Daydream fund challenge part 4

Davesnave

Fay wrote: »

How do I get my cornus cuttings to take?

I don't think shrub cuttings in pots work very well, so I have a prepared bed, with lots of compost and grit in it, inside the polytunnel. This is good for the cuttings taken in the autumn/early winter, but it will be too hot there later without some shading. It's next to one of the side vents.

In spring, I'd go for a cold frame in a shaded spot with the soil under it prepped as above.

I also dip cuttings for 24-48hrs in willow water, which is just fresh willow growth chopped into 5cm pieces and steeped in warm water for a day or two. Natural hormones in the willow are transferred to the water, and thence to the cuttings, helping them to grow roots.

Artificial hormones can be purchased (gel, not powder) but they cost money and they go 'off.' Willow is free!

But with cornus you can always do a bit of layering by pulling a branch down, wounding it, burying it at that point, putting a stone on top and waiting for nature.....

alfie_1

Didn't know that willow trick..... thanks

Davesnave

Better_Days wrote: »

. Sometimes stories are embargoed (possibly in the case you mention Dave to contact relatives) and then by the time the embargo is lifted its not considered newsworthy.

It would be newsworthy around here.

We have a lot of accidents with our roads being more physically hazardous than in most places (gradients, mud, water, general windy-ness + mad-!!!!!d local driving standards!) but the majority aren't serious.

There was a similar case a couple of years ago on the North Molton road, 15 miles from here, and people still talk about it.:(

Davesnave

alfie_1 wrote: »

Didn't know that willow trick..... thanks

Learned it from the beard and sandals brigade....:cool:

http://deepgreenpermaculture.com/diy-instructions/home-made-plant-rooting-hormone-willow-water/

Or more specifically:

How to Make “Willow Water”

Here is the procedure for making willow water:

1. Collect young first-year twigs and stems of any of willow (Salix spp.) species, these have green or yellow bark. Don’t use the older growth that has brown or gray bark.
2. Remove all the leaves, these are not used. Don’t waste good green material though, compost the leaves or throw them in the garden as mulch.
3. Take the twigs and cut them up into short pieces around 1" (2.5cm) long.
4. The next step is to add the water. there are several techniques to extract the natural plant rooting hormones: a) Place the chopped willow twigs in a container and cover with boiling water, just like making tea, and allow the “tea” to stand overnight.
   b) Place the chopped willow twigs in a container and cover with tap water (unheated), and let it soak for several days.
5. When finished, separate the liquid from the twigs by carefully pouring out the liquid, or pouring it through a strainer or sieve. The liquid is now ready to use for rooting cuttings. You can keep the liquid for up to two months if you put it in a jar with a tight fitting lid and keep the liquid in the refrigerator. Remember to label the jar so you remember what it is, and write down the date you brewed it up, and to aid the memory, write down the date that it should be used by, which is two months from the date it was made!
6. To use, just pour some willow water into a small jar, and place the cuttings in there like flowers in a vase, and leave them there to soak overnight for several hours so that they take up the plant rooting hormone. Then prepare them as you would when propagating any other cuttings. The second way to use willow water is to use it to water the propagating medium in which you have placed cuttings. Watering your cuttings twice with willow water should be enough to help them root.

alfie_1

Would that work for some seeds? ..... sort of aiding and abetting sprouting?

choille

Alfie - you are far too kind. I feel so guilty that you did that. You really musn't spoil me like this. It is so overwhelming of you.

We ended up having to get out of the caravan the other night - scary wind - worst ever & it was too dangerous so we stayed in Ullapool & the trip over was like nothing else I ever been in. Branches everywhere & getting almost blown off the road. The water that was streaming down was getting blown back up - never seen anything like that before. Didn't get much sleep, but at least we felt like we wern't gonna die!

Surprisng no damage when we got back, but there was a load of trees down.

We've been really let down by a plasterer who has lost us 2 1/2 months. I just can't believe how much shoite some folks talk & how we've swallowed it & taken his excuses for so long - feel an eejit really. We have someone else coming tomorrow to start work. He came down today to see the state of play & we'll do it on a daily basis as we've been so stung & we should no better being involved in building matters, but some folks are just so plausible it's an art & how they make their little empires....

Haven't caught up yet as stuffed with the cold & really upset at how we've been taken in.

lostinrates

choille wrote: »

Alfie - you are far too kind. I feel so guilty that you did that. You really musn't spoil me like this. It is so overwhelming of you.

in.

No idea what this is about. But sounds just like :A:AAlfie . Enjoy whatever it is choille. :kisses3:

Davesnave

alfie_1 wrote: »

Would that work for some seeds? ..... sort of aiding and abetting sprouting?

Err, shouldn't think so, as it's a different process. Seeds that are slow to germinate have inhibitors which normally aren't amenable to chemical stimulation, just environmental triggers.

Mind you, they can sometimes be fooled. e.g. smoke treatment of seeds which are programmed to sprout after bush fires.

choille wrote: »

We've been really let down by a plasterer who has lost us 2 1/2 months. I just can't believe how much shoite some folks talk & how we've swallowed it & taken his excuses for so long - feel an eejit really. .

We felt the same about the structural engineer, though he only messed us about for around 6 or 7 weeks. He came via the architect, who also wasn't the best, but both were therefore found in one of the 'best' ways, by personal recommendation.

We started by finding a house we liked, got the name of the builder, found out about him and then had him round. He recommended the architect who did the plans for that house.....

That builder went on to secure a million £+ project last year, so we couldn't use him anyway, but then we got our friend instead, which was altogether better, if much slower.

As for plasterers, we asked Chris (not local) to do this place, as he was known to our builder, but Chris sent Ron, who was so depressing and full of 'issues' we paid him off after 2 days! :rotfl:

...So we got Mr Rod instead, who brought in a couple of others and they're all fabulous workers. One of them just looks like a school leaver, but I hear he's already into renovating project property of character....

Here, people wear many hats, but the bottom line is that most of them are decent, honest people, who do things to the best of their ability. Beyond the village, it gets more complicated....

Better_Days

Morning all.

Sunny and chilly here this morning.

Credit card forum appears to have been spammed rather badly - but only makes sense if you speak arabic But as a bonus in Englis promises to solve all your problems in love.

Well what more could we ask for on a Thursday morning :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

lostinrates

Milder again this morning here. Blossom on the tree over the road is spectacular, though the morning is grey.