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15 hours ago, Section_31 said:

What price do people think is average for having composite decking fitted? Our patio is shite so we were going to have some put down, only about 7m x 3m but we've been quoted about eight grand minus vat, which seems bonkers. 

I've no idea, but a few years ago we had a load of composite decking put down in London and it's, well, it's a bit meh really. 

 

I give you a great alternative. Slabs. Forget neat, orderly mortar in between. In fact make sure there is no mortar at all. Just bang in some rough soil between the slabs and add some wild flower seed. You'll be amazed. You'll never need a pressure washer to clean the patio as long as you live. 

 

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See this, immediately above? See the shed in the distance? I built that about five years ago. Had it blockpaved but made them leave 10mm gaps. Just chucked soil in there and a few random seeds. The stuff that's grown is unbelievable. I should take more pics really. I accidentally pruned a twig of sprouting euphorbia two years ago. Rather than compost it, I removed a few bits of block and chucked it in the hole...

 

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...That's it in the pic above, on the left, sticking up behind foxywoxy. It just went berserk. The pink valerian on the right is totally self-seeded. 

 

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As is this, erm, I've no idea what it is actually. Yellowus Flowerianiai. Honestly, something different pops up there every year. You can see the block pavers immediately adjoining the potting shed have a mortar infill and nothing grows there. The people who layed it swore it had to be like that for one course and I believed them. Wish I hadn't.

 

Don't get me wrong, you will get grass in the gaps. And lots of weeds that aren't necessarily pretty. But it's real and I love it. 

 

 

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On 20/01/2022 at 01:18, Section_31 said:

What price do people think is average for having composite decking fitted? Our patio is shite so we were going to have some put down, only about 7m x 3m but we've been quoted about eight grand minus vat, which seems bonkers. 

Post a couple of pics of your garden Mark, and let us decide what's best for you.

 

 

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On 20/01/2022 at 09:18, Section_31 said:

What price do people think is average for having composite decking fitted? Our patio is shite so we were going to have some put down, only about 7m x 3m but we've been quoted about eight grand minus vat, which seems bonkers. 

The actual fuck!? 8 grand!!

 

Mate, Im no DIY expert but I built a 4.2m x 3m deck from a kit that cost 350 quid. Admittedly, the price has gone up since then. I had to level about half the area as the other half was a concrete base for a shed.

 

Other than that, it was a case of making sure the frame was level, corners were square and screwing together. I had no cuts to make except for the facial boards.

 

This kit on the net for £800, includes the composite deck boards plus ground frame and screws. They do national UK delivery too. You should be able to see my decking in a post somewhere in this thread but mine is traditional decking planks.

 

https://www.savoytimber.com/4-0x3-0m-dark-grey-super-saver-composite-decking-kit.html

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Need some advice from the forum Percy Throwers. Ive a silver birch tree in our garden than needs a bit trimming off the top to prevent it getting too high.

 

These are small branches off the trunk no more than about 10mm \ half an inch thick.

 

What's the best time of year to have a hack, sorry trim some of these off?

 

 

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1 hour ago, dockers_strike said:

Need some advice from the forum Percy Throwers. Ive a silver birch tree in our garden than needs a bit trimming off the top to prevent it getting too high.

 

These are small branches off the trunk no more than about 10mm \ half an inch thick.

 

What's the best time of year to have a hack, sorry trim some of these off?

 

 

Do it now before while it’s still (almost) dormant

 

https://www.trees.org.uk/Help-Advice/Help-for-Tree-Owners/Guide-to-Tree-Pruning

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On 20/01/2022 at 09:54, AngryOfTuebrook said:

The first of this year's snowdrops are coming out, while some of last year's pansies and roses are still flowering. Whatever happened to proper seasons? 

 

Screenshot_2022-01-20-09-54-33-93_40deb401b9ffe8e1df2f1cc5ba480b12.jpg

My snowdrops are just about to flower now, which is about right. I can’t comment on your roses as I don’t have any but it has been really mild so far and my verbena, which I’d expect to lose, have survived…so far

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  • 1 month later...

Just got out properly for the first time in a while and fuck me I've got a bramble problem. I noticed it at the end of last autumn and thought I'd leave it because localised blackberries would be nice, how much could it grown in the winter? It's made a fucking fence around the garden!! Is it possible to coexist with one for blackberries sake? 

 

Also, my hebe and Canadian lilac(I think) are massive, I'm assuming I should've cur them back in the winter? Is it too late to d it now without killing them? I'm not arsed about the lilac tbh as it's a bee magnet which I love but the hebe offer less in the aesthetics department. Pics below. 

 

Also, the fucking kip of the root on this dandelion! No wonder they're such cunts to shift. If that was edible you'd cure hunger in Merseyside in my garden. 

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We had a bramble problem in one corner of ours, creeping in from a neighbours. Gave if a good dosing of glyphosate as we were taking up all the flowering plants anyway to put down chippings. It killed off the brambles after about 3 months of dosing and hasnt re appeared yet.

 

Got out earlier this week and managed to give the lawn a cut. The levelling up and re seeding work I did last year has made a difference although I still need to get a couple of hundredweight of soil to level up more.

 

The shed had got bleached by all the sunlight on it so also re oiled it to make it look healthier.

 

6 foot tall side fence blew down in the recent gale but cant get suitable fence posts for love nor money at the moment. Some places are charging like 32 quid for each, the robbing gets. Might have to bite the bullet soon though as I cant wait for the ground to become rock hard again then trying to put them in!

 

Oh, then the old girl wants me to level up thefront lawns!!

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  • 3 weeks later...
18 minutes ago, Elite said:

Not for my garden but what is the best way to care for houseplants?

 

I've bought an orchid, some mist spray and Orchid feed. Any tips? as I quite like it, so don't want to drown the poor bastard.

 

Best thing I found was don't let the misses anywhere near it.

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1 hour ago, TheHowieLama said:

Temperamental little bastards. Have a couple - kept them inside, daily attention - nothing.

Stuck them in the lanai, no attention, 6 or 8 blooms at a time. 

Weird fuckers.

Apparently when you stick your finger in an inch or so and it's still moist, it's wet enough.

 

No idea about Orchids though.

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3 hours ago, TheHowieLama said:

Temperamental little bastards. Have a couple - kept them inside, daily attention - nothing.

Stuck them in the lanai, no attention...

Weird fuckers.

 

2 hours ago, Elite said:

Apparently when you stick your finger in an inch or so and it's still moist, it's wet enough.

 

16 minutes ago, TheHowieLama said:

I am telling you - pretend to ignore them. They love that.

"Growing orchids is like making love to a beautiful woman."

 

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Just given the back lawn a quick buzz earlier today. Think Im going to need at least a ton of top soil to level it up as buying the 30 litre bags of the stuff is just too expensive.

 

Oh and that's after Ive re installed the blown down fence. Having to bite the bullet and pay near 20 quid each for 5 x 1.8m, 400mm x 400mm wooden posts. Fucking rip off merchants!

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