It Stopped Raining

[niall Y]

Hooray! it finally stopped raining here. We had a nice clear day and I celebrated by painting some outside doors, but only after applying more weed killer to the hardstanding at the front of the property. It is the second application as the last lot got rained on and didn't take.

I could do with the stuff the local farmers use which only needs a small window that is rain free to work. Our neighbouring farmer applied weed killer to his fields nearly a month ago but because of the incessant rain, has not been able to plough. One of the higher up fields was ploughed early this morning, though the lower fields will need to dry out a bit more.

There is a local event in Cardigan, coming up in the last Saturday in April, called 'Barley Saturday which was meant to signify that the Barley crop had been safely sown. It might be touch and go this year as to whether this will, indeed, be the case.

 

[eribaMotters]

I made the most of the turn in the weather yesterday. One lawn cut, a bit of pruning on our 40 foot oak tree and a good selective spraying of Grazon Herbicide to kill the docks and brambles in our meadow grass and banks. Hopefully it will start to act before the rain returns on Monday.

Colin

 

[Cobbs]

Enjoyed the weather and got a bit done in the garden, but in my case not spraying all over with poison...

 

[Jacob]

Enjoyed the weather and got a bit done in the garden, but in my case not spraying all over with poison...

Same here - no toxic materials used!
Ground is still waterlogged (heavy clay) but cut the grass on a high setting as it's full of wild flowers (used to be called "weeds" in the bad old days!) then no mow May or later.
I know it's trendy but have been doing it for years - every year something new seemed to arrive in our last place. Be interesting to see what turns up here - looks a bit over cultivated, might have to fetch some weeds in but the dandelions are doing well.

 

[woodieallen]

Jacob, you're very welcome to come over and dig a load of our dandelions up and take them away. We have more than enough

 

[Jacob]

Jacob, you're very welcome to come over and dig a load of our dandelions up and take them away. We have more than enough

I'd rather just let nature take it's course!
Dandelions are good to have in many ways, not least an early spring blast of colour. Their deep taproots are good for breaking up poor soil...etc etc https://www.rhs.org.uk/weeds/dandelion

 

[whereistheceilidh]

Same here - no toxic materials used!
Ground is still waterlogged (heavy clay) but cut the grass on a high setting as it's full of wild flowers (used to be called "weeds" in the bad old days!) then no mow May or later.
I know it's trendy but have been doing it for years - every year something new seemed to arrive in our last place. Be interesting to see what turns up here - looks a bit over cultivated, might have to fetch some weeds in but the dandelions are doing well.

I suspect you will not need to bring any more 'weeds' in. There are usually still some ineresting, indigenous species in the seed bank so just have a deepish dig, turn over the soil & see what comes up. Hopefully you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[TRITON]

Salt.
Works extremely well and after a liberal application, nothing is going to grow there ever again.

Cheap as chips.
And can also be applied to chips but not in the same quantities

 

[John Brown]

Started raining again.

 

[Jacob]

I suspect you will not need to bring any more 'weeds' in. There are usually still some ineresting, indigenous species in the seed bank so just have a deepish dig, turn over the soil & see what comes up. Hopefully you will be pleasantly surprised.

I'm sure you are right! Thing is I'm already missing the weeds from my old garden - had all sorts including spectacular Aaron's Rod, lots of Valerian, Alkanet, Egg n Bacon, Herb Robert and my favourite - Wall Lettuce. Did a list of my weeds for an "Open Garden" event, I'll dig it out (no pun intended).
Pleased that my new lawns are full of moss - dense cover and very comfortable underfoot or to sit on, like a pile carpet, if it ever stops raining.

 

[niall Y]

Salt.
Works extremely well and after a liberal application, nothing is going to grow there ever again.

Cheap as chips.
And can also be applied to chips but not in the same quantities

I use it on the path between my raised beds which is covered in slate chippings. But, only after I have hand weeded it. It helps suppress further growth, though only for a while. I expect to have to weed it at least a couple more times during the growing season.

That the Ancient Romans despoiled the fields of their enemies - the Carthaginians, by sowing them with salt, might well be an exaggeration.

I also seem to remember that William Cobbett recommended applying it to the land to improve the soil.

 

[woodieallen]

I'm sure you are right! Thing is I'm already missing the weeds from my old garden - had all sorts including spectacular Aaron's Rod, lots of Valerian, Alkanet, Egg n Bacon, Herb Robert and my favourite - Wall Lettuce. Did a list of my weeds for an "Open Garden" event, I'll dig it out (no pun intended).
Pleased that my new lawns are full of moss - dense cover and very comfortable underfoot or to sit on, like a pile carpet, if it ever stops raining.

And moss does not need mowing. Win - win.

 

[Jacob]

And moss does not need mowing. Win - win.

It's a winter/spring thing, then more or less disappears as the grass takes over. It's also tough - I've just been digging the lawn to make beds but it's difficult to get a spade in - now using a half-moon turf cutter which I've had for years but hardly ever used.

 

[woodieallen]

It's a winter/spring thing, then more or less disappears as the grass takes over. It's also tough - I've just been digging the lawn to make beds but it's difficult to get a spade in - now using a half-moon turf cutter which I've had for years but hardly ever used.

Guess it needs a rounded-bevel ?

 

[Jacob]

Guess it needs a rounded-bevel ?

Well I did give it a quick blast with a scythe stone so yes it would have a slightly rounded bevel!
n.b. this is normal for all normal sharpening, it's only modern sharpeners with jigs who obsess about flat bevels. Or deranged knife obsessives - I think they call them "appleseed' bevels or something.
I don't suppose I could get a jig for a half-moon turf cutter!