Hello from Abberton nr Colchester

[WonderBloke]

Hi All

We have recently bought a place with a small wood, lots of hedgerow and a bit of pasture.. Plan is to eventually GYO (see I have been reading.. ) add Chickens, geese, goats etc but for now I am concentrating efforts and limited funds on securing the property (stop our kids and dogs escaping) and repairing a very sad hedgerow..

Thats about it for now really.. I am a complete novice and shall be mostly lurking and learning.. Oh and if anyone knows of a local manure supply, that would be good for the hedgerow and free would be great!!! lol...

WB :-)

[veggiechicken]

Hi WonderBloke (must stop myself thinking WonderBra) and welcome to the Forum. Your place sounds just perfect. Start clearing a space for some potatoes and plant some fruiting plants in your hedge - elder, sloe, hawthorn, blackberry - grow an edible hedge

[vikkib]

Welcome to the Vine!

You lucky thing, your new place sounds wonderful!

We've driven through Abberton on our way to the Company Sheds on Mersea (if you're new to the area and like seafood I highly recommend a trip down there!) many times, always thinking we should stop and have a look round!

We're on the look out for manure on our allotments too so if we find a supplier I'll let you know!

[lottie dolly]

Hello there,welcome to the forum,sounds like you got a an ideal patch,no good just lurking,join in and ask away,take pics of things before you start,maybe start a blog,if you can,look at what others have done for ideas,some beautifull blogs on here,

[Bren In Pots]

Hello and welcome to the vine WonderBloke

[Nicos]

Hi there- and welcome to the Vine

[Sheneval]

Hi WB welcome and enjoy

[CountryNumpty]

Hello and welcome from a fellow newbie. It sounds like you've got my dream set-up!

As others have said, make sure you take plenty photos along the way. I'm only just starting out, but looking back on my progress helps to keep me motivated.

Good luck!
Sian

[Glutton4...]

Hello, and welcome to the madhouse!


(Hedges prefer poor(ish) soil so you won't be wanting to manure it. )

[WonderBloke]

Hi All

Thank you for the warm welcome (in such opposition to the weather).. Okay.. Pics I can do including my manageing to find an antient filled in pond with an 11 tonne digger that required a 13 tonne digger to get it out.. Hire Chap was chuffed to bits lol... and no I am not allowed to re-instate the pond sadly as my wife has a Kids+Pond phobia...

Okay.. I have orderred 100 Blackthorn, 50 Hawthorn, 20 Sea Buckthorn, 20 alder (grey and common), 10 wayfaring, 20 Rose, sweet briar, 10 sweet chestnut and 20 Variagated Holly for the first row of the hedgerow...

Then I have (and I know it is not native but we need an evergreen dense hedge because of the road and it is good for wildlife so don't verbally beat me please... ) 150 Laurel plants..

We have a 100m frontage to Mersea Road @ 60mph..!!! and crital windows that I cannot afford to replace yet...

I also have 10 weeping willow as I love them so they will be placed up the end of my waterlogged

Anyway, this weekend I will be regradin g the drainage ditches, laying the ducting for future lighting and gates etc in the new hedgerow ditch and filling the ditch with old soil and covering with weed fabric.. All at the worst time of year lol.. I also have the plants scheduled to arrive 7th Feb and 21st Feb but may have to re-think that..

So not much on at all.. Ahh and I have to fill the hole I left with the 11 tonne digger...

So no Manure? All the guides say manure and compost... I also have rootgrow and am considering (funds aside) leaky pipe just under the surface... TBH.. I am completely new to this so it is all a little overwhelming but I will muddle through.

The Company Shed was part of my reason for moving to the area.. :-)

[WonderBloke]

And for all those who lust after a little land etc think on this..

Standard drive fix.. Maybe 2 bulk bags of pea shingle?
My Drive = 12 tonnes of MOT type 1 and 12 tonnes of Pea shingle just for all the potholes etc..

• Lets tackle the weeds/moles/protect my saplings from Monkjack deer and Rabbits
• Keep the mice out of my cars/house/sheds/garage
• Clear leaves out of the gutter 5 times in Autumn and on into Winter
• Ask dog owners to not just run their dogs off the lead in my wood and actually try to find their poo rather than dumbly say.. dunno he/she disappeared (My kids will find that poo for sure!!!)
• Stop people just parking up and taking my firewood.. When confronted they mostly say.. Oh, I thought it was there to take!!!

okay okay.. I admit the sounds of Nightingales in the Summer and Owls throughout the year.. Watching bats emerge from my loft at dusk and catching a glimpse of the Monkjacks at dawn all makes it worthwhile but I now have no free weekends until 2017..... :-) and the learning curve is steep and continuous.. :-(

[Bigmallly]

Welcome to the vine WB, it looks fantastic, sounds like you need to do a little signwriting......

[veg man]

Hi and welcome

[Florence Fennel]

Hello and a very warm welcome to the Vine

[bearded bloke]

Hello & welcome bud