As The Workhouse Approaches....How To Do Everything To Avoid It, the Old Style Way

FatVonD

Could any of the companion planters on here suggest anything that positively repels butterflies/moths? I have a debilitating phobia of caterpillars which stops me growing fruit and veg/drying clothes outside/walking under trees in May and June but I have an old belfast sink in our back yard that's begging to have something useful grown in it and I'd be prepared to give it a go if I thought the chances of finding anything in/on it were slim.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Hippeechiq wrote: »

Morning everyone

A lovely new thread with a great title

Fab pictures JoJo - well done you on everything you're growing :T

how much compost I will need?

Well, those 2 raised veggie beds are 6 foot by 3 foot by 6 inches and have probably had about 9 - 12 bags of a combination of topsoil, compost and manure dumped in them. Can't be more specific, as I have 2 flower beds, top dressed the lawn and have countless planters, hayracks, windowboxes and potted things around the place as well. As the house is a newbuild, there wasn't anything really to plant in the first place, and the subsoil is old river silt.

I know we made lots of trips to garden centres over the past 6 weeks, though - at least 1 each week, 2 or 3 not uncommon - and usually came back with 3 bags at a time.


We just about managed 6 bags in a Fiesta, but the car was much happier doing more visits (as was the poor chap who carried every single one of the bags from the car, through the house and into the back garden - I can't even lift one of the things, and can only just drag them once they're half empty).

Had I a wheelbarrow, I would probably have opted for a huge 1 ton delivery out the front and wheeled it through barrow load by barrowload.

It is worth pointing out that compost weighs less than topsoil, though, and probably has a greater volume, so I would estimate that each bag will take a third to half a sack.

*****

Jackie - according to my sources, the bees don't damage buildings in the slightest, they just capitalise upon the gaps already there.

However, if you liked, I hear they enjoy sunny walls with gaps slightly smaller than the thickness of your little finger and with a depth going back to around 6 inches - you could get blocks of wood a foot wide and use a long drill bit to make bee homes (the longer tunnels make more females likely for some reason) - or bundle together a load of 18 inch long narrow bamboo sticks and see what they think of them.

They will also like having a muddy puddle with which to construct their little chambers - so I reckon they're more Brickie Bees than Masons!

If they prefer your version, I dare say they'll be in there quite quickly, but don't forget that brick keeps warm, so they may opt to stay put, whatever you do.

bertiebots

Sorry no idea what to suggest regarding repelling bugs on plants other than growing everything inside!.

Well I just spoke to my mortgage lender and they have said I can apply to take over our joint mortgage but the decision takes 6 to 12 weeks! Is this normal these days???? and what on earth is the reason for them taking that long....have banks started using computers from 1968 due to cut backs or something? As I have my doubts about anyone lending me the money I need this seems crazy. Surely they can look at my figures -check I am not lying and say yes or no. grrrr- I don't want to go through the hell of waiting 3 months to be told not a cat in hells chance.
My timing on these matters was always impeccable ..bloody recession!

erm soz ..rant over

jackieglasgow

Thanks Jojo, I thought you might be the person They can damage the mortar between the bricks and as its a new house I don't really want to give them the chance over a few seasons. I shall set OH to it tonight with a couple of the breeze blocks from out back, and one of his fancy tools, thanks If it doesn't work there's nothing lost, but there are an awful lot of them, and I don't enjoy walking through what is possibly going to become a swarm to get in and out of the house!

redlady_1

Cheers Hippee and kidcat. I will give them a ring when I get back. They would cost me about £36 per quarter instead of £70 BT want!!!!:eek:

The eyeliner has now been planted along with spinach and cabbages and all have been netted.

Time to pack! See you all soon xx

PepPop

ginnyknit wrote: »

Peppop. love those bread boards pity they use plastic ones so much, they would stack really well with stored veggies in.

I know. My dad used them for everything :rotfl: Storing all sorts of veggies, he build a mini-shed and a cupboard under the stairs. I think he even boxed in their bathroom with them. (he used to work for a bakers and he got first choice when they were throwing old ones away ) He wasn't happy when they changed to the plastic ones.

Thanks for the shiny new thread (will I ever catch up :rotfl:)

Sortstuff YEUCH!!!!! I think I'd rather eat dry Weetabix :eek:

FatVonD Wow you are the first person I've came across that shares my phobia of caterpillars. I'm not to keen moths either and can just about put up with butterflies

Hippeechiq

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

I know we made lots of trips to garden centres over the past 6 weeks, though - at least 1 each week, 2 or 3 not uncommon - and usually came back with 3 bags at a time.

We just about managed 6 bags in a Fiesta, but the car was much happier doing more visits (as was the poor chap who carried every single one of the bags from the car, through the house and into the back garden - I can't even lift one of the things, and can only just drag them once they're half empty).

It is worth pointing out that compost weighs less than topsoil, though, and probably has a greater volume, so I would estimate that each bag will take a third to half a sack.

I was thinking each bag would take roughly 10L of compost myself, so I may get 11 to be on the safe side.

DDs boyfriends car is a Fiesta too, and I was hoping to get all 11 x 33L bags in one trip

Has to be done today, as the MOT on his car runs out tomorrow, and then he's away for a few days before he can put it in for another, and -fingers crossed it does - but if it doesn't pass it's MOT, I'm up the proverbial creek without a paddle.

H0mebase is ¾ of a mile away from me, so if we have to do say 3 trips, I'm hoping £5 is a reasonable amount to offer him for petrol (can't really afford more) but @ £1.32 per litre, his car should be able to do the journey 3 times if necessary and still have some petrol left over.

He's the kind of lad that probably wont want to take it anyway, but I'll insist, as I'm grateful for his help and I'd be stuck without him.

Thanks for taking the time to reply

allybee101

Hi,

I've been reading the threads but don't normally take part but can help with the maths!

Hippeechiq, based on the measurements you gave each bag will take 12.5 litres of compost (a litre of water is the same volume as a cube 10x10x10 cm)

Hope this helps!

Cheapskate

Afternoon all

This may or may not be the right place, but I sort of thought it was - old style = good manners (?) Today I had to ring my personnel/payroll dept & another council dept (ACD, as per GreyQueen's abbreviations!) - needless to say had to gird my loins as you often get folks at the end of their tether on the phone! However, I had my best manners on show & the two ladies I spoke to were MARVELLOUS, esp the one from ACD - she said thanks for cancelling my appt (told me everyone else just doesn't appear!). I said I was better brought up than that & she cackled! :rotfl:
I've had better dealings than most with these 2 depts, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar, & I bet they get loads of folk effing & jeffing down the blower to them!

A xo

anguk

mardatha wrote: »

LOL jackie, great! ANd yes true. In 1911 there were no credit cards or overdrafts and half of us in here would indeed be in the workhouse :eek::eek::eek:

And just imagine if all we were fed was kale soup!! :rotfl:

Let's not forget as well as the workhouse there was always the debtor's prison to look forward too. :eek:

It sort of puts things into prospective, it may be tough and we may be stretching every penny but at least we are luckier than the poor souls back then.