Fred Tyler

I redid a section of roof at my mom's house a few years ago. I didn't aim for quieting the rain, but now the rain noise is only heard at the skylights.

There's a risk of pecan limbs falling on the metal, so I went with the thicker gauge metal. Slightly thicker decking dramatically increases the ability of the screws to hold the metal down in high winds, so I went with thicker decking. 1" of insulation is not enough in New Mexico,  so I went with about 18".

The end result of all that thickening is some much quieter rooms. Not sure if one part or other could be skipped with similar results.  When I want to hear the rain, I'll go hang out I the shed.

The best time to move a tree is when it's dormant. If you move a tree that has already leafed out, it is a good idea to strip off most (80%) of the leaves. If you move a tree that has leafed out and it has NO roots, then it is best to strip off ALL of the leaves and give it supplemental shade, if possible. The leaves will keep pumping water out of the wood. Without roots, there's no way to replace that water. The tree will first put energy into growing new roots and then will grow new leaves in an appropriate proportion.

I first learned about this method hearing about Sepp Holzer's childhood, and I've had good results following it.

This Hoss Garden Fork is the best one I've used. It is all steel construction and has a foot pad that is surprisingly helpful.

https://growhoss.com/products/garden-fork?variant=45579278287158

That doesn't mean it's completely indestructible.  You may need to adjust your technique. Try loosening all around the rhubarb at half the fork depth first, then go back at full depth to pry up the root.

To keep a plant from tipping over when the support rots at the base, run some cordage to a hook in the ceiling from the top of the post.

Looks like you'll have a few years to plan until you have 4 monstera threatening to tip over.

I've found this video helpful for understanding gate design.  

I think there's a set of screw extractors in the shop. I think the last toolbox on the left as enter the shop. I think the drawer is even labeled.

If you want to make herbal incense,  that is one thing.  But if you are lighting a fire and can smell the smoke that is probably not a good thing. When you light a fire in your wood stove, fireplace, or RMH, the smoke needs to go up the chimney. If not, that can be dangerous and could indicate a problem that needs to be addressed.

The most successful way I've seen of killing a tree is to girdle it. It is not immediate, but doesn't involve poison or frequent attention.  This will be harder to do on a tree that has previously been cut down and has many stems. Once you cut the top of the tree off, hormones in the tree trigger it to grow lots of shoots. So, if possible, avoid that step for now. Cut through the bark (being careful to not cut the wood much) and peel off at least 6 inches of bark around the  full circumference of the tree. Be sure you aren't leaving the inner bark (even a small strip in a fold of the trunk can sustain the tree). The spring when the bark slips is the easiest time to do this. If you don't damage the wood and only cut the bark, the tree won't even know it is dying. It won't be able to send food between the leaves and roots. It won't store any energy to make it through the winter and it won't come back the next year. It will stay green through the summer, so it will look like you haven't done anything,  but be patient.

I don't think she's talking about watermelons. A few years ago we grew Valecia Winter Melon at WL. We didn't get too many so they all got eaten before we could see how long they lasted. But, I've heard of people eating them at christmas.

Here's info about christmas melons

Stephen B. Thomas wrote:

Note to self: this is what a daikon radish looks like when it's about to flower. We experimented today by pinching off the flower stalk, hoping that energy will instead go to the root or at least the leaves. We'll see how things work out over the rest of the season.

Generally when a plant has decided its time to bolt there is no stopping it. The hormones in the plant have already shifted.

Regarding daikon specifically: What I've always heard and it has seemed to bear true in MT is that if you plant daikon seeds before summer solstice you get flowers and seeds and no roots to speak of. If you want to harvest roots try planting some after the solstice and there should be some fat roots before the frosts.