DFB's Greenthumb Project

[DFB FGXR6]

Some Dutch Iris (Iris × hollandica) flowering in a clients garden today.

[prydey]

While we're all sharing pictures, this little guy finally blessed us with his presence


It's a miniature version so the kanga paws around it shouldn't get crowded out...

Yes, I have some weeding to do. That never ends.

[prydey]

Bit of a tidy up...






I really should box them up or something to better protect them from UV. A project for another day.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by prydey

Bit of a tidy up...

image

image


I really should box them up or something to better protect them from UV. A project for another day.

https://irrigationstore.com.au/collections/valve-boxes

https://sunshoweronline.com.au/irrig...gs/valve-boxes

[prydey]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

https://irrigationstore.com.au/collections/valve-boxes

https://sunshoweronline.com.au/irrig...gs/valve-boxes

Thanks. The big green shed (bunnings) sell those as well but I fear they'd just become a spider haven... The previous owner did the last lot of valves so they handled being exposed for probably 20yrs. Thankfully they are in an area that is pretty sheltered.

[FTE217]

yes , weeding never stops !

Rallye love the red clivia I tell you, the wife only mentioned the other wishing we had some red ones.
Will have to hit the nursery to grab some to mix with the usual orange flowered ones.

Birds of Paradise, something about them to me, when in bloom that flower looks brilliant and between flowering the plant just looks messy.
Have had a couple of huge ones at the previous place.
Wife loves them so couple of years ago she's planted a row of them around 6/8 of them near each other, I'm not a fan of so many tbh but you know, SWMOB

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by FTE217

yes , weeding never stops !

Rallye love the red clivia I tell you, the wife only mentioned the other wishing we had some red ones.
Will have to hit the nursery to grab some to mix with the usual orange flowered ones.

Birds of Paradise, something about them to me, when in bloom that flower looks brilliant and between flowering the plant just looks messy.
Have had a couple of huge ones at the previous place.
Wife loves them so couple of years ago she's planted a row of them around 6/8 of them near each other, I'm not a fan of so many tbh but you know, SWMOB

Just as a warning, be prepared to pay through the nose!

Clivia's are considering difficult to propagate and slow growing. It can take up to 18 months for a plant grown from seed to be transplanted, meaning what you buy in the nursery can be years old not months like many other plants. From seed to a flowering plant can take 5 - 7 years! What you end up buying is the nurseryman's time. Red and yellow flowing varieties are even rarer and harder to propagate, again inflating the price.

Let me know how you go.

[DFB FGXR6]

This weeping Wisteria Sinensis caught my eye in the nursery today.



Sensory plants such as Gardenia's, Daphne's Jasmines have been in high demand over the last 18 months. Wisteria's would be the same category. I put this down to people spending so much more time at home due to the pandemic and are wanting their homes to be pleasant places to be. Beautiful looking or smelling plants is one way to do that. Fruiting trees or plants have been in red hot demand too.

[Citroënbender]

Funny what different climates do. I would not have Wisteria in cooee of a Sydney house as it’s a real vector for termites - like Jacaranda, Mulberry, ivy and some eucalypts. And BoP has a “nose” for leaky sewers and stormwaters. Best in a big pot, maintained properly.

The Hippeastrum thief is getting bolder, I now need a security camera - lost probably $70 in plants this week.

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Just as a warning, be prepared to pay through the nose!

Clivia's are considering difficult to propagate and slow growing. It can take up to 18 months for a plant grown from seed to be transplanted, meaning what you buy in the nursery can be years old not months like many other plants. From seed to a flowering plant can take 5 - 7 years! What you end up buying is the nurseryman's time. Red and yellow flowing varieties are even rarer and harder to propagate, again inflating the price.

Let me know how you go.

ah huh Thanks DFB.
The wife has been doing her walks with friends in the our street and noticed next to our friends place their neighbour has some red ones !
She is gonna ask if we can did up a clump fingers crossed they won't mind.

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Funny what different climates do. I would not have Wisteria in cooee of a Sydney house as it’s a real vector for termites - like Jacaranda, Mulberry, ivy and some eucalypts. And BoP has a “nose” for leaky sewers and stormwaters. Best in a big pot, maintained properly.

The Hippeastrum thief is getting bolder, I now need a security camera - lost probably $70 in plants this week.

CB if I had your train of thought re those pesky termites we'd have that nice european concrete palace surrounds lol.......
Being we back onto a National Park and a creek running by close by we have every single kind of specimen termites love to consume sneakily as they do.
Man we have some somster gums, any other type of timber they love.
As long as you get funigated regularly touch solid wood you keep things in check.
For the Boss wants a creeping wisteria set up to grow around one of the outdoor coverings, for now I've held off.

Got to say Sydney lockdown has given us so much time getting our gardens in order - just told her this morn the place is looking the best since we moved to this place coming to 4yrs.
Been alot of work around a bush environment with split levels on 1200sqs.
My trophy is the grass, best ever to date, love that shirleys no17.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by FTE217

ah huh Thanks DFB.
The wife has been doing her walks with friends in the our street and noticed next to our friends place their neighbour has some red ones !
She is gonna ask if we can did up a clump fingers crossed they won't mind.

That's the best way to get them. A small plant say 20cm high would retail for $30.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by FTE217

CB if I had your train of thought re those pesky termites we'd have that nice european concrete palace surrounds lol.......
Being we back onto a National Park and a creek running by close by we have every single kind of specimen termites love to consume sneakily as they do.
Man we have some somster gums, any other type of timber they love.
As long as you get funigated regularly touch solid wood you keep things in check.
For the Boss wants a creeping wisteria set up to grow around one of the outdoor coverings, for now I've held off.

Got to say Sydney lockdown has given us so much time getting our gardens in order - just told her this morn the place is looking the best since we moved to this place coming to 4yrs.
Been alot of work around a bush environment with split levels on 1200sqs.
My trophy is the grass, best ever to date, love that shirleys no17.

Time to update that Mower then!

How about adding a Mustang to the stable?

https://www.victa.com/au/en_au/produ...stang-850.html



Or splurge on this beast, you'll have more time for admiring your work then.

https://bushrangerpe.com.au/browse-p...er-pu53ah6imsp

[FTE217]

Haha DFB don’t tempt me for you know me for other lines.
I’m partial to the good ol victa there


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[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by FTE217

Haha DFB don’t tempt me for you know me for other lines.
I’m partial to the good ol victa there


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Come on, the Brigg's 850 is the Miami of mower engines.

[Citroënbender]

Just a random upvote, my second-favourite thread on AFF - first being JasonACT’s hacking adventures.

More power to your tilthy fork - and have a great weekend!

[FTE217]

Here here CB, we certainly need these threads during these times :(

Mate I can't keep up with that hacking thread for I'm no tech background type but I do admire and watch it.

DFB, yes the Miami torque monster Bushranger gets me eye as well lol.....
Like some things its probably way more torque I really need but as you know nothing like over doing it

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Just a random upvote, my second-favourite thread on AFF - first being JasonACT’s hacking adventures.

More power to your tilthy fork - and have a great weekend!

This post made my day.

I'm not a very sociable person and I find making conversation hard so this and my other thread are my way of expressing myself and sharing what I do.

[DFB FGXR6]

This Dutch Hoe was my Grandmothers and would have to be 40 to 50 years old.





Although I put a new handle on it several years ago, the head is made from solid stuff and should see many more years of use. This is one of my most used tools. Nan's name was Elizabeth but everyone called her Betty. I think it would be appropriate to name it Betty from now on.

[FTE217]

I hear you re the old tools and from the family.
Well done keeping and using it for I’m the same still got some ol tools of the ol mans and you kind of treasure them knowing they used them And last !

Listen DFB you got any clues.
I bought some time ago a ryobi 1820s battery blower - just for the quick easy light stuff.
Served it’s purpose well over the years but just recently it’s struggling to blow strong.
It’s very weak.
I’m a petrol lover and have good ryobi one that’s a rippa for the big jobs but before I toss this battery one out do you know any easy fix ?
I couldn’t find much on the netz



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[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by FTE217

I hear you re the old tools and from the family.
Well done keeping and using it for I’m the same still got some ol tools of the ol mans and you kind of treasure them knowing they used them And last !

Listen DFB you got any clues.
I bought some time ago a ryobi 1820s battery blower - just for the quick easy light stuff.
Served it’s purpose well over the years but just recently it’s struggling to blow strong.
It’s very weak.
I’m a petrol lover and have good ryobi one that’s a rippa for the big jobs but before I toss this battery one out do you know any easy fix ?
I couldn’t find much on the netz
image


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It's not from a weak or older battery?

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

This Dutch Hoe was my Grandmothers and would have to be 40 to 50 years old.

image

image

Although I put a new handle on it several years ago, the head is made from solid stuff and should see many more years of use. This is one of my most used tools. Nan's name was Elizabeth but everyone called her Betty. I think it would be appropriate to name it Betty from now on.

Some of the old hand tools are the most efficient by the time you drag out tangled power leads, faf around with blades, etc.
its great to just use something with you hands instead. I regurlarly use some old woodworking tools given to me by a retiring shipwright when I was building a boat.
Some of the stone carving chisels I still use were given to me by my olld Mastermason boss as an apprentice 40 years ago. His initials still etched into the shanks.
The stuff lasts.

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

It's not from a weak or older battery?

Mmm, a thought yes good idea, I'll check em.
Looks like I can by using a method on the charger.
Not sure why I didn't think of this lol.....

[FTE217]

Well as said lockdown has been good when you got lots to do outside.
To carry on with other garden themes we have it was to do another buxus line for the boss.
I always meh at mucking up my grass especially making trimming that little bit harder but once matured it always looks great and I’ll put an edging in front next weekend.




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[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by FTE217

Mmm, a thought yes good idea, I'll check em.
Looks like I can by using a method on the charger.
Not sure why I didn't think of this lol.....

I have seen lithium batteries show fully charged but fail to release their power or run down very quickly. Assuming it's one of Ryobi's One+ system, try a new or different battery before replacing.

[DFB FGXR6]

I thought this would be interesting to see a back to back progression of how this Maple Atropurpureum from winter to mid spring.

Deep in the depths of a dreary winter -



Early spring -



Today -

[FTE217]

Lovey to see growth happening for you know it’s taken.
Gonna be a lovely feature.

Ok good call on the batteries and they those + ones.
Tbh I’ve had it for years and worked hard they are cheap I’d say got it’s use out it easily probably just buy a new but better one.
What you think which ones DFB ?


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[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by FTE217

Lovey to see growth happening for you know it’s taken.
Gonna be a lovely feature.

Ok good call on the batteries and they those + ones.
Tbh I’ve had it for years and worked hard they are cheap I’d say got it’s use out it easily probably just buy a new but better one.
What you think which ones DFB ?


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If you are happy to move into a new battery eco-system, I would look into the the Stihl gear. They have three levels of battery tools -

AS System for smaller gardens - https://www.stihl.com.au/STIHL-Produ...m-AI-Line.aspx

AK System for medium to large gardens - https://www.stihl.com.au/STIHL-Produ...AK-System.aspx

AP System for large to professional use - https://www.stihl.com.au/STIHL-Produ...AP-System.aspx

I split the difference and invested into the the mid level AK system. I have the hedge trimmers, chainsaw and blower running from two of these batteries, a larger AK20 and the small AK10.

The blower is ok for what it is. I use it to clean out the driveway or on smaller jobs. Buy it as a kit so you get the charger and battery, then add tools when or if needed.
https://www.stihl.com.au/STIHL-Produ...t-(AK-20).aspx



Having said all that, if I wanted a kick-*** battery blower, EGO would be getting my money.
https://www.totaltools.com.au/brands/ego/blowers
https://sydneytools.com.au/category/...nd/ego/blowers

EGO also have a decent product line up to mix and match with.
https://www.totaltools.com.au/brands/ego


Otherwise, I would just go with another Ryobi to go with your existing battery system. However, I like how EGO and Stihl have tailored there battery systems to suit outdoor power equipment rather than adapting a tool to an existing battery design like Makita, Ryobi and Milwaukee.

[FTE217]

Love your good info DFB especially that your a regular user landscaper etc….
AK suits my needs by the look of it plus always been a fan of the orange brand got one of their whipper snippers.
Thanks !


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[Citroënbender]

Great to see the dog so happy on the lawn.

Got a red maple here, too. Would really like to shift it but the root ball would be a mess. Very occasionally get a couple of seedlings that start (it’s a graft) but they don’t last two years.