In a piss poor household, there are on-going phases.
Building/jobs phases, gathering phases, doing sod all phases, etc.
Each phase fits around another…
Building/jobs phase:
This is where items gathered or kept and stored, “They’ll come in useful one day soon!” is applicable.
Old 22mm copper pipe, been in the shed for years.
Sick of cats digging up and shitting in the veg beds, planted out in the gordon every year.
Tried the chicken wire / veg area protection routines, they always find a way in (like it’s a personal challenge each time) one forgotten tiny corner or fence too high and they are having a field day.
Have also spent years with bamboo canes / stripping down buddliea stalks and drying them to use as cames, various netting over the top, the little sod pots get underneath, hey presto, cat turd everywhere yet again. Usually as they just start establishing themselves.
This time, I’m trying a different approach.
The old copper piping (used for something else, but for years, no longer needed) has been cleaned up and using the old lead based solder stuck in my plumbing box, has been cut and soldered into a ground frame, covering one section of the garden to the other (width for 2/3 rows of veg) with 6 small pieces sticking up, to attach cheap plastic water pipe, so a net can be thrown over it all.
I’ll have to make four of these frames, so that instead of all the messing about with canes/nets/chicken wire/stones to weigh it all down, I can level off the ground, put on the frame, chuck a net over it, job done.
Added bonus, frame made of copper so won’t rust (wooden frame would need treating/rebuilding after three years) slugs don’t like copper piping and it’ll be impossible for the cats to get in and dump their guts/dig up all the veg.
It should last longer than I will, my thinking is each year, I just get out the frames, put the veg in, cover it, water when needed and enjoy no maintenance and then put away for next year. Job done.
No more messing about each year, for a little work now, saves a lot of time in the future.
Going to experiment with some 15mm copper pipe framework, see if that will do the job also.
Gathering phase:
Ongoing phase this…
Old piece of carpet – top for the compost heap
Small sheet of triple ply board – cut and fits between the joists under the shower tray
New TV – old tv becomes a computer monitor with a lead bought
Old mini pc (being thrown out) – becomes a games console for old computer games
Council house old kitchen units (thrown out in gardens in May) – new doors on, they become new kitchen units
Old glass tv stand – becomes a new coffee table (while something else turns up)
You get the picture, always find a use for many things, whether or not as is, or can be modified to do something else.
Can’t be arsed phase:
As it says on the tin, there are times when I need a break, so I won’t do anything.
Things that are gathered, are put into use further down the line, when I have the time.
Around these phases, is the weather.
For example, I won’t plant out when it’s cold and chucking it down, so then I’ll find something to do indoors.
Visa versa, if it’s nice outside, I won’t do much indoors.
It works well, until I get earache because a job is wanting to be done indoors, when it’s nice out.
“If you can do all this outside, then I want this job doing inside!”
Sometimes, you just can’t win.