Does anyone know anything about gardening?

We have V Creeper on the fence from next door.

Control it vigorously each year and enjoy the beautiful autumn colours. Really stunning.

Plucked two small hazel saplings from my acer's pot today and repotted elsewhere. Thank you very much Mr Squirrel. And our mint that I thought was toast has come back with a vengeance this month with the parsley showing signs of life too.

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Spent a couple of days now removing substantial shrubs planted by the previous owner of our house and turning the borders into something more to our (well my wife's) taste. I'm not a fussy person as long I have somewhere to sit outside BBQ and drink beer that doesn't have a single patch of lawn I am happy (although I am coming round to this horticulture lark).

I'm now left with a fair few root balls that I've dug out. What is the best way to dispose of them? I've tried burning them in my incinerator but that just causes loads of smoke and they don't burn anyway, they don't look like they'll compost very well, the tips are closed and garden waste isn't being collected. Anyone with a cunning plan?

Art, sculpture.

Anyone with a cunning plan?

Put them in a black bin liner in a corner somewhere and wait for collections to restart.

There is the source of my other issue that I am having to deal with at present. Rats have discovered the compost bin in my garden. I've got rid of the water butt next to it to deny them a source of water, we've stopped composting kitchen waste and I've closed off all their runs with concrete blocks. Anything else I can do that doesn't involve poison? Heard peppermint oil is good anyone tried it?

I found that digging over regularly persuaded the rats which moved into my compost heap to vacant and go elsewhere.

Air rifle.

And a small terrier

^ & ^^ and a BIG cat.

As above, regular 'disturbance' of the heap may help, but in all honesty, rats will be. glad you’re not going to try poison. They'll not move far if they vacate your heap, so while they are outside, live and let live. If they were inside it would be a different matter.

I used poison. But I also heavily watered the contents of our tardis as I read they don't like it. In this weather I doubt the compost will come to much harm if it's too wet for a bit.

Still not 100% if they were rats or mice as I only caught one glimpse of them. But they scare the shit out of me and while I was happy to take a pacifist view of now vacated mice in the shed over winter, I'm not fucking around in a space me and my family are enjoying.

Now I'm only putting grass in there, which is annoying. Interestingly I read that it's not just the obvious (egg shells, cooked food, etc.) but also a lot of veg waste will also attract them.

Ok, thanks all. The only thing that's bothering me at present is that they seem to be getting more bold. Hopefully that's a sign that the measures I've taken already are working and their on the hunt for a new water source and will fuck off soon.

We only just started a compost bin but sacked it off as we got rats who also found their way into the shed. What was in the compost bin is currently all rotting down in a spare wheelie bin with a paving slab on top, so I may yet end up with compost.

Anyone got one of these? https://www.hotbincomposting.com/

Been wondering about one for a while to speed up composting. Thoughts?

@7ven has one I think.

Speaking of him - tips on taking Hydrangea cuttings please!

They're wonderful things. I've had one for 7 weeks now and it's reliably 70deg c in the pile and at least 50-60 deg c at the top. Eats anything you can throw at it. Has taken be a while to get the green and brown mix perfect but got the hang of it now.
I've not put a single scrap of food in the council bin since ice had it. Takes all the children's left over meat.

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DJ also has one, which he creamed himself over for being able to compost shit like bone and raw meat.

So I'd take that as a ringing endorsement.

One of the reviews I read for it had quite a good idea of putting all their food waste and dog shit in it, then emptying it once cooked into a normal large tardis with other general garden compost. This is what I aspire to one day.

Speaking of him - tips on taking Hydrangea cuttings please!

Just cut the end of a stalk off which isn't going to flower, remove all but the last two leaves and cut those in half and bung it in some compost. Seem to have a nearly 100% success rate with them. Got 13 cuttings on the go atm.

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Top tip for hydrangea cuttings: take them at night when the owner isn't looking. Dipping the cut end in rooting hormone helps.

While all the folk with gardening know how are being helpful. I have another quick question we have this magnolia tree in the lawn and are thinking of removing the branch that is (badly) circled. As it gets in the way and will hopefully encourage it to grow up a bit more, is this a terribly silly idea?

Edit please don't judge me for all of the child detritus cluttering up the lawn.

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able to compost shit like bone and raw meat.

If it was once alive, you can put it in, hair and dog shit included.

My large Iris has made an appearance finally. My rose with the best name 'Golden Shower' has put in an appearance too. Fern is unfurling, garden is starting to colour up!

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I think you would be OK removing it but they are not tall trees. Our neighbour cut hers down to a single stump a few years ago (because she is not a gardener) and that thing has completely started regrowing. They are quite tough.

Also. That is not a lot of kid's detritus. Also. It's a garden. Kids gotta play somewhere.

One of my Gerbera's is enjoying the sun, one not so much

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