Trailoftears

And as to hedgehogs-which struggle of course-leaving aside the road carnage.I know of only 2 animals that are effective killers-tho there are possibly more.A terrier will watch and wait,as soon as the wee creature eventually re-opens its body,they pounce,again and again etc.The best killer tho is the badger,I work at a property with a huge network of setts,its fairly routine to walk the woodland paths and find hedgehog skins inverted and tossed aside like discarded banana skins.Whilst I'm not into the lets kill badgers coz of tb gig,They are like us-opportunists/omnivores.Curlew /pheasant/duck nests-all eggs gone.Really big lamb bodies in the woods completely beheaded-they just take the Brains-best bit.They dont mess about!

I'm starting to rant here-but if I spend 20 odd mins on my knees painstakenly planting say,100 lettuce/salad plants at a customers then find nxt morning they've been scoffed by adventurous,bold molluscs-I'll not be a happy bunny-in fact I'll be something like an extremely pissed off were-bunny,and slug pellets will be used albeit sparingly.Ive been schlepping around gardens/veg patches for many/many moons-I've yet to see a single bird/hedgehog imbibe them.On the other hand, I've picked up literally dozens of broken-knecked birds outside conservatories.Not noticed any popular movement to start ripping out the pvc monstrosities yet tho?

And of course,this IS the issue with being environmently friendly-everyones into it until their ethics collide with their pockets,wants needs,etc. I look after a few mansions/farms etc with extensive grounds.Many of which have extensive gravel drives/turn arounds etc.Some owners mention their ethical concerns with me 'spotting' these hard surface areas with glyphosate treatment.So here's your choices then,would you like me to spend my entire morning visit on my hands and knees (in an effin rage)and I'll not be back matey/or shall I call up my extensive team of victorian urchins who given a shilling an hour will fall to this menial task with much gusto?Or,shall I spend 10 minutes spotting your gravel areas which will keep it clean for approx.A month 🤔🙄

Still-tho its not entirely fair,I DO think its up to us 'pro's to attempt to educate them-they know the score ok-and dont wish to look 'uncool',they know-we know its their issue-not ours tbh,I find its easy enuff to shame them.My line is-do you really WANT to make 4 or 5 barely fluffy helpless Song thrush chicks starve not 5 metres from your kitchen window?Do you,Do you REALLY want that to happen-honestly? 🤔

Absolutely,you respectfully point out the 'recommendations',which most customers 'get',on the other hand some of my customers completely freak out seeing an inch of growth on their usually extensive privet hedges.Its like the 'omg-there's yellow blooms on my lawns',the day after you've just cut them!O.c.d issues I fear-how DARE stuff grow 🙄

Never mind the rats nest aka the covid 19 thread-lets get REALLY controversial here-how do you do yours-turn/not turn merchant?Ideal size?no.of bins? Grass in/noway? Bring it on....

From what I've seen-all good stuff.My' unde the radar' stuff.Band-The national,album,'the first 2 pages of Frankenstein', particularly the alcott/Alien/your mind is not your friend.

Mein Gott! This is like masterchef on steroids.Call me a lowlife,But homemade coronation chicken does for me-sniff!

I agree,there does seem to be a bit of sniffiness about rotatech chains,in my experience -its absolutely fine.Bloody hell,its getting to the stage where occasionall users just 'dump'their chains when blunt!Tiz wasteful tho,when you get say,10 odd resharpens out of a chain? If I MUST put 25" chains thru 20 plus big tree stumps,I feel far happier using cheaper chains. Heck, I'm telling porkies (again),the performance kit was 1 bar,1 rim sprocket and 3 chains-I forgot,they were such good value,I bought 2,1@£80 then 1@£60-it seemed silly not to at those prices.But perhaps the interesting point that EVEN on a 16" bar the unspoken admission from Stihl was that the the torquey ms261 could be better.The gauge was still 1.3mm but the bars were q.narrow nosed and light,the chains were picco super rapid,so fairly aggressive with a pitch of 3/8 l.p.,with I think,a lower tooth number than the usual setup.So I think that qualifies as a gentle semi-skip setup to maximise performance? 🤔

Everyone's favourite hooligan?

As an afterthought-olearia will 'flower',but if you are familiar with the horror that is ragwort-you will get a hedge with a horrid white flower akin to ragwort.If you want a coastal flowering hedge with (generally)coastal hardiness-go escallonia Macrantha-quick growing too and 'proper' flowers.

Griselinia is a GREAT choice,a lovely granny smith rounded leaved hedging subject.A 2 ft spaced single row is generous,or go a 3ft spaced double row.That gives you insurance,in that the outer line will take the 'hit' should you get a really proper salty or severe winter.These are known as 'New Zealand privets'hardy on the coast generally,but no guarantee of surviving say,-5 over 2 weeks of severe winter conditions.Yes,Olearia would work,and arguably 'tougher'-again,a N.Zealand 'shelter belt' plant-but see Griselina as Cinderella compared to the ugly sister!Go Griselinia for sure.I would say 5 ft is the minimum to keep Griselinia happy at-if thats your TOP acceptable height-increase your plant spacing-to be kind.

I think this has been the 'informal' rule in uk Gardens for the last 2 seasons now.1st of March-31st July inc.Regarding both routine hedgetrimming and particularly heavy hedge topping-conifer reduction etc.Whilst its inconvenient and costs some work,at the end of the day,most people who work outside and enjoy the privilege of enjoying our desperately troubled landscape and enjoying other people's private outdoor landscapes too have learned to live with it plus have the wit to understand the reasoning behind it? Also,it falls to us 'professional' landscapers/Arborists etc, to educate the general public too.Its a pain from a monetary sense,but its needed tbh.However, there's a certain amount of issues too.I would traditionally cut back a privet hedge twice per season-the first biggish cut,say mid June,followed by a minor cut mid/end of Sept.The unfortunate truth is that now-you are making a massive cut-say first week of Aug now.Its a hedge's worst nightmare and will both stress/weaken them. Its akin to shaving your lawn down to 1cm from 15cms-it aint gonna end well tbh.

Heck, I'm telling porkies (again),the performance kit was 1 bar,1 rim sprocket and 3 chains-I forgot,they were such good value,I bought 2,1@£80 then 1@£60-it seemed silly not to at those prices.But perhaps the interesting point that EVEN on a 16" bar the unspoken admission from Stihl was that the the torquey ms261 could be better.The gauge was still 1.3mm but the bars were q.narrow nosed and light,the chains were picco super rapid,so fairly aggressive with a pitch of 3/8 l.p.,with I think,a lower tooth number than the usual setup.So I think that qualifies as a gentle semi-skip setup to maximise performance? 🤔

Indeed,and I do take your points on board.I derive a lot of enjoyment from following Donny Walker who services plus ports 'proper loggers' saws.,leaving aside his obvious skillsets and a lifetime of experience on all brands of saws,also points out each brands issues/problems without fear or favour.Also, he's philosophical and f.a.f. tbh.Worth a watch for anyone who hasn't come across his words of wisdom.

They are old stock now,but if you can find one-Stihl used to offer a kit,only in 16" for the 260/261.2 picco 3/8 bars/2 rims plus 3 picco super chains as a performance kit,they were sub £80 when I bought one,so really good value.Tho the bar was a standard rollomatic bar it was the same weight as the light 04 bar.

Membrane,any cheap gravel you like,then a packet or 2 of mexican fleabane (erigeron).You'll not be able to even see the stone in 2 odd years that I can promise you!Also they'll laugh at log-splitting activities plus you'll be the most flying insect friendly garden in the street too!

The chanticleer is a pretty,shapely tree (orn.pear), several of the crab apples are worth a look too- Malus evereste.John downie gives both nice blossom and v.ornamental fruits. Agree with other comments re:the mountain Ash too.Tradidionally they were planted close to a dwelling to ward off witches and evil spirits.

Farm saw-farm saw! 😳

After using an ms 038 av for donkeys years,the 441 feels like a racehorse tbh,same weight as the 038,10cc more output,great a.v. performence and sips fuel with a decomp valve etc.Saying that,its universally hated as the bastard child of the 461.Its not light by today's standards,and indeed a tad bulbous in profile (tho I like a big gel),but its a.v. figures stand up pretty well with the current saws.And its plenty big enough for me tbh.Its just nice to be able to run a 25" bar when the odd big beech has to come down/ gets windblown.And looking around at the many,many mature Ash on various properties I visit it will be needed more and more I suspect.

Likewise, I've looked at that long and hard,great power to weight ratio,cutting edge mag. Piston tech etc.I stuck my ms441 on ebay for £750 and could have sold it for £700,but the 400 would still have cost me £250 more.And in truth would be about 5 odd cc's less in power,but no doubt,slimmer and lighter.Also-I DO like the v.3 mtronic saws.They work and rev beautifully in my limited experience.

I'm the other way-all stihls/a couple of small makitas for top-handled work.I had 8,but I'm quite proud of myself now having sold 2 (grudginly),but still fancying a ms 241.It never ends!Worse still,I also have mowers/blowers/hedgetrimmers rtc,etc.So the lust fest never ends tbh 😳

On the other hand,if you asked me about the 250....🙄😳😤

Really-there is,I kid thee not.Ive bought a couple of the budget stihls,and some are were effing shitty.But I just flogged a year 2003 180 which has done stupid work,and in some ways,in spite of getting most of my money back-I felt a tad wistful.😳

A good ms180 will do the job,but money no object-a ms241 would be one of those 'I'm making loads of money/I deserve it/it will pay for itself in the end' purchases!