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Survey - are you a tidy gardener?

• Message 1. 

  Posted by Goldilocks (U2296284) on Saturday, 4th March 2006

  OH claims I am a very untidy gardener. i claim she is far too fastidious. Which is nearest the truth?
  
  I have pulled up some rubbish plants put in by the builders, and planted quite a few. The soil I dug up was claggy lumps - so claggy I could not break it up. I put the new plants in with John Innes No3 and have left the lumps of original soil on top to dry out and I will then break it up. I have left some uprooted small privet and rootballs lying in the border till they dry out - then when I get my rotovator next week I will shred them and put the remains in the compost heap.
  I don't see the point in moving them somewhere out of the way only to move them again when shredding. Noone other than us can see them.
  
  My attitude is that for the sake of a week or two of a bit of a messy border I am being a lot more efficient. OH says it is far better to tidy up daily.
  
  I have the same approach with weeds. If I see an annual like chickweed as I go to the car I will pull it up as I pass and leave it to dry out, and pick it up next time I am tidying up. OH thinks that if I uproot a weed I should dispose of it right away or else leave it till I have time to do the job properly.
  
  So, where are you on the spectrum of garden tidiness?
  

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by shesinthegarden (U2356761) on Saturday, 4th March 2006

  I'm with you near the bottom, Goldilocks. I have to admit though that my habit of having a day in the garden then leaving the OH to clear up the tool etc after me must be really really annoying.

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• Message 3

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  Posted by Lottie (U2331125) on Saturday, 4th March 2006

  Hi Goldi
  
  On the leaving the weeds to dry out a bit I think you are right - there could be a ladybird or lacewing or.........(insert bug of your choice!) still tucked up inside it so you should give them a chance to go and find somewhere else to hide. And if theres not - it's still a very good alibi for not picking them up!
  
  LL x

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• Message 4

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  Posted by auricula (U3244275) on Saturday, 4th March 2006

  Tidy up!!
  You never know when Chris Beardshaw might fly in !!
  Your in hope

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• Message 5

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  Posted by marcia (U2338697) on Saturday, 4th March 2006

  I'm very tidy because I know I 'potter'. I tend to start one job and then move on to something else, then something else and meanwhile can't find things, so waste ages looking & back-tracking. Every so often I HAVE to have a tidy up and make myself finish some of the jobs I first started. I wouldn't like to share the chores with anyone else, they'd be bound to be tidier, faster and more efficient than I could ever be. I do like to have sole command and control in my garden. I think it would be like trying to share a kitchen. No one else would put up with my disorganisation and time wasting either. I can't imagine what a "Time & Motion" specialist would make of it .. well, I can and it's not for these boards. Why should I care? I'm not under any pressure or being paid by the hour. I just love to potter and think my own thoughts, wear what I want, have a break when I want, oo and listen to the radio. I always clean and tidy tools away at the end of the day. OH does lawns and any heaving lifting but not into "gardening" so we do our own thing! He cleans blades on lawn mower and puts stuff away after him.

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• Message 6

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  Posted by Fat_Andy (U2418582) on Saturday, 4th March 2006

  I'm a bit of both when it comes to tidyness. I tend to make a bit of a mess as I go along but I always tidy up at the end of the day, putting all weeds, cuttings etc in the compost or if not suitable, into bin bags for the dump. I always put my tools away and I never leave weeds lying around to dry out, they just get disposed of straight away. Sorry Goldi !
  
  FA

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• Message 7

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  Posted by Plocket (U684859) on Saturday, 4th March 2006

  Hum! I'm quite a tidy gardener I think. I don't like weeds hanging around (not that I have many - there isn't room for them!!!) but I put them in a bucket to die. My tools are always put away and I prefer LPs toys to be tidied too rather than just left lying where she left them. Sometimes I try and relax a bit with my attitude, but I like a tidy garden!

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• Message 8

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  Posted by U2331885 (U2331885) on Saturday, 4th March 2006

  Tidy perhaps not! I took a photo of my garage (aka garden stores a while back because it looked such a disaster I was worried the Red Cross might pay a visit) If you were to send Missus Goldie here for a weekend then on Monday she'd be be so appreciative of your tidy efforts on her return ....
  
  Mind you with Mrs C's cooking and sense of humour your OH might not be back until Wednesday! On the other hand - My cooking and sense of humour and she could be back by teatime

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• Message 9

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  Posted by Margi (U2334861) on Sunday, 5th March 2006

  Mixture of the two, Goldi! I strew things merrily around as I go, and flutter like a butterfly from project to project, and then have a big clear up before I go inside because otherwise I might find my electric hedge trimmer outside a fortnight later (again!)
  
  Margi x

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• Message 10

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  Posted by Margi (U2334861) on Sunday, 5th March 2006

  Having said that, my shed's a total disgrace! And I think I might have a mousey friend in there too...
  
  M x

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• Message 11

  , in reply to message 10.

  Posted by Goldilocks (U2296284) on Sunday, 5th March 2006

  I always tidy up my tools at the end of the day -but I am quite happy to leave an area messy overnight (or for a few days if the weather turns bad) and shut my eyes to it if I know I will only make it messy again before the job is finished. OH finds that distressiing on the eye. And as for my shed - it gradually gets more and more messy till I just ahve to do smething about it and then I have a big clear up. for example, if I am potting up and compost falls on the floor I won't brush it up every day, or even every week. But sooner or later I will get round to a sort out.

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• Message 12

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  Posted by grammarnatsi (U2379487) on Sunday, 5th March 2006

  Me, I'm very messy. I haven't had a clean up since about November. I let things slide A LOT over the winter.
  
  At the end of a Saturday in the summer, I do a big round up of tools if it's heading for rain, but would quite easily leave stuff out if it was guaranteed to not be wet.

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• Message 13

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  Posted by mambobailey (U3105854) on Sunday, 5th March 2006

  The garden is usually tidy by the end of the day,as it is tiny and I'm not safe if I don't try to keep it under control. Learnt my lesson when I stood on the end of the rake, hidden under rubbish! Saw stars for ages after that.
  True Tom and Jerry style.
  But have to admit the gardener ultimately looks fairly frightfull, and not at all tidy. Always end up with mudstreaks across my face.... Think Private Benjamin only as a brunette. Do have the odd blonde moments though!!
  

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• Message 14

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  Posted by anneliesje (U3003883) on Sunday, 5th March 2006

  I'm messy everywhere, except in the garden. I like this to be tidy!
  
  The sheds however are as messy as all the other places I visit!

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• Message 15

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  Posted by 8supermum (U2768246) on Sunday, 5th March 2006

  Sorry Goldi,
  
  I try and keep everything tidy too. If I do that I can start another job somewhere else in the garden, knowing, that even if I didn't finish the last one, people might not notice because it is tidy where I stopped.
  Thats my theory anyway.
  To stop myself getting bored I've divided the garden into 3 (front, middle & back) and am only allowed 1 day in each area. That way I look forward to going out (even in the hail)to do some work, and hopefully each day is a different task:
  weeding in the front
  * steps in the middle or potting up
  weeding and digging beds in back
  
  
  I've broken my rule with the steps in the middle, as its a new area and not frozen have spent nearly 5 days in it, and its wearing thin now...looking forwar to doing some gentle weeding in the front tomorrow...
  

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• Message 16

  , in reply to message 11.

  Posted by marybull (U2955113) on Sunday, 5th March 2006

  that sounds like my dad's shed. Funny thing though he could always lay his hand on what he wanted in less than 10 mins!
  more than i can do in the kitchen sometimes.
  

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