sime42

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Bugger, I thought I'd vetted the photos for any incriminating or shaming evidence! I'm in the Midlands so by rights mine should be further on than yours. I think probably I was a little late in sowing them and secondly I didn't really harden them off before planting out. They were looking good in the pots week before last. Since they've been in though they haven't done much. Weather doesn't help either; this hot sun is hammering them. I've never quite got my head around the process of hardening off to be honest.

Slugs. Not so bad now that it's hot and dry again but a couple of weeks ago they were a right menace. What's everyone's favourite way of protecting against the filthy slimy scumbags? I hate the idea of Slug Pellets so my preferred option is to use copper rings. I started out years ago by buying various types of Cu tape and mesh and other purpose made products. They were a bit crap really; didn't work that well and didn't last very long. I realised that I could do far better myself starting from standard copper plumbing pipe and some basic metal working. I cut 22mm pipe to a length of about 12", slit it along its length, bend and beat it out flat to a ribbon and then roll that around the other way to end up with a ring of 4" diameter and about 2.5" high. I put these around individual plants in the ground, or I use them to stand pots on if I'm protecting plants in pots. (This should make a bit more sense with the photos). I've been using them for a number of years now and really happy with them. They're not 100% effective but getting there. Nothing is against slugs to my knowledge. I'm not sure of the exact chemistry but for some reason but slugs hate copper. I've tested it and watched them visibly recoil from it! It takes a fair bit of effort and time to initially make the rings but I figure they'll last forever now. Being copper they won't rust away obviously. Also pipe is quite a thick guage they are strong enough to sit really heavy pots on. If I was a salesman I'd have been on Dragon's Den with the idea before now! Never seen anything as good available to buy.

So that's two activities that require a good wrist action. Just make sure you don't combine the two!

Jock strap? For all that swinging around.

Were you wearing a gauntlet of some kind? I'd have thought your forearm would have been scratched to hell if not! I'd want to have a Slasher, long handled Bill Hook, available for this and the job specified in the OP. Wouldn't be able to clear the whole lot with it but they're good to have in the armoury for some tricky situations.

Or indeed agriculture!

I put it down to Peter Gabriel. They got a lot less interesting after he left.

I should have known that. Being a Genesis fan in my earlier years. They did have some very bizarre song and lyric ideas.

Great knowledge, or research! Thanks. I had a vague idea the Giant HW wasn't a native.

Must have been very young plants too. No way you'd miss them otherwise, they're great big buggers when fully grown! Anyone got any idea why they're called Hogweed anyway?

Maybe the key is to make sure you do any strimming of suspicious vegetation only on overcast days..

Well bloody hell. Who would have thought innocent veggies could be so nasty!

Even carrot, coriander or celery? I didn't know that, I thought it was just Giant Hog Weed and a few others you had to be wary off. A fantastic group of plants nonetheless. If only from a culinary point of view.

Each to their own. It's all about tiny birds and blue tits on here!

I agree, they're certainly impressive birds. I've always harboured the idea that it would be cool to have a pet raven. Can't be many pets that are as long lived. They've also got some very unpleasant character traits though. The pair of jays that we had nesting in nextdoor's tree were terrorising the goldfish, and we're pretty sure a missing one was a victim of theirs. The Mrs is not happy!

Use with caution though, it's really "spready", invasive. My parents had it all over their old garden. It's not too bad as far as invasive plants go though as it's very good for pollinating insects as well as a good fertiliser.

Stinging nettles and comfrey both have really deep roots so they reckon that's where the micro nutrients come from.

There's a similar idea but using comfrey. That's meant to smell atrocious.

Lovely bit of old time knowledge there. We could do with lots more if that.

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Bloody good news if it does actually turn out to be true. Long overdue. I was listening to an article about it and it was mentioned that the recent change at the White House had also been a fundamental enabling mechanism for it as well. Obviously.

I've only had a brief look at this but it seems to be an overly convoluted process to opt-out. No doubt intentionally, bstards. Looks like you've got to go out of your way to do it by printing off a form and taking it in to your GP. I mean, paper, why do we need to use that these days?

You can't be too careful with gender these days. But no, I've not had much experience with cocks!

Who's a pretty boy then?! Or girl .....