valleygardens.net

Home gardeners as well as farmers are affected by this summer’s daily rain storms. Tomatoes refuse to ripen, vine crops rot on the ground and broken tree limbs cause havoc.

“This is the least successful garden I’ve ever had,” said Peter Czap of Amherst, a retired history professor and experienced vegetable gardener. “I had my first garden in 1943 when I was 12 years old.” It was one of the many Victory gardens planted during World War II. He’s been gardening ever since.

The problem this year is obvious: “It’s all the rain and lack of sun,” he said. “A lot of the fertilizer I used has been diluted and washed away.”

Czap said his tomatoes have suffered especially. “If I was into fried green tomatoes I’d be in pig heaven,” he said.

Due to the weather, many tomato plants have developed blight and their fruits lack substance and flavor. “They have a watery taste,” said Czap’s wife, Susan Snively, a poet who recently retired as director of the Amherst College Writing Center. Czap added that his ‘Sweet 100′ cherry tomatoes should be called ‘Tart 100′ this year. “Usually they are sweet as candy,” he said.

Czap prefers heirloom tomatoes, which he grows from seed. He favors Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (2278 Baker Creek Road, Mansfield MO 65704), which is a reputable company with a fascinating catalog. “I don’t really have an old favorite. I like to keep exploring,” he said.

‘Orange Blossom’ has done well this year as has ‘Cherokee Purple.’ Czap and Snively are intrigued by the pear-shaped fruits of ‘Japanese Black Trifele’, actually a Russian heirloom, appropriate for Czap whose area of expertise is Russian history.

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When you finish a woodworking project, you should try to stain your wood as soon as possible to get the best finish you can. If you wait, your piece has a larger chance to become damaged by scratches or stains, and it may accumulate dirt and oils. If you find that you do need to wait before applying a stain, re-sand your piece with some fine-grit sandpaper before you apply your finish. No matter whether your project is a frame or a chest of drawers, you use the same steps to apply the stain.

Make sure the surface of your piece is clean and free of dust before you apply any stain. If you choose to finish the gluing after you finish the piece, be sure to use masking tape to cover all glue surfaces. When using any type of stain or finish, always do so in an area that is well ventilated, has plenty of light and space, and is clean.

There are several different techniques you can use to apply stain to your project. You can use a brush or a rag with most stains on the market. Some even are packaged so you can spray them on. Absorbent rags made of natural fibers like cotton work really well to apply stain. Use a cut up old T-shirt or other piece of fabric. Alternatively, you can also use a heavy-duty paper towel. If you prefer to use a brush, it doesn’t matter if you use a synthetic or a natural bristle brush. Foam brushes may not be your best choice… they can sometimes disintegrate from the solvents used in some stains. If you are spraying your stain onto your project, set the paint gun up for a light viscosity. If the stain you have chosen is a thick pigment type, you’ll also need to thin it before putting it in the paint gun so it will spray properly.

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No matter what your current woodworking project may be, whether it is a built-in bookshelf or a simple jewelry box, to create a truly beautiful piece you must put on a proper finish. To create that lovely finish, it is necessary to prepare the surface properly. This doesn’t mean you need to spend a large amount of time preparing it, however. You should divide surface preparation into three distinct stages for the most efficiency. Each stage will use different tools and methods of preparation. In the first and second stages, you will use abrasive tools like planes, scrapers and sandpaper. In the third stage, you will be using fillers and wood putty.

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While it is common for wood to have defects like splits, cracks and knots, you may notice blemishes in your finished project like scratches, dents and gouges. These blemishes are inflicted on the wood from the machines you use to make your project. Even if you’re making a simple piece like a pair of bookends, you’ll want to remove these blemishes if you want your woodworking project to look its best. If you’re making a larger piece, it becomes even more important to remove these defects.

Wood putty is available in many colors and forms, and is the easiest method of repairing gouges and other small defects on the wood’s surface. While wood putty of all kinds are basically applied the same, there can be a difference in your application depending on the wood you are using. For example, if your wood has an open grain with bigger knots and large cracks, that will require a different treatment because the space that needs to be filled is larger. Dents can usually be steamed out, while shallow dents and scratches may disappear under the sander. Sometimes a piece will split accidentally while you are routing. If you can find the chip, it may work to glue it in place and hold it securely by wrapping the piece in masking tape. If you can’t find the chip, it may be possible to make a new piece to glue in place. If possible, try to cut the replacement for the chip from the same board so the color and texture will match.

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