Gardener

I'm presuming that the 'with' in line 3 should be a 'when' and that you are not in fact having very 'dirty weekends' away with Mr Gardener.

I was a bit confused too Granny23
Flower what is the gardener supposed to do with the clods of earth?
And I'm not clear what your brown bin is for - is it normal rubbish, recycling or garden waste?

Oh dear, but yes I was confused too. Where I live brown bins are for dead leaves, plants, grass cuttings, but probably not heavy soil.

I don't think the green waste people would be too chuffed either. He is supposed to remove as much soul as possible.

We have a green bin for garden waste and are advised that soil on the roots of plants deposited there is OK as long as there are no stones.

Grass cutting /dead leaves/flowers cuttings only allowed in our brown bin any soil is used to bank up around the tree's in the front path I would have thought gardener man would have known this maybe he was hoping it would be collected before you arrived back home.

The colour bins system is different depending on what county you live in.Here, you pay for the brown 'garden waste' bin, but don't put soil in it [why would you anyway?]Looks like you need a word with your gardener Flower as he should be breaking up the clods and putting them somewhere in your garden.

If your gardener doesn't know how to make a compost heap I'd find somebody else!

Well to answer a few of the questions: I was not on holiday with the gardener . NfkDumpling - he certainly removed my DH's soul or did you mean soil , The brown bins are for garden waste etc and not soil. Not sure what he was to do with the soil. I may have to plonk it at the end of my garden behind the swing chair. It will have to 'bank up' the bottom of the hedge. It is the first time I have used him and he did do a sterling job and made a difference. I will just have to have 'words' albeit kind ones when he gets back from Tenerife.

I have a compost bin but do not put clods in it. He is a bit odd but like I say does a nice job except for the clods

Clods of earth are ideal as a layer in compost bin- and will add worms to the process. Perfect.

Ooh will do that, my compost has not been used yet, peeked in the bottom yesterday and it is beautiful soil. Will take your advice granjura thank you so much xxx

LOL I am the Queen of composting- people often just put grass clippings in, and it all turns to a yukkie, smelly mush. Clods of earth make a perfect layer, and as said, will add worms. Between layers of grass and garden waste, if I do not have clods of earth, or horse manure from our field (where neighbour keeps her horses on and off)- I put a layer of torn up corrugated cardboard (makes it easier if you wet it first before tearing and adding)- it works brilliantly and it's free. My neighbours always give me their cardboard- or I get more from the recycling bin in the village.

I was thinking it was a bit of a 'Lady Chatterley' moment, flowerofthewest!

We are not supposed to put clods of earth in our brown bags, so shake as much as possible off everything first.

DH does compost a lot of garden waste, he loves his compost heap.

Shall I own up... to having 8 on the go- with 4 ready every 2 years
No peat used around here

Yes, layer it into your compost bin. At least he was tidy, I suppose.

Flower my iPad will keep changing things - I must proof read more carefully, it's leading to some interesting slips! My phone's predictive text conspires against me too.

Are you still talking compost Granjura or gardeners?

Yes, I was wondering if granjura wore her gardeners out very quickly (too much digging, pruning I hope)

I only have two, one ready and waiting, the other maturing nicely (compost heaps that is).

LOL compost bins! I've never ever had the luxury of having a gardener, I am not Mrs Chatterley

If I had a gardener, s/he would have to be pretty good and know what's what. Friends have had gardeners who don't know diddlysquat about plants and their care- leave weeds and pull out prize plants, prune wrongly or had the wrong time- etc.

3 of our huge compost bins are those made out of recycled plastics, double shelled for insulation and made up of several sections- they are so good that we brought them over from East Leics to Switzerland when we moved (they were a special offer from the Council about 10 years ago).

My sil in the UK refuses to do any gardening- and her OH does it all- but it is a constant fight as he does not do it as SHE wishes, pulls up her prize plants, prunes or cuts away her prize trees and bushes, etc. I always say to her, there is only one person who can garden the way you want it to be done... and that is you

Agree that compost needs all sorts of things, wet and dry, wet is vegetation and dry is paper, cardboard etc. Tea bags, and almost anything really. It needs a good stir from time to time though, and compost can attract rats.Really, a compost heap [or 2 to have in rotation] is much better than a compost plastic bin.[though we only have small compost heaps]
DH does most of the gardening these days, but I do a little [and I say a lot.]So, granjura I make sure I know what is happening, and what is exactly is going to be pruned [down to nothing!]On Sunday last [a lovely almost hot day] a huge hedgehog came rustling out of the compost heap covered in leaves and blinking up at us.We let him go on his way , although I was tempted to pick all the leaves off his spikes.

We can't put veggie peelings on the compost heap as it attracts little furry creatures. So just garden waste, the old compost from pots etc. I did see a gardening programme years ago where the presenter put a very old harris tweed jacket on the heap to rot!

I spotted a little mouse in our compost bin a little while back. Once I calmed down I did n't mind too much. So long as he stays in the garden only.

Only booked a gardener to get out neglected patch into shape after two years of not really being up to it due to ill health and getting strength and mojo back. Once it is round I shall again enjoy doing my bit. Love my little garden.