ChristyRose

Blanket Weed

My pond was built in July so still early on but it has blanket weed!!  Horrible stuff!!  I have got 2 straw bales and 2 pots of oyster shell in the pond but it dosnt seem to have done anything.  Does it die back in the winter?  How do I get rid of it and why have I got it in the pond?  Someone said to me if I put a fountain in the pond it would get the water moving and that would get rid of it?  Is this true?

Is there anything I can't compost?

I have a couple of rabbits and 3 chickens and their waste goes on the compost.  Think it is a natural accelerator?  I dont worry about the bits that havnt composted properly ie twigs etc as they will carry on rotting down on the garden.  I have a shredder which i use alot.  Advocado stones - still get thrown back in the bin.  One day they will rot down I am sure!!    Toilet and kitchen rolls and brown cardboard with sticky tape taken off.  I dont compost egg shells as I've heard they make the soil alkaline and I have neutral to acidic and want it to stay that way!!

Compost

My mum has the type of compost bins Monty has and she covers them with bits of old carpet.  I suppose to keep the moisture in.  Maybe Monty covers them over when they stop filming?

Do put a bit of grass on the compost but as everyone says layer it with something else.  Keep it in a seperate container until needed.

Brushwood is old twigs isnt it?

Compost

I have 7 daleks!!!!  I kept chickens for a while and I have rabbits now and all their waste goes into the bins.  I have never drilled holes in mine.  I did wonder as everyone says air should be able to circulate.  I do dig it over every couple of months or so and I have lovely crumbly compost.  I stick everything in mine.  Grass, cardboard, kitchen waste, rabbits waste,  garden waste.  Layer it and dig it over regularly.  Lovely stuff!! 

Some pics of my before and after garden

Wow what a beautiful garden!!  We built our house 9 years ago so I have had the pleasure of starting a new garden from scratch.  It has been lovely seeing it grow.  I have a lawn at the moment but was interested to see that you havnt.  Thanks for giving me some more ideas!! 

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Keeping Chickens

Hi Loz.  I use large stainless bowls for my girls as they are easier to clean out and they rarely knock them over.  I just use smallholder layers pellets and give them some mixed corn in the evening .  I dont tend to give them bread as I've heard it can cause problems - cant remember what exactly - impacted crop?  I'm sure they'll start laying soon as the days are getting longer and warmer.

Keeping Chickens

I thought my girls had gone off lay until I found a pile of eggs in the pile shreddings!!  My orpy cross had gone broody and dont think the others were brave enough to go in there while she was there!!

Hi Loz.  I just give my girls a big bowl of layers pellets and they just help themselves so I think they just take what they need.  Maybe they are eating alot because they are in a new home?  They should settle down.  Yes they do poo alot!!    Great for the compost!!  If they poo in the nest boxes its a good idea to pick the poo out each day to keep the eggs clean and clean the house once a week or so.  If they are pooing in the water - I personally would clean it and give them fresh water.  Have they got a bowl or one of those plastic water things?  I'm sure once they've settled down they will start laying you some delicious eggs.

Keeping Chickens

FloBear, I had the same problem with my garden.  I love my girls but I also love my garden.  So they have their bit - about 8m x 8m and I also love nature so I have planted it with different types of buddleia, a leycesteria - chickens love jumping up to get the berries.  Theres a weeping willow - they love jumping up to eat the leaves!!  A couple of camelias and rhododendren which they dont touch but look pretty.  A John Downie Crab Apple - the fruits drop in the autumn and they love them, a silver birch, climbing rose, honeysuckle and jasmine growing up the fence.  I have placed stones around all the plants as they will dig all plants up!!  Hope this helps

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Osteospernum

Blanket Weed

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