spandit

Well, two of them are in blossom now! Pics to follow...

I have a free tip site in East Sussex, which probably doesn't help you, but I've had a few tree surgeons off here dumping arb. waste & chip in exchange for tea & bacon sandwiches... I'm sure there will be someone near you who will take as much as you can produce - there's also a Facebook group called Woodalert which is pretty active

Ha! That's good advice - I listened to hours of them (and audiobooks) whilst planting my trees

Gather them up and put them round new trees?

That's what gave me the ratchet strap idea. Could have used a piece of wood too, I suppose

I get paid the same... sweet FA (this is my own field!)

...when getting a Suzuki Jimny stuck in the middle of a field: 1) stock fencing does not make a good improvised ground mat, unless you really like cutting tangled stock fencing wire out from underneath a car that is already up to its axles in thick mud 2) a 12mm polypropylene rope, whilst giving you the length you require (in combination with 2 recovery straps and a thicker rope and 30m of winch cable) stretches a LONG way before it snaps (with a Hell of a bang!) 3) Putting a ratchet strap around a tyre does not magically transform your car into one of these: It generally just makes it a more efficient digger 4) Reducing tyre pressure leaves you with a stuck car in the middle of the field with flat tyres 5) A winch is a surprisingly effective way of removing a fencepost that is driven in a couple of feet 6) a 3" willow sapling is surprisingly strong - can pull a Jimny out sideways! Of course, it didn't start raining until I had to get out of the cab to start the recovery process... I now have all my fence posts and wire dumped in the middle of the field and I'll have to carry them by hand

Kind of wanted to keep as much hedge as possible, though

Been cutting my way along inside a holly hedge, which is already tangled with old barbed wire & brambles, to install stock fencing. I've only done about 10m & I'm knackered! Don't have anyone helping me, I suppose, but how you guys do it for a full day I don't know!

Well, turns out there is no spark arrestor on UK models. Gauze strainer was clear. After I'd put everything together again, having blown compressed air through every bit I could find, it started and ran fine but doubtless it will play up again. Just need to wait for my new files to arrive to get the chain proper sharp again

Not sure where the gauze strainer in the carb is but I'll have a look tomorrow. Other bits I've read have suggested the spark arrestor in the muffler (silencer) might be to blame so I'll have a look at that first

Mine were bareroot whips. They've grown really well, way higher than some I planted elsewhere. Looks like I'll have to wait a while before my blossom drive materialises.

Thanks, Alec, will have to wait a bit longer then. Not sure what to make of the Adam Johnson reference, now that I've looked him up. I think I was being accused of treedophilia...

Don't know who that is... When do cherry trees reach puberty then?

That's helpful, thanks...

I've planted an avenue of 14 wild cherry down the drive and although they're all about 10' high (2 years old!) they're showing no signs of producing any blooms. A small almond I planted has beautiful blossom despite being about 4' tall. Is it an age thing or do they have gender?

My saw starts and idles OK but when I pull the trigger to start cutting, it just dies. Really frustrating as takes ages before it gets warm enough to keep going, even if I leave it idling for ages whilst I'm getting ready. Any ideas?

I was given a load and it was a ***** to split. The 20 tonne splitter I hired got through it OK but with a splitting maul and wedges, I couldn't get through it, no idea why. Dried quite quickly and feels like rotten birch it's so light. Burns really quick and unless you are desperate I wouldn't bother. Certainly don't pay for it.

Sorry for reopening the thread. The knot I was trying to describe is, appropriately enough, called the arbor knot. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbor_knot ABOK #1114

Hmmm, title doesn't look quite right. Anyway, I have a friend who is currently doing building work but would like to get into tree work. I suggested that working on the ground would be a good place to start. Is anyone looking for a labourer in the SE (near Burwash)? He's 20, a hard worker & a loyal fellow

Quite so, but does anyone still use it for this?

That's interesting. I'd like to see some independent tests of their claims but it's an often underused resource

I'd plant it up but use a really heavy mulch mat - carpet or cardboard. The bracken will steal all the light from the trees otherwise. Not a fan of chemical control

Thanks!

Anyone know if I can get hired plant insurance as a domestic user? Need to do some drainage and some places won't hire me a digger without it