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I think you need to learn to prune the bushes care of gooseberries or a shorter version

Can be prickly so do have strong gloves and sharp pruners. It's fun. The main idea is to keep the centre of the bush open to air and sunlight. Have fun.

Nah it's all been built over.

Reported shortage of building materials

If you have been keeping "it because it might come in useful" it could be that you can get on with your projects despite the alleged shortage/higher costs of new parts.

Good heavens I hope that there's a wider world than Facebook (or Instagram or TikTok or YouTube). They don't seem to be the places for a discussion. Facebook is good for rants though

It's so quiet in here I've virtually stopped visiting. Used to be a good forum for self sufficient advice. No longer so.

So - see you around - maybe somewhere else on the internet.

IKEA furniture around here.

Yep that's the way with kale. However mine was showing signs of going to flower so anything that regrew would have been tough.

Dunno - Freecycle locally is the bottom end of the recycling chain. Facebook Market Place is a bit better if you are careful. Facebook itself locally is certainly becoming a trading area.

Freecycle seems to be back in action with a bang now. Local Facebook does have requests for things but mostly now it is full of small businesses trying to keep going.

Broad beans in tray under fleece at plot - saves mice getting at them and I only plant out what grows; same with peas. Herbs on the windowsill at home - more garlic chives and hopefully orange scented thyme. The cape gooseberries have just decided to put in an appearance. Time to go up plot today to...

I see - coal merchants don't sell coal in winter then. The Met Office declared in meteorological spring on March 1st mind so they could open again.

Till the weather decides to play spring anyway. I have spent time today going through the food store cupboards. The cupboards are set up for baking as well as everyday meals. Thing is - now that the family locally has thinned out - local youth has left home and older relatives died, other family mem...

I wonder what the smaller town local high streets will look like when "non essential" retail is allowed to open? Or even what shopping malls will look like? Will it be worth going for a mooch with a camera around the local villages and stop for a cuppa in any café that used to be there? Wi...

Lots of seeds in trays on the window ledge - long red peppers well on; tomatoes showing; orange scented thyme just showing; garlic chives just showing; early caulis showing; not a sign of the cape gooseberries yet. Cleared the last of a not very successful crop of horse radish - something to conside...

Write up a budget for the worst case scenario then Mr Viper. It'll keep you busy and cure the worry as you will have some plan for the worst.