Daydream fund challenge part 4

Fay

Davesnave wrote: »

Nothing seems to be growing as well as usual, except the grass, or is it just me? I've had so many plant failures this year I'm thinking of taking up something more rewarding, like Pokemon Go.

I've been blaming and questioning my own abilities but it does seem to have been an odd year. I'm wondering if I should sell up and buy a house with a court yard lol

lucielle

Up at the house on Skye and got a serious ragwort problem. What's the best course of action? OH thinks spraying, I think pulling it up.
L

Davesnave

lucielle wrote: »

Up at the house on Skye and got a serious ragwort problem. What's the best course of action? OH thinks spraying, I think pulling it up.
L

We did both, so no experience of just the one method. We got rid of the mature plants asap and then began spraying Grazon the following spring, as there were no animals to exclude.

The rosettes are easily spotted in short grass and go with one hit.

I'd guess we went from heavyish infestation to a very slight problem in two years flat. We still get around 50-100 coming up in the spring, which I nail quickly, then I just pull any that escape as they betray their presence. Got 3 the other day, but all from the hedge bank.

alfie_1

lucielle wrote: »

Up at the house on Skye and got a serious ragwort problem. What's the best course of action? OH thinks spraying, I think pulling it up.
L

If its been raining [:p ] and ground is soft, pull as many as possible with roots. we did have a problem but like dave, we pulled then sprayed but we had to keep animogs off it for 6 weeks minimum. 2nd year, none


we fertilised all 5 fields this spring which was a great success... re the 2 x 5 acre fields, very good hay yield. BUT one paddock is absolutely covered in what looks like short stubby ragwort [it isn't tho] ... never had it before so maybe the fertiliser somehow triggered right conditions for it to grow ?? we are going to chop it all down, then weed kill it all.. it has blanketed the ground !!


today has been a bit of a chill out day.. got one of the puppies new owner coming to see it after 4 today..
they are so entertaining to watch.. they bomb round the garden dragging anything they find [lump of dry grass to a branch]..

ive been told of a lovely older couple who are looking for an older dog to amble round with them... [des res !] they are nervous of getting a rescue then having problems... I love dolly and am torn as she would be a lovely spoilt dog there. her being blind in one eye and a tad deaf makes it hard for her to keep up with me/other dogs.
I want whats best for her but I don't know if I can part with her either now


2 weeks today and I will be in Canada !! trying to get everything sorted in time ... I always leave things to the last minute and wonder why I get frazzled !


another hot gorgeous day here but with a nice breeze..

lucielle

The ground is lawn ex croft land so not worried about animals.
L

Davesnave

Just walked our fields, and apart from a few thistles, which I'm just pulling, there's no docks or ragwort in sight. We will probably get the fields limed in a year or so, but right now our attention is elsewhere. I'm pretty pleased with the way they are now, as we've kept a huge range of grasses and plenty of wild flowers. They might not be ultra-productive, but I reckon they're good for the wildlife.

The conservatory foundations swallowed another dumpy bag of aggregate today. I can only mix that amount as a maximum, and then I end up crocked! I reckon another week will see us laying some bricks... hopefully!

I_have_spoken

Bit blustery with me today. One of the big fir trees at the top of the hill came down.

DaftyDuck

IHS You can prune Schefflera just fine. I have done it on both the green and gold variegated forms, and it works well. I admit I did do it earlier in the year, to give maximum growth to the pruned remains, but it should be fine now, particularly if it's getting plenty of light and growing well (sounds like it is). Mine are bunged outside at the moment, and peeking over the oil tank, so I'll need to prune them again before they come in anyway.

If you are lucky, they should branch several times just below the prune. You can then brush off any small growth shoots you don't want, and shape the plant.

The removed parts can take as cuttings; I guess I had a 50% success rate, maybe slightly less. Moist but well-drained soil + rooting compound.

I still dream of ragwort! It's an ongoing battle, but one we are having signs of winning. Pulling the flower stems will, obviously, stop it flowering and seeding, and can pull enough of the root to kill some plants, but I think it normally leaves enough in to grow next year. Using a ragfork like this is better, and can get all the root out at once, with a satisfying pluck. I prefer these four-toothed ones, my wife likes the three toothed ones better.

On lawn, with no chance of grazing, weedkiller like SBK lawn treatment will kill it in the early stage - say when it's less than 15cm across. Later on, it's more likely to survive. Mowing repeatedly, and letting the grass outcompete it will also work - over a couple of years or more. Combined approach is probably best, like Dave sez

Lovely small agricultural show today, so had a complete day off, and got sunburned. Came home to find a string of work emails, that can't wait, so looks like a late night.

Nah! Stuff 'em! Glass of something, then bed! After all, I never even looked at the computer, did I, and you'll back me up in that, won't you!

Cheers ... Chink Chink

Fay

Davesnave wrote: »

Just walked our fields, and apart from a few thistles, which I'm just pulling, there's no docks or ragwort in sight. We will probably get the fields limed in a year or so, but right now our attention is elsewhere. I'm pretty pleased with the way they are now, as we've kept a huge range of grasses and plenty of wild flowers. They might not be ultra-productive, but I reckon they're good for the wildlife.

The conservatory foundations swallowed another dumpy bag of aggregate today. I can only mix that amount as a maximum, and then I end up crocked! I reckon another week will see us laying some bricks... hopefully!

I do hope we get to see some pics of the finished project Dave. You've worked so hard!

lucielle

The weather looks like it might be playing ball today. I haven't got a ragfork and because I'm impatient will pull the major plants just to get rid and plan a proper attack for next year. L