Just thought I'd be wicked and wave my figs under Tim's nose innit!

http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/...iggies_001.jpg (22KB)

and for those who are interested, the hunza sapling (stage right, and
disappearing upwards out of frame) with the Black Hamburg behind it, and
some more figs and an errant blackberry.

http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/temp/hunza_001.jpg (27KB)

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Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
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Very nice, Rusty, but just a bit wicked.
Still, I've got 10 years to catch up,
I can see I'd better use them wisely.

Tim.

The message
from Tim Perry contains these words:
Rusty Hinge 2;816847 Wrote:
Just thought I'd be wicked and wave my figs under Tim's nose innit!

Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period
uk
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Very nice, Rusty, but just a bit wicked.
Still, I've got 10 years to catch up,
I can see I'd better use them wisely.

Mine get fed daily: since they live beside the bathroom, I have bored a
hole through the window-frame and squeezed a length of hosepipe through.

Inside, there is a funnel which hangs up on the curtain-rail, and
outside, there is enough pipe to reach the figs, and the grape vine.

Most of the time I give it hand-washing water, shaving water &c, and if
the weather is particularly dry, I give the lion's share of the
bathwater to the vine and a few gallons to the fig.

Otherwise the bathwater flushes the pan and only the dregs get to feed
the fruit.

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
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There is a big difference in the quantity of water yours get compared to mine.
When I bought this place the previous owner had dug a pit to extract sand and hoggin, and left a big hole. This I filled with about 6ft of builders rubble, topped with 2ft of soil, and this is
where the figs are planted. Because of the drainage you can have a thunderstorm, and 15 mins later walk out there in carpet slippers without spoiling them. In the summer I have a hard time keeping that part of the lawn green.

Perhaps I should have planted cacti instead.

In article ,
Tim Perry writes:
|
| There is a big difference in the quantity of water yours get compared
| to mine.
| When I bought this place the previous owner had dug a pit to extract
| sand and hoggin, and left a big hole. This I filled with about 6ft of
| builders rubble, topped with 2ft of soil, and this is
| where the figs are planted. Because of the drainage you can have a
| thunderstorm, and 15 mins later walk out there in carpet slippers
| without spoiling them. In the summer I have a hard time keeping that
| part of the lawn green.
|
| Perhaps I should have planted cacti instead.

Attempting to grow 'standard' lawn grass is a mug's game - there are
lots of much better plants for that location, including many grasses.
I don't know of any that can take mowing, though, and few like hard
wear.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

The message
from Tim Perry contains these words:

There is a big difference in the quantity of water yours get compared
to mine.
When I bought this place the previous owner had dug a pit to extract
sand and hoggin, and left a big hole. This I filled with about 6ft of
builders rubble, topped with 2ft of soil, and this is
where the figs are planted. Because of the drainage you can have a
thunderstorm, and 15 mins later walk out there in carpet slippers
without spoiling them. In the summer I have a hard time keeping that
part of the lawn green.

Perhaps I should have planted cacti instead.

Hum.

Suggestion: Dig a shaft down to the rubble and pour in sloshed-up
compost and bonemeal, and when it clogs, wash it in with a hose, then
start again, continuing until you can't wash any more in.

It should improve it, though the fig will send down roots until it finds
the water it needs.

You could also give it some general purpose fertiliser from time to time.

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
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You could have a plan there, I have noticed that the soil level
has dropped there several times, so I presume it is slowly getting washed down amonst the stones. I rebuilt the level with spent mushroom compost, which does help the grass no end.

I found that mixing 50% Cocksfoot into the grass mix is also useful. So far it has not suffered from being mowed, although I leave the grass bucket off and never cut shorter than around 2 inches.

Aside from myself, the guinea fowl, and the dogs, it does not get much traffic over it.

One plus point I have noticed is that it does warm up early in
the spring.

Still, no problem, I'll just leave the hose on it more often in the
summer and see how it goes from there.

Tim.