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The Summer of doom
Fired with enthusiasm during 2000 I spent a small fortune turning my small
concrete London wilderness into something like a garden. Improving appalling soil full of compacted ash and fireplace debris (and just why does every old terraced house have broken china buried in the back garden - didn't they have dustbins in the old days?). I composted everything I could lay my hands on, nurtured my carefully selected plants, watered, fed and did everything short of tucking them up into bed. And what does 2003 bring? Drought (at least it kept the slugs and snails down), mildew, aphids, mice (well - a mouse), blackfly, a fox tunnelling under the shed , vine weevils and NOW what I'm 90% sure is the second New Zealand flatworm of the year. I snipped it in half yesterday and it still curls up in a most revolting manner - yuk. So why has all my hard work resulted in what seems to be a haven for the peskiest pests? Despite encouraging the birds with a fat ball and daily topped up bird table I have negligible bird life - a pair of blue tits, resident magpies, a single sad robin (sometimes), the occasional wren and blackbird; and couple of fat wood pigeons breeding like the clappers who are the only daily visitors. During the Summer there were endless hoverflies and lacewings. I have lots of wood lice but rarely see a beetle. Should I just wait for a balance to be reached or can I be more proactive? |
The Summer of doom
why does every old terraced house have broken china buried in the back garden - didn't they have dustbins in the old days?). They had middens. But I still turn up potsherds (usually blue and white) in our garden which has been cultivated since 1937 when the house (a semi) was built. I've tried and tried saving them to make whole items but never have ... Mary |
The Summer of doom
The message
from "hedgehog" contains these words: and NOW what I'm 90% sure is the second New Zealand flatworm of the year. I snipped it in half yesterday and it still curls up in a most revolting manner - yuk. You need to do more than that, to destroy their quite-large eggs inside. I grind them underfoot on concrete until it's just a smear :-(. Next, you need to hunt down its friends and family, under pots, plastic sacks, stacked turves etc..anywhere cool and dark on the soil surface. I discovered NZF here last spring and during The Purge killed dozens more. I haven't seen any at all for several months and the earthworm population is booming. Don't worry about a few setbacks, all gardening is full of them, and has taught me to be the patient calm and equable person I am (ducks and runs) Janet |
The Summer of doom
Don't worry about a few setbacks, all gardening is full of them, and has taught me to be the patient calm and equable person I am Oh, don't spoil my image of you ... I rely on you to keep me from being unique ... Mary (ducks and runs) Janet |
The Summer of doom
"hedgehog" wrote in message ... I live in the south of France now, but I still look back on my little back garden in London with great nostalgia. I think it amazing how all those things manage to survive and thrive in such a polluted and dirty place as London! |
The Summer of doom
"Ric" wrote in message ... : : "hedgehog" wrote in message : ... : : I live in the south of France now, but I still look back on my little back : garden in London with great nostalgia. I think it amazing how all those : things manage to survive and thrive in such a polluted and dirty place as : London! : If that's the case, it must be amazing that all the inhabitants, including me, have survived. The wonders of nature. K |
The Summer of doom
The message
from "Mary Fisher" contains these words: Don't worry about a few setbacks, all gardening is full of them, and has taught me to be the patient calm and equable person I am Oh, don't spoil my image of you ... I rely on you to keep me from being unique ... Wumpus! Where are you when we need a demo? -- Rusty Hinge horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm |
The Summer of doom
Thanks for the support - I was just having a bit of a bad garden day.
Despite the weevils and flatworms there seems no obvious damage (yet). Thanks also for the tip about the eggs - I chucked the remains in the bin today. It was obviously a very stupid flatworm because I only noticed it when moving an outside plastic doormat on the patio. It had trapped itself in one of the small holes. I have very dry soil so maybe it was alone. "Janet Baraclough" wrote in message ... The message from "hedgehog" contains these words: and NOW what I'm 90% sure is the second New Zealand flatworm of the year. I snipped it in half yesterday and it still curls up in a most revolting manner - yuk. You need to do more than that, to destroy their quite-large eggs inside. I grind them underfoot on concrete until it's just a smear :-(. Next, you need to hunt down its friends and family, under pots, plastic sacks, stacked turves etc..anywhere cool and dark on the soil surface. I discovered NZF here last spring and during The Purge killed dozens more. I haven't seen any at all for several months and the earthworm population is booming. Don't worry about a few setbacks, all gardening is full of them, and has taught me to be the patient calm and equable person I am (ducks and runs) Janet |
The Summer of doom
"Janet Baraclough" wrote Don't worry about a few setbacks, all gardening is full of them, and has taught me to be the patient calm and equable person I am (ducks and runs) Janet Its amazing isn't it what you can learn later in life........ "~) Jenny |
The Summer of doom
"Jaques d'Altrades" wrote in message ... The message from "Mary Fisher" contains these words: Don't worry about a few setbacks, all gardening is full of them, and has taught me to be the patient calm and equable person I am Oh, don't spoil my image of you ... I rely on you to keep me from being unique ... Wumpus! Where are you when we need a demo? Rusty Hinge Wumpus doesn't 'do' URG (at least I don't think she does....) Jenny |
The Summer of doom
In article , hedgehog hedgehog@hedge
hog.homechoice.co.uk writes Thanks for the support - I was just having a bit of a bad garden day. Despite the weevils and flatworms there seems no obvious damage (yet). Thanks also for the tip about the eggs - I chucked the remains in the bin today. Er . . I think that is illegal, isn't it? You are supposed to notify the authorities aren't you? Anyway, chucking it in the bin without following Janet's advice will do nothing but spread the things elsewhere :((((((((((( -- Jane Ransom in Lancaster. I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg but if you need to email me for any other reason, put ransoms at jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see |
The Summer of doom
The message from "Mary Fisher" contains these words: Oh, don't spoil my image of you ... I rely on you to keep me from being unique ... Get some delusions of your own, woman, then you won't be unique and I won't have anything to worry about. There. Feel better now? Janet. |
The Summer of doom
The message
from "JennyC" contains these words: Its amazing isn't it what you can learn later in life........ "~) Keep trying and pray for a miracle, Jenny 8-} Janet. |
The Summer of doom
"Jaques d'Altrades" wrote in message ... The message from "Mary Fisher" contains these words: Don't worry about a few setbacks, all gardening is full of them, and has taught me to be the patient calm and equable person I am Oh, don't spoil my image of you ... I rely on you to keep me from being unique ... Wumpus! Where are you when we need a demo? Erm ... I'm all over the place. Leeds based (Yorkshire). On telly next month. Mary -- Rusty Hinge horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm |
The Summer of doom
Wumpus! Where are you when we need a demo? Rusty Hinge Wumpus doesn't 'do' URG (at least I don't think she does....) Jenny Oh! I thought that by ignoring that word I wouldn't be showing my ignorance. However, now that it's been brought into the open, what's a wumpus? Mary |
The Summer of doom
"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message ... The message from "Mary Fisher" contains these words: Oh, don't spoil my image of you ... I rely on you to keep me from being unique ... Get some delusions of your own, woman, then you won't be unique and I won't have anything to worry about. There. Feel better now? Er - no - I wasn't worried and don't THINK I have delusions. :-) Mary Janet. |
The Summer of doom
"JennyC" wrote in message ... "Janet Baraclough" wrote Don't worry about a few setbacks, all gardening is full of them, and has taught me to be the patient calm and equable person I am (ducks and runs) Janet Its amazing isn't it what you can learn later in life........ "~) It hasn't helped me. Yes, one continues learning and putting things into the memory. Retrieval, however, is another matter ... What was all this about anyway? Mary Jenny |
The Summer of doom
In article ,
Mary Fisher wrote: "Jaques d'Altrades" wrote in message ... The message from "Mary Fisher" contains these words: Don't worry about a few setbacks, all gardening is full of them, and has taught me to be the patient calm and equable person I am Oh, don't spoil my image of you ... I rely on you to keep me from being unique ... Wumpus! Where are you when we need a demo? Erm ... I'm all over the place. Leeds based (Yorkshire). On telly next month. Wumpus? As in: www.atariarchives.org/bcc1/showpage.php?page=247 Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
The Summer of doom
"Mary Fisher" wrote in message t... Wumpus! Where are you when we need a demo? Rusty Hinge Wumpus doesn't 'do' URG (at least I don't think she does....) Jenny Oh! I thought that by ignoring that word I wouldn't be showing my ignorance. However, now that it's been brought into the open, what's a wumpus? Mary Very rare breed of................... Jenny |
The Summer of doom
"JennyC" wrote in message ... "Mary Fisher" wrote in message t... Wumpus! Where are you when we need a demo? Rusty Hinge Wumpus doesn't 'do' URG (at least I don't think she does....) Jenny Oh! I thought that by ignoring that word I wouldn't be showing my ignorance. However, now that it's been brought into the open, what's a wumpus? Mary Very rare breed of................... does a quick check in the RBST list ... No, still don't know ... do tell :-) Mary Jenny |
The Summer of doom
Don't worry about a few setbacks, all gardening is full of them, and has taught me to be the patient calm and equable person I am Oh, don't spoil my image of you ... I rely on you to keep me from being unique ... Wumpus! Where are you when we need a demo? Erm ... I'm all over the place. Leeds based (Yorkshire). On telly next month. Wumpus? As in: www.atariarchives.org/bcc1/showpage.php?page=247 Um. I looked at that and it was blank apart from garish stripes on the left .... Mary Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
The Summer of doom
On Wed, 8 Oct 2003 21:23:33 +0200, "JennyC" wrote:
"Mary Fisher" wrote in message et... Wumpus! Where are you when we need a demo? Rusty Hinge Wumpus doesn't 'do' URG (at least I don't think she does....) Jenny Oh! I thought that by ignoring that word I wouldn't be showing my ignorance. However, now that it's been brought into the open, what's a wumpus? Mary Very rare breed of................... http://www.cherryjam.pwp.blueyonder....pus/wumpus.htm -- Martin |
The Summer of doom
The message
from "Mary Fisher" contains these words: Wumpus? As in: www.atariarchives.org/bcc1/showpage.php?page=247 Um. I looked at that and it was blank apart from garish stripes on the left Try http://www.cherryjam.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ -- Rusty Hinge horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm |
The Summer of doom
The message
from "JennyC" contains these words: However, now that it's been brought into the open, what's a wumpus? Mary Very rare breed of................... Practises kick-boxing in the cellar.......... -- Rusty Hinge horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm |
The Summer of doom
"Ric" wrote in message ... "hedgehog" wrote in message ... I live in the south of France now, but I still look back on my little back garden in London with great nostalgia. I think it amazing how all those things manage to survive and thrive in such a polluted and dirty place as London! So would you recomend the South of France can we all make an exodus of the UK |
The Summer of doom
"Ric" wrote in message ... "hedgehog" wrote in message ... I live in the south of France now, but I still look back on my little back garden in London with great nostalgia. I think it amazing how all those things manage to survive and thrive in such a polluted and dirty place as London! So would you recomend the South of France can we all make an exodus of the UK |
The Summer of doom
On Wed, 8 Oct 2003 23:31:37 +0000 (UTC), "bnd777"
wrote: "Ric" wrote in message ... "hedgehog" wrote in message ... I live in the south of France now, but I still look back on my little back garden in London with great nostalgia. I think it amazing how all those things manage to survive and thrive in such a polluted and dirty place as London! So would you recomend the South of France can we all make an exodus of the UK there's nothing to stop you doing the same -- Martin |
The Summer of doom
On Wed, 8 Oct 2003 23:31:37 +0000 (UTC), "bnd777"
wrote: "Ric" wrote in message ... "hedgehog" wrote in message ... I live in the south of France now, but I still look back on my little back garden in London with great nostalgia. I think it amazing how all those things manage to survive and thrive in such a polluted and dirty place as London! So would you recomend the South of France can we all make an exodus of the UK there's nothing to stop you doing the same -- Martin |
The Summer of doom
"Jaques d'Altrades" wrote in message ... The message from "Mary Fisher" contains these words: Wumpus? As in: www.atariarchives.org/bcc1/showpage.php?page=247 Um. I looked at that and it was blank apart from garish stripes on the left Try http://www.cherryjam.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ OK, I did that. But I still don't understand ... I was in a fever hospital when I was five years old ... It's a breast cancer clinic now. Been there too. Mary -- Rusty Hinge horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm |
The Summer of doom
"bnd777" wrote in message ... "Ric" wrote in message ... "hedgehog" wrote in message ... I live in the south of France now, but I still look back on my little back garden in London with great nostalgia. I think it amazing how all those things manage to survive and thrive in such a polluted and dirty place as London! So would you recomend the South of France can we all make an exodus of the UK When the recent horrid events (Dr Kelly) happened I didn't want to be part of it so looked at the web site for New Zealand. For someone our age you have to have millions of pounds. We'll have to make the best of it here, we wouldn't want to go to a European (i.e. foreign) country. Apart from politics it really is wonderful here. Mary |
The Summer of doom
The message
from "Mary Fisher" contains these words: When the recent horrid events (Dr Kelly) happened I didn't want to be part of it so looked at the web site for New Zealand. For someone our age you have to have millions of pounds. We'll have to make the best of it here, we wouldn't want to go to a European (i.e. foreign) country. Apart from politics it really is wonderful here. AFAIK both NZ and Australia award concessionary immigration permits for the aged parents of younger immigrant workers. So all you have to do is send ahead a selection of your offspring to take root. You might consider Australia; great climate, gardening and lifestyle. Janet. |
The Summer of doom
AFAIK both NZ and Australia award concessionary immigration permits for the aged parents of younger immigrant workers. So all you have to do is send ahead a selection of your offspring to take root. LOL! They're all very settled here and wouldn't move. .. You might consider Australia; great climate, gardening and lifestyle. I think we'd prefer NZ. Apouse applied for a job there in 1970 or 1971, we did a lot of research and were very disappointed when he didn't get it. It would be a huge wrench to move even outside Yorkshire now! It has everything we want. We've resolved to ignore politics. Mary Janet. |
The Summer of doom
On Thu, 9 Oct 2003 21:27:09 +0100, Janet Baraclough
wrote: The message from "Mary Fisher" contains these words: When the recent horrid events (Dr Kelly) happened I didn't want to be part of it so looked at the web site for New Zealand. For someone our age you have to have millions of pounds. We'll have to make the best of it here, we wouldn't want to go to a European (i.e. foreign) country. Apart from politics it really is wonderful here. AFAIK both NZ and Australia award concessionary immigration permits for the aged parents of younger immigrant workers. So all you have to do is send ahead a selection of your offspring to take root. You might consider Australia; great climate, gardening and lifestyle. and if you have sent your 90 year old dad ahead, then what? -- Martin |
The Summer of doom
In article , JennyC
writes "Jaques d'Altrades" wrote in message ... The message from "Mary Fisher" contains these words: Don't worry about a few setbacks, all gardening is full of them, and has taught me to be the patient calm and equable person I am Oh, don't spoil my image of you ... I rely on you to keep me from being unique ... Wumpus! Where are you when we need a demo? Rusty Hinge Wumpus doesn't 'do' URG (at least I don't think she does....) She lurks when she's in a good mood. Which isn't often ;-) -- Kay Easton Edward's earthworm page: http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm |
The Summer of doom
The message
from Janet Baraclough contains these words: AFAIK both NZ and Australia award concessionary immigration permits for the aged parents of younger immigrant workers. So all you have to do is send ahead a selection of your offspring to take root. You might consider Australia; great climate, gardening and lifestyle. belch Yeah. And the culture is sickond to none. Ask Sir Les Patterson, he'll tell you. Tinny, inyone? -- Rusty Hinge horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm |
The Summer of doom
The message
from Jaques d'Altrades contains these words: The message from Janet Baraclough contains these words: AFAIK both NZ and Australia award concessionary immigration permits for the aged parents of younger immigrant workers. So all you have to do is send ahead a selection of your offspring to take root. You might consider Australia; great climate, gardening and lifestyle. belch Yeah. And the culture is sickond to none. Ask Sir Les Patterson, he'll tell you. Tinny, inyone? -- Rusty Hinge horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm My cousin thought it most bizarre that we could grow stuff in his winter time! Mind you if you see fields of Pineapples just growing instead of cabbage it makes a bit of an impression. Did to me anyway. I did meet a man whose passion for life was his lawn. However, it`s a lawn but not as we know it due to the lack of moisture. Very strange but absolutly perfect. Like a rubber carpet you bounced on it when walking and was about 2 inches thick before you hit the soil. -- email farmer chris on Please don`t use as it`s a spam haven. |
The Summer of doom
On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 08:36:47 +0100, Christopher Norton
wrote: The message from Jaques d'Altrades contains these words: The message from Janet Baraclough contains these words: AFAIK both NZ and Australia award concessionary immigration permits for the aged parents of younger immigrant workers. So all you have to do is send ahead a selection of your offspring to take root. You might consider Australia; great climate, gardening and lifestyle. belch Yeah. And the culture is sickond to none. Ask Sir Les Patterson, he'll tell you. Tinny, inyone? -- Rusty Hinge horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm My cousin thought it most bizarre that we could grow stuff in his winter time! Mind you if you see fields of Pineapples just growing instead of cabbage it makes a bit of an impression. Did to me anyway. I did meet a man whose passion for life was his lawn. However, it`s a lawn but not as we know it due to the lack of moisture. Very strange but absolutly perfect. Like a rubber carpet you bounced on it when walking and was about 2 inches thick before you hit the soil. but not made of grass? -- Martin |
The Summer of doom
The message
from Jaques d'Altrades contains these words: The message from Janet Baraclough contains these words: AFAIK both NZ and Australia award concessionary immigration permits for the aged parents of younger immigrant workers. So all you have to do is send ahead a selection of your offspring to take root. You might consider Australia; great climate, gardening and lifestyle. belch Yeah. And the culture is sickond to none. Ask Sir Les Patterson, he'll tell you. Tinny, inyone? Spoken through your bowler hat, old boy? Janet. |
The Summer of doom
The message
from martin contains these words: On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 08:36:47 +0100, Christopher Norton wrote: The message from Jaques d'Altrades contains these words: The message from Janet Baraclough contains these words: AFAIK both NZ and Australia award concessionary immigration permits for the aged parents of younger immigrant workers. So all you have to do is send ahead a selection of your offspring to take root. You might consider Australia; great climate, gardening and lifestyle. belch Yeah. And the culture is sickond to none. Ask Sir Les Patterson, he'll tell you. Tinny, inyone? -- Rusty Hinge horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm My cousin thought it most bizarre that we could grow stuff in his winter time! Mind you if you see fields of Pineapples just growing instead of cabbage it makes a bit of an impression. Did to me anyway. I did meet a man whose passion for life was his lawn. However, it`s a lawn but not as we know it due to the lack of moisture. Very strange but absolutly perfect. Like a rubber carpet you bounced on it when walking and was about 2 inches thick before you hit the soil. but not made of grass? -- Martin Nope, was`nt a grass that i`d ever seen. More like a dense carpet of succulants. Very strange. I`ll always remember lying on it in the morning, a rib eye steak on the barbie, stubby of 4x heavy and talking to my fiance on my mobile whilst looking out over Hervey Bay to Fraser Island. Chances are I`ll never go again. -- email farmer chris on Please don`t use as it`s a spam haven. |
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