Having 'A PLAN'.

[Glutton4...]

If the Asbest*s is buried, leave it buried - it's what the Council do with it anyway!

[zazen999]

blimey.

Thanks everyone - I'm not sure about the minidigger/burying stuff. I'm told that there are foundations to a house in there somewhere, and I've already found a septic tank. They thought they'd negotiated access by buying a piece of land, that piece changed hands and they never got access to the plot.

It's slow, but I think we are getting somewhere with it.

Once you have cleared an area put some cardboard down to stop any seeds from germinating whilst you are tackling the rest of that patch - or sown a few lines of a green manure. That way you won't look back and wonder why you have to go back and hoe as all those old weed seeds start germinating behind you.

[Potstubsdustbins]

If the septic tank was for use with the house that was never built could you use that to bury stuff?

Colin

[snohare]

If I had a septic tank on my plot that was unused, I would rig up a siphon and use it as storage for water...lucky you !!

[Corris]

I have no idea what a lot of this means (siphon?) what I do know is that I've found three manholes with covers over them, and a pipe. And the neighbours say it should have been a bungalow (that's why I have such a big plot attached to mine, they couldn't build on it so just 'chucked it in with next door'.

I am clearing the chicken run slowly - three barrowloads of nettle/thistle roots yesterday and today my leg hurts (5 weeks post op, perhaps I should do less?).

I need to burn the hedge prunings - but they are seven feet or so high, brambles and yew and elderberry (they are taller) etc - and the wind has been constantly in the wrong blessed direction. I think there are about 8 hours of solid burning to go.

We found snake skins yesterday in the plot. In the middle they had thrown trees they had cut down - some of which we will use as logs and some need burning (too small) in amongst them were two snake skins 0 probably three feet long, something like that. Very scarey!

[Two_Sheds]

British snakes aren't scary, you're lucky

[Corris]

ah - but the people who had the bungalow before us kept snakes, and I know they 'lost one' which escaped a couple of years ago. I'm fearful that is still wandering around.

Mind you, I've seen a long lizardy looking VERY QUICK thing scoot away so far - could have been a snake. And my step son has seen about 15 Adders nearby (he found 14 under boards he lifted, only one was sunbathing on the path.

So we have lots of wildlife - boy do we have lots of wildlife.

[HeyWayne]

I have had a plan for the last couple of years - a plan to draw up a plan. Failed both times, next year however, will be different!

Do you know anyone who has recently had, or is about to have a baby? Ask them for their cardboard - baby cots/buggies/prams/furniture etc all come in massive cardboard boxes. I used a number of our to cover a large part of our plot. The odd weed that crops up as a result is far easier to tackle than masses of the stuff.

[OverWyreGrower]

Ooh, don't chop down the elderflower/berry!

You can use the flowers for wine/cordial; and the berries for wine or jams/preserves! I've planted a load of elderflower last year for that purpose (I'm thinking long term here!)

I make a plan every year and then watch it merrily fly completely out of the window!

[Corris]

I have more elderberry than I know what to do with!

So, what can I do with the Berries? Oh, I'll go start a new thread.

[frantic furball]

I always have a plan we find a cosy corner in the pub and plan every inch of the plot what to grow, what to build,what follows that, how many tomato plants we can fit in the greenhouse etc. Of course by Feb/March I have lost the plan and in the end we are just yelling "What was in here again", "Which is bed 1" and "Help me I am lost in the tomato forest"

We are slowly establishing actual beds and permanent plantings etc and I have learned this year that you can't leave bare soil alone for a moment!!

[Corris]

sounds like our kind of planning to be honest.

Should have updated - the asbestos is not the nasty nasty kind - it's the corrugated kind (but is all smashed to 2 inch chunks) and can be taken to the not-so-local drive-into-the-other-side-of-Norwich tip and they will take it off you if it is double bagged and taped.

They charge you £84.something though for up to a quarter of a ton, no problem, not a quarter of a tons worth. The problem? They charge you that every trip - so I have to find every scrap and make one trip - I can't clear a bit, take it to the tip and clear another bit.

They never make things easy do they? And they wonder that people dump things in lay bys.