Do you remember when I made a patio with old paving slabs last year? I had repurposed them from a path that was no longer needed. A year later and I still hadn't got around to pointing it. Tomorrow I will stop procrastinating 🙂.
On Wednesday morning we decluttered the patio and hand weeded the gaps in between the paving slabs.
I suppose it could do with a pressure wash but it will do for the sunshine we get here? Saying that we dined alfresco on Monday evening. It's months since we last sat outside.
I mixed a 4 to1 dry sand and cement mix by hand. We brushed the mortar in the joints inbetween the paving slabs and I firmed it in with the blade of a builders trowel. It took 3 buckets of mortar and we completed it in two hours.
An hour later and the April showers arrived and watered the mortar for us. Another job done.
Have you recently done any DIY jobs in the garden that cost nothing?
I cleared away all the dried out nasturtiums today. And K and a helper put up our summer shade cloth. It's got a few holes but will do for another summer. We've had a couple of al fresco meals. It's getting warmer
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have been busy Linda. I have never heard of a summer shade cloth. I hope we all can sit outside this summer and eat and drink and chat.
ReplyDeleteI wanted a wooden planter to go by the front door so P made one out of old offcuts and painted it with some dark grey woodstain left behind by the previous owner. Free! Except that I have now been to the plant nursery and bought a dwarf azalea to go into it ....
ReplyDeleteI would like to see that JayCee. Any chance of a photo on your blog please? Did you put some ericaceous compost in the planter? They are like the Rhododendrons and love acidic compost.
ReplyDeleteClearing up the laurel prunings from nextdoor's bush ready to go to the cowp, plus old sticks that have gone to brittle for the woven bed edge windbreak and beansticks.
ReplyDeleteI need to go to the rough ground over the road from us to cut a few new goat willow beansticks..and make sure they dry out at the end before I use them!!
You are very frugal and resourceful GZ. I must cut some bean poles. I planted runner beans serds today in between the potatoes.
ReplyDeleteGot the grass cut.
ReplyDeleteIs there such a thing as pointer's knee?
I would think the Pointer Sisters and the Pointer dogs could answer that Tasker. Imagine pointing paving every day? I would rather be weeding.
DeletePaving a Party.
DeleteSitting outside on the patio having a can is bliss.
DeleteI have done garden jobs in the past that cost me nothing but not recently. I should get out there to cut the grass some time soon. That will be a big job. First cut of the year. It will probably take me two hours.
ReplyDeleteI just strim my grass once a month YP. I don't waste fuel or my time mowing the lawn every week. Lawnmowers would go with hoovers and hair dryers in my room 101.
DeleteQuestion for you. Someone I know simply takes the concrete mix and sweeps it (dry) into the cracks. I was intrigued by this. I know that Tim sturdies up fenceposts by pouring concrete mix into the hole and waiting for rain. When the professionals did my son's fence, they did the same. What say you?
ReplyDeleteI have! There is a "dump site" down by the garages where people can dump unwanted items (sadly some idiots are also dumping kitchen/household rubbish too) and just last week I found a stack of four pavers about 30cm by 30cm, they had broken corners, but I took them and made a path in my garden.
ReplyDeleteI did the same thing recently with some broken off corners paving slabs River and placed them in my veg plot to get to my fym heap via wheelbarrow. Just the job.
DeleteIt's a lot less messy to use a dry mix Debby. You can buy post concrete mixes in a bag that you pour around the post and just add water with a watering can. Apparently the Romans invented concrete. I did a dry mix because rain was forecast later.
ReplyDeleteI have a free row of runner beans already up, they are last years beens come up again. Free of cost and free of work,
ReplyDeleteKathy
Excellent! I planted some seed potatoes for someone the other day and they were all saved from last year's harvest. Thanks Kathy.
ReplyDeleteI love our local Facebook marketplace, where you can get second hand stuff, sometimes for free, I often have a look and get things. We had our garden done last year, so nothing much to do here, other than grow veg and flowers, and enjoy our work.
ReplyDeleteI love free and second hand Marlene. Tomorrow's post is another charity shop find. Thanks for your comment.
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