First topic message reminder :

..grows a bit like this.

Well there you go another epic here in Silistra the flipping gates fell down. Trying to fix them up again.

We have now cleared all the fence of bramble weed which was well overgrown even though we cut it back last Nov.  We cut it all away from the fence and took it back about a foot all the way around, neighbours said to set a match to it, but too scared I would burn the village down,  mind you they did not offer to do it.  Still not to worry all done now, we will have to replace most of the stakes and the wire.  Today we went to Silistra and bought 3 rolls of wire so will do the fence in stages

Oh and look at my planter and the how the onions and garlic have grown.

Before:
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After:
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All looking good for now but I find with Bulgarian gardens you have to keep on top of them all the time

Roadworker wrote:

All looking good for now but I find with Bulgarian gardens you have to keep on top of them all the time

So true [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] today I sprayed weedkiller all around half the area, will finish tomorrow. But we had rain this afternoon so may have to do it again in a few days.

We keep a small backpack type of sprayer, filled with roundup and spray along our fence lines at regular intervals during the warmer months...keeps those pesky weeds and vines from getting a foothold. Sadly, this wasn't done by previous occupiers and I've spent the last couple of weeks removing tree stumps along the back fence in readiness for the new fence. They have been there so long that the wire is firmly embedded in the stumps and trunks..

Before, during and after pics will be posted in due course.

justbazz wrote:

We keep a small backpack type of sprayer, filled with roundup and spray along our fence lines at regular intervals during the warmer months...keeps those pesky weeds and vines from getting a foothold. Sadly, this wasn't done by previous occupiers and I've spent the last couple of weeks removing tree stumps along the back fence in readiness for the new fence. They have been there so long that the wire is firmly embedded in the stumps and trunks..

Before, during and after pics will be posted in due course.

Yes good idea Bazz, we have been cutting these weeds back for years they grew so high like trees which we had to cut back a few years go because they animal that lived in our loft used the wires and trees to get in and out, once we cut down the bramble and wires he was gone. The land above and the side of us is not used so never cared for and the brambles were embedded on the wire. Of course not being here after the winter did not help as the place was green again when we return end of april May so another years growth, but this year we caught it in time. I will ensure that we spray every few weeks from now on. We also have to clear the roadway all the way down to us and beyond but we have got that in hand by strimming and next will spray. And to think we came here to retire

Yeah, I know what you mean Berni. Once all the hard slog has been done, it's essential to keep the maintenance going or it will revert to wilderness faster than you realise. My place is bordered on two sides by brambles and those rotten elder trees...plus a good dose of ivy.
If we hold off on the spraying for more than a month, it looks as if we'd never done it before.

Retirement?...what's that? I seem to work longer hours now, just in a different direction!

justbazz wrote:

Yeah, I know what you mean Berni. Once all the hard slog has been done, it's essential to keep the maintenance going or it will revert to wilderness faster than you realise. My place is bordered on two sides by brambles and those rotten elder trees...plus a good dose of ivy.
If we hold off on the spraying for more than a month, it looks as if we'd never done it before.

Retirement?...what's that? I seem to work longer hours now, just in a different direction!

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I have been very busy today first I filled my sprayer and set off to finish off the area we did not spray yesterdayit was all up along the roadway. Would you believe it, one of the visiting neighbours saw me and say 'What are you doing' I was going to give him a clue but thought he might work it out for himself.

Then I decided to make a start on the drainage in the big side of the garden, Petu brought his rotavator in to do a quick turnover on a small section of the ground for me and I raked it and too out the weeds. Then put some tiles down Dougie brought up from the bottom of the garden for me. So I dug a drainage area all along the top and also one at the bottom of the rotavated area and across the path and down the garden a bit. I dug out some soil for a drainage but think now I may need to dig it a little deeper. The drainage is not so deep but deep enough for water to run down. I will order some stones and fill the whole drainage area with stones. That should do the job but let me know if you have any advice please as I am on a learning curve again.

I also set my planter for the roses - it is an old window frame, I put some stones in there for drainage and filled it with the earth from the dug out drainage also had some lovely little bits of rolled wood so edged it with that. Not sure how to actually plant roses I am bound to get it wrong so will wait for Yvanka to come and show me. We will cover the area with the red roof tiles and when we are ready for cementing we will have a flatish area. So the plan is do a little bit at a time.

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Today was a busy day.  Dougie made the panels for the gazebo and I painted them.  The ply type wood is aleady treated but might get a little darker colour and then make trellises to fit inside each panel in the dark colour.  It is all coming together now.  I have painted all the panels apart from one as ran out of paint.  Dougie will fix them all together tomorrow.  The little wooded areas has been invaided by roses, stork and other little birds  I am loving it just now.

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It all takes time and effort, but at the end of the day it's how it makes you feel. Nothing quite as rewarding as sitting out there early morning with a cuppa or enjoying a cool drink at the end of the day...sit back. relax and think to yourself...we did all this!!

justbazz wrote:

It all takes time and effort, but at the end of the day it's how it makes you feel. Nothing quite as rewarding as sitting out there early morning with a cuppa or enjoying a cool drink at the end of the day...sit back. relax and think to yourself...we did all this!!

Bazz yes, really looking forward to seeing the finished result.

Coming along nicely Berni looking forward to seeing more progress.

In the meantime, I'm still struggling with the stumps on the old fence line...a lesson to be learned here; DON'T plant trees anywhere near a fence! Some of the roots which need to be removed are thicker than my thighs (and I'm not a midget)...I really look forward to the day/evening when I can sit back, with a beer and follow my own comment.

justbazz wrote:

In the meantime, I'm still struggling with the stumps on the old fence line...a lesson to be learned here; DON'T plant trees anywhere near a fence! Some of the roots which need to be removed are thicker than my thighs (and I'm not a midget)...I really look forward to the day/evening when I can sit back, with a beer and follow my own comment.

Ah bless you Bazz you will get there little by little and that day won't be too far off now.

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