Secret to Growing Tomatoes

 

In the past few years, I haven't had much luck growing tomatoes in my 8' x 16' garden. The plants would always struggle to produce any fruit and when they did, they were always small. Last year, I didn't bother to plant anything because it felt like a waste of time. One year I even tried planting tomatoes in big flowerpots hoping that it would be easier to keep them watered. That didn't work either. This year, I decided to give it another go, but with only 4 plants. I selected different varieties to see what would produce the best fruit. I avoided the Early varieties and went with 3 that produce larger size fruit and 1 Roma (because we often buy them in the grocery store).

I watched a few YouTube videos to get a refresher on growing tomatoes. Several tips stood out that I decided to use. The first was when planting, put the plant in deep enough to cover a few inches of the stem. This allows the roots to be protected if the topsoil becomes too dry. Adding mulch around each plant also helps prevent the soil from drying out. I have tried several fertilizers over the years, but nothing seemed to make a difference. I learned that tomatoes (and other plants) need nitrogen to grow larger fruits. After looking for an organic product that was high in nitrogen, I decided to try Blood Meal. Other products like Bone Meal only have 4% nitrogen. Blood Meal has 14% nitrogen.

It cost $10 for a 3 lb. bag, and one application lasts for 3 months. That is close to the length of the growing season in central Minnesota. I followed the instructions and sprinkled the product around each plant, being careful to avoid the stem and roots. I didn't notice anything until we started getting some rain. Within a month the tomatoe plants started growing like crazy. The last tip is to trim some of the branches after you start seeing green fruits. This helps the plant put more energy into making bigger fruit. We did have regular precipitation early in the growing season. That also helped because I didn't have to water the plants every day. By mid-July the weather was in the 90's and precipitation was less frequent.

The only downside of Blood Meal is that it has a strong odor. Not so much after it is in the soil, but while it is in concentrated form. I was glad to come across a natural and affordable fertilizer that actually works. Again, a lot depends on the weather and how frequently you tend to your plants. With the better-than-expected harvest, I have made salsa, salads, and lots of BLT's. It's a good thing that I only put in four plants this year!

Flooring Replacement Options

 We had new carpet installed in our living room 14 years old and it's starting to show its age. The brand is Stainmaster Pet Protect and the color is a light tan and gray mix. It was purchased at Lowes and installed by one of their flooring contractors. Several years ago, I used a Hoover SteamVac to clean it. I had done this a few times in the past, but this time several wrinkles formed. I assume the Hoover didn't remove all the cleaning solution, which is mostly water, and the carpet didn't dry evenly. The worst looking part is by the stair landing, which gets the most foot traffic. This is a small 6' x 8' area that I want to replace.

I started by comparing luxury vinyl plank vs. laminate flooring. I want something at least 12 mm thick and waterproof. I found several YouTube videos which compared both. But ultimately it comes down to a personal decision because they can be found with similar characteristics. There is a plank flooring in our kitchen, so I decided to look up the details on that product. It is in the kitchen, main entry, and laundry room and has held up extremely well. There was one box that left in the garage, which gave me the product name Alloc. It is a laminate product made by BerryAlloc, which is a flooring company based in Belgium.

I tried to find a local distributor, but there was nothing nearby. I can only assume that a local flooring contractor installed the floor after the home was built. Today, with Trump tariffs, this would be a very expensive flooring product. Most likely around $7 or $8 per sq. ft. The best laminate options at Lowes or Home Depot are AC4 rated and cost under $4 per sq. ft. I believe the wear rating on the Alloc laminate flooring is AC5. The more expensive options need to be ordered. I also found that certain color matched trim pieces are often out of stock. This makes it difficult to get everything you need to complete the project. Also, reading product reviews at Lowes and Home Depot, has me concerned about quality.

My goal was to find a flooring material that I could install myself and would hold up to heavy wear. The color needs to be a light gray to match the carpet. I also had to decide on which direction that the plank flooring would go in. There are tools on several flooring websites that let you upload a picture of your floor and see what it would look like with various products, colors, and plank directions. I decided that the area that I want to work on looks better with planks that run perpendicular to the existing plank flooring. This would allow me to extend the flooring down the hallway at some point as shown in the computer-generated images below. 

Parallel to existing flooring

Perpendicular to existing flooring

Home HVAC Replacement

 Last week when the temperature went above 80 degrees, I decided to turn on the AC for the first time in 2026. I noticed that the furnace fan was running continuously, The AC unit was struggling to keep the temp at 80, which is what I had it set to. It also didn't feel like much cold air was coming out of the floor vents. I first thought that the compressor wasn't coming on. This happened once back in 2019. I replaced the anti-short cycle compressor protection relay and got it working again. The part only cost $7 back then. Now, Amazon has it listed for $25! 

I didn't think that was the problem this time. After running for 8 hours, I noticed that there was frost on the refrigerant return line. This is caused by either restricted airflow over the indoor coils or low refrigerant. It is difficult to see the coils that are sitting above my furnace. I took a peek behind one of the side panels but couldn't see much of the coils. I have to assume that low refrigerant is the main issue.

The furnace/AC system was put in when the home was built. That would make the system 33 years old because the home was built in 1993. Back then, the refrigerant used was R22. The EPA banned all production and importation of new R-22 on January 1, 2020. An existing R-22 air conditioner is not illegal but servicing them is significantly more expensive due to supply limits. So, I would be wasting hundreds of dollars to rule out low refrigerant. Plus, if the refrigerant is low, there is most likely a slow leak somewhere. That combined with the age of the equipment, makes it overdue for replacement.

The current furnace is a Rheem Criterion Model# RGDG-075AUER (75,000 BTU) with 80% AFUE efficiency. The AC is a Nordyne Intertherm 10 SEER Model# S1BA/S1QA-024K (36,000 BTU?) 2 Ton with R-22 refrigerant. There are many replacement options. The ones with more features and higher efficiency cost the most. In order to get a rebate from the utility company, the system must have an Energy Star rating and have at least 90% or greater efficiency and have a SEER2 rating of 14 or higher. A 95% AFUE Energy Star gas furnace, and 13-16 SEER2 central air conditioning unit, plus installation, can range from $7,000 to $15,000+ depending on home size and ductwork.

I'm hoping that most of the existing ductwork can be used. Upgrading from a standard 80% AFUE furnace to a 95% high-efficiency model usually requires running new PVC venting and drain lines, which can add $800 to $2,500 in labor costs. Rebates can cover between $350 and $650 depending on model#. My budget is $8000, but I'm usually off by 50%. I only need a basic system that meets the rebate requirements. Lower price options like the Lennox Merit Series or Carrier Comfort Series would be an improvement over what I have now. The Rheem Classic Plus Series is affordable, but I was only able to find Rheem at HomeDepot. I would rather work with a local HVAC company. Oh, the joys of home ownership!

Homeowners Insurance Up 33%

 I just received a notice from State Farm that they will be increasing my home insurance by 33% starting July 1, 2026. That adds $48.81 to my monthly premium. Back in 2023 the monthly premium was $104. The new rate for this year is a 90% increase in just 4 years. The home has not had any major renovations since it was purchased in 2011. The county estimates the value for tax purposes at $356,400. Zillow has $397,900 as the estimated market value.

It now costs $512 per month or $6144 per year for insurance and property tax. This year I will get an 80% state refund on my property tax. That will bring the annual cost down to $3083. Unfortunately, the only way to reduce the insurance premium is to find an insurance company with lower rates. Every time they raise my rates, I revisit the idea of getting quotes from other insurance providers. This year the rate increase is way beyond the rate of inflation. I suspect State Farm has been paying out more claims than usual and has decided to increase rates to compensate. Inflation is only a small part of the calculation.

I'm getting tired of State Farm's advertising campaigns anyway. They spent a lot of money on their Batman/Bateman ads. Their main ad character is a black guy. I don't feel like they want me (a white guy) as a customer anymore. Here is a list of 10 well known home/auto insurance companies:

State Farm - The largest share (12.9%) of business in America.

Liberty Mutual - One of the largest property and casualty writers in the world.

Geico (Berkshire) - One of the largest auto insurance providers in the US.

Farmers Insurance - The business dates back to 1928, when it was set up to insure farmers.

Progressive Group - Reputation for pricing innovation and digital tools.

USAA Group - Low auto insurance premiums for qualifying military families.

Allstate Insurance - Recognized for its long‑running "You're in Good Hands" slogan.

Travelers Group - Ranks among the top five companies by market share in US.

American Family - AmFam has a long history in farm and rural markets.

The Hartford (AARP) - Discounted rates exclusively for AARP members.

Of these companies I would only consider getting quotes from Liberty Mutual, Farmers, and USAA. The others just don't have ad campaigns that appeal to me. But what about the Geico gecko and Flo the Progressive lady? They are just a little too comical for me when it comes to insurance. I will report back if I find a better rate. Not sure if that is possible. Something tells me that none of them can be trusted to keep premiums at a reasonable rate for very long.

Instant Pot Air Fryer Vortex Plus 4

The main benefit of an air fryer is that it uses less oil to fry food. But I was reluctant to get one because I didn't want another seldom used appliance taking up room on the kitchen counter. I was initially looking for an 1800 watt 6-quart size. But then I came across the Instant Pot Vortex Plus 1600 watt 4-quart model. With only two people in our home, the smaller size would be ideal and give us a chance to see how they work. I found a lightly used one on ShopGoodwill.com and paid $37.87 with tax and shipping.

It has all of the features of the 6-quart model, but with a smaller basket and 200 watts less power. The maximum temperature is 400 degrees, which is the recommended temperature to air fry most foods. The lower wattage also means that it uses less electricity. So far, we have been using it to cook packaged foods like French fries, tater tots, and chicken patties. I bought some parchment paper inserts on Amazon to make cleanup easier and a spray bottle of olive oil. It allows us to make quick healthier meals. 

The 4-quart size is just right for two people. The only negative is that it will make your house smell like whatever you are cooking. That's because unlike other cooking methods, hot air exhaust comes out of the back of the machine. That part may be a problem if you cook fish, which we haven't tried yet. With that in mind, an air fryer may not be a good choice if you live in an apartment building. Your neighbors will know what you are cooking. The other thing is that the machine beeps when it is time to turn your food over. When doing this, you have to be careful, because the metal basket gets pretty hot.

The Instant Pot Air Fryer also broils, roasts, dehydrates, bakes, and reheats leftovers. That should come in handy for reheating pizza, which gets soft when reheating in a microwave.  I like how the stainless-steel trim matches the other appliances in our kitchen. It also doesn't take up too much counter space. This model is simple to operate, even my girlfriend eventually figured it. In her first attempt, she put a paper liner in without any food while it was pre-heating. The air flow pushed the liner into the heating element. Luckily, I was there to catch it in time. Right now, a new one costs $129.99 on Amazon, but they have been as low as $79.99. There are lots of similar models on the used market as well.