Daydream fund challenge part 4

Better_Days

phoebe1989seb wrote: »

:T Well done Mr BD :T

Thanks so much BD We called our sols today and our searches are back.....however, our buyer emailed me to say theirs (which were apparently marked *urgent* ) won't be back now till 24th Nov She's rather peed-off, to say the least, but I will suggest she tries this and see if that has the desired effect x

Edited to add: lovely piccie of your courtyard.....very impressive display for the time of year......your gate looks a very similar colour to our external paintwork btw (F&B Green Smoke!)

Excellent news that your searches are back and all OK I hope. Sounds as if things are going along at a good pace for you, fingers crossed all continues smoothly.;););) I must admit I was surprised how easily the LA agreed to expidite our searches, so it is well worth your buyers giving a try, although LA's probably vary a great deal.

The kitchen window overlooks the courtyard, so I have tried to get as much colour into what was a very bare space. The wood stain/paint is a lovely colour, I think ours is Cuprinol Wild Thyme, even the chicken coop has been 'colourised' . I saw a lovely house on RM last year which had the exterior paintwork in a similar colour and it looked fab, especially with a cottage garden backdrop. Out of our price range sadly, but it is nice to dream, especially on this thread.

Davesnave

Better_Days wrote: »

This year I'm going to try and overwinter some fuschia's in the shed, apparently it can be done if you take the leaves off and don't let them totally dry out.

That will be OK if you are not already harbouring vine weevil larvae, which will thank you and eat all the roots over winter.

I think it's a bit late for nematode treatment now. You could treat with something like this:

http://www.bayergarden.co.uk/Products/p/Provado-Vine-Weevil-Killer-2.aspx

Or, at the very least, give the roots a good examination, now and during the winter.

I used to drench with nematodes when we had the nursery, which absorbed the costs. Now, I'm afraid I use the chemical stuff late season, but only on a few selected things, fuchsias being one of them. Other plants, I just re-pot with fresh compost and microwave the old stuff.

PS Most of our fuchsias are in the ground and they will just stay there, untreated.

choille

Haven't caught up with all your progresses & news yet.

Managed to not get run over in Edinburghby trams. What a change in a city - blocks of flats up one way streets that weren't there before. It seems so crambed in & overly built on.

Enjoyed it though.

Managed to get a fair bit of plaster boarding done in the kitchen today with stew back organising us. We have a list of to dos to do before he comes back in a fortnight. We need the discipline.

Better_Days

Davesnave wrote: »

That will be OK if you are not already harbouring vine weevil larvae, which will thank you and eat all the roots over winter.

I think it's a bit late for nematode treatment now. You could treat with something like this:

http://www.bayergarden.co.uk/Products/p/Provado-Vine-Weevil-Killer-2.aspx

Or, at the very least, give the roots a good examination, now and during the winter.

I used to drench with nematodes when we had the nursery, which absorbed the costs. Now, I'm afraid I use the chemical stuff late season, but only on a few selected things, fuchsias being one of them. Other plants, I just re-pot with fresh compost and microwave the old stuff.

PS Most of our fuchsias are in the ground and they will just stay there, untreated.

Many thanks for the advice Dave. That vine weevil stuff looks just the job, good reviews on Amazon. I've no idea what varieties I have but they were sold as bedding/basket/pot plants so I suspect they are not hardy. I'll have a good look at the roots for pests and put them in some fresh compost. They are so pretty when they flower I thought it was worth trying to overwinter them.

What does your DW have to say about microwaving compost????

LIR I love marigolds. So easy to grow and a long and cheerful flowering season. Never seem to do quite so well with nasturtiums, although they are easy to grow. Didn't have so much of a problem with blackfly on them this year, not sure why.

Davesnave

Better_Days wrote: »

Many thanks for the advice Dave. That vine weevil stuff looks just the job, good reviews on Amazon. I've no idea what varieties I have but they were sold as bedding/basket/pot plants so I suspect they are not hardy. I'll have a good look at the roots for pests and put them in some fresh compost. They are so pretty when they flower I thought it was worth trying to overwinter them.

What does your DW have to say about microwaving compost????

.

Either use the Provado or re-pot. Using the chemical avoids disturbing the roots, which is preferable now, because they won't make much in the way of 'repairs' till spring.

There are so many fuchsias, it's a bit of a lottery regarding which will be hardier. We just leave most of them in situ and hope for the best, while the ones in pots are cut back and stuck under the staging with a bit of fleece.

DW doesn't mind me microwaving compost and soil. I have my own big microwave in the barn which I've had for donkey's years, just for that purpose.

Davesnave

choille wrote: »

Managed to get a fair bit of plaster boarding done in the kitchen today with stew back organising us. We have a list of to dos to do before he comes back in a fortnight. We need the discipline.

Yes, our builder is back next week, which has spurred us on to relocate everything, so he's not idle when the weather turns.

It's just as well he's not here this morning, as right now a mighty deluge in in progress, the likes of which we've not seen for a very long time. It's not due to last, but it will flush out the stream and make me late for liberating the hens.

Good you got that plasterboard up anyway - makes a huge difference. :T

lostinrates

Dog dogs muzzle arrived, that was quick!

Its perfect fit. And we told her she looked beautiful so she sashayed around wagging her tail.

The only slight gripe is it has a prosaic word on the nose I'd rather it did not so I need to think of a reasonable non scruffy and enduring way to cover that over.

lostinrates

Going to move a buddleia that we planted when we arrived and is now too big ( and was white and has gone purple.........what's that about?, I'd think it were a self seed new one were the white one still there but this is the original ...I know because I lazily left the label on it. ( this is something fir in particular likes to to, )


Also going to have a look at that ash tree and see if it is ready to move, and if we can move it. Its the last thing in the world I want to kill.

Davesnave

White is the one buddleia colour we don't have, because the brown, going-over flowers show up more.

Ash trees still look a poor prospect long term:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/10883595/Ash-dieback-is-now-unstoppable-ecologists-warn.html

I'm a bundle of laughs this morning! :rotfl:

Alexelisey

Alfie - quick dolls house question please - is there such a thing as a standard size window with plain panes in it rather than the Georgian style ones?