Alpaca poo: fertiliser on trial

Usually I plant garlic in autumn. It’s something that gets the garden up-and-running before spring and I like the scapes that autumn varieties produce. This year, time got the better of me and I’ve resorted to spring clove planting. And I’m even late on that task.

To make up for lack of days in the earth I’m giving my garlic a boost of fertiliser. But not any old bottle of branded slop. This garlic is road-testing the latest trend in nutrient rich nourishment: alpaca poo.

Poo provider, Lou, owner of some friendly looking alpacas*, sent me two bags of ‘Lou’s poo’** last year which, until now, have been sitting on my office desk. It’s testament to their low odour qualities that I forgot they were there (the only off aroma around being a yeasty must from spillage during a late shift beer tasting).

The two bags contain the same dried pooey substance: one in its whole form of nuggety lumps, the other shredded for a faster release of goodness or for dissolving in water to make a liquid fertiliser. According to Lou’s instructions a handful mixed into your compost will nourish the plants with a nutrient rich combo of nitrogen, phospsorus and potassium.

Lots of our Twitter pals have been raving about alpaca poo and I have high hopes for a harvest of glorious garlic bulbs later in the year.

Lou’s Poo is available from TheArchersAtTheLarches.com

 

This year’s garlic varieties

My Spring garlic bulbs come from The Garlic Farm on the Isle of White. The three varieties that will be gobbling up poo are Solent Wight, Mersley Wight and Picardy Wight.

 

*Bracken, Annabel, Darcy, Shadow, Caramel and Fidge

**If you’re called Lou, it’s the obvious name for a business. Wonder what someone named Kit would call theirs…

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from Two Thirsty Gardeners http://twothirstygardeners.co.uk/2017/02/alpaca-poo-fertiliser-trial-garlic/

Garden benches: wood vs metal

We are both in need of a garden bench. Rich has never had one on his allotment and after shuffling his aged limbs around the plot following a rare night out he realised he can no longer hoe the land without a seated break.

My garden does have a bench, but it was salvaged from a house move and installed as a temporary fixture. So it isn’t built for outdoor use, and the next hefty arse that plants itself in the middle of it is likely to snap the slats and produce some painful splinters (see main image).

But before either of us looks too closely at specific bench styles we have one big decision to make: wood or metal.

To help us come up with an answer we diligently came up with the following list of pros and cons…

Wooden benches

Pros
• Usually more comfortable
• And warmer
• There is a far greater range of wooden bench styles to choose from
• Some of them are cheap
• More natural looking and environmentally friendly
• Easier to shove into place

Cons
• Need regular maintenance
• Don’t dry easily after rain, causing soggy bottoms
• Can be trickier to remove pigeon poo
• Don’t last as long
• Discolour if not treated properly

Metal benches

Pros
• Sturdy and long lasting
• Need less frequent maintenance
• Can make your garden look a bit posh
• Can be cleaned with a quick hose down
• Don’t soak up water

Cons
• Heavy
• Can get rusty
• More expensive
• Fewer styles to choose from
• The cause of cold bums
• Generally fewer level pieces on which to rest a mug of hot soup

Scanning this list over we both gravitated towards wooden benches. But before confirming that choice we consulted our twitter pals to see what they went with…

A resounding victory for the wooden bench, with the most common reason being the warm-bum-factor. Now we can spend some time pondering what style and type of wood we want. If only we had somewhere outisde to sit while researching…

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from Two Thirsty Gardeners http://twothirstygardeners.co.uk/2017/02/garden-benches-wood-vs-metal/

Hipped vs Gable Roofs

If you’re in the process of designing or building a home, you’ll need to start thinking about the right roof for your design.

The type of roof you choose isn’t purely based on aesthetics; each design is more suited to certain climates and weather conditions, with other factors to also consider for your project. The two most popular options for a house are hipped roofs and gable roofs – we’ve outlined the pros and cons to each below.

Gable Roof

A gable roof is a common type of roof for many buildings, particularly houses. It is designed with two slopes that meet in the middle to form a ridge, with a distinctive triangular formation from either side.

Pros

• Weather conditions

The triangular slanted pitch of gable roofs mean they are well suited for climates with wet and snowy weather, as the water will simply slide off the roof. This is ideal for locations where you see a lot of rainfall, as roofs unsuited to these conditions can lead to water damage and leaks.

• More space

The design of gable roofs mean it provides more space for attic or loft storage, and is also versatile enough that the loft can easily be converted into an additional living space without the style of the roof needing to be changed too dramatically.

• Easy to build

Gable roofs are a simple design that require less building materials and time to construct, meaning a quicker build time.

• Cheaper

With less building materials required, gable roofs are also cheaper to build than many other more complex types of roof.

Cons

• Not ideal for high wind and hurricane areas

Gable roofs are great for wet or snowy conditions, but not so much for locations where high winds and hurricanes are common. The structure design can cause an uplift effect underneath the roof, in extreme cases causing the roof to detach from the walls.

Hipped roof

A hipped roof is a common type of roof without any flat sides – instead, there are four slopes that meet to form a ridge in the middle of the roof. This is a popular design for locations in varying weather conditions.

Pros

• Excellent for high wind and snowy areas

The four sloped design of hipped roofs make it an extremely durable and stable design, particularly for areas with high winds and frequent snowfall. The slant of the roof makes it easy for a buildup of snow to simply slide off the roof with no standing water – reducing the likelihood of any water damage occurring.

• Extra living/standing space for loft conversions

Hip roofs leave ample loft space for a home, providing the perfect place for additional storage, or even for a fully-fitted loft conversion for extra living space in the home.

• Versatile

Hipped roofs are a versatile design, meaning modifications can easily be made to the roof and home. For example, dormer windows are a common addition to hipped roofs, providing additional light and space for a loft room.

Cons

• More expensive than gable roofs

Hipped roofs tend to be more complex in design, which means they will often cost more than simple designs such as gable roofs. It’s important to weigh up the difference in costs with the added benefits hipped roofs provide in locations with more extreme weather conditions.

• More building materials required

Hipped roofs are more complex to build, so require more materials for the process. This will not only increase the cost, but can mean they take longer to be complete.

• Leaks can occur if the roof is not properly installed

The multiple ridges of a hipped roof must be installed expertly to avoid the chance of leaks occurring. A poorly fitted roof can quickly result in water damage to your ceilings and roof, but this will not be a problem provided you use a professional roofing contractors to install your roof. Click here to see 28 different types of roofs designs including hipped and gable roofs.

The post Hipped vs Gable Roofs appeared first on UK Home Improvement Blog.

from UK Home Improvement Blog http://www.ukhomeimprovement.co.uk/hipped-vs-gable-roofs/

Beer of the week #102: Brakspear, Oxford Gold

Every time my Dad visits, I pack up a box of beer from my collection for him to take home and enjoy. Over the years I’ve learned the kind of beers he likes and what to avoid (1), rarely getting it wrong (2). But no matter how much praise he heaps on any one beer from his free pack, it’s never quite as good as his favourite: Brakspear’s Oxford Gold.

Most of the cans and bottles on my beer shelves have been sent to me by breweries or retailers, keen to promote their booze to our beer-savvy readers (3). Every time I see my Dad he asks if I’ve contacted Brakspear to ask if they would be interested in having a feature about their beer on this site so he can snaffle any Oxford Gold they might happen to send my way. I’m not a fan of such blatant blagging so fob him off with “I haven’t got round to it yet.”

This week I received an email from our pals at German supermarket giant Aldi. They’re promoting a box of beer to accompany rugby viewing and wanted to know if we could feature it on our site. The pack includes to bottles of Oxford Gold. For my dad’s sake, the answer was “yes”.

But this time he has to earn his precious booze, so I’ve asked him to write a beer-of-the-week review. Here it is…

Nick’s Dad Jim’s Beer of the Week: Brakspear Oxford Gold

“When you pour this beer, it is sheer liquid gold, giving off an aroma of fresh hops and scents of the countryside. When it hits your mouth you want to quickly take a second mouthful, and a third, the taste is so satisfying.”

“The blend of ingredients is top notch.”

“I like this beer because it has its unique flavour. I have not found any other beer to match this.”

“After a busy day on the garden (4), bird watching (5), down on Nick’s allotment (6), it’s back home and after a meal I open up Grandad’s (7) cupboard and out with this beer. What a fitting end to the day.”

“Grandad’s favourite.”

Footnotes

(1) Light beers and lagers good; dark beers risky; anything containing coriander to be avoided at all cost.

(2) I’ve learned the hard way. Precious booze has been dumped down the drain if it doesn’t meet his exacting standards.

(3) Yes, it’s all your fault we get sent beer. THANK YOU.

(4) He looks after a few gardens to keep him in beer money.

(5) If you’ve ever got a few weeks to kill, ask him to show you his bird photos…

(6) This is a lie. Despite being a gardener he has never touched a tool on the allotment or in garden.

(7) He became a grandad for the first time a few months ago and now refers to himself as ‘Grandad’ at every opportunity. His Grandson has also provided a reason to visit more frequently, causing rapid depletion to my stocks of golden ales.

Aldi’s Classic Ales Selection

Here are the six brews, each part of the Marston’s stable, that Aldi have put together as recommended guzzling while watching rugby.

Ringwood, Mauler, 3.9%
An easy going golden ale with a noticeable dab of sweetness and a bitter crunch. I would happily chug away on this for an afternoon session.

Wychwood, Dirty Tackle, 4%
An amber ale with a solid malty background and plenty of earthy, dry bitter flavours. I was quite surprised how much I liked this. The pick of the pack.

Marston’s Pedigree, 4.5%
I had so many badly kept pints of Pedigree when I lived in the Midlands that I’ve rarely touched it since. This bottled version is a basic biscuity bitter and much better than my memory of it. It’s still far from a favourite but is decent enough for a rugby watching pint.

Thwaites, Wainwright, 4.1%
Very light, slightly sweet and a touch lemony. My Dad would definitely like this one, although I would prefer a bit more flavour.

Jennings, Cumberland, 4%
Similar to Thwaites offering but less on the citrus side and a bit more bitterness. Another beer that’s fine for a session but not something I would gravitate towards.

Brakspear, Oxford Gold, 4.6%
A decent amount of booze helps push through punchier flavours than some of the other golden ales in this box. There’s zestiness, some floral notes and a bit of spice to the bitterness. Good choice, Grandad.

Lowdown

Brewery: Brakspear, Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire
Beer name: Oxford Gold
Strength: 4.6%
Hops used: Golding, Styrian Golding, Fuggle, Admiral

The post Beer of the week #102: Brakspear, Oxford Gold appeared first on Two Thirsty Gardeners.

from Two Thirsty Gardeners http://twothirstygardeners.co.uk/2017/02/beer-review-brakspear-oxford-gold-rugby-marston-aldi/

How to Move Home

Among house movers, the question “How to move home?” is very common. In order to ensure that your home move is successful planning is essential. This is why Simon Long Removals have created an interactive timeline of how to move home. Below is an infographic version of this interactive timeline.

The post How to Move Home appeared first on UK Home Improvement Blog.

from UK Home Improvement Blog http://www.ukhomeimprovement.co.uk/how-to-move-home/

How to make the perfect gin and tonic

For this Cocktail Corner recipe we’re looking at one of the simplest, most popular boozes going: the G&T. But is it a cocktail, we hear you all scream in unison. OF COURSE IT JOLLY WELL IS. And if you don’t believe us, check out the dictionary definition of ‘cocktail’ for yourself.

Now, let’s all calm down with the perfect gin and tonic…

Gin and Tonic

Brief History
Much like with the history of the IPA, we’re heading over to India on a big boat in the mid 19th century. But rather than looking for a beer that will survive the long journey and refresh the sweaty workers on landing, this time we’re trying to stave off illness. To do this we’ve been guzzling tonic water, packed to the rafters with quinine, a substance that not only sends some people a little bit bonkers, but also acts as a cure for hot-headed fevers and malaria.

But back in those days, tonic tasted aggressively bitter. So folk decided to improve its flavour with the addition gin, giving it a bonus boozy pick-me-up, while cooling and refreshing the drink with ice and citrus fruit, the latter also helping with the battle against scurvy.

How to make an Gin and Tonic

Difficulty level: Easy

What you’ll need:
50ml gin
50ml tonic
A wedge of lemon or lime
Ice

Although we’re sticklers for rules, a G&T is one of the more flexible drinks going with the majority of decisions to be made according to taste.

What gin is best? The G&T is a perfect showcase for great gin so choose yourself a good one. In this recipe we’re using Warner Edwards’ Harrington Dry Gin. It’s a beautiful hand crafted spirit with a very clean, floral bouquet and gently warming bitter spice flavours.

How much tonic? As a staring point we reckon an even mix of gin and tonic is ideal, but you can dilute further if you prefer your G&T longer and less boozy, particularly if you’ve found an extra strong gin. Warner Edwards’ is 44%, which is more than most, but we want those complex flavours to shine through so will be sticking with our even mix.

Lemon or lime? Some people will be adamant that one fruit is a better garnish than the other but we would advocate assessing which works better with your gin. In this instance it’s a narrow victory for lime.

What type of glass? A big wine glass will give off the best aroma; a tall glass will look more authentic. Go with your instinct but, please, no jam jars.

Instructions:

1 Fill your glass with ice.

2 Pour gin into glass.

3 Pour tonic into glass.

4 Drop in slice of lime.

5 Guzzle.

Variations

A gin and tonic has to contain gin and tonic, so there aren’t too many variations you can try. However, we will allow you to use a flavoured gin if you fancy something different – such as our gin’s cheeky sibling, Warner Edwards Rhubarb Gin.

Home grown customisation

If you’re a bit of a booze maker then you can flavour your own gin with something home grown (try dropping a few nuggets of rhubarb into a bottle of gin and letting them infuse for 24 hours). Other than that you can accentuate your gin’s botanical flavours with an additional home grown, or foraged, ingredient – a spring or rosemary, a leaf of bay or a scattering of elderflowers, for example.

 

The post How to make the perfect gin and tonic appeared first on Two Thirsty Gardeners.

from Two Thirsty Gardeners http://twothirstygardeners.co.uk/2017/02/make-perfect-gin-tonic-recipe/

Things to make with Harveys Bristol Cream

Undeserved of its reputation of being an old fashioned booze, found lurking at the back of your grans dusty pantry, we present to you Harveys Bristol Cream, a sherry booze way tastier than you thought you remembered.

The Drink: Harveys Bristol Cream

History: In 1796, a chap called William Perry began shipping sherries and wines to Bristol, operating out of a cellar situated in Denmark Street. William was famous for his fine ‘Bristol Milk’, a variant of sherry that was thick, dark and sweet. Perry was joined by John Harvey, who later took over the boozy business. Harvey tinkered with the ‘Bristol Milk’ recipe and managed to come up with something even richer and tastier. Legend has it that a visiting lady aristocrat was offered a glass of ‘Bristol Milk’, and then given a snifter of Harveys new blend.
“If that is milk, then this one is cream!” she reportedly slurred.
A fanciful story, but the name stuck. Harvey trademarked the name, and Bristol Cream was born.

Interesting fact:
 You can still visit Harveys old cellars. At one time, the site used to be Englands only wine museum – it’s now a fancy bar, serving wines, champagnes and of course, sherries. They also serve a mean ‘Bristol Punch’.*

Tasting notes: A deep golden amber coloured booze, with tangy dried fruit aromas and wafts of candied orange, toffee and grape. On the palate, it’s velvet smooth, more-ish and mellow, with crushed almonds and earthy flavours on the finish.

Five Great Things to make with Harveys Bristol Cream.

1. Adonis

A cocktail created during the mid-1800s to celebrate the eponymous broadway musical reaching over 500 performances. Here’s the final act, just so you don’t have to sit through it. The musical looks terrible, but the drink is fine.

• 50 ml Harveys Bristol Cream
• 25 ml Red vermouth
• Dash orange bitters

Combine ingredients, stir, serve to wild applause.

2. Quarterdeck

Splice your Bristolian mainbrace (whatever that means) with this ship-shape, nautical cocktail. Sherry and rum will give you sea legs, the lime will cure your scurvy.

• 30 ml Light rum
• 10 ml Harveys Bristol Cream
• The juice of half a lime

Combine the ingredients in a tall glass, shake like a wet sea dog, stir with an oar.

3. Harveys Frosted Apple and Ginger

A punchy, punch-ish cocktail for Christmas festivities and winter shenanigans.

• 50 ml Harveys Bristol Cream
• 50 ml Apple juice
• Dash of ginger ale

Fill up a highball glass with crushed ice, pour in your Harveys and apple juice. Top up with ginger ale, and garnish with a sprig of mint and apple slices. For a festive flourish, stick a cinnamon stick in the top, like a boozy 99*.

4. Pan Sauce

Nope, not a cocktail, but a good cheffy tip for a quick sauce. Have you been frying, roasting, or searing meats? Got a load of brown, crispy stuff stuck to the bottom of them pan? Slosh in a small of Bristol Cream, stir it about a bit, and Bob’s yer uncle – a quick, easy pan sauce. 

 

5. Sherry Splash

Sherry and gin, together at last – with elderflower adding a floral flourish.

• 50 ml Harveys Bristol Cream
• 25 ml Gin
• 24 ml Elderflower liqueur
• Ice
• Lemon, to serve

Combine the lot in a cocktail shaker, load it up half way with ice, and give it a good old stir. Pour into your preferred receptacle, garnish with lemon. Gobble it down like a greedy gannet, bobbing in the docks.

 

 

* Hellish Southmead Boozer The Wayfarer used to serve up Bristol punches of a very different kind. It’s now been gentrified. ie, demolished.

** Mr Whippy fact: No one knows why an ice cream with a flake sticking in the top is called a flake 99. Even Cadburys admit that the origin of the name ‘has been lost in the mists of time’ (an excuse I’ve used many a time when asked to hand in overdue copy). Ice T famously sung about his inability to decide what sauce to have on his ice cream/chocco treat in this sweary hit from 1993.

The post Things to make with Harveys Bristol Cream appeared first on Two Thirsty Gardeners.

from Two Thirsty Gardeners http://twothirstygardeners.co.uk/2017/02/things-make-harveys-bristol-cream/