1 July

Well I was back outdoors doing a load of jobs in the sun which I can tell you was a good thing in this weather. Times like this I can't get why people sit in front of comupters all day and tap away when they could be out there doing the garden or something. Its different in November of course - I can understand it then.

Lawns

Anyway, point is, I was back at the rectory where things seem to ahve been sorted out, which is great cos that place could be such a great house with a bit more work and the reverend is obviously keen and got the energy to make it happen which is great.

And this time was a good chance to put down some grass seed and sort out some moss. Easy job but a few things you got to know to avoid. This is what I recommend:

1. First decide what its going to be - seed or turf. Advantages of turf is it gives a much more denser predictable coverage. Disadvantage is it needs ripping up the old topsoil, lots of care and is much more costly.
2. If you're going with turf, you've got to, got to, kill everything under it. Not poison either - never use round-up or anything like that (salt's a cheaper option) unless you never want to grow anything there ever again. Think nuclear bomb - patch will never recover. So if you're laying turf you're taking off at least the top two inches and digging over everything. Don't underestimate how much work that takes or how much soil weighs.
3. If you're going for seed - make sure you have the right stuff. Unless you really know what you're buying go for the hardest wearing stuff you can find from a proper garden store. Then cover it from birds or they'll have the lot. Sprinkle it in batches over a series of days and expect to lose 80% at least. Bedsheet is one option or a net - at least until the seedlings appear. key sowing even after they do.
4. Scarecrows don't work. Wind-chime things work for about half a day. Bird scarers (like automatic gunshot noise makers) work for about two days.
5. In either case the trick is water. Lots of water. Constantly. For weeks. Don't quite flood it but almost. And don't walk on it. Keep watering.
6. And then hope the weather suits you. It is lucky if you happen to get real coverage from seeds if I'm honest.

Easy A?

Ice creams in the sun.

Well I'd just done the last bit of watering when Ms Reedman happened to be passing and she popped in and the vicar brought out these ice lollies which were really good. I felt like I was a kid again.

Heather's been having a hard time with some of the things people have been saying or not quite having the guts to say openly (which I don't think are very kind by the way) and I thought there might be an issue cos I thought maybe the Reverend and her weren't friends but it all goes to show what can happen when you actually try talking to someone because once they got started I've never seen two more gossipy ladies.

Unfortunately, I had to head off because someone called me and said they'd seen a snake and wondered if I knew how to deal with it. Which I do, by the way. When I was in india, where I lived for a bit years ago, you have to learn to sort snakes out.

Turned out to have gone by the time I got there.