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How To Make a Clay Pot Smoker
Terra cotta pots are one of the single most versatile household items. These are not only ideal for planting flowers, but also, to convert into fountains, make wonderful outdoor aesthetic decorations, and serve many more purposes. What you might not know is just how durable clay pots really are and what they can be used for, other than plants.
In fact, these are so versatile and durable, they date back to antiquity, used for storing food, grain, and many other items. A little known fact about clay pots is they are the reason for the word, “insincere.” While that might sound quite strange, even fantastic, it’s nonetheless true. When a potter made a clay pot that wasn’t up to standards, it could be revealed by holding it up to the sunlight. If there was a defect in the glaze, it would be apparent, and the phrase “insincere” was used to describe it.
Today, terra cotta is still very popular, precisely because of its simplicity and many uses. They can hold plants, water, and be used indoors and outside. One surprising use it to convert a clay pot into a smoker. Before you think it’s too difficult and requires tools, you can make a clay pot smoker in a short amount of time, and, with little effort. You don’t need a big work space or specialized skills, just a terra cotta pot and a few materials.
Repurposing for Landscaping and Entertaining
One great thing about landscaping is the fact that you can use all kinds of common household items for different purposes. For instance, you can take an old wood ladder, give it a good sanding, brush on a coat of paint, and now, you have shelving for plants. An unstable wooden chair can make a great porch swing. Just saw off the wobbly legs, fasten four eye hooks to the chair, and then hang it.
True barbecue involves cooking meat over low heat for a long time – often for many hours. Though you may have a grill, but having to manage the fire for hours isn’t a lot of fun. Smokers like the Weber Smokey Mountain start around $300 – and still others start at about $700+, like the Big Green Egg! —Makezine.com
Old tires can be transformed into planters, while an old bed headboard can be made into an outdoor table. Take the shelves out of an old bookshelf, line it with landscape fabric or plastic, and turn it into a small composting bin. If you use your imagination, you’ll come-up with quite a few uses for old items to give them new life in your landscape. For instance, empty wine bottles can serve as citronella candle holders to keep mosquitoes at-bay when you are entertaining.
First 3 Steps to Make a Clay Pot Smoker
If you want to enjoy the taste of slow-cooked barbecue, you don’t have to resign yourself to buying an expensive smoker. For a lot less money, you can make a clay pot into a smoker, and here’s how to do that in five easy steps:
- Gather needed tools and materials. You’ll need a terra cotta pot (of course), a pot drain pan, a hotplate burner, grill grate, three or four clay pot feet, gate handle, nuts and bolts, drill-driver, grill thermometer, some gravel, and cast iron or stainless steel skillet.
- Drill holes for the burner wiring, the handle, and thermometer. To start the assembly, drill holes as needed to accommodate the burner and to fasten the gate handle. You should drill the holes a few inches from the bottom on one side of the pot. The handle is optional, as there are many clay pots that come with a cover and handle. One more hole should be drilled into the cover to accommodate the thermometer to easily monitor temperature.
- Attach the legs to the bottom. Turn the pot upside down and attach the legs. You’ll have to drill holes into the bottom if the pot is not already equipped with legs. As an alternative, you can skip attaching legs and just set the pot on bricks.
Last 2 Steps to Make a Clay Pot Smoker
- Fill the bottom with loose gravel. To keep the bottom in-tact, it needs to be insulated with loose gravel that will support the burner. Place the burner on top of the gravel and feed the wires through the holes you drilled in the side. Then, place the skillet on top of the burner–this is where the wood chips will go when you’re ready to cook.
- Fix the grill grate into place. Now, you can place the grill grate inside the pot, pushing it down until it is snug. There ought to be some space between the skillet and the grill grate, enough to accommodate wood chips but not much more.
That’s all you need to do to make a smoker out of a clay pot! Now, you can smoke your meat and enjoy the wonderful slow-cooked taste.
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Keeping Rain Barrel Water Clean and Mosquito Free
The rain barrel, an ancient and efficient way of temporarily storing water for those not-so-rainy days or dry spells. Used for irrigating plants and lawns, vegetable and flower gardens, even for washing clothes. They’re also used for drinking water when properly distilled. So, these devices are a great way of cutting down costs and conserving water.
Generally, homeowners install rain barrels under a drain spout connected to a gutter system on their houses. When it rains, the gutters channel the rainwater down through the spout and into the barrel. For areas like ours, where rain is a common occurrence, especially in the summer, these simple collection devices are a smart way to harness the power of nature’s wet nourishment.
Like with most things in life and landscaping, there’s some trade-off for free future irrigation and these particular problems come in two forms: stale, dirty water and disease carrying mosquitoes. When a rain barrel is full, the water begins to stagnate, slowly creating a stench; and, any standing water is quite attractive to the local mosquito population.
Keeping Rain Barrel Water Clean
The reason for rainwater stagnating isn’t the water itself, so-to-speak. It becomes stagnate and “dirty” when organic matter is introduced into it. During a rainstorm, it’s common for a lot of organic matter to be carried by running rain water channeled through a gutter system. Leaves, insects, sticks, and more are all swept away, particularly during a downpour. That’s why most homeowners elect to put a filter of sorts at the end of the downspout, to keep said organic matter out of the water.
Rainwater collection is an age–old technology that has long been used in arid southwestern places such as Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico, as well as states like California and Nevada, where growing populations are stressing limited water supplies. Lately, though, it’s been finding new practitioners even in more well-saturated environs, where rising water bills and dwindling rainfall levels are making homeowners think twice before blasting the tap. —This Old House
By cutting off outside contaminates, it’s possible to keep the rain “fresh” for several weeks, even months. A tightly closed lid and “sealed” system will keep the water free of organic matter; and, hence, no stench. Another trick is to keep the sunlight out. When sunlight hits the water, algae can start to bloom, which is organic, creating the same problem. A small dose of chlorine bleach will keep algae from blooming and will evaporate away in a few days, making it safe for watering plants. A single cup of vinegar or putting charcoal at the bottom will also keep the water clean.
Of course, you should clean it well after use to keep the barrel itself intact. Regular cleaning will prevent things from festering and growing after collecting rainwater and will help to ensure better quality water for your landscaping and gardening needs. Last but not least, if you do have a continual problem with odor emanating from your barrel, it could be the design. Containers with spigots placed too high will collect rain below that line and sit, therefore stagnating, contaminating the entire contents.
Keeping Mosquitoes Away from Your Rain Barrel
Another common problem with a water tank is that any standing water attracts mosquitoes. That’s not good for a number of reasons, the least of which are annoying bites that cause itching. Because these tiny blood thirsty insects breed in and around standing water, a water butt is the perfect place to take-up residence.
To keep mosquitoes away, the barrel should not only be closed-off, but proofed. In other words, don’t leave water lingering on the top, if it’s a truly closed system. Warding off mosquitoes can be done with these three simple, easy to do solutions:
- Liquid dish soap. Add just one tablespoon once per week or after a storm. By doing this, you’re creating a thin film on the surface of the water. This breaks the surface tension and what that does is drown any mosquitoes that might find their way into the container. They die off before they can lay eggs, but, now you’ve potentially got organic matter that will break down.
- Mosquito dunks. These contain what’s called “bacillus thuringiensis israelensis” or Bti. You sink one dunk per month or as they are needed and it kills the larvae of mosquitoes and blackflies. It works by dissolving and releasing bacteria.
- Vegetable oil. A quarter cup of vegetable oil applied weekly or after a storm will do much the same thing as dish soap. The difference here is, the larvae are suffocated by the floating layer of oil.
With these little tips and tricks, you can easily keep your barrel water from stagnating and repel mosquitoes, making it free to use for watering your garden or lawn.
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Daffodil Growing Care For Beginners
Daffodils make wonderful indoor or outdoor plants. Up north and in the plain states, daffodils are sometimes used to bring a breath of spring indoors during the winter. But here in sunny west-central Florida, with very few days near freezing, you can enjoy this beautiful bulb practically anytime of year. Distinguished by their yellow, white, and orange flowers, usually with six tepal and trumpet-shaped corona, these are popular plants which go back to antiquity.
You can grow daffodils indoors or outdoors and some people prefer to start their growth cycle inside and then transfer the flowers to an outdoor garden after some weeks.
About Daffodils
Part of the bulbiferous geophytes, daffodils or narcissus poeticus, have been around mankind for quite some time. In fact, these plants go back to ancient civilization. What’s more, the origin of its scientific classification remains a mystery to this day. However, it is known these plants are toxic. Like other dangerous plants children and pet households should avoid, daffodils contain the alkaloid poison lycorine.
Daffodils bring cheer to the spring garden with abundant flowers in hues of yellow, white, pink, and salmon. Varieties are available in a range of sizes and forms. Flowers may be single or double, grow singly on a stem or with multiple flowers per stem, and height varies from 6 to 20 inches. Daffodils grow best in areas with cold winters, cool springs, and cool summers. Choose varieties that mature at different times to extend the bloom season. Unlike many spring-flowering bulbs, daffodil bulbs are not eaten by mice or voles. —Garden.org
When ingested, daffodils are known to cause acute abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Additionally, ingestion of daffodils can also cause trembling, convulsions, paralysis, and even death. They are known to have been a method of suicide in the ancient world and remained so through later centuries. So, it’s best to keep these plants out-of-reach of children and pest, if grown indoors or even in an outdoor garden.
Daffodil Growing Care for Beginners
Daffodils, part of the genus narcissus, are perennials. This means they generally live more than two years. Like other perennial plants, daffodils will grow and bloom during the spring, as well as the summer, then die over the fall and winter months. When spring arrives again, daffodils will come back to life and repeat the cycle. If you want to enjoy the beauty of daffodils, but are new to these plants, you just need to know a little daffodil bulb care for beginners:
- Plant seed pods in a pot. You can purchase a “kit” or daffodil seed pods from a nursery. Be sure to inquire about the size of the pot so the roots have plenty of room to take hold. Place the pot near a window, where the plant can receive sunlight. But, do not place it in direct sunlight as this can burn the plant’s foliage. Direct sunlight also causes the blooms to lose their color and fade away quickly. The room temperature should remain about 70 degrees. Place a drain pan below the pot to catch the runoff water.
- Check the soil regularly. About once or twice a week, gently poke your finger into the soil to detect the amount of moisture. If the top inch begins to feel dry, water the plant. After watering your daffodils, check the pan for water about every half hour for one to two hours. Empty the tray to prevent the soil from becoming too soggy.
- Prune the plants when needed. When the blooms begin to fade, gently snip any spent flowers just beneath the base. Do not remove the remaining stems because these will continue to absorb energy from the sun and nutrients from the soil.
- Fertilize about every two weeks. Use a soluble balanced fertilizer but do so only about every two weeks after the last of the flowers fade. This is especially a good practice for transplanting into an outdoor garden. Be sure to check the fertilizer for its strength so the daffodils do not receive too much.
- Transplant the flowers to an outdoor garden. Now, you can transplant the flowers to your outdoor garden. Plant in a well-drained spot, with filtered sunlight exposure. You can place daffodils in direct sunlight, but the flower colors will fade quicker and die off sooner. Allow the leaves to die back on their own, in a natural manner.
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