WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY 2023

@Retired I don't really understand why you are going to such enormous efforts trying to get tree stumps & their roots out! Surely cutting the stumps down to ground level would have been enough? You're only creating a wild meadow not a new patio! So why the great effort to get every last scrap of root out???

Wouldn't they rot away in a couple of years? You're not creating a bowling green after all!!! Nor a lawn that might snag your lawn mower even!

Perhaps I can understand the stump part, but why go to all the trouble of digging out the roots that will rot away underground in a couple of years???
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@Retired you obviously enjoy digging out root stumps.
If you only want a wild flower meadow I cant for the life of me think why you have bothered, to be honest.
A wild flower meadow would look even better with a few nice old tree stumps that would decay and grow fungi for years if just left to nature.

 

@Balc we crossed there.

 

You've made a good effort @Retired, and I hope it will be worth all the work.

 

Hi,

Thanks Logan; I'm delighted the last stump is now out.

Thanks Balc I understand it would have been much easier to cut the stumps to ground level but just looking out of our kitchen window seeing the stumps is enough for me wanting to get rid of them; yes the roots will rot down but these are preventing me digging or rotavating; I can rotavate even on such a steep slope by rotavating uphill then freewheeling back down; to leave the stumps and roots in I believe would be only doing half the job; I was taught 60 years ago to do my best at whatever I do and it sticks with me. Here's the top meadow I created and it was a much harder job than this middle meadow I'm creating;


Here's the top of our garden five years ago.

This laurel hedge was huge and I've kept lowing it over the years it was as tall as the tree seen top left; it had got out of control because I was so busy doing other jobs like replacing the bungalow and double extension roofs also replacing drains.

Another broader picture of the garden top notice the big Hawthorn tree top right it too now gone.

The Laurels were indeed huge here's one of the stumps taking five full days to get out always working on my own.

The same top of the garden; it was incredibly hard work but taking it back to basics now pays off; I can strim at the end of the growing season then rotavate without hitting roots; it's possible to think I'm barking mad but I never take the easy way out; had I merely cut the laurels to ground level I'd still be cutting them now because they grow back at an alarming pace.

Looking at this result makes it all worthwhile; walkers along the adjacent lane stop and stare many taking images with their mobile phone and if I'm nearby they often ask how I created the the meadow because it's stunning in full bloom. I don't need to rotavate each year but I do because otherwise it will revert back to grass; rotavating gives me a good workout and I've never been scared of hard work; I like to keep busy.

Thanks pete; I'm just so used to hard work it tires me out but going to bed each night I feel I've done something useful and achieved something unlike so many guys who are interested in sport glued to the TV all day achieving nothing. We all have a choice and this is my life never being bored always creating something interesting. Doing all this groundwork removing stumps and roots is obviously very hard work but works for me making life easier long term;

How many guys aged 75 are capable of this kind of work; the term I often hear from those younger than I am is not at my age? I want to carry on working hard as long as I can but confess these days I need more mugs of tea and lumps of cake; I know if I stick at something I'll win in the end.

I'm not removing every little bit of root Balc; I did say in an earlier post I'm removed roots to about 9" deep this will allow digging and rotavating; there's also lots of couch grass adding to the fun; I hope to post results assuming all goes to plan but I'm nearing the end for sowing season I might just make it.

Thanks Michael; yes it will be worth it; I hope you've recovered after your recent tumble and managed to remove all the cactus spikes.

We're awaiting the CCTV rep who is due anytime now to do the survey and give us installation date and time; we already have their CCTV system installed but now it's being replaced bringing it up to high spec at high cost but cheaper than being burgled and having our home trashed by low life.

I can now concentrate on removing the stumps and filling in the holes; I had seriously considered spending around £7,000 to buy a mini digger or even to hire a mini digger but getting it into our steep garden would be a big problem then the danger of using it so I'll still do the job but it takes longer and keeps me fit.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi,


This is why I'm digging roots out; the garden is covered with large and smaller roots; no chance of simply digging or rotavating; wherever I try to put the spade in I hit a root.

The pile of stumps and roots so far.

This is looking more like it; I've just come out of the garden having filled in half the stump holes; once the holes are filled then I can work in reasonable safety on the steep slope. I want to broadcast the wildflower seeds in order for them to grow otherwise the soil disappears in heavy rain. I'm gradually winning with the hardest work now behind me.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

@Retired you've certainly done a great job getting those roots out. It's annoying when you can't dig properly with them there and the meadow looks stunning.

 

Sowed some corn chamomile and corn marigolds in a border, then covered it with fleece to stop the cats using it as a toilet.

 

Checked in greenhouse and watered as necessary, but canes in for peas, applied nematodes for the slugs. Picked sprouting broccoli for dinner tonight.
Discovered that a badly squashed hydrangea (cut down to soil level) was producing shoots.
In the propagator Fuchsia boliviana seed has started to germinate, after about eight weeks being kept warm and damp, two so far.

 

Nothing today it's raining

 

Hi,

What a shame you couldn't hang onto the rain Logan; it's become very dark here so I'm expecting a deluge shortly.

What a fast morning so far; shopping done and home by 7:30; after a mug of tea and an oat cookie I baked at 8:30 last night I wandered up the garden armed with hoe and spade then worked like mad knowing heavy rain was due; I've just knocked off wet again with sweat but I'm delighted by this mornings effort; I found another small stump I'd missed so this will come out next session but now the middle of the garden is already looking better; I got lots of thin surface roots out and have been moving soil around to make the ground a bit more even;


More hole filling; please note the cranked hoe; I bought this many years ago it being very old and very cheap; it's the first time I've used it but it's been brilliant; digging the stumps out I had the sense to throw the soil uphill into piles so now all I had to do was pull the soil back into the big holes saving no end of work. This is just one section and shows where I've dug a channel in order to remove a big root.

This was how it looked this morning; roots everywhere.

This is now what it looks like after an hours very hard work; still lots of roots to come out and I also found another small stump just to cheer me up; not the best or easiest way to create a wildflower meadow.

Next job visit the pharmacy up the village; I can't sit down or rest for long but much better than being insulted watching modern rubbish on TV.

Kind regards, Colin

 

Hi Colin

The rain has stopped for now but still not doing anything outside. It's hair washing day today.

It's great what you have been doing and looking good.

 

@Retired Thanks so much for your very extensive reply! I now understand better why you are doing all this work of removing the stumps together with their roots!

 

At the moment sitting out with a mug of tea enjoying the sunshine and debating two things.

What to put in this pot after a deceased Hebe removal.


And wandering around trying to decide where all this year's seed sown are going to be rehoused to from the greenhouse next month.




Very happy to find more of the left insitu Dahlias are starting to throw out healthy shoots...still a few more lazy ones yet to wake up.

 

Lovely pot Upsy. What is that plant to the right? Geraniums, upright with trailing around?