First Prize Winner!

I can finally announce that I got First Prize in the Active Category of the Humana Health Challenge on Instructables!  I'm quite shocked considering how strong many of the entries were, but obviously I'm quite pleased to get a first place.

To highlight another tip from the Instructable, make custom tree hangers!

Tree branches range all over the place.  They can be close to the ground or really, really high in the air which makes premade hangers a bit tricky to use.  When I was visiting Zilker Botanical Garden in Austin, I finally looked to see how their staghorn ferns were hanging under a gorgeous oak tree, and wow, their hangers were ingenious.  They protected the tree, could be used on low or high branches, allowed for branch growth, and kept the baskets at a waterable height.

1. Remove the valve section of a bicycle inner tube.
2. Roll a bicycle inner tube back onto itself.
3. Cut both ends to a reasonable length removing the middle portion of the tube to allow water to escape.
4. Run a length of chain through the tube and attach a carabiner.
5. Place the inner tube portion over a branch and clip the carabiner to the hanging portion of the chain.
6. Hang a potted plant at the desired height from the ground.
7. Cut excess chain.

I bought a pail of chain and did not cut the chain until I had the height right.  I kept the chain a bit on the long side because you can hide the excess in the pot but can't make a pot go lower.  I also considered how easily I could water each pot because watering is a daily thing during the summer when it comes to these.  Some of the hangers are made from inner tubes, and others are made from an old garden hose which makes use of materials that are difficult to recycle.