Joe_the_Gardener

B******* Magpies

Makes you wonder how all these birds evolved and persisted in living side-by-side for thousands of years if one species was actually busily and effectively killing off all the rest. 

squirrel shot for coming to the table.

For some reason my post last night hasn't appeared. I remarked that my reference to the hunt was flippant, and that there is nowhere that foxes are meant to be.

FROGS TOADS

Nature is neither cruel nor kind - it just is.

squirrel shot for coming to the table.

Rats are rats with tails. Apart from that, Slowly, you're generalising about things quite a lot. There's no way we can have any old Tom, Dick and Harry walking round Regent's Park 'dropping' every grey squirrel in sight, or sitting in their bedroom window picking off the squirrels on the bird table across the street. Yes, they cause considerable damage, but do you think no-one's trying to do anything? Sadly, we started about 100 years too late.

As for foxes, as you say we provide them with too much food. I'm surprised there weren't a few on the train the other night clearing up after the stupid passengers.  However, I heard someone say the other day that numbers in some areas of London are falling. Tally-ho for the Hampstead and Highgate Hunt!

under the spreading catalpa tree

Get rid of OH first, nutsy.

under the spreading catalpa tree

nutcutlet,

The simple question is: do you really want this tree, which will only get bigger, or would you really prefer some other things in its place? I think sometimes we get mesmerised by some plant that turns out to be inappropriate to the location, and we're too sentimental to get rid of it and have something that we really want. Would you be much happier with tree peonies and other interesting, decorative and smaller plants?

the pope

I'll bet the choccies have all been scoffed. I enjoyed the comment on this morning's radio that he was the first pope for 600 years to resign in Latin on television.

Does no digging work?

You could die wishing that the 4m 34sec would end soon. The U.S.Army wasted its time inventing waterboarding.

under the spreading catalpa tree

Catalpas cast a very dark shade, so the prospects for anything trying to grow under it are not good. I'd just much it with either soil or chipped wood.

Edging for bed

Use lengths of treated wood screwed (easier than nailing if you have a drill) to stakes (preferably oak). Stakes 2" square by 18" or two feet long depending on your soil and slope. Your lengths of wood can be simply standard fencing rails, 87mm x 37mm, which you can get in 3.6m lengths from your local woodyard or farm supplier, or you can thicker and deeper sections if you like. Fix them so that theeir tops are flush or just above the soil surface. Excuse the mixed measurements!

Hedging shears

Malvern