Daydream fund challenge part 4

Rummer

Hello Everyone,

Not been managing to keep up, I hope you are all well and that your projects are progressing well. Choille how is your hubby?

Our garden has been hard hit by the weather this year. A whole fence is down and we have lost a lot of greenhouse glass, so much in fact that we are considering taking it down as the replacement costs for materials around here are huge Not making decisions now though.

choille

That seems reasonable for the stall costs Alfie. Will you be able to get loads stacked up.

I used to do a market stall years back. It was good fun if the weather held up. It was in a Uni town so plenty of students buying 2nd hand stuff.

Fay - RAS will be able to help & Dave. Agree with Alfie about the PH of the soil - would need sweetening. I love my Crab Apple. It looks lovely & the jelly is delicious. I must get a quince this year. I have a notion for one.

Blubby cold out there & the wind is still quite nasty.

Nice to hear from you Rummer. Not surprised about the loss of glass. If you could cut some there are loads of windows that are free & wouldn't be expensive. Also pictures in charity shops may be a way around buying proper cut to order glass or use polythene, or perspex if you can get it cheap. It's dear & doesn't look as nice when it's scratched, but does last.

Fay

Thanks Alfue & Choille, my plan is to improve the soil, shape the borders and not do any planting until autumn anyway. The stumps were ground out and I've dug it all over so no real roots remaining. We tested the soil recently and it's not far off neutral already. It was leylandi in there but the soil isn't acidic from them.
The bed is south west facing. It's the best bit of the garden which is a strange shape!

Davesnave

I'm up with the lark this morning.....or rather I'm up because a cat was sitting on me and purring loudly, which is a signal that food's run out, the fire's gone out, or as in this case...both! Anyway I'm awake, having crashed before 9pm.

I don't know much about apples, despite having about 30 trees left out of the original 50 here. I know they don't like waterlogging, which is why some have gone, but we have acid soil and they cope. Trouble is, apart from an Ellison's Orange, a Tom Putt, a Kirton Fair (local apple of dubious merit) and a Bramley that we planted, I've no idea what they are. Some are obviously eating types, others cookers or dual-purpose, and a few....well, probably cider, but I leave 'em for the fieldfares!

Plums are the problem for us. I'm having 4 trees out this year, as they're knackered.:( We're better with the damsons or the least fussy types; it's pointless having a sulking greengage. I'm giving Marjorie's Seedling a try.

We can grow medlars. Trouble is, the medlar lady who used to make jams and preserves to sell seems to have given up, so I shall have to advertise. I'm not too bothered about medlar jelly myself; too much faff, and I like a few lumps in my jam!

Sorry to read about your greenhouse Rummer. I don't know what to suggest, except checking forums etc to see if there's not some better way to keep the glass in. I know those springy metal retaining things can be a pain. :(:(

Davesnave

Contacted our builder yesterday, as he has some inside knowledge of the company we're having the conservatory from. His opinion is that they're good and that we did a great deal.

Although they're reputable too, the other company we went to have now quoted £5.5k more for a somewhat lesser product, so I'm content to let the existing contract stand. This means we'll have to do the demolition and get the new base built by August. :eek:

Hmm.... another busy year, but at least it's outside the main building. All the same, we won't complete the living room until it's up; then we can render and plaster all of the work at one time....maybe. Mr Rod has his own timetable! :rotfl:

choille

Recommendations are always helpful. Wish I'd taken my own advice re plumber.

Supposed to meet up with Lucielle earlier today but the road here was really shocking - worse than we expected & snail paced to middle of the County when we realised that we couldn't get there on time.
The roads were much better after that but couldn't hold the poor holiday folks up as they had a long journey ahead of them.

Came home & in the few hours the roads had really improved - thankfully.

Gone milder but supposed to come in very windy later on.

Davesnave

choille wrote: »

- thankfully.
Gone milder but supposed to come in very windy later on.

Mild and very windy all day here... and ongoing....:(

We have 3 posts in/around our chicken orchard about to fail, so if it lets up tomorrow, I'll be out there reinforcing them.

The chicken run is going to need major surgery. The posts are only 5 years old and many are knackered, but if I can shore them up for another year, I will. Not sure yet what to replace them with, but I'm certain it won't be cheap.

Sad you two couldn't meet, but with things as they are, I'd not be driving far. The Met Office doesn't even have a yellow warning out for us....dozy beggars!

alfie_1

dave... at my last house I "reclaimed" the cement posts and chain link [5ft high] fencing from a nearby "take down" by the council.... put it all along roadside hedge, cemented in the posts [bluddy heavy mind] but still standing I noted as I drove past t'other day :-)




will add that I heard they were having cess pit problems there ......... for £1200 per month rent me finks they may kick off....

Davesnave

I agree alfie, concrete would be the way to go, but they'd need to be at least 8' long and I need 52 of them! :eek:

With concrete, it's all transport costs. If I could find some locally....

alfie_1

Davesnave wrote: »

I agree alfie, concrete would be the way to go, but they'd need to be at least 8' long and I need 52 of them! :eek:

With concrete, it's all transport costs. If I could find some locally....

maybe worth asking a local council truck/fencer man/men for any being taken out ? worth a few beers for em