What Preps are you doing this week? Part 8.

[Arzosah]

I bought some of those cheap dehumidifier tubs today. The old bit of this house (1856 according to the plate under the roof) seems to be a bit damp. I have asthma and damp affects it, so I need to see if these tubs will help now before the winter weather starts. If they don't, I might have to investigate buying a proper electric dehumidifier job. I bought a small hygrometer for my bedroom earlier in the week as that's the place where if there's damp, I'll be affected most. Even in sunny weather, it seems to be borderline damp in there - about 60-65% humidity.

We save margarine containers,and use this: https://www.screwfix.com/p/kontrol-crys ... -5kg/4896h. When they fill up,put the lid on that you stood the tub on,and remove. The toxic liquid it leaves behind makes an excellent weed killer too!

Sounds good! Can those crystals be dried out in the sun to be re-used, jansman?

[jansman]

I bought some of those cheap dehumidifier tubs today. The old bit of this house (1856 according to the plate under the roof) seems to be a bit damp. I have asthma and damp affects it, so I need to see if these tubs will help now before the winter weather starts. If they don't, I might have to investigate buying a proper electric dehumidifier job. I bought a small hygrometer for my bedroom earlier in the week as that's the place where if there's damp, I'll be affected most. Even in sunny weather, it seems to be borderline damp in there - about 60-65% humidity.

We save margarine containers,and use this: https://www.screwfix.com/p/kontrol-crys ... -5kg/4896h. When they fill up,put the lid on that you stood the tub on,and remove. The toxic liquid it leaves behind makes an excellent weed killer too!

Sounds good! Can those crystals be dried out in the sun to be re-used, jansman?

Unfortunately no. However, a bag that size lasts all Winter ( we use it in the Summerhouse), and I put down a dozen little tubs, and change them twice. It saves us having to remove the soft furnishings.

[Arzosah]

We save margarine containers,and use this: https://www.screwfix.com/p/kontrol-crys ... -5kg/4896h. When they fill up,put the lid on that you stood the tub on,and remove. The toxic liquid it leaves behind makes an excellent weed killer too!

Sounds good! Can those crystals be dried out in the sun to be re-used, jansman?

Unfortunately no. However, a bag that size lasts all Winter ( we use it in the Summerhouse), and I put down a dozen little tubs, and change them twice. It saves us having to remove the soft furnishings.

Ah well, still interesting, thank you. I do wonder if, when we have to regress to making our own weedkiller and doing our own pest control, there won't be a separate area for poisonous plants - laburnum, laurel, digitalis, that sort of thing. Preferably near the yew trees in most older cemeteries

[Medusa]

I need to do a bit of harvesting tomorrow. Picked the garlic a couple of weeks ago which is now hanging to dry in the garage along with some of the onions. My broccoli, although not as impressive as shop bought stuff is ready and will go too far if left much longer. We have already picked and eaten dishes and dishes of strawberries and the ripe ones tomorrow will be used along with the rhubarb which we managed to save from vine weevils (nematodes and picking the damned maggots out by hand) to make rhuberry crumble if the grandchildren havent eaten them all today and there are a few ripe raspberries too. I also might pick a few of the beetroot as eldest daughter has requested some pickled beetroot.

[jansman]

Sounds good! Can those crystals be dried out in the sun to be re-used, jansman?

Unfortunately no. However, a bag that size lasts all Winter ( we use it in the Summerhouse), and I put down a dozen little tubs, and change them twice. It saves us having to remove the soft furnishings.

Ah well, still interesting, thank you. I do wonder if, when we have to regress to making our own weedkiller and doing our own pest control, there won't be a separate area for poisonous plants - laburnum, laurel, digitalis, that sort of thing. Preferably near the yew trees in most older cemeteries

Pesticides,I don’t use anymore.I find that my very mixed planting pretty much keeps the balance about right. The biggest problem ( in my garden) is brassica damage by butterflies/ caterpillars. I used to net them over,which is very effective,but I do find it a bit of a faff! So now,I dot my plants about,and plant marigolds and nasturtium,and it is practical AND pretty.Plus you can eat them too!

Regarding herbicide: I have a good part of my property paved. Therefore,weeds grow between them during Summer,and it’s a chore keeping it tidy. I used to use weed killer sparingly, and an old knife most of the time ( that IS a faff!)but I have the dogs to consider.Anyone who has a dog knows they chew on vegetation ,and I dare not risk poisoning them.However,my neighbour’s dad was spraying his slabs the other day ( why do the parents of these youngsters do THEIR gardens these days?). I notice they always look neat. He was using bleach. Ok,it has to be done fairly frequently,but it ain’t gonna hurt the dogs.So,I got a five litre pump spray like his from Wilko .£7.50
Then I got thin bleach from Sainsbury’s. I use it for home brew sterilisation anyway.I mixed four litres of that,with a litre of thick bleach,just to make it a bit sticky. I did the whole property with that,and you could see results in a couple of hours. That was a couple of weeks ago,and I notice ( some) weeds are pushing through,so I will do it again today. I actually find it rather therapeutic!

As usual,this week,I have more firewood to cut and stack.It’s looking good now,and our stoves are going to cost next to nothing to run this year,for sure.I have to organise help to check the fowls,birds and poly tunnel the week after next,as we are away on holiday.The logistics of that make us aware of why we only go away once a year,but we are so looking forward to it,nonetheless.

This week,I also want to reorganise our storeroom.That sounds rather grand,but it is actually a brick outbuilding I dry- lined and shelved some years ago.In there we have two freezers,canned and dry goods,toiletries,and equipment like emergency stoves and lighting.I want to free up some space for a bit more grub, as prices are rising.

[Nurseandy]

Road salt is also a pet friendly herbicide for hard areas

[jansman]

Road salt is also a pet friendly herbicide for hard areas

Top tip! Thanks for that.

[Arzosah]

Excellent tips there! I have a little patio in the back, and the front garden is no more, it was nearly all paved over for the previous owner to park his car; for a few years now, between the slabs has been deteriorating, what with ants and bad weather. Yep, lifting the weeds is time consuming, and I have some ready-mixed concrete (!!!) ready to get in the big ones.

I hope to catch up with myself after my successful experiment with holidaying in self contained accommodation, and then I need to average *minimum* half an hour a day in the garden, and half an hour a day cleaning, till I'm caught up (that will be quite a while). Extra time needed for potting out the mint and sage, and harvesting the rhubarb, which has again done me proud.

After that, the prepster plan is to get the sewing machine going: an everyday bag that can be washed easily, inserts for a commercially-bought bag, facemasks, an exercise mat, and then knitting something cardigan-y for a baby due this winter. The inserts for the bag, by the way, are something I thought was necessary in today's world, and so it proved on holiday - if you're fumbling for your hand sanitiser because you need it, you're potentially dirtying everything else in your bag that you touch. It may sound paranoid, but I'm pretty sure there'll be another wave.

[GillyBee]

I'm with you Arsozah.

Internal pockets and bags are the only way I can find anything in my "black hole" of a day bag . I also like see through pencil cases for organising smaller bits & pieces.

A "sewing make" that has been invaluable this year to me is a little pouch with a hole in the end and a carabiner. the hand sanitiser top pokes its head through the hole and the carabiner clips it to the outside of my bag on one of the D-rings. The clip also lets me clip the face mask by it's elastic or you could add a mask pouch too.
I ought to make abother one - it is getting scruffy with use.

[jansman]

Just shown these sewing ideas to Mrs J. Looks like she is in her craft room for the rest of the day!