AIBU to complain about DH's gardening obsessions.

My husband is passionate about his garden/greenhouse/raised beds/fruit trees etc. But he is equally passionate about his workshop, wood lathe, metal lathe, model train building, truth to say I don’t see him much, but he’s busy and happy. I can get on with my reading and knitting.

FoghornLeghorn

I see someone upthread feels the same as me. All these men hacking at trees and bushes, do they not care that birds may be nesting in them to rear their young? And that it’s illegal to cut trees in the nesting season.

I had a good hack at my aple tree in the autumn as it was grossly out of shape and producing too many apples so it had a short back and sides. Guess what? there are more apples than ever this year, it's going to be a bumper crop so more bin loads to the community apple press after all the neighbours have had their bucket loads..

The pigeon(s) got a jug of cold water thrown at it this morning at 5 am and hasn't come back since.

Sorry, bird lovers, but there is no nest as yet and I just refused planning permission for one a foot away from the bedroom window.

NanTheWiser

Grandad1943

Callistemon Quote [Prunes everything too much. Gets paint everywhere. Oh dear, that sounds like me. I've just checked again and yes, I am a woman.] End Quote.

Callistemon, the above being the case, according to one forum member on here you require precise and detailed instruction before you even consider starting such tasks.

Therefore, ensure you gain such instruction in the future BEFORE you engage in such tasks, and consider that you have received a virtual slap on the wrists. ???

A bit off topic, but there is now a 'quote' button above posts on the right.

Saves you typing it all out Grandad1943! But it will be the whole post, not a snippet.

It could become longer and longer !

Thankyou NantheWiser - I hadn't noticed that!!

I'm going to practise now

Grandad1943

Callistemon Quote [Prunes everything too much. Gets paint everywhere. Oh dear, that sounds like me. I've just checked again and yes, I am a woman.] End Quote.

Callistemon, the above being the case, according to one forum member on here you require precise and detailed instruction before you even consider starting such tasks.

Therefore, ensure you gain such instruction in the future BEFORE you engage in such tasks, and consider that you have received a virtual slap on the wrists. ???

A bit off topic, but there is now a 'quote' button above posts on the right.

Saves you typing it all out Grandad1943! But it will be the whole post, not a snippet.

Update to the above, other half thinks it may be seagulls possibly nesting on a flat roof further down the lane.

She recons there is to much crap on her car for it to be pigeons. ??

Ahh, they have got the my wife's car this morning, great shot all down the drivers door and window.

Other half now out there on the warpath and I can see rapid change now coming about in this situation.

I expect me tree man will be called in to resolve matters. ?

I have pigeons in the top of a fir tree. They can make an awful mess on the greenhouse roof. This year I have found several broken eggs on the ground and two dead skinnies.

Alfie, my dog, barks his head off at the pigeon that sits on the neighbour's shed roof.
He takes no notice of the many other birds that visit our feeders.
The pigeon taunts him, quite deliberately ?

It's just outside the bedroom window. No actual nest yet that we can see, but a hopeful pigeon keeps arriving with twigs.
This afternoon there were two of them but they didn't seem to be getting on very well!

Have you tried swapping your cars around Grandad1943? If it’s still yours that cops it, you’ll know it’s personal?

Callistemon your above post ?

However, We too have trouble with wood pigeons roosting in a tree on one of the side gardens. I do not mind them being there, but they keep crapping all down my car when it is parked on the drive.

They always seem to pick on my car and never my wifes. ??

Pigeon pie coming up I think.

Well we may have been pruning heavily but have been very careful to make sure any nests were not in use and although several were not we left them well alone anyway. The ivy is taking over the entire bed and needs to be radically cut back and we are doing it very carefully. One of the nests belongs to wood pigeons who I've been trying to discourage for 20 years and not managed to get rid of them yet. Even though I can't stand them I still wouldn't make them homeless. Then again everyone's a critic.

Sharp intake of breath, Grandad
I would never hack a tree during nesting time.

Except - does anyone know how to deter pigeons from trying to nest on the pergola?

On the other hand, if you don't want to do something, eg painting, do it badly!
It's a trick I learned from DH.

Some don't even listen for 15 seconds, lemongrove!

Yes, without a doubt, men need detailed instructions, (written
Ones are best)? as they stop listening after about 15 seconds.

Uptread it can be seen that women also hack trees. So, there are without doubt members of both sexes that care little for nesting birds etc. ??

I see someone upthread feels the same as me. All these men hacking at trees and bushes, do they not care that birds may be nesting in them to rear their young? And that it’s illegal to cut trees in the nesting season.

....../
Sadly my husband isn't interested in the garden (where I like it all to be neat and tidy...).
But he's obsessionally clean about the kitchen, and the laundry, which should be my areas. But I'm more relaxed there.It's hard to get used to, we try to adjust. It does seem to have become more extreme lately.

Callistemon Quote [Prunes everything too much. Gets paint everywhere. Oh dear, that sounds like me. I've just checked again and yes, I am a woman.] End Quote.

Callistemon, the above being the case, according to one forum member on here you require precise and detailed instruction before you even consider starting such tasks.

Therefore, ensure you gain such instruction in the future BEFORE you engage in such tasks, and consider that you have received a virtual slap on the wrists. ???

We have to, don't we!

You have a sense of humour that's important.

Prunes everything too much
Gets paint everywhere

Oh dear, that sounds like me
I've just checked again and yes, I am a woman.

Grandad1943 well I did expect this sort of response after posting so early in the morning, not being able to sleep. With an arthritic knee after working in the garden all day. I have always done the work myself with no complaint. Very heavy work too flagging bricklayering painting decorating you name it I have done it. But after hip replacement hand operations etc because of osteoarthritis it is not so simple. The jobs were not difficult just awkward for me. My husband does offer to help he willingly admits I have saved a fortune in both house and garden. What is wrong with instructions if someone is not naturally used to DIY?