Grumpy

Unlike skinny balls which are???????????? Grumpy

Got mine on offer from Brico Marché for €3.99 per litre this spring! Grumpy

It takes quite a lot of gas to burn your weeds(depending on size and density) so don't rush in to getting a burner.  I have one that I use professionally and prefere to use it on dead weeds that I have killed with Roundup thus tidying up the job.  Pathclear is a good product that has a residual element that kills seed as it germinates. Keep an open mind on Roundup.  I know a lot of people worry about it but it is still the safest desherbant that we have got. Grumpy

Try looking in Google pictures. Grumpy

If these were in a string its likely that a toad spawned here. After so much dry weather they will be desparate to spawn anywhere so if anyone finds a string like this collect it in a bucket (with some water) and take it to the edge of the nearest pond (not stream or river). They would normally try to twine it in thwe underwater sectrion of plants so it doesn't get blown away. Its unlikely that a frog would do the same thing and frogspawn is laid in a clump not a string. Grumpy

There is a very sound reason for not trapping and re-locating urban foxes. In general it is perceived that you can release these animals "into the wild" or "back into the countryside". Wrong!  Urban foxes firstly don't know how to survive on catching food in the countryside and will look to feed from inhabited areas thus merely re-locating the problem and secondly they will be victimised and even killed by the local foxes. Having worked in countryside mnagement for 30 years I have seen this when some annimal rights people trap urban foxes and release them in countryside. As for culling.  Whilst it is regrettable the wild animal population in the UKis way out of balance as there are very few higher predators like wolves, bears, lynxes etc. (the exception being Eagles and other raptors) as we have intrefered with the natural balance for so long, so there is little or no natural control.  The debate then is whether it is better to cull an animal (and yes I know that means kill it) or let it decline into ill health and die from starvation! Grumpy

Hornets are attracted into the house at night time by the lights.  We had a number last year that were attracted to the outside flood lights each time they came on.  Unfortunately one light was directly in front of our gite so we turned that off for several weeks; end of problem. As has already been said hornets will only attack under extreme provocation. If you get one in the house wait till it comes to rest then place and upturned glass over it and slip some paper between the galss and the surface the insect is resting on then take the whole kit and caboodle outside and release the hornet.  Same for bees, wasps and bumble bees and any other insects you don't want to kill. Hornets are very good at re-cycling waste so should be preserved: I would hope to never have to kill one. With wasps I wouldn't entertain an nest near the house but otherwise trea them like hornets. Grumpy

You can get a special blade for "les ronces". Its much like the conventional flat metal blade that the French favour for most cutting but the ends are turned down which much improves the performance. Effectively it cuts a cylindrical hole in the brambles pulverizing them at the same time. I haven't found anl limit to the size of bramble it will efficiently cut. Most flat and "circular saw" type blades cut well enough th the horizontal plane but because bramble grows in so many directions you have to manipulate the saw much more.  I've use the "ronces" blade for several years professionally and find it very effective and you can use it for grass and light woody growth too. Cheers Grumpy

This time I am right; I was surprised and bought 10 litres as I use it profesionally.  It's not Monsanto's own product but it works very well.  Many Bricos do have spring offers and our local Brico Pro usually has it for arrounf €10/litre as standard.  The active ingredient is Glyphosate. Cheers Grumpy

Oh to be young and nimble fingered again.  Quit right, should have been €3.90/litre.  Thanks for the correction. Grumpy

Roundup will kill many species.  The answer is to spot weed with a spot only as big as the spread of (in my case) the leaves of the spear thistles in my small field.(it would look like a dose of Chicken Pox from the air.) As it doesent have any effect on seeds any present will germinate in the spot. Cost is a driver too.  My Roundup cost me €390 per litre from Brico Marché this year! There has been an ongoing debate about the safety of Roundup for a long time but fundamentally it breaks down into its constituent parts on contact with the soil (after 5 to 7 days) and is inactive as a herbicide unlike many that persist and even build up over the years (eg Atrazine and Sodium Chlorate) so if it is not used as an overall spray every few weeks you will be OK. Grumpy

If you Google "How to grow figs" there is a very good Telegraph article that sets out the ideal conditions. Well worth a look.  I tried to copy and paste it for you but you can't do it (or at least this Luddite can't. Grumpy

The cold weather held back most of the polinators so early blossom went un-fertilized except for those that are always polinated early. Grumpy

I've only just picked up on this thread so apologies for the late comments.  Really pleased that Connie has finally had a good diagnosis and hope she mends quickly and well. I worked for the Forestry Commission for 30 years.  During that time I came across several cases of dogs being bitten by Adders and as far as I remember none died.  I did however have a friend who narrowly excaped death after an adder bite.  His wife was told the anti-venom is only of use if administered very soon after the bite so remember that it is not a cure-all! Grumpy

The probability is that what you saw was a swarm looking for a place to settle and that your noise decided them to move on!  Much as I love bees, a happy escape for you. Grumpy

I've had a similar problem with some apples.  The spring has been so dry with many cold nights that trees may well blossom but the flowers aren't fertilized and no fruits set so the embryo drops off after flowering. Grumpy

There is also an annoying aphid called Cypress aphid that strikes in spring.  No known control.  It attackes more than cupress and cuprocupress so Thuja and other conifers may be affected. Grumpy ps anyone found a spell check on this site?

Not jumped, just flirting! G

Any chance of a photo or try Google Pictures. Buttercup usually has a single "trefoil " type termina  leaf ie 3 major lobes with a furthe pair below thet whilst parsley is normally  "pinnate" a central stem with several leaflets growing either side ana central terminal leaf. Grumpy

Roundup (active ingredient Glyphosate) will kill both species but leave your paddock for a week before starting grazing again. Grumpy

Hi Osie.  Lucky you having a mulberry. Tree netting usually has a mesh about 3 cm dia so many fruits would fall through. Any cloth spread under the tree (provided it is not so old that the lower brabches aren't on the ground- I have a friend with a 200 year old mulberry!) can have the edges/sides gently lifted each day and the fruit rolled to a unified point for collection. Grumpy

The last place i would ake info. from is the manufacturer.  This info came fron a mix of time and motion, training  experienced workers and our mechanical engineers. With the shorter chain the chain moves faster and has greater cooling thus lowering the wear. Grumpy (thinks, "how long can we keep this thread going Eccles")

I understand your thinking but the longer the bar and chain the more friction ( even with oil) there is to overcome betwwen bar and chain and within the rivets of the chain and the chain will try to slow down as soon as it leaves the sprocket therefor the more power is lost. The more the chain heats through friction the faster the teeth wear down thus the shorter chain cuts faster and lasts longer. If you are cutting professionally (30 years in the Forestry Commission) you use the highest practical power output with the shortest cuidebar/chain combination for the tree sizes you are felling. Cheers Grumpy

Check to see if you are hering it from up the tree or at ground level.  We have a Midwife Toad (I don't know if they climb trees but I doubt it) that makes a regular beep rather like an electronic noise indicating a flat battery.  When you approach it it stops till it gets its confidence back then starts again.  Its a small drab toad equivalent to a 2 year old common toad and very hard to find. They like damp places with holes they can hide in.  Occasionally we've had 2 or 3 each beeping on a slightly different none. Grumpy

The May bug/cockchafer is occasionally known as the June bug but the more common June bug is much smaller and doesn't have the wonderful "fans" on the antennae. Allong with coliding with people they make a fantastic sound when they colide with street lights.  Subsequently the reeal away to recover then repeat the experience over and over.  What fun, must be a bit like banging your head against a brick wall.............. Grumpy