourish beautifully outdoors.

No matter what step you take to test the viability of your seeds, always remember that every seed is different and your results may vary. With success, you can help your little seedlings sprout into the magnificent, thriving plants they were meant to be.

– See more at: http://www.hortmag.com/weekly-tips/propagation/how-to-know-if-garden-seed-is-viable#sthash.2vMrh4LZ.dpuf

What has your food been eating?

What has your food been eating?

Laurent Adamowicz at TEDxBeaconStreet

Published on Mar 18, 2013
Having seen the very best, the worst, and the ugliest of the food industry, Laurent Adamowicz gives a poignant account of how our food system has dramatically changed over the last two decades. Could the obesity epidemic be directly linked to what our food has been eating?

Senior Fellow 2011 in the Advanced Leadership Initiative at Harvard University, Laurent Adamowicz is a former food industry executive and serial entrepreneur. He is the founder & CEO of Bon’App, a simple nutrition guidance mobile application that tells you what’s in your food.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

Save food from the fridge

Save food from the fridge: Shaping traditional oral knowledge: Jihyun Ryou at TEDxEutropolis

Uploaded on Feb 9, 2012
Although we seem to think and talk about food almost constantly, do we really know how best to preserve it or do we leave this responsibility to technology? Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Jihyun Ryou feels we no longer understand how to treat food. After investigating how to preserve food through oral traditions, she was determined to find designfull solutions on how to survive without fridge nowadays. Her Save Food from the Fridge project involves placing certain foods on a group of “knowledge shelves” outside the fridge. Perhaps through a better relationship with our food we may be able to waste less and conserve more energy.

Phalaris canariensis

Canary Seed: Properties and Contraindications

“Canary Seed (Phalaris canariensis) is loaded with the most abundant enzyme lipase that is responsible for removing excess body fat; it has a good recharge capacity enzyme and is high in protein content. It contains as much protein as meat, but with stable amino acids, which are assimilated easily and leave no toxic residues in the body.

Canary Seed is formed by a 16.6% protein, which would work on different areas of the digestive system. In addition, this seed contains 11.8% fiber, which facilitates the digestive process. Amongst its components, salicylic acid and oxalic acids, these enzymes provide canary seed with an immense power to deflate our organs, particularly the liver, kidneys and pancreas, therefore regenerating pancreatic function immensely.”

http://www.inkanatural.com/en/arti.asp?ref=canary-seed-en

There are, however, no official studies that have been done with canary seed. This is more of a grassroots movement. The logic is that if so many people have claimed beneficial results, there may be something to it. I hope that in the future studies will be done.