green heart

Hi Alex, yes, it was me. -And I'm unlikely to swop the manufacturers fitted chain/bar. Realistically, it works well enough for most pruning jobs, otherwise the 2511 comes up the tree.. Very happy to discuss further, on the phone -do DM me ? Nick

I've ordered the new Makita UC024 (40v version) of the pruning saw, as a comparison. They have way more torque than our 18v DUC150 and a bit lighter than our M18 fuel saw if iirc . Apparently Makita spares stuff is much more easily/cheaply available, than Milwaukee too. Also comes with a free battery, before September! A major bugbear, if Makita UK would only act on repeated user feedback(!?!), is the absence of a lanyard attachment loop, and the genius Echo 2500-style wire clip hanger. We can but live in hope.... 🙄

Well done sime42, for sharing some vital information with us all. Writing as a (non medical) lay-person/contractor, I'd like to point out what I'd consider to be some important misnomers, mentioned in the many responses. Ticks are dispersed across the UK by ground nesting birds and mamals -including domesticated livestock AND deer. So the presence of deer is, really, fairly irrelevant to the risk of infection. Ticks are good at hiding in your cast off work/leisure clothes (for several days or more) -and wandering around in search of potential hosts! So your partner/family members are also at slight risk. Only 'some' of the people bitten by ticks will have a 'bullseye' -or display any/some of the other typical symptoms, in the first few weeks of an infection starting.. Hence the value of a quick daily tick-check ! Though ticks can carry several different pathogens -some folk do mysteriously survive bites/infections with just an apparently healthy immune system(!). Maybe they are just very lucky. Would you play Russian roulette, on a daily basis? If you work, garden or exercise in green space ( that's most of us!) and were surprised by ANY of the above points -I would implore you to spend 15 minutes looking on the Lyme disease UK website -it might save you, or a loved one, a lot of unnecessary future medical misery! I think needle point tweezers, as previously mentioned, are the dogs-danglies for removing ticks. -Apologies in advance for any factually incorrect advice!

This technique works well, whenever we've had to treat Bamboo, over the years. Also, adding some sticky adjuvent to the herbicide mix, for foliar sprays (on fresh growth) helps with results. Unlike with Japanese knotweed rhizomes, I do suspect a VERY thorough session with a decent stump grinder, would likely put an immediate (and very significant/terminal dent) in the Bamboo. You would need to grind down to an 18'' depth, tho ? Any surviving regrowth would be easy enough to dig/spray off.

Not quite as exciting as some of the above finds, but: A serviceable Cambium saver, from a veteran Oak tree earlier this year. A throw-line from a Beech tree, nearby. A bike innertube, encircling a 20'' diameter willow limb.. Last month, a suspension harness AND two strimmer harnesses, all left at the base of a Lime tree, by a previous contractor -but sadly no strimmers, tho! Oh, and sometime back now... a memorable pair of white lace knickers (left hanging outside a FC bird hide on the Mersey estuary !). This was apparently not left by a Red kite, tho ! -Maybe left by a Shag, or a (very rare) visiting White kite, just perhaps ?!

Looks like £500- well spent, if you're a contract climber/teenage tree-monkey! For the 'older' climbers like myself, I think I'm happy sticking with knots, for that kind of money ?

Last summer I was slack jawed to see the colossal impact of ADB, when out driving through the Derbyshire dales, whilst on my hols. These are/were natural self set Ash woodlands, growing on steep-ish limestone valleys, and hectares of ALL ages were showing 99+% mortality. It looks really dire... I was depressed! In an attempt to say something a bit more positive, I did also find a healthy mature Wych elm, which was growing within 100m of it's dead younger neighbours!

If it's in a meadow situation, then some trampling/grazing animals should be a useful natural control. Alternatively, regular rolling/mowing or a very focussed spot-application of Glyphosate based herbicide, with a sticky adjuvent, applied almost to run-off. Selective herbicides aren't usually any use for controlling 'simple plants' like moss or mares tail, so full marks if you can get good results using depoitox. I'll have to try it, out of curiosity! Also, don't use Depitox on the riverside.

I was surprised to learn some years ago that Ash and Hazel were also used to make English long-bows. A bow maker actually purchased some cleft Ash from me, in preference to my Yew !? Though this was all twenty years ago, before Ash die-back was a thing.

As a 10' tipper owner, I'd probably agree with going for the 12' on balance. But bear in mind: when you're using a land-rover to tow a 12' x 6' trailer on busy narrow lanes, the trailer will be wider than the land-rover, I think?

Holly lays very well -but in the winter months . I've never layed any in summer, but if I absolutely HAD to lay it in summer, then I'd be pulling off most of the leaves to reduce transpiration losses? This would be an expensive, prickly time-consuming job -hence leaving it till autumn..

We've layed hedges for a couple of decades and I'd only lay them between October and March, due to brittle stems and nesting birds. That said, it's -sometimes- possible to get some reasonable results with smaller, supple, shaded pleachers, if it's essential and you are very careful. If you're unfamiliar with hedge laying however, then just wait until October!

Ps A close up of the buds/leaves would be very useful

Looks a little similar to a very tall/large Azalea, or that type of thing.. I've no idea, obviously -but definitely the wrong bark for Lilac. Sorry I can't help

Ancient and very unremarkable 1964 vintage. Raised in tiny old Cheshire village. Persuaded by parents to follow my interests in electronics/robotics rather than (more interesting) forestry. FC were laying people off for fun, at the time. Made redundant from my control system/panel designing job, at age 21. Promptly started a Landscape and Treework business, inspired by older role-models..Compulsory VAT registered within 2 years. Quit most landscape works and expanded into Conservation contracting and L.A. working, etc. Survived a good hang-glider crash but have persisted with various other rash/unsuitable outdoor pursuit activities.. despite becoming a Dad. Covid hit our workload very hard.. Still love working/climbing, even if I'm shit, compared with youngsters! No telly for 20 years Red front door. Er, too embarrassed to admit details of current car tho !