Self-Sufficiency Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Knowledge Weighs Nothing

How To Make A DIY Soup Can Forge

We have done several posts about making your own knives, arrowheads and other small tools over the years, but the main stumbling block preventing most folks having a go is that the tutorials usually require a blacksmiths forge to heat, shape and harden the steel.

Building or buying a full-sized blacksmiths forge is beyond most people, however, how about building a small DIY forge from a soup can or similar? I think most people interested in kife making could manage that, especially as this soup can forge is simple to make and costs very little to build. A DIY soup can forge like the one in the video tutorial above would be perfect for those interested in making and forging their own knives or arrowheads etc.

Watch the video below to see how to build this simple soup can forge. I guess if you wanted to make larger tools such as axe heads, you could just use a larger can or a paint tin and make a larger forge in the same manner.

(Image from: LifeBuzzN)

Homemade Ant Killer / Repellent Recipes ( Plus Some Ant Bite Remedies!)

Ants. They bury, build and breed on epic scales and leaving a nest to go about its business for even so much as a week can see them seemingly plotting on taking over your household.

What’s more, the majority of us will have, at some time, been out and about, fishing, hunting or camping, and will have suffered a pretty nasty ant bite.

Here’s how you can take on this tiny but rather powerful little critter and how you can wage war and win through equally as powerful homemade ant killer recipes, remedies and tips.

Ants… All about them and the havoc that they can cause

As a starting point, rather than jumping right in and eradicating ants with these homemade ant killers, it’s advisable that you at least have a little background about your adversary.

Ants live within colonies and they are interested in only two things: food and water. The only exception to this rule is where the weather outside may be cold, and in such an instance they will seek shelter and warmth.

Contrary to popular belief only a small amount of any one colony is made up of workers, accounting for approximately 10%, so if you see a big group of ants heading off outside and coming back in with their spoils then you can rest assured that the total colony is about 10x as large.

Do you really have an ant problem? Or could it be termites?

Before we get started on the ant killer tips, tricks and recipes let’s be sure that you really have an ant problem.

The differences between flying ants and terminates

Waists – Ants always have waists that are split into segments, whereas termites are about the same width all the way along their body, and do not feature a pinched in the waist.

Antennas – Both ants and termites have antennas, however, ants’ antenna are bent, whereas termites’ antennas are straight.

Wings – Both ants and termites have two sets of wings, however, ants have a second set of wings that are of a smaller size, whereas termite’s wings are all of the same sizes.

Preventing Ant Infestations

Before we move on to my kick-ass homemade ant killer recipes, here are a few essentials tips that can help with ant issues, or even forgo the need for going nuclear upon ants in the first place.

Seal any cracks and crevices that may lead into the home where you suspect the ant may be entering from.

However, bear in mind that ants are particularly skilled at finding the very smallest of entrances to home and so you may struggle to close any and all possible entrances.

Clean up possible entry points with detergent.

This will remove the chemical trail that ants leave behind them (which helps them in finding their way back to the colony). You can then finish this off by spraying any of my natural ant killer recipes within this guide around the entry points.

Avoid leaving food scraps on the floor or on countertops. Ants send out scouts first – once they find food they bring in all their friends!

Some common foods that attract ants are:

Maple syrup
Honey
Fruit juice
Sugar
Peanut Butter
Honey
French Fries
Fruit

Ants attracted to fruit dropped on the floor (prevention is better than using ant killers)

Before moving on to the homemade ant killer recipes, I want to point out one thing – ants are one of the world’s great recyclers and they rank as one of the most important species on the planet. They are vital to every ecosystem they exist in. Here’s an interesting soundbite: ants are the biggest consumers or protein on the planet!

When in the wild, away from your home, please leave ants in peace to go about their business. These ant killer recipes and tips are only to be used when ants are invading your home and causing a nuisance. Also, rather than just reaching for an ant killer, remember, prevention is better than the cure! Keep floors and work surfaces clean and avoid leaving any waste or spoilt food laying around.

Borax is extremely effective at killing ants

Homemade Ant killer Recipe: The Overnight Recipe

Ingredients that you’ll need

Warm water
Sugar
Borax

Equipment that you’ll need

Cotton Balls
Mixing bowl

The Overnight Homemade Ant Killer Recipe: Step by step

This homemade ant killer recipe is probably the quickest and most effective one to use.

Step One – Measure 1 cup of warm water, then add 1/2 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of borax, then mix well.

Step Two – Now soak some cotton balls in the mixture and then place where you have seen ants.

That’s it, it’s cheap, simple and it works! The ants should be all gone within 24 hours.

Homemade Ant killer Recipe: A five-minute recipe

Ingredients that you’ll need

6 Tablespoon of Sugar
1 Cup of water
1 Tablespoon of boric acid

Equipment that you’ll need

Cotton balls
Containers with container lids (butter containers will be perfect)

A five minute Ant Killer recipe: Step by step

This homemade ant killer recipe is super quick and is suitable for when you’re not quite sure where the nest may be. Simply set up your container and wait for the win!

Step One – Dissolve the boric acid and sugar in water

Step Two – Soak your cotton balls in the solution

Step Three – Punch holes into the lid of the butter container

Step Four – Place your cotton balls within the container

Step Five – Place your containers wherever you spot an ant

Step Six – Sit back and relax!

These containers will attract ants, with them eventually taking traces of the boric acid back to the colony. After a few days you should notice a drastic reduction in ants.

Dish soap/washing up liquid, mixed with water can be used to destroy an ant mount

Homemade Ant killer Recipe: For the ant mound

This homemade ant killer recipe is ideal for when you know exactly where the ant mound is, and have access to it. This then treats the problem at the source and is probably the quickest method of all.

Ingredients that you’ll need

Soapy water (One gallon of water with around a teaspoon of washing up liquid/dish soap)

Equipment that you’ll need

A water jug to carry your mix

For the ant mound: Step by step

Step One – Mix up your soapy water

Step Two – Pour over the mound!

Step Three – Check back in around 24 hours, if there remains some ants that are still knocking about you should repeat the process

Mint leaves can be used to repel ants

Homemade Ant Repellent Recipe: Repel Ants rather than killing them

OK, so most will want to eradicate all trace of their ant infestation by whatever means necessary, however, there may be some that would like a kinder option. So here it is, three of the most effective natural ant repellents mixed into one so that you know that your kindness won’t be your downfall.

Ingredients that you’ll need

Mint plant(s) – you can also use peppermint oil too!
Lemon juice
Cinnamon

How to Repel Ants Naturally: Step by step

Step One – Place your mint plant or leaves where you’ve seen the most ants.

For the larger of properties, you’ll likely need a few of these. They act as a natural repellent that ant’s hate.

Step Two – Spray any ant entrances with lemon juice

Step Three – Grind up some cinnamon and place it around the home wherever you’ve seen ants lurking

This final step finishes off your ant itinerary perfectly and after a few days, you should notice that you have ant issues no longer!

Homemade Ant Killer Sprays: Quick mixes that can be popped into a spray bottle

The following homemade ant killer mixes are quick recipes that can be mixed up within a matter of minutes and poured into a spray bottle where they’ll be good to go.

Vinegar
Water (this is then a 50/50 mix with the vinegar)
Cider Vinegar & Water (this should also be around a 50/50 mix with water)
One of these essential oils: Peppermint, Lavender, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree Oil, Witch Hazel Extract (1 tablespoon) plus water–per spray bottle
Liquid Dish Detergent & Water (around 1 good sized tablespoon of detergent, within a full spray bottle of water)

Been bitten? Here are 13 effective ant bite home remedies

So you’ve followed all of the tips and put together so much homemade ant killer that you could go into business. But you’ve still been bitten. Fear not, the following tips will help ease the inflammation and soothe the pain of the ant bite.

Apply ice

Ice will help with swelling from the ant bite and act as a natural antihistamine.

Rub in a little vinegar

Applying a little vinegar to the ant bite helps to prevent the formation of any harmful bacteria at the bite site.

Apply toothpaste

Toothpaste will cool the skin and can numb any itching and prevent any swelling.

Apply alcohol

Rubbing alcohol (which should be of relatively high alcohol content) into the wound can act as histamine and reduce any swelling that may have occurred.

Apply or consume aspirin

Aspirin may be used in the more severe of circumstance and can help with any swelling around the ant bite (they’re anti-inflammatory). You can also try crushing an aspirin tablet and mixing it in water, and applying this directly to the bite to be left overnight.

Apply teabags

Teabags are ideal for acting as a cold compress and will reduce any itching.

Apply apple cider

Apple cider vinegar is a natural anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial agent and applying this directly to the affected area can help stop the ant bites from becoming infected (as well as reducing any itching). It’s also particularly useful for skin that may have gotten to a stage of peeling due to scratching.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera has plenty of great qualities and there’s not many bites, stings or rashes that it can’t help with. You can purchase aloe Vera gel, or you can source it yourself directly from the plant by cutting off and squeezing the leaves.

Rub in salt

This point may seem little bizarre, however, the old adage of applying salt to the wound doesn’t apply in a negative sense here and can actually help keep infection away. So make up a salt paste with water and apply a thin coat to the affected skin. This will seal the ant bite site and prevent you from scratching and inflaming the area.

Apply a baking soda paste

Making up a baking soda paste can redress the pH balance that gets disrupted when an ant bites. Simply add a ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to a large glass of water and apply thinly.

Rub in tea tree oil

Tea tree oil is ideal for reducing the swelling and irritation around an ant bite, however, you need to dilute pure tea tree oil down before applying to the bite site.

Rub in some Calamine lotion

If you happen to have some calamine handy then this can be used to soothe the ant bite and reduce irritation.

Rub in a little Soap

Applying a little soap can help provide a protective coating to the ant bite, however, it really needs to be applied as soon as the bite is received.

(Images from: Zainichi Gaikokujin, Sunnysingh22 & Onderwijsgek)

1 Year Emergency Food Storage For A Family Of 4 For Less Than $300

This is a great post from the Seasoned Prepper, but I should add here (also noted on the original post), this food storage plan will provide for almost all of your family’s nutritional needs, but it is lacking any dairy or vitamin B12. However, vitamin b12 can easily and cheaply be added via a multivitamin supplement (which I would already recommend) or with some nutritional yeast flakes. If you wanted to add in some dairy, you could quite cheaply add some whey protein powder or milk powder as well.

That said, for less than $300 and a weekend’s work, you can store 90% of the food required by a family of four to last a whole year. That is fairly amazing!

I should point out – this plan provides a very basic diet that whilst very nutritious and healthy, it is going to get boring and bland pretty quickly. With this in mind I would suggest either upping the initial budget to around $500 and adding some extra foods/herbs and spices etc, to provide some variety. Alternatively, you can get the basics stored now and you can then gradually add to it over time as money allows.

I think a lot of people are overwhelmed when it comes to starting out storing food in case the SHTF. This food plan provides a great way to get started super quickly and store a core basic range of foods that you can then add to bit by bit, over time. The most important thing with emergency food storage is actually getting started storing some food. This emergency food plan enables you to do this quickly, easily, and fairly cheaply.

The bottom line is this – if you don’t already have any food supplies stored away in case of emergency, what are you waiting for? It doesn’t get simpler or cheaper than this.

(Photo from: Tim Patterson)

How To Make Butter From Milk At Home

A while back I did the post: Make Mozzarella From Milk In Just 30 Minutes which was extremely popular! Given that so many of you liked the idea of making cheese out of milk, I am assuming that you will also like to know how to make totally delicious butter!

This one I’ve got, as making butter from milk is easy! It’s even easier to make butter from cream, but I have said how to make butter from milk, so let’s stick with that for now.

How To Make Butter From Milk

First things first – pour one gallon of fresh full-cream milk into a container with which has a mouth wide enough for you to be able to skim the cream from the top of the milk when it forms.
Now put your container of milk into the refrigerator for 12 hours or so, overnight will do.
Next, carefully skim off the cream that has formed on the top of the milk. Once you get down through the main cream and it starts to get thinner and more milk-like, stop!
Now leave your cream (covered) out on the side, until the temperature is approximately 75 degrees and it starts to smell a bit off…
Add the cream to a large jar, making sure not to fill it more than 40% full. Put the lid on tightly and shake vigorously for between 10-30 minutes, depending on how vigorous you are! Once you start to notice a distinct separation, with the beginning of the butter clumping together within the buttermilk, slow the shaking right down, but keep going; within a minute or two, your butter should start to turn yellow.
Now strain the butter from the buttermilk through a colander (save the buttermilk for pancakes!) and rinse under the tap. Shake off as much water as possible and add the butter solids to a bowl and mix them together to form one large mass, if there is still excess water in the bowl, pour this out.
Now it’s simply up to you to add some salt to your butter (to your taste), mix it all together, put the butter to a container with a lid, refrigerate and enjoy!

There you go – you’ve turned milk into butter! As said, it is much quicker if you are already starting off with cream, but now you can pretty much make butter from either cream or milk.

Below is a great video tutorial on how to make butter from milk from — Food Farmer Earth.

DIY Septic System Tutorials – 55 Gallon Drum & Tank Systems

Yep, this post is about building a homemade DIY septic system from cheap plastic barrels and used tote tanks! It’s not exciting, it’s not sexy, but it is necessary…

If you are just camping/living somewhere for a few weeks, a basic latrine with suffice. However, if we are talking months or years at an off-the-grid location, you’ll need something more effective to deal with the regular human waste. You can either buy an expensive off-the-shelf septic system or you can build something like a small low-cost 55 gallon drum septic system, or a larger tote tank system.

Below are three very cheap to build ‘Do It Yourself’ home septic systems — a small scale 55 gallon drum septic system to two larger tote tank septic systems. All of which are very cheap and relatively simple to build.

1 –DIY 55 Gallon Drum Septic System

This superb step-by-step tutorial shows how to quickly and cheaply build a small 55 gallon drum septic system. This homemade plastic barrel septic system is only suitable for human waste, it is not big enough for laundry etc. The tutorial states this system is suitable for two adults, but I would think that with careful usage, this could cover the needs of a small family with two adults and two young children. Check it out.

This is a very cheap and simple plastic barrel septic system for one to two people. It is only suitable for human waste though. It cannot deal with laundry etc.

2 — DIY Tote Tank Septic System

Below is an excellent video tutorial from UnitedStatesofBuild. The video documents how to build a low-cost, off-the-grid tote tank septic system. Totes are large plastic liquid containers that are housed in a protective steel/aluminium frame. They are often shipped on pallets for transport.

Totes can be acquired cheaply as they are usually considered a waste product once used. A quick Google or eBay search for ‘used totes for sale’ will give you an idea of cost and availability. Tote tanks are also great for large-scale rainwater collection systems!

3 –A Larger DIY Tank Septic System

This video tutorial is by Make Science Fun. It covers how to build a larger-scale above ground aerated water waste treatment system build with totes. This system is a larger, more expensive DIY tank septic system, but it still a fraction of the cost of a professionally installed commercial system.

This is a larger, more complicated septic system, but it is very efficient and can break down and process much greater quantities of waste.

So there you go, a small low-cost plastic barrel septic system and medium and a larger sized tote tank system. Hopefully, you now know a lot more about ‘Do It Yourself’ homemade septic systems, so you can decide whether to invest in a professional readymade system or build a cheaper DIY system.

(Photo from: WikiHow)

How To Reuse Silica Gel Packets (& Get 100s Of Packets For FREE!)

These pesky, annoying little packets you get in pretty much everything from purses to boxed electronics are actually really handy to stockpile and reuse…

Did you know Silica gel is a desiccant, a substance that absorbs moisture? Despite its misleading name, the silicate is actually a very porous mineral with a natural attraction to water molecules. It sucks in moisture from the surrounding environment and traps it within.

These silica packets could be used to keep valuable papers, electronics, and ammo dry and moist free. There are loads of other uses too! Find out more: How To Reuse Silica Gel Packets.

I used to work in a ‘Goods in’ department in an engineering company. There were 100s of these little silica gel packets being thrown in the trash weekly, from the goods delivered. If you have friends or family that work in a warehouse or factory, they can likely get hold of and save 100s and 100s of these silica packets for you. Alternatively, just go and speak to a few local businesses. Explain you are recycling the silica gel packages used for shipping goods. I am sure you’ll find folks are happy to save them up for you, rather than wasting them.

DIY Plant-Pot Maker From Old Newspaper (Highly recommended)

I have had one of these for years and it is superb. Not only do you get free plant pots for life, but they are also biodegradable and can be planted straight in the ground (in the pot) and the pot will break-down naturally in the soil.

We make and use 100s of these newspaper plant pots each year. I get the kids making them on mass in the springtime ready for the planting season. We place them in seeding trays which makes them easy to store and move.

These paper pots are suitable for use with all fruit, vegetables and flowering plants. As they are planted in the ground in the pot, it makes them especially useful for plants which don’t like root disturbance, such as beets and carrots, which allows you to start these off early indoors and get a head start on the growing season.

There are no issues with the ink in the newspaper these days and all newspapers are printed with a soy-based ink which is non-toxic.

I highly recommend you pick one up, it will last forever and save you a fortune. Additionally, it is a great way to recycle and use old newspapers.

Do-It-Yourself Plant PotMaker from Newspaper currently $13.95 on Amazon

Rain Harvesting: How To Store & Filter Rainwater

UPDATE: this post is a combination of a few smaller posts that were knocking around from the early days of K.W.N. As these posts contained excellent information on rainwater harvesting and filtering, I have compiled them here in one larger post.

dumpadayuse-rain-water-to-water-your-garden

I stumbled across this diagram a while back. Unfortunately, I was unable find the original source or any further details on materials and construction. However, all is not lost as the diagram pretty much shows you all you need to know to collect and store rainwater at home. Includes fixtures and fittings. It shouldn’t be too difficult to replicate this system using just the diagram.

How To Make A BioSand Homemade Water Filter To Filter Collected Rainwater

Most people who collect rainwater, do so for watering their garden and crops. The thing is, rainwater collected from the roof of your home etc is perfectly drinkable if it is first filtered, to take out any toxins and bacteria etc. You don’t need a high-tech expensive industrial water filter system to do this; you can easily make something known as a bio-sand filter, which can all but be made for free…

Below is some additional information from Wikipedia

Bio-sand filters remove pathogens and suspended solids through a combination of biological and physical processes that take place in the biolayer and within the sand column. BSFs have been shown to remove 5.00-64.00% of heavy metals and 90.00-99.99% of turbidity and contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, and protozoa.

If you are interested in setting up your own bio-sand water filter, to run your collected rainwater through, check out: How To Make A Bio-Sand Filter To Filter Collected Rainwater

(Photo from: The Prepper Journal)

BioSand Filter Which Could Easily Be Adapted Into A Rainwater Barrel

Above is a large homemade biosand water filter system from Instructables. If you head over to Instructables, there is a very in depth, step-by-step tutorial explaining how to build this DIY biosand filter, plus a load of information on why biosand filter are incredibly effective at filtering water. The best bit, is the whole tutorial can be saved/downloaded in a PDF document, making it easy to print out and refer to whilst.

(Image from: jimmypat)

Simple And Affordable Water Tote Rain Storage System

If you have the space and your local County allows it, I think everyone should install a simple rain collection system. You would be amazed at how much water you can collect from the roof of your house or a shed/barn. You are pretty much only limited by the space you have to store the collected water. If you have lots of space, you could easily capture enough water for watering your garden and any fruit and vegetables you grow.

Harvested rainwater isn’t really great to drink, but if you are without your main water supply for whatever reason, it is feasible to use a survival/camping water filter such as this water filter to filter this water and make it safe for drinking.

If you’d like more information about building a rain water collection system, the folks over at Old World Garden Farms have built a great system and they have written an article about how it was put together and how it works. Check it out below.

For emergency drinking water storage, check out: WaterBOB WB-06-001 Emergency Drinking Water Storage it fits in your bathtub and holds 100 gallons of water.

(Photo from: Old World Garden Farms)

If you are thinking about installing rain barrels to store rain water, just be aware that in some states this is illegal, sad but true. If you can have rain water barrels there are lots of things that you should and shouldn’t do. If you are storing water to drink, you need to do things differently than if you were storing the water purely to water the grass. I found a great article explaining the do’s and don’ts of building and installing your first rain barrel: The Do’s and Don’ts of Building Your First Rain Barrel

(Picture Credit: Rachel Tayse)

5 Things Needed For Catching Big Salmon

Salmon are one of the most famous sports fish that are widely distributed. The fish tastes outstanding, but their great fighting spirit might offer a robust challenge to you. There are many subspecies of salmon which would be a treat but catching king Salmon could make your day.

Hence, to help you in catching easily, we have brought up a list of five things needed for catching big Salmon.

Fishing Rod

Selecting the ideal rod for salmon fishing would be advantageous. The perfect and the best salmon rod would lead you more towards success and fun in catching king salmon.

There are various kinds of salmon fishing rods such as spinning rods, baitcasting rods, trolling rods, and fly fishing rods.
Generally, for getting hold of a king size salmon, a fishing rod of about 8-10 foot range would be better.
Keeping this in mind, the salmon fly fishing rods could be the right choice for you as these rods would be about 9 to 10 foot in range.

Moreover, the butt portion would also be important to consider for these powerful fighters.

The tail section generally would range between 6 to 12 inches. Usually, the blanks of a salmon fishing rod are made up of graphite or fiberglass or a merger of both to provide flexibility and strength.

However, these rods are designed mainly with extreme strength along with the power and a tough hook to set right into the bony jaws to control these strong fighters for which they are popularly known.

Fishing Reel

The reel would include the most vital equipment while targeting king salmon. Particularly, the drag system would have to operate correctly on the reel when the big fish is pulling firmly. The drag system would have to be durable so that it doesn’t freeze up for great pressure and smooth so that it offers equal pressure even if the king salmon is pulling hard.

However, there are two important types of reels; one is the spinning reels while the other is conventional or baitcasting reels.
Spinning reels could work perfectly for beginners as it can be used easily but might not prove the best for catching King Salmon.

This is because these reels are not as hefty or strong as the baitcasting reels and also the drag system could not be good.

However, you could get some good brands of spinning reels that might work great. The conventional reel comes with a reliable drag system and is easy to crack under pressure. This is the reason that these reels could perform better in catching the king salmon.

In addition to it, the level wind reels could be an excellent choice for big salmon, which comes with the line strength of about 12 pounds.

Fishing Lines

The fishing line that you will employ for catching big salmon would determine whether your day will be successful or frustrating.

Although the monofilament lines are as always the most common choice for maximum anglers as they are cheap, it might not result in something effective in catching big salmon.

Specialty lines and super lines are constructed with several elements and amalgamation of items than the standard lines that make them ideal for catching big fishes.

Super lines, constructed through thermal fusion or braiding the strands of elements and designed with strength make it the most efficient line to land king Salmon. These lines lack stretch and have excellent knot strength. The diameter is just a fraction of the monofilament lines, and it permits deep, fast descent while trolling.

However, super lines might not make a good leader material always as these are not constructed of any smooth or clear material. Specialty lines are even often used salmon fly fishing from both in freshwater and saltwater situations. These lines would always be attached to a spool at the rod’s end and look nearly same in appearance and texture to super lines.

Monofilament Lines are also used in catching Speckled Trout, and if you are planning to catch speckled trout then monofilament line with fine diameter is pretty useful.

Fishing Lures

Spoons, spinners, and plugs could be considered to be the most effectual lures for salmon, especially for King salmon. Spoon lures comprise of concave, elongated oval fastened to a hook. Usually, the oblong spoon is made of a painted metal and designed to make it look like a small fish mimicking the fluttering, random movements.

Spoons would be useful especially for downrigger and troll fishing. The other potential lure of salmon fishing is the spinner, which is also popularly known as spinnerbait. There are many distinctive designs in this category, but the standard feature in all is the reflective blades of metal. These blades spin freely around while it is reeled in and create potential vibration in water that attracts the salmons.

The wobbling variety of Plug would also work perfectly for catching big salmon. These are hard, reliable lures that feature many hooks typically and are designed with reflective paint to look like a fish. There are two separated parts in wobbling plugs that are joined by a hinge, and it allows fluttering back and forwards while reeled in.

Such a movement, as usual, creates vibration and attracts the attention of the salmon. A cut-plug lure is another type of plug that is used for salmon fishing exclusively in Great Lakes as well as Pacific Coast waters. Moreover, the color would be the primary consideration for any lures.

Live Baits

There is no doubt that artificial flies and lures would let you catch salmon in significant numbers. But, there are some live baits that could even provide you the extra edge. In the famous saltwater fishing technique, the lure is tipped, that is, adding extra pieces of herring or worm to the lure.

However, you would have to be cautious about this that tipping much larger amount could affect the lure action negatively. Anglers use fish eggs fastened to a float while drift fishing salmon in shallow freshwaters.

Conclusion

Well, we hope that our mentioned list of five things needed for catching big salmon would render you a good idea about the essential requirements. You could experience a great catch if you use the correct materials. However, if you have any suggestion regarding it, please let us know.

Biography

Hi there, I’m Ted Thomas from GrayWolfLife, an ardent adventure writer. I write for readers with a genuine interest in enjoying the great outdoors. By sharing my experiences camping, hunting and fishing, I hope to inspire others to fully explore the depths of their passion.

18 Cheap & Easy DIY Greenhouse — FREE Build Tutorials

Below we have a round-up post comprising several shorter DIY greenhouse tutorial posts, we have done over the years. There are all together here in one post, so you don’t have to go searching for them.

13 Cheap & Easy DIY Greenhouses

It’s the growing season again, hence all the gardening posts on K.W.N recently. There will be more emergency preparedness and survival posts shortly, but I am just too excited with the new growing season right now. Also now is obviously the best time to share gardening related stuff with you guys…

We have featured one or two of these DIY greenhouse tutorials already on K.W.N, but I just stumbled on this list of 13 cheap DIY greenhouse tutorials. Some of them are really cheap, so if you want a greenhouse on a budget, and you don’t mind a bit of DIY to make it happen, check out the list of tutorials below.

13 Cheap & Easy DIY Greenhouses

(Image from: Homemade Home Ideas)

Free Step By Step Plans To Build A Barn Style Greenhouse

When I come across FREE plans I have to share them, this one in particular, took my eye because the step by step instructions are fantastic.

It is always a good idea to have a greenhouse because you can grow food better and stronger in one. This “barn style” is especially good because it has good strength and is solid because of the walls. This greenhouse is relativity cheap to build too, which is a plus.

Photo Credit: ana-white.com

Free Step By Step Plans To Build A Barn Style Greenhouse

How To Build A $50(ish) Greenhouse

Ok, firstly I should clarify the cost of the greenhouse; David the guy who built it did if for $50, but he had a lot of stuff already laying around that he could reuse. If you are buying absolutely everything brand new, it will likely cost around $150, but that is still cheap for such a large 165 square foot greenhouse. If you can recycle and reuse some of the materials, you’ll be able to do it for much, much less. I think that given what I have laying around and what I can acquire cheaply or for free, I could build this greenhouse for around $70…

The original tutorial has several updates that David has added down the line. These include things he would have done differently if starting over and some tweaks to the design. Make sure you read these before attempting to build.

How To Build A $50 Greenhouse

(Photo from: David LaFerney)

DIY Huge & Inexpensive Hoop-Style Greenhouse

We have featured several DIY greenhouse tutorials in the past, from a quite expensive barn style greenhouse through to a cheap plastic sheet greenhouse. This tutorial from ‘Alberta Home Gardening’ is the first tutorial for a very big greenhouse, though. You could easily grow enough tender fruit and vegetables in a greenhouse of this size to feed the whole family. This greenhouse is the ideal size for a family homestead.

This DIY greenhouse is 12′ by 32′ and the total cost came in at under $400. $400 is a lot of money, but to purchase a greenhouse like this would cost $3000+, and a greenhouse of this size will allow you to grow a whole range of crops in large quantities. If you are serious about growing enough food for your family, I highly recommend getting a greenhouse around this size. Check out the awesome step-by-step tutorial below.

DIY Huge & Inexpensive Hoop-Style Greenhouse

(Image from: Alberta Home Gardening)

FREE DIY Plastic Bottle Greenhouse Plans

So this is pretty awesome, but I hear some of you saying – that’s a huge amount of soda to get through to build a greenhouse! And of course you are right, but I don’t for one moment expect anyone to be able to build this greenhouse with just the soda bottles they save… That would be crazy! But there are ways.

For example – my daughter’s school is building this greenhouse. Between all the staff and kids they managed to get all the plastic bottled they needed in a few weeks. You can ask friends and family to save their bottles, you could ask local businesses to save their bottles, you could even go to your local recycling center and see if you can take a load off their hands. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Download the FREE DIY build plans on the link below.

FREE DIY Plastic Bottle Greenhouse Plans

(Image from: Reap Scotland)

How To Build A 300 Square Foot Hoop House For Less Than $500

Our friends over at Natural Living Ideas have just created an amazing post/tutorial detailing how to build a huge 300 square foot greenhouse for less than $500. That’s right, 300 square feet of protected growing space for under $500! But that’s not all – this 12’x24’ hooped greenhouse has a ceiling height of 6’8” ceiling height and the design makes it pretty windproof as well.

This really is a high-quality tutorial – it includes detailed advice on choosing a location for the greenhouse, tips for preparing the ground, and step-by-step technical information on how to build the actual structure.

If you have ideas about living off-the-grid or being self-sufficient, you really want to be looking at building a hoop-style greenhouse around this sort of size, so you can feed your whole family and generate plenty of food to preserve and store as well.

How To Build A 300 Square Foot Hoop House For Less Than $500