From Jungle to Garden - A (very slow) work in progress!!

Slim4Summer

we are all desperate for an update! Hope its going well

jo1972

I've not been out in the garden for the last week as I've been really unwell with a mouth abcess (sp?) and feeling really rough, feeling a bit better today so providing we don't have a downpour tomorrow night I think I'm fit enough to get back out there (with the help of the lovely wellies Fay sent me :D you might even get a picture of them tomorrow :beer:).

x

freyaluck

I havent posted for donkeys, but your post has inspired me to go and get my garden finished, well get some more done any way, It has been work in progress for the last 3 years:o, but its getting there! I have to say the chickens helped a lot last year as they kept escaping and kept the grass down
You are doing fantasticly :T:T:T
I have just gone and dug another very small veg bed and am now going to clear round the base of my apple tree and put a load of nettles round for nutrients.
Keep up the good work.
Frey

jo1972

Thank you freyaluck

Hoping the rain stays away today as I hope to get out there this evening to cut some more down (with my new wellies on )

tomterm8

jo1972 wrote: »

I've paid £500 every couple of years for someone just to cut it down and take it away.
Jo.x

Wow, that is expensive. the way you mention will not work in any case, since most commercially available weed killers need green leafs to kill the weed. So you would cut the weeds to the ground, wait until the weeds are five inches high, weedkill, cut the weeds to the ground after a week or two, and repeat process. For bramble, it could take as many as five applications, but normally two will kill them.

covering a bramble does no good, they can grow through anything less strong than concrete... weed suppressant membrain, mulch or carpet won't work... better to leave the soil open to the air, and every time you see a little red bramble shoot remove with prejudice, and try to remove any root too.


I've been known to do this kind of thing in the past... my favourite tool is an petrol strimmer, which would allow me to do your garden in a morning. Where a petrol strimmer is not possible, because of too many bricks / concrete blocks etc I use an Austrian Scythe, or a machette, or a curved blade you have to buy second hand because they aren't made any more. The tools I use are deadly sharp. Loppers take ages... machettes clear the ground ultra fast, but are lethal weapons in the wrong hands.

For your job, I would say if you are doing it with loppers, you are making good progress... remember to go over any cleared ground where you haven't dug out the root at least once a week knocking out bramble shoots. It's easy when they are young... a single swipe will do it...

jo1972

tomterm8 wrote: »

For your job, I would say if you are doing it with loppers, you are making good progress... remember to go over any cleared ground where you haven't dug out the root at least once a week knocking out bramble shoots. It's easy when they are young... a single swipe will do it...

Thanks for your post.

I've done everything with a pair of secateurs so far, haven't got the money to buy anything else. Neighbour has a bit of equipment like a spade, fork etc in the shed but her son had gone with the shed key 2 weeks ago, got it back yesterday so hopefully I'll be able to get out there and start digging what I've cut down (that's growing back very quickly :eek:) up.

Lotus-eater

jo1972 wrote: »

(with the help of the lovely wellies Fay sent me :D you might even get a picture of them tomorrow

Although I'm not normally a rubber wellie fetishist, I am looking forward to the photo Jo1972, maybe you could fill them with custard There's some strange people out there, be careful who you accept wellies off
Happy gardening, I hope you feel better soon.

jo1972

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Although I'm not normally a rubber wellie fetishist, I am looking forward to the photo Jo1972, maybe you could fill them with custard There's some strange people out there, be careful who you accept wellies off
Happy gardening, I hope you feel better soon.

I'll have you know LE, gardening in wellies in serious stuff, 'nuff of your fetishist comments please

Lotus-eater

jo1972 wrote: »

I'll have you know LE, gardening in wellies in serious stuff, 'nuff of your fetishist comments please

Just wellies?

tomterm8

jo1972 wrote: »

Thanks for your post.

I've done everything with a pair of secateurs so far, haven't got the money to buy anything else. Neighbour has a bit of equipment like a spade, fork etc in the shed but her son had gone with the shed key 2 weeks ago, got it back yesterday so hopefully I'll be able to get out there and start digging what I've cut down (that's growing back very quickly :eek:) up.

Have you looked up freecycle? http://www.freecycle.org/group/UK ? I'm pretty sure if you ask for stuff there, you will soon get a pair of loppers, and pretty much any handtool you need.