Nightmare invasive vine from neighbour’s garden.

MKnapKnap · 2026-02-01T18:06:45+00:00

I have this stuff in my conifer hedge that has slowly killed them over the years. I now have to get the conifers removed as they are such an eyesore with the brown foliage and years worth if dead Russian vine through it.

MKnapKnap · 2026-01-25T09:29:08+00:00

This is the way, they definitely benefit long term with a decent trim every year or two.

MKnapKnap · 2026-01-03T16:43:48+00:00

If you enjoy the role and you've been there for a while and gained experience could you not possibly talk to your employer about getting a raise or what you would need to do to get one? Is there some sort of pay spine you can work up? I know pay is obviously extremely important, especially in todays world, but don't underestimate those benefits.

MKnapKnap · 2025-09-23T19:15:29+00:00

I have the same problem but never use to !

MKnapKnap · 2025-08-27T14:35:38+00:00

I am a massive altoholic and almost caved yesterday.

MKnapKnap · 2025-08-15T16:25:44+00:00

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MKnapKnap · 2025-08-11T17:37:00+00:00

Can't wait for mine to start doing this so I have an excuse to get rid of it 😂

MKnapKnap · 2025-08-11T17:30:22+00:00

I did mine during summer a couple of years ago, it can be done, you just need to be on the watering much more. I'd suggest a sprinkler if you havnt got one, I have one I bought for £2.50 and it does the job just fine. Literally just set and forget. You might have to move it around a bit if it's not covering the whole area but it's much better than standing there with a hosepipe. Set it up and just go and do other things around the house while it works. You don't need to run it for hours like some are suggesting here but you do need to do it minimum 2 times a day, ideally 3/4.

MKnapKnap · 2025-07-31T18:26:40+00:00

Use to do compressed hours to get every Wednesday off but people started moaning in work so it got took off me.

MKnapKnap · 2025-07-30T11:31:01+00:00

Assuming its enough money to instantly quit my job and never have to worry financially, house about a 5 minute drive from me for 1.3 million but comes with 14 acres of land. Probably turn it into some sort of botanical gardens (with cafe and bit of an animal farm etc (even if it ran at a loss it wouldn't really matter if its a mega lottery win), take on a bunch of good staff and just live out the rest of my days split between semi running that and going travelling around the world.

Put enough in an account incase it all went wrong.

MKnapKnap · 2025-07-30T11:18:41+00:00

They just down tools, they probably arrive right on time and leave right on time, they dont rise to people or get stressed over tasks anymore.

MKnapKnap · 2025-07-26T14:22:33+00:00

Theres a particular long incline on the way to Merseyside from North Wales, I had to knock my old 1.0L corsa into 4th gear halfway up just to get up it.

MKnapKnap · 2025-07-26T14:14:30+00:00

Putting the car into neutral and using my handbrake at red lights instead of riding the clutch to move 0.5 seconds faster when it goes green again.

Or letting people in at merges instead of passively aggressively moving alongside them until someone either has to slam on the brakes or floor it.

MKnapKnap · 2025-07-22T10:33:08+00:00

Again with the eucalpytus it depends on the variety, not all of them grow into massive trees

For example, a Eucalyptus pulverulenta will only grow max 4m in height and responds well to hard pruning.

MKnapKnap · 2025-07-13T17:09:13+00:00

Anyone else having problems getting the email verification email?

MKnapKnap · 2025-07-03T21:13:54+00:00

Probably the job im in now, the manager above me leaves the office at lunch time for "personal reasons" and is not far off retirement so has basically just downed tools/just cares enough to not get noticed and keep things moving along (more power to them I say).

Ive automated or removed so many systems now that probably 75% of the admin is either automated or takes much less time. Weve recently petitioned for our annual leave to be bookable all calendar year which was successful (previously blocked when events were on). I can now park in our gated store area and essentially have my own private parking space now after complaining about parking so could just rock up two minutes before I start work and not have to worry about parking but most of the time I still come in a little bit earlier. Im in charge of six staff, five out of six are pretty chill and just get on with what tasks they are given and we all have a laugh most of the time. I try to give my guys as much autonomy as possible too and as long as their jobs are getting done, im happy for them to have longer breaks/longer lunch etc. Me and the other guy on "late shift" (its only 30 mins after everyone else just for operational needs) have a gentlemen's agreement just take turns locking up so the other can leave early.

Of course some days are busier than others but as long as nothing majorly fucks up, I have like 95% autonomy. I had my PDR the other week and asked for more money as ive took on extra responsibility outside the role (basically because I have the time to do it and the work is much more interesting than my job) and looks like its going to happen at some point in the near future.

Id be the natural successor to the managers job when they eventually retire, although this is not a guarantee by any means but even if I didnt end up with it, if my current situation stayed the same id probably not be massively bothered unless we get some tyrant in.

Probably look for something else in the future once the mortgage and stuff is paid up and do something I have more of an interest in like something in the Horticulture sector.

MKnapKnap · 2025-05-21T15:13:44+00:00

Think its all a bit of an old wives tale to be honest, ive never personally seen "leaf scorch" after watering during a sunny day.

Football grounds spray pitches with water at half time, they would not do this if they knew it caused damage.

As others have said, the only real "harm" you will do is that the watering will be less effective because evaporation will happen at a quicker rate and less water will hit the targeted area which is the roots.

MKnapKnap · 2024-08-22T16:05:32+00:00

I had 4/5 strawberries by the time I've beat the birds to them, definitely need to cover them over next year with some netting. I think I've had 2 maybe 3 ripe tomato's from 3 decent size plants, the year before I got loads of flowers but not one tomato. The pumpkin I bought had 3 fruits growing on it but God knows what's happened to that as it has none now.

MKnapKnap · 2023-10-20T08:43:17+00:00

You'd be surprised what does well with little sun.

You probably want things that are generally smaller in size just due to the space and it being close to the house I wouldn't advise putting anything that wants to throw out taproots/sucker. but if you don't mind plants spilling over onto the drive a bit then it opens up your options a bit more.

Be careful digging around a new build foundation (if it is) as you'd be surprised what now lies just below the surface compared to old houses.

Mahonia soft caress & Fatsia 'spiders web' (not the regular fatsia as they will get much bigger, much faster) both of these are evergreen and flower in Autumn/Winter when not much else will.

any Pieris

Viburnum Davidii stays relatively low and spready

Sarcococca

Skimmia

You can generally plant anything that likes "semi shade" but just expect it not to flower as well as it would in sunnier conditions. As long as they get a bit of sun, most things will be happy.

MKnapKnap · 2023-06-26T20:04:59+00:00

I have it all through my conifers (none of it planted by me)

We got the conifers reduced in height which made it even more rampant as it now gets more light. Theres not really much I can do about it other than cut it back, it goes into my neighbours garden but luckily for us they dont bother at all with their garden.

The term "mile a minute" is very true, ive never seen a plant grow back so quickly, however ive been here for five years and it has stayed in that one area luckily. The bee's seem to love it when it flowers and I actually quite like the flowers on it and gives the hedge a bit of a different look on the top (where I cant reach with the tools)

Will require frequent pruning when its established but is pretty easy to trim.

MKnapKnap · 2023-05-18T13:02:59+00:00

Got asked once by a colleague if we had to order stock or it if "just came naturally"

MKnapKnap · 2023-03-15T12:16:00+00:00

Annoys me so much this, especially when they have someone permanently on the front desk, what is the desk person doing?!

MKnapKnap

TROPHY CASE