Tips And Tricks

8 years ago

I found a couple of things I'd like to share today. The first is this cool YouTube on how to make a hand-tiller out of an old bicycle.

Here's the link for the tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqSzrS6ksUM

In fact if you do a search on YouTube using the terms "tiller from bicycle", you'll find other tutes as well.

If you put an aspirin tablet in a gallon of water and let it dissolve, the resulting liquid acts as a rooting hormone. Willow bark has about same results, but often it's much easier to find an aspirin than it is to get access to a willow tree. Also there was a comment below saying to try Windex. I always read the comments even though some are pretty rude and crude. Here's that URL:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8FJjXTOBdI

Here's a YouTube on how to germinate any seed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SNRCy5yGS8

I do this a little differently, for instance, I use paper towel or coffee filters and stick them in a sandwich bag, but I like how the seeds are put in the fold in one layer and then rolled up, with the roll kept standing on the end where the seeds are, because then when they germinate they will grow upwards.

Folks, I hate to keep dominating this forum, I sure wish I could find a topic that would spark enough interest for people to start commenting and also posting some stuff of their own. I will continue to try, when I have the time. This has been a pretty good forum in the past, I just know it can be again.

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User
Original Author

8 years ago

Bummer, Jacob! But yeah, if you go to garage sales you might find one there. Our police department sells unclaimed bikes every now and then. I went to a flea market in... I think it was MO or AR, and they had made a fence with old bikes. LOL

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Comments (6)

jacoblockcuff (z5b/6a CNTRL Missouri
8 years ago
Rockwhisperer, I've been meaning to post more myself on this forum, but haven't had a considerable amount of time to do so recently! I have been lurking on a few others, but not quite as much and I normally would.

That bicycle tiller looks really neat. We have some old, fairly beat up bicycles that I may just do that to, maybe today. I bet I could rig it up to make my own homemade seeder, digging drills for me, etc. You've got my mind working now!!

I've got to go now, but I'll come back later and check out the rest of the videos
User
Original Author
8 years ago
You Go, Jacob! Let me know how it turns out!
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jacoblockcuff (z5b/6a CNTRL Missouri
8 years ago
Well, I had a look yesterday and it turns out we got RID of those bikes only a couple months ago. If only I'd known the wonderful uses of a rusty old bicycle. Lol

Im sure I can find one here locally for free to use. I'll be on the lookout
albert_135 　 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I am not convinced that just any aspirin will behave like willow bark. You see willow bark contains salicylic acid which is a known rooting compound. Aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid. That acetyl- out front is put there help prevent stomach upset. Old aspirin or cheap aspirin will lose the acetyl- just setting on the shelf. Good expensive aspirin is treated to slow down loss. So I am not convinced that tossing a fresh Bayer aspirin in water will do what you are after. Buy some cheap stuff and leave it opened on a shelf in the shed if you want to use aspirin as a rooting compound.

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User
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you, Albert, that's good to know! I do have the cheap stuff so I'm halfway there. LOL

But I did try it on some things I was trying to root, that I have had success with before, without the aspirin, and the cuttings died. So.