What Preps are you doing this week? Part 8.

[Bosworth]

Without wanting to sound too contrary, your time and postage has to be worth something. Sending £10 of stuff for £20 isn’t that bad. No different to supermarkets selling 40p mushrooms for £1 or restaurant selling ingredients that cost £4 for £20...

[jansman]

Had a very nice windfall. Next door have sold up.Our gardens are HUGE. Next door has been an absolute jungle, top to bottom for the last 15 years. Conifers, Laurel and ash, up to 20’,and brambles 10’ high. Anyway, the new owner is putting tenants in, and the garden has to be easy to maintain ( good luck with that!). The guy clearing the garden has let serious light into mine, so this year’s vegetable garden should do well.

There is a lot of potential firewood. Apart from the Ash, the other two are not my first choice- although my good friend in Sweden burns softwood, because , as he says, that’s what they have.Anyhow, he is slinging it over as he chips the rest. I shall cut and stack it,and that is Winter 22/23 sorted. There is that much. Just got to sort Winter 21/22 now.

[grenfell]

I work for a guy who owns a number of properties. A couple of years ago i worked on one of his properties that had a large garden. He was saying that he finds renters by and large don't want large gardens and on that property a fence was placed across the garden and a modest patio and lawn area was left next to the house. The rest of the garden was "unruly" and his plan was just to come round a couple of times a year and dose it with weedkiller. I thought it seemed a waste if i'm honest although it's his land but i wouldn't want to be next to it. There might be an opportunity there to make use of the land next to you.

[diamond lil]

Magic Jansman

[pseudonym]

Snip> Conifers, Laurel and ash, up to 20’ There is a lot of potential firewood. I shall cut and stack it,and that is Winter 22/23 sorted.

A good feeling to be that far ahead.

[jansman]

I work for a guy who owns a number of properties. A couple of years ago i worked on one of his properties that had a large garden. He was saying that he finds renters by and large don't want large gardens and on that property a fence was placed across the garden and a modest patio and lawn area was left next to the house. The rest of the garden was "unruly" and his plan was just to come round a couple of times a year and dose it with weedkiller. I thought it seemed a waste if i'm honest although it's his land but i wouldn't want to be next to it. There might be an opportunity there to make use of the land next to you.

That was very much the situation with the last owner.She ‘tried’ to fence it off halfway. The new owner ‘thought’ that was the limit of his property. He commented that ours was a larger property.I walked him into ours and showed him what was his. He was shocked! I was rather surprised that a serial landlord was not aware.

I agree that renters don’t want large gardens.Indeed, most freeholders don’t! I have ‘age-proofed ‘mine, as if we need to sell ( old age) it will have more appeal to a buyer.Never thought I’d say that.

As for using that ground; I don’t want it.I have no time nor inclination to be fair.The owner is a good chap, and will take care of the ground. He was shocked that we had to deal with that level of next-door-neglect.

[jansman]

Snip> Conifers, Laurel and ash, up to 20’ There is a lot of potential firewood. I shall cut and stack it,and that is Winter 22/23 sorted.

A good feeling to be that far ahead.

It is.To be fair, I have been a little lazy, as my wood would have been in by now for next year. I shall have to buy that in- which is not a regular occurrence.

[Trojanhorse]

That was very much the situation with the last owner.She ‘tried’ to fence it off halfway. The new owner ‘thought’ that was the limit of his property. He commented that ours was a larger property.I walked him into ours and showed him what was his. He was shocked! I was rather surprised that a serial landlord was not aware.

I agree that renters don’t want large gardens.Indeed, most freeholders don’t! I have ‘age-proofed ‘mine, as if we need to sell ( old age) it will have more appeal to a buyer.Never thought I’d say that.

As for using that ground; I don’t want it.I have no time nor inclination to be fair.The owner is a good chap, and will take care of the ground. He was shocked that we had to deal with that level of next-door-neglect.
[/quote]


One thought that came to mind is could the spare land be turned into an orchard?

[jansman]

That was very much the situation with the last owner.She ‘tried’ to fence it off halfway. The new owner ‘thought’ that was the limit of his property. He commented that ours was a larger property.I walked him into ours and showed him what was his. He was shocked! I was rather surprised that a serial landlord was not aware.

I agree that renters don’t want large gardens.Indeed, most freeholders don’t! I have ‘age-proofed ‘mine, as if we need to sell ( old age) it will have more appeal to a buyer.Never thought I’d say that.

As for using that ground; I don’t want it.I have no time nor inclination to be fair.The owner is a good chap, and will take care of the ground. He was shocked that we had to deal with that level of next-door-neglect.

One thought that came to mind is could the spare land be turned into an orchard?
[/quote]

Yes, it could be turned over to an orchard. It would be ideal.But not by me. The new owner just wants the house to generate income- which is fair enough.The trouble is that although the house is ideal for that purpose, it has an unfortunate appendage- a huge garden! He just wants an expanse of grass,for which he will even supply a petrol mower for the tenants to use. Cannot fault him for that.

And on the subject of that garden, today I shall start chain- sawing what came over the fence.I don’t look for that level of work these days, but it was too good an opportunity to miss.I’ll give it an hour or so ,and get it done in small bites; It isn’t wise to get tired with a chainsaw.

I have a load of home brew to rack later, and I have to attend to the greenhouse, as my tomatoes are through!

[GillyBee]

Hi Jansman

Are your tomatoes in the greenhouse? How are you keeping them warm? I have not quite started mine yet as last year they outgrew the windowcill before the greenhouse was warm enough and paraffin was not to be had for love or money for my rather cr@p heater.