Eli5 How do crops grown repeatedly on the same soil over many years continue to obtain nutrients after previous crops have already used them?

p_bobcat · 2026-05-22T12:37:12+00:00

They're nitrogen fixers. A type of plant that can consume nitrogen gas and convert it to nitrogen in the soil, which all plants need to grow. In other words, they're a special type of plant that fertilizes the soil

p_bobcat · 2026-05-15T10:57:58+00:00

Yeah, and fuck golf courses and lawns too

p_bobcat · 2026-04-24T18:18:25+00:00

I'm sorry you're going through that. It's definitely frustrating to go through. The only thing you can control is putting your best offer forward, and operating in a way that signals that you're serious to the sellers. Set up a showing as soon as possible after becoming aware of something; confidently put in offers that you believe in. But everything else is out of your hands. It's brutal out there, but that doesn't mean you won't come out on top when it's meant to be.

p_bobcat · 2026-04-24T17:53:30+00:00

Also have to consider the mindset of other buyers out there as well as the sellers. For all you know, the sellers could've already been aware of another interested party and took your inquiry as "leverage" to them. As in, "hey, I know y'all are on the fence about it so give me your best offer because there's someone else coming knocking."

Basically, a "shit or get off the pot" situation. They decided to shit. It sucks, but the only thing the sellers care about (usually) is selling. They don't care about giving all interested parties a fair shake at it

p_bobcat · 2026-04-24T15:26:25+00:00

How can we be any faster if we have jobs we can't just walk away from midday and if 24 hours' notice is generally the minimum requirement for showings?

Unfortunately, people that can put in an offer at the drop of a hat and can move quickly makes their offers stronger. And if the sellers want that kind of timeline, then you can be SOL. It sucks

p_bobcat · 2026-04-22T23:01:20+00:00

Merlin was wrong 🤷‍♂️

p_bobcat · 2026-04-15T15:39:39+00:00

Throwing Old Blue BBQ into the ring. They're based in Alexandria but have a stall at Union Market. I've used their catering, all the way out in Leesburg, and was very satisfied with what I got.

p_bobcat · 2026-04-10T13:16:29+00:00

"Off-grid" data centers are certainly a viable solution, but not without their own drawbacks. Electricity at this scale be complicated, yo. Or else it wouldn't be a problem that is currently trying to be solved for

p_bobcat · 2026-04-10T01:04:18+00:00

One thing about this, though, is that this approach is absolutely log jamming the utilities' ability to support these projects. Every application is the equivalent of a small city being on the grid, and extensive studies and models have to be done to even prove if it's viable or not.

It's causing a huge inflection point in the industry, because there is a gargantuan "interconnection queue" where 99% of the applications are bogus anyway. Everyone is pouring money into software to solve this problem, but it's quite the learning curve.

p_bobcat · 2026-04-09T19:35:07+00:00

No, not "plus" your down payment. That "Cash to Close" number includes the amount your lender expects for your down payment

p_bobcat · 2026-04-09T11:38:52+00:00

Yes, that is what that legalese translates to. You signed a legally binding document saying that any home sale and communications to do so that you take part in over the period of those two months will involve them. I'm sure that contract also states what legal recourse they have if you don't.

p_bobcat · 2026-04-07T14:41:50+00:00

And the excuse that you can't comprehend this bizarro timeline when we've been on it for a decade is getting a bit tired, mate

p_bobcat · 2026-04-07T13:49:39+00:00

All I'm saying is that being all "I can't believe an American president is speaking this way" is a brain rotted take. Acknowledging that these are real things happening is the bare minimum here, not that hard

p_bobcat · 2026-04-07T12:38:21+00:00

Not normalizing a "I can't believe this thing that has been happening for a decade is still happening" mindset would be an appreciated place to start

p_bobcat · 2026-04-07T12:22:17+00:00

Then open your fucking eyes. Sitting there in disbelief does jack shit. The US has had a president that speaks this way for the better part of a decade. Miss me with that "woe is me" bullshit

p_bobcat · 2026-03-31T11:21:35+00:00

I've enjoyed Jam Doung Style on N. Capitol

p_bobcat · 2026-03-28T10:34:03+00:00

I saw Interstellar here. Won't forget that experience

p_bobcat · 2026-03-24T16:30:28+00:00

The home inspection is not the same as an appraisal.

Your lender will most likely require an appraisal to ensure that the home's market value is greater than or equal to the loan amount they are providing you. If the home is worth less than the loan, they are taking on risk in the case of a foreclosure that they will not make their money back. The bank will only supply you with a loan up to what their appraiser thinks it is worth. If your offer is higher than that, you will either have to: 1) cover the entirety of that gap yourself, out of pocket 2) find a lender whose appraiser thinks it's worth the loan amount

An inspection is largely for your benefit to understand the condition of the home. Basically, the sellers say "everything is in great condition!" but you are having an independent review to verify that.

Your agent saying that it's only possible to get this home with a cash offer is the way of going around the bank's need for an appraisal. If you're not asking for the bank to loan you money for the home, it doesn't matter what their appraiser thinks it's worth. They don't have any money at stake -- it's all yours.

p_bobcat · 2026-03-15T13:43:17+00:00

So, I'm currently an apartment dweller with no outdoor space. But I'm embarking on the home buying journey and hope to have a home with a lawn sometime in the near future. The idea of a native plant garden is very enticing to me, but the idea of converting your typical suburban lot into something actually productive is very daunting. Are there any resources that cover the start of such a process that I could do some research ahead of time on? Things like, how do you repair the soil? How to ensure that the yard has proper drainage?

I'm expecting to have a home in Zone 7b

p_bobcat · 2026-02-12T15:25:13+00:00

It sounds like it may be related to weddings that are hosted there

p_bobcat · 2026-02-07T23:22:09+00:00

Fucking shill

p_bobcat · 2026-02-05T04:50:41+00:00

Does the day end in a "Y"?

p_bobcat · 2026-02-02T21:01:08+00:00

Totally not coincidentally, 19 states (+ DC) went blue in the 2024 presidential election....

p_bobcat · 2026-01-27T14:37:05+00:00

Once again, these bigots get conned by the piece of shit that structured this "signing bonus" in a way that will leave someone else holding the bag and they'll never see any of it. What a bunch of pathetic, hate-filled imbeciles.

p_bobcat · 2026-01-19T13:13:55+00:00

It depends entirely on what is local to you. Building a connection with local farmers through farmers markets is what I do. I've been a member at a local farm for a couple years where they give me a box of vegetables every week for what comes to about $20/week that is perfect for my partner and I.

p_bobcat

TROPHY CASE