Blimey, it's halfway through July already....

Things continue apace... today about 20 plants hand reared from seed by my lovely assistant (no not Debbie McGee, but Fereday ... who has never been known to sport a leotard or sequins .... though I can see the potential for confusion because he does sooooo like shiny things .... ) were 'homed' at one of Fereday's client gardens. The not-so-bronze fennel looked particularly lovely, really bushy and fluffy and very, very green.Fereday tells me I am going to have to buy him loads of shiny things to compensate him for (and distract him from) the turmoil which will undoubtably ensue with the move down South. He tells me that a marriage is an investment, afterall! Smart arse! True to my broker training, I remind him that returns may go up or down and that his capital isn't guaranteed! But we will get 'new shoes' for the car before we drive it down. I'm now experiencing a bit of an irrational panic: I think my subconscious is convinced that we need to buy things up here because everything is going to be more expensive down South - if we aren't careful, the Pickfords' lorry is going to be full of tinned food, loo roll, sugar, television sets, new car tires, and toothpaste. Still, it would freak out the new neighbours sufficiently to ensure that they keep reasons for excursions onto our property to a minimum - I'd love to live somewhere where finding tennis balls, footballs, and lolly sticks in the flower border just doesn't happen... I did think about falsifying our ages to get us into a retirement community, but we'd just be trading one set of unwelcome garden finds for Wherther's Original sweetie wrappers!The glass display counter which I bought on a whim (blogs passim) has actually turned out to be quite a good nursery for growing from seed and the more exotic crops are doing rather well in it. My peppers are looking very healthy. Unfortunately, even with the offer of a set of Hen Party wings from Claire's Accessories, I couldn't quite convince Fereday to dress up in a stripy yellow and black jumper and 'do the business' on them with a paint brush, so we got both plants outside on a couple of the hotter days when they began flowering to let the bees and other winged thingies do their thing. I'll give the jumper a go again next year, but I fear Fereday will always refuse to be 'bee-pimped' ... sigh .... Anyway, hopefully, I'll be harvesting peppers soon.And, I've made an appointment for some ritual humiliation - posh hairdressers next Thursday. Absolutely dreading it .... I'm going to have to say that I need something easy to manage because I can't coordinate a brush and a hair dryer at the same time (because I don't have a third hand ... or a hairdryer actually .... but we'll keep that between ourselves), a style which will always look tidy and professional, a cut which removes the 'hippy-ness', etc., etc., and some impossibly polished robo-woman who is so sleek she could intimidate a siamese cat is going to have the perfect opportunity to wallop me by suggesting I put a bag over my head. Even if she doesn't actually say it, she'll be thinking it .... and I know she'll be thinking it .... and she'll know that I know .... There has to be no worse feeling - it's like you're happily swimming away in your bucket one minute, the next minute you look up into the barrel of a shotgun!
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Jon Chandler replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"Thanks all for your help and advice.
Great to have the expertise on here as a guide and backup. 🙏"
yesterday
Adam Woods replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"Others have ID ed it.
I chop them off at ground level with secutears then spray a drop or two of Praxys on the wound... if it doesnt killt he first time, it will the 2nd or 3rd"
yesterday
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At the Portugal Invitational, Kress showed turf professionals that unmanned mowing has moved from emerging concept to practical course-management solutionChampionship golf leaves no room for compromise. That's precisely why Kress chose the inaugural…
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Neil Darby replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"If it has thorns it is likely to be a Robinia. I have a client who has a couple of trees 10 or so Metres away & this year they have been popping up all over the lawn. A nightmare tree for anybody who climbs!!!
I have a Gleditsia myself, (my…"
Saturday
Paul Elby replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"As others have said it is a Gleditsia (honey locust), grows very easily from blown in seeds and suckers. Grows fast in hot dry conditions."
Saturday
Graham Taylor replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"There will probably be a tree nearby with the same foliage sending out suckers into your lawn.  You could try spraying them with tryclopyr (SBK brushwood killer will do)  ............. tricky as you don't want to risk damaging the tree they are…"
Friday
Kieran Ray replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"It could definitly be a honey locust sucker but it is more likely to be a Robinina sucker, they can send them up when stressed and ffresh growth can have a purple tinge. "
Aug 18
David Benson replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"eucalyptus tree suckers i have seen them 60-70 yards from the tree "
Aug 18
John F replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"Is it growing off a long sucker from a tree in a nearby garden like sumac trees send out ?"
Aug 18
Dave Colton replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"Looks very much like a locus tree, young ones do also develop spikes."
Aug 18
Fusion Media posted a blog post
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Aug 18
Jon Chandler posted a discussion
Hi All, In a cleints garden, I'm having a real problem with these shoots that are coming up in the lawn.I'm digging them out as I go, they are on long roots. they have an oval shape leaf and develop nasty thorns. See pics.Can anyone help identify…
Aug 18
Billybop replied to Graham Mitchell's discussion Gardening & Landscaping Recruitment
"yes I would say to be able to start up a fledgling garden service nowadays, you really need to be in a fairly privileged position to be able to build it up, as your initial earnings won't even touch the sides of the cost of living, let alone the…"
Aug 18
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Aug 18
Honey Badger replied to Graham Mitchell's discussion Gardening & Landscaping Recruitment
"As mentioned they are demotivated because of the high cost of living and low wages in comparison.
Yes there's is opportunities they have to fight for them because there is alot of competition.
The entitlement and benfit culture is another different…"
Aug 18
Adam Woods replied to Graham Mitchell's discussion Gardening & Landscaping Recruitment
"Agreed 110% Peter.
That said there are exceptions - you just have to find them"
Aug 18
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Growth/Shoots in lawn

Hi All, In a cleints garden, I'm having a real problem with these shoots that are coming up in the lawn.I'm digging them out as I go, they are on long roots. they have an oval shape leaf and develop nasty thorns. See pics.Can anyone help identify…

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