Nutrients and growth

I don't recall if it posted but I wrote the other day that my daughter chose to stop taking karate. She wants to take art classes instead. Still, I'm going to teach her how to defend herself. I prefer it this way. It's in my realm to teach her self defense but art is outside my realm.

Besides, I will teach her what is behind karate. The philosophy and history. Honor, respect and understanding. Things which take years. Coupled with teaching about her family background, I hope it gives her greater motivation toward learning.

Yesterday, as we walked to the park, I explained the fact that Samurai warriors and Buddhist monks studied not just fighting but art, literature, music, history, diplomacy and agriculture. She found that conversation very interesting. Even if I make a little of this stuff up, I feel no guilt. It's much like many heroic stories in history. Giving her emotional role models who combine positive examples is most important.

I treated the garden with a homemade fertilizer and insecticidal mixture tonight. Daughter helped me cut, chop and scatter some onion tops this afternoon. Some onion tops had grown over 3 ft tall. I soaked a lot of the onion tops in water to make a spray. The spray also included nicotine from soaked cigarette butts, glycerin soap, ammonia and vinegar. Seemed to be effective. Most evenings I see a small cloud of whiteflies over the garden. Today there were only a couple visible. I went further and sprayed the area where the ticks were found and most of the area near the house. Then sprayed the tree trunk and walls of the house. Made a separate spray of just soap and sprayed the dog. It worked. Later on, I could see the ticks just falling off. And non-toxic! Whoo-hoo! Not to mention inexpensive! Now, if it helps the garden grow better, it's all good! Hope so. Made a whole gallon of concentrate for use in the hose sprayer.

Transplanted or deepened soil level in the remaining six container tomatoes today. Another one I made an upside down container for. Have to wait a few days before hanging it, until the roots spread out a bit. Then I can plant one on top like the first one. Hmm. Bet I could sell those!

Gonna suck to get up early tomorrow. Been getting up around 9 every morning for the last 4 days.

I wrote two TV stations about the fact that there was no bus service in the city today. Coupled with large sections of the city having no bus service on Sundays, it causes a distinct problem for a lot of people. However, from what I've seen, neither station bothered to mention it. One company owns two stations. I'm guessing their silence on the subject has to do with politics and advertising dollars.

Time for bed.