What Preps are you doing this week? Part 11

[Arzosah]

If I remember correctly being stung by nettles is a folk cure for arthritis. So there may be a silver lining in the eway of improved joint health. Or maybe the nettle stings are a good distraction from arthritis pain.
Either way, I hope the stings all settle down very soon. Have you tried anthisan cream or dock leaves?

Thanks for this - it did all settle by the end of the day, yes. And I'd forgotten about the anti-arthritis link, so that's good news. I might hunt out some antihistamines, just to be on the safe side.

[Frnc]

Got 3 windows painted. He spent 9 hours on the prep. Good thorough worker. Advised me to get them done in 4 years, so as to keep on top of them. All my others are plastic now. Did my back door as well. Went in the loft to inspect a few things. There was some white stuff on a couple of timbers, but it disappeared when sprayed with water, so I think it was just salts. House is all shipshape touch wood.

Been a bit cold last few days, but is nice today. Temperature is on the up. Can't really go out on my bike til the windows and doors have had a bit more drying time. Got to put the door handle and solar lamp back up when paint is cured.

[Mad Scientist]

Car serviced and MOTd. Chigaboom lives to fight another year! Stocked up on Gluten free things. Daughter back from college. Stocked up on daughtery things.

Medusa, I’m sorry you’re going through this tough time. Big hugs and peace to you. Haven’t been on this bit of the site for a while so only just read of your situation. We were in a similar situation with my dear old dad some years back so my heart goes out to you.

[Medusa]

Thanks everyone. Mother in Law rallied somewhat but is now eating very little and sleeping lots. She was returned to her care home on end of life nursing care yesterday. Conversations have been had with husband and his brothers so that I have permission to make the inevitable plans when the time comes. I am feeling somewhat doomy at the moment and trying to get prepped for winter as I get the impression that it is just going to sneak up on us. Need to order a load of logs asap, chopped some kindling but need to get more done, ordered screenwash and deicer and am stocking up on first aid and general OTC meds as still not happy with my supplies. Husband got a nasty injury from a porcelain tile yesterday on his upper arm, a very deep 3" cut but refused to go to A&E when I said that it needed stitching. Gave it a good clean and pulled it together with steristrips and put a dressing over the top. It seems to be knitting together and healing ok but I ordered a load more steristrips and will keep a close eye on it for infection. Also ordered a decent set of tweezers for the first aid kit. My 85 year old Dad has been away in his caravan for the last 10 weeks and is due home so have been filling up our freezer and his in preparation for feeding him again as he would live off ready meals otherwise.

[pseudonym]

Taking advantage of a Summer Sale at Jackery:



Another 2 Kw added to the system.

Rearranged the layout as the batteries are heavy..... and I'm getting old and weak.

[jennyjj01]

Knuckling down at the allotment.
I've been trying to prep for the allotment committee's August site inspection, where I anticipate a 'warning notce'.

So, this is the rule....
"The Tenant must keep no less than 75% of the plot under Cultivation. Weeds must always be kept under control and the soil maintained in a healthy and fertile state."

The inspection in August will be awarding scores on "Cultivation, Weeds, Rubbish, Maintenance, Water and Buildings"
My own assessment:-

Cultivation: Needs MAJOR attention.
Weeds: Needs attention.
Rubbish? Needs minor attention.
Maintenance? I'm guessing that's paths and trip hazards etc. Acceptable?
Water? N/a?
Buildings? N/a?

So, so far this month, I've gone for max bang for my buck maintenance: Quick fixes.
Strimmed the grassy access path. Quick easy fix. Got to use my generator

Hacked back the 'gone wild' raspberry bushes and tugged out some bindweed. Looks straggly, but hey ho.

Gone no dig on one bed with cardboard, home made compost and lobbed in a dozen spuds which have now shown through. Actually looks pretty good, but some bindweed and marestail roots under the cardboard.

Finished digging over one bed and sown with manure crop, mustard and a few rows of peas. Netted over and some canes put in. Looks cultivated at least, or should by August.

One bed treated with roundup and roughly weeded. I've transplanted a few stray raspberry bushes there to call it 'cultivated.' They will probably die.

That leaves me two beds, one with spuds and weeds in equal measure and the other mostly marestail and bindweed where my beans died.
I now have the rest of the month to knuckle down. If I'm lucky, I'll score as 'Needs attention' and hopefully they'll give me another month to comply.

Next step will be tackling the 'dead beans bed' I've part covered with carpet tiles to subdue the weeds. At best, it'll get dug over and prepared.

Unsure what to do with my spuds bed. Weeding that will be a bu66ar. Some of the spuds ready to harvest.
Around that job, I also need to get two builders bags full of nasty weeds off-site to the tip. That'll be fun.

Many plots on the site are total jungle, yet there's a one to two year waiting list!!!!!! So, I guess they have a point.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Knuckling down at the allotment.
I've been trying to prep for the allotment committee's August site inspection, where I anticipate a 'warning notce'.

So, this is the rule....
"The Tenant must keep no less than 75% of the plot under Cultivation. Weeds must always be kept under control and the soil maintained in a healthy and fertile state."

The inspection in August will be awarding scores on "Cultivation, Weeds, Rubbish, Maintenance, Water and Buildings"
My own assessment:-

Cultivation: Needs MAJOR attention.
Weeds: Needs attention.
Rubbish? Needs minor attention.
Maintenance? I'm guessing that's paths and trip hazards etc. Acceptable?
Water? N/a?
Buildings? N/a?

So, so far this month, I've gone for max bang for my buck maintenance: Quick fixes.
Strimmed the grassy access path. Quick easy fix. Got to use my generator

Hacked back the 'gone wild' raspberry bushes and tugged out some bindweed. Looks straggly, but hey ho.

Gone no dig on one bed with cardboard, home made compost and lobbed in a dozen spuds which have now shown through. Actually looks pretty good, but some bindweed and marestail roots under the cardboard.

Finished digging over one bed and sown with manure crop, mustard and a few rows of peas. Netted over and some canes put in. Looks cultivated at least, or should by August.

One bed treated with roundup and roughly weeded. I've transplanted a few stray raspberry bushes there to call it 'cultivated.' They will probably die.

That leaves me two beds, one with spuds and weeds in equal measure and the other mostly marestail and bindweed where my beans died.
I now have the rest of the month to knuckle down. If I'm lucky, I'll score as 'Needs attention' and hopefully they'll give me another month to comply.

Next step will be tackling the 'dead beans bed' I've part covered with carpet tiles to subdue the weeds. At best, it'll get dug over and prepared.

Unsure what to do with my spuds bed. Weeding that will be a bu66ar. Some of the spuds ready to harvest.
Around that job, I also need to get two builders bags full of nasty weeds off-site to the tip. That'll be fun.

Many plots on the site are total jungle, yet there's a one to two year waiting list!!!!!! So, I guess they have a point.

This year's been a nightmare with weeds I didn't get a naughty letter this year

half one side is potatoes i left a rotorvator width between the ridges meaning weeding has been easy using the machine


The onions haven't done well but planted through heavy weed membrane so no weeding there ..

Carrots half are weeded now the other half needs doing but the weeds have now outpaced the carrots meaning easy to pull up

Blackcurrant bushes need a trim soon

As do the raspberries

Strawberry plants are in the state of sending out runners to be potted up (got some done)

Greenhouse is doing well pepper plants are fruiting so are the tomatoes cucumbers set and Naga chillies look healthy

[jennyjj01]

This year's been a nightmare with weeds I didn't get a naughty letter this year

My lot have only explained the scoring scheme this year. It remains to be seen how strict. Odd that first inspection of the year is August. I get impression new committee new attitudes.

[Frnc]

Put my fridge thermometer in the freezer to check it. It was only reading -10. Pushed it in between a couple of items and left overnight. Read about -15. I didn't have any concerns before, everything stays frozen solid and we've not had food poisoning. Do you think it's more likely to just be error in the thermometer? It's the dial type. One website said don't squash it between food, the other said do. Freezer is a Beko fridge freezer, few years old, but not many. Had no issues. Is set to about 2.5. According to the manual, it should actually be on minimum if the room is 25 or less. It is 21/22 at the moment. It might get to 25 some days when the sun is on it. But turning it down is not going to make it colder. The salad compartment in the fridge is pretty cold. Thermometer reads ok in the fridge, around 4° I think, sometimes a bit higher.

[GillyBee]

Could you stick cardboard or straw or similar around your spuds to help keep the weeds down and make it look more cared for without putting in a lot of effort?