Make-it-Yourself Flower Pot Wind ChimesWritten by Patricia A. Ziegler
These natural-looking flower pot wind chimes will add a touch of charm to any porch or breezeway. They are simple to make, and can be left out in all weathers. Best of all, they cost you nearly nothing!Here's all you need: - Five clay flowerpots in varying sizes, none larger than 4 inches diameter (you may already have a few of these lying around
 yard!) - Wooden beads (from crafts store). For a complete set of chimes, you will need five beads of 3/4 inches diameter, and ten beads of 5/8 inch diameter.
- Two or three plastic salad container covers (from salad bar).
- Five one-inch plastic curtain rings (Bates makes these of Luxite, and a package of 15 sells for about $1.35.)
- Stained glass paints in varying colors (optional), also from crafts store.
- Approximately 15 yards of nylon or polypropylene garden twine.
Ready: If your pots have been around block a few times, you might need to give them a bath. Scrub them with hot soapy water and a stiff brush. After they have dried, check their physical condition by tapping gently with a fingernail. A clean, dry, undamaged pot will reward you with a resonant ring. Now is a good time (while you are waiting for your pots to dry) to cut your plastic rectangles. From salad container covers, cut one each of these sizes: - 2" x 6"
- 2" x 5 1-2"
- 2" x 5"
- 2" x 4 1-2"
- 2" x 4"
Drill a small hole in one short end of each rectangle. Stain these, if desired, with glass stain paint, following manufacturer's directions.Set: For each chime, set aside: - one flower pot
- one 3/4 inch wooden bead (this will serve as clapper)
- two 5/8 inch wooden beads
- one curtain ring
- one plastic rectangle (matched by size to pot)
- one piece of garden twine, about 3 yards long
Go: - If necessary, separate your piece of twine into one ply, and tie one end to plastic curtain ring. Leave about 10 inches free to allow for later adjustment.
| | Tons of Tomatoes From A Small SpaceWritten by Jean Fritz
Want to grow a ton of tomatoes, but plagued by evil soil or limited space? The Japanese Tomato Ring allows you to grow 5 lush plants in a space 3" x 3", which should supply any family with tomatoes from summer through frost. Basically, Japanese Tomato Ring takes advantage of two things - your compost pile, and tomato plant's propensity to grow roots along its stem. The ring allows your compost pile to provide your plants with support and food while its contents decompose and create soil for next season. The growing plants disguise compost pile and actually make it attractive.Build your tomato ring with 4’ tall heavy-gage chicken wire and four to six strong bamboo or plastic poles. Line out circumference of your ring on ground, and place your poles 18” apart, either in a ring or a square. Encircle poles with wire, sinking bottom 6’ – 8” of wire into ground (use wire cutters and snip away bottom wire of roll, creating “legs” that will help stabilize ring.) Tie ring together with plastic garbage bag ties or pieces of lighter-gage wire (such as 14 or 16 gage.) Begin to fill cage with compost materials – grass clippings, shredded newspapers, coffee grounds, vegetable peelings, etc. Add a small amount of compost activator such as Ringers to begin decomposition process. As pile inside cage reduces, add more compost materials, layering “green stuff” (grass clippings and vegetable matter) with “brown stuff” (newspaper, bark mulch, etc.)
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