Consumerist
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product testing
Consumer Reports: Man Vs. Leaf Blower
Consumer Reports wanted to know if leaf blowers were really worth the money and ear damage, so they marked off a parts of lawn, filled it with leaves and had the ultimate man vs. blower showdown. More » -
frugality
Urine, Nature's Free Plant Fertilizer
Sellers of pre-packaged fertilizer would rather you didn't know but human urine has been used since ancient times as a plant fertilizer. It contains loads of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which is good for plants. Best of all, it's free. Make sure to dilute it with at least 10 parts water to 1 part urine, or risk burning the roots of some plants. A report published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that using human urine as fertilizer didn't change the nutritional content or the flavor of cabbages on which it was used.
Human Urine As A Safe, Inexpensive Fertilizer For Food Crops [Science Daily]
Urine [Wikipedia]
(Photo: rhys400D) -
suburban menace
Are Leaf Blowers Disturbing The Peace? Should They Be Banned?
NPR has an extremely funny news piece about Newton, Mass., a pleasant suburban town in which the residents enjoy their neatly manicured laws... but at what cost to their sanity?
Some residents of a leafy suburb of Boston are fighting over what to do with all the leaves. Residents of Newton, Mass., say they are being tormented by the noise coming from the gas-powered leaf blowers that are now everywhere.
Oh no! More » -
on the cheap
Fall Is A Good Time To Fertilize Your Lawn
The summer is winding down and the days are getting shorter. Sigh. Time to fertilize your lawn. Taking a few steps in the fall will help your lawn avoid disease and will ultimately save you money. More » -
herbs
Grow A Pot of Herbs!
Fresh herbs are delicious, but they cost money. Money you'd be better off using for other things, because herbs can be grown in a pot and the Nintendo Wii cannot. You don't even need a yard! The National Gardening Associations says "a simple container on a deck or patio can provide herbs all season, as you need them." More » -
diy
Make Your Own Weed Killer With Cheap Gin
This little tip sounds like the perfect solution for an alcoholic gardener who just went on the wagon: Make your own weed killer with leftover gin. Does it work? Hell, we have no idea. We live in Brooklyn where yards are outlawed. More » -
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diy
February Is Time To Start Thinking About Your Garden
Sounds crazy, but soon it will be the time to start planning a garden and starting your seeds. Since we live in Brooklyn and, you know, don't have a garden, we'll leave it up to Get Rich Slowly to break it down. If you're new to gardening, he suggests you start with herbs:
Herbs are one of the most forgiving classes of plants to grow — almost as easy as weeds — especially the hardy perennial herbs. Except for excessively moist soil and total shade, almost any conditions will support herbs. They thrive in sunny, dry areas. Herbs are also some of the most frugal crops you can grow because they are outrageously priced at the grocery store and can be used to make even basic ingredients into a stand-out meal. It's worth the cost to start with herb plants rather than seeds so that you can use them right away.
We're dreaming of basil! Lots more tips at Get Rich Slowly. —MEGHANN MARCO More »
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