I soon realised that the easist was of doing this was with a TAI8515 1-Wire Weather Station, this will monitor the outside temperature, wind speed and wind direction, with it being a 1 wire system adding extra sensors was going to be easy.

I found a UK based supplier called Home Chip and after a short eMail exchange with Nigel I placed my first order. I found that the service, delivery and packaging provided by Home Chip is 1st class.

The day after placing my order here is what arrived: -

It took me around an hour to construct the Weather Station and after connecting it to my pc and installing the drivers for the DS9490R USB connector my station was up and running.

Here it is in all its glory, mounted proudly on my greenhouse: -

For now I am using Weather Display to monitor my station, you can see it here - Weather In Tottington

Ferocacus
Carnegia Gigantea Saguaro
Cereus
Oreocereus
Coryphantha
Melocactus
Rebutia
Haageocereus

Here is a picture with the lid on: -

and here is a picture with the lid off: -

So here is the box: -

I bought the following seeds on eBay recently: -

Carnegia Gigantea Saguaro
Oreocereus
Cereus
Haageocereus
Coryphantha
Ferocacus
Melocactus
Rebutia
Echinocactus
Cleistocactus
Echinocereus
Notocactus
Parodia
Blossfeldia
Gymnocalycium
Mamillaria

Here are some close up’s of Cereus, Haageocereus and Coryphantha seeds germinating nicely: -

I also bought a pack of 1000 mixed seeds, here is a picture of them germinating: -

The humidity in the box is very high and as I also have a soil warmer in the grow box I expect high germination results.

The box is 4ft x 2ft x 2ft and has around 2 inches of heated sand on which I will place the seed trays. The box is almost completely sealed to ensure a very high humidity.

Here it is in all it’s glory. I will post again soon with pictures of the inside. 

Olive trees add Mediterranean flair to any abode. You don’t need to live in Southern Europe or California to enjoy the leathery, gray-green leaves of an olive tree. Neither do you need to own a garden for olive trees can be grown on balconies or indoors quite easily.

Most nurseries offer potted olive trees for sale. You will need to repot the olive tree a year later as the roots will start getting crowded in the normal container. To make your olive tree comfortable I suggest you buy yourself a large terra cotta pot with a drainage hole at the bottom, fast draining potting soil and a balanced houseplant fertilizer on the same day.

For your olive tree locate a spot which is situated near a south facing sunny window. Your olive tree will require 6 hours of direct sunlight a day to thrive. The pot should not be placed near a radiator or heat vent. Also consider that if the plant is placed to close to the window this could act as a magnifying glass and “burn” the olive tree.

After you have found a pleasant spot for your olive tree you will need to transplant your tree into the pot. I suggest you position the terra cotta pot first and bring your soil and tree to the pot and work there because once the pot is filled with soil it can be very heavy to reposition.

First fill the terracotta pot half way with the potting mix.

Then moisten the potting mix.

To remove the olive tree without damage to the roots from the original container you will have to clutch the rim and then turn the pot upside down.

Tap the pot gently with the heel of your hand.

The olive tree will slide out.

Pick up the tree and loosen the sides of the root ball with your thumbs.

Position the root ball of the olive tree so that it is about 1 inch below the rim of the pot.

Then fill the pot with the rest of the soil mixture.

Firm the soil around the olive tree.

Then water thoroughly.

You will know when to water your olive tree by putting your finger into the soil mixture. If this feels dry 1 inch below the surface, then water well. In the colder seasons olive trees take a natural rest so you will need to water less in autumn and winter. But make sure the soil never dries out completely! In the winter you only need to fertilize once a month and in summer every two weeks.

You can prune the tips of the branches in spring to encourage a bushy growth on the head. Make the cuts where where a pair of leaves attaches to a stem.

Unfortunately olive trees sometimes are victimized by soft-bodied scale which is small yellowish brownish insects which attach themselves to the stems of the trees and suck sap from the plant. To eliminate the scale you will need to spray the tree with insecticidal soap. Garden centers have different types of remedies for indoor use.

Enjoy your olive tree.

1 - soak them in water for 24 hours

2 - Planted them about 1 cm deep in John Innes number 2 soil in 7 cm pots

3 - watered them occasionally

Around 140 of them have germinated and are growing very happily, here are some pictures that were taken around 9 months after first putting them into soil: -

It is 16×6 foot and has 2 roof vents, a sliding door at each end, this provides excellent ventelation on those hot summer days which we don’t seem to get anymore.

My Greenhouse is actualy 2 Greenhouses joined together. I bought the first one from B&Q in May 2007 and bought another in May 2008. I joined them together using 4 inch wide wood, screws and lots of no more nails.