Random observations from your day

[sg1008]

There are certain species of plants that manage to "poison" the surrounding soil with hormones that they create which are capable of preventing germination by any other plant.

Hickory and walnut both do this. Once established, nothing can grow anywhere near one of those nut trees, totally preventing any form of competition. I am not sure if Japanese honeysuckle can do this, but I do know that once established, nothing grows anywhere near them, then they spread like crazy weeds, here in central USA.

While it is a beautiful plant when established and very fragrant, anyone who grows this plant locally is a criminal, in my way of thinking.

I believe there is evidence that both species of bush honey suckle as well as the japanese honey suckle are allelopathic (they poison the soil to prevent other plants from competing, as you mentioned).

In my mind planting these invasive species IS criminal...it jeopardizes native biodiversity and cannot be easily controlled. Thats a crime as devastating as bio-warfare.

[DirtDawg]

Back OT:

I just downloaded the entire Led Zeppelin collection in HD 196Hz/24bit.

This is quite different from CD resolution which is typically 44Hz/16bit on anything from the "Redbook"  catalog.

I remember when my dad first heard "Good Times, Bad Times"  from the initial track on the first Led Zeppelin album played on our low quality RCA monaural, single speaker record player. I had borrowed the album from a "friend" and I wanted for him to hear it. I was fourteen and being born in 1926, he was forty three. He had already listened to and taught me a few Beatles songs on guitar growing up.

He was a musician and quite immune to the "normal" father reaction of being pissed of and disgusted with sixties rock music.
His eyes were size of saucers hearing Led Zeppelin for the first time and he just said, "This is different. I like it!"

He did not like the whole thing and he thought the singer was prissy (but so did I, now, I think of Robert Plant as the most incredibly unbridled emo singer in history - still like him), but any of the bluesy sounding tracks my dad liked.
A week later he was teaching me how to play my guitar using bar chords, like Jimmy Page was doing.

Having these albums in this high-resolution format has brought back some pleasant memories of my father.

[DirtDawg]

There are certain species of plants that manage to "poison" the surrounding soil with hormones that they create which are capable of preventing germination by any other plant.

Hickory and walnut both do this. Once established, nothing can grow anywhere near one of those nut trees, totally preventing any form of competition. I am not sure if Japanese honeysuckle can do this, but I do know that once established, nothing grows anywhere near them, then they spread like crazy weeds, here in central USA.

While it is a beautiful plant when established and very fragrant, anyone who grows this plant locally is a criminal, in my way of thinking.

I believe there is evidence that both species of bush honey suckle as well as the japanese honey suckle are allelopathic (they poison the soil to prevent other plants from competing, as you mentioned).

In my mind planting these invasive species IS criminal...it jeopardizes native biodiversity and cannot be easily controlled. Thats a crime as devastating as bio-warfare.

Thank you. I am glad to find a co-combatant in this war.


PS.
Sorry, I never know when using proper scientific nomenclature will put people off. Often it is just easier to describe things as they seem, rather than trying an appropriate term.

['andersom']

Maybe the term "exotic"  was improperly used.

When I caution you against bringing in non-native plants, it is with a learned mind and heavy heart from seeing what can happen when imports compete too readily with native species.

Your exotics sound fine in your climate (UK-ish, right?).

An example of my fear coming to pass is our local (Central Indiana, USA) import of Japanese Honeysuckle or the southern import of an un-natural horror called kudzu.
These plants have been introduced from foreign lands and they have actually become a nuisance to native species in the area.
Be very careful!
 

Speaking of honey suckle, we have a massive invasion of honey suckle shrubs here in the ohio river valley...so bad it is rare to see new saplings thriving on their own. Our other invasive species is the wild garlic mustard....they grow like their on frickin steroids. 

I do not understand your comment regarding honeysuckle.

Are you sure that the ones that rarely survive infancy are the invasive species?  From what I have been able to determine, you folk in the Ohio Valley are in the same shape as we people in the White River Valley.

Japanese  honeysuckle has invaded all the central states in the USA.

I meant new saplings of native trees are a rare sight. The honeysuckle is everywhere, definitely thriving.

There are certain species of plants that manage to "poison" the surrounding soil with hormones that they create which are capable of preventing germination by any other plant.

Hickory and walnut both do this. Once established, nothing can grow anywhere near one of those nut trees, totally preventing any form of competition. I am not sure if Japanese honeysuckle can do this, but I do know that once established, nothing grows anywhere near them, then they spread like crazy weeds, here in central USA.

While it is a beautiful plant when established and very fragrant, anyone who grows this plant locally is a criminal, in my way of thinking.

I wonder if there will be sterile versions of the Japanese honeysuckle as a garden-plant soon. Makes good sense, only importing sterile versions of exotic plants.

['andersom']

The Prunus serotina is a pest in Dutch woods. There are not that many any more as when I was a young kid, due to eradication plans. But, it will probably always be part of our ecosystems now, and, when not kept in control, it will take over most of the lower growth in the few woods we still have.

['andersom']

Where as the Prunus serotina was introduced as a plant to benefit wood-production areas, the Heracleum mantegazzianum was introduced as a garden plant, early previous century. It hardly has any natural predators here, so it can be a real pest, with the option of causing nasty burning wounds.

First time I saw it in the neck of the woods I grew up was when I was 12. Lots of fancy "import" people, moving to the charming country, brought it with them. Pretty plant, very pretty, but nasty stuff.

[lutra]

Earlier, this morning, a local authority lady rang my doorbell and, after I opened the door, she asked me one simple question.. whether I did own a dog? I said no.. but do come in. No no.. bye. Hu? That was an überly brief social interaction.

["couldbecousin"]

The volunteers working on the houses where I worked today were great for a change,  most of the time they are just a big pain in the ass

  Your volunteers might do better if you paid them. 

[Parts]

The volunteers working on the houses where I worked today were great for a change,  most of the time they are just a big pain in the ass

  Your volunteers might do better if you paid them. 

That would work

I was working on two houses for Habitat for Humanity they hire me to do the blown in insulation in the attics of the houses they build in the area and I charge them a reduced rate to cover expenses.  Some of the volunteers they get clearly don't want to be there and are just putting in hours toward what ever they have to it for but the ones at these houses were polite, worked hard and were generally helpfull

['andersom']

Earlier, this morning, a local authority lady rang my doorbell and, after I opened the door, she asked me one simple question.. whether I did own a dog? I said no.. but do come in. No no.. bye. Hu? That was an überly brief social interaction.

They stopped "hondenbelasting" in my area, so no local authority man ringing my doorbell any more.

The other day there was a man at my door, trying to enter with a key though. And then peeking through my windows. When I opened he asked me if I was one of the Polish people. Told him my Polish vocabulary consisted of two words only.

They had given him the wrong address. I asked him if he was allowed to enter, just like that. He said that for a house inspection he could. Apparently we're getting new tenants next door.

[Icequeen]

Earlier, this morning, a local authority lady rang my doorbell and, after I opened the door, she asked me one simple question.. whether I did own a dog? I said no.. but do come in. No no.. bye. Hu? That was an überly brief social interaction.

They stopped "hondenbelasting" in my area, so no local authority man ringing my doorbell any more.

The other day there was a man at my door, trying to enter with a key though. And then peeking through my windows. When I opened he asked me if I was one of the Polish people. Told him my Polish vocabulary consisted of two words only.

They had given him the wrong address. I asked him if he was allowed to enter, just like that. He said that for a house inspection he could. Apparently we're getting new tenants next door.

Without calling first or even knocking? 

That's a good way to get shot around here.

[Queen Victoria]

Earlier, this morning, a local authority lady rang my doorbell and, after I opened the door, she asked me one simple question.. whether I did own a dog? I said no.. but do come in. No no.. bye. Hu? That was an überly brief social interaction.

They stopped "hondenbelasting" in my area, so no local authority man ringing my doorbell any more.

The other day there was a man at my door, trying to enter with a key though. And then peeking through my windows. When I opened he asked me if I was one of the Polish people. Told him my Polish vocabulary consisted of two words only.

They had given him the wrong address. I asked him if he was allowed to enter, just like that. He said that for a house inspection he could. Apparently we're getting new tenants next door.

Without calling first or even knocking? 

That's a good way to get shot around here.

If he was to inspect an empty dwelling his actions could be reasonable.  I'm not sure how much or little he could see in the windows.

[Semicolon]

Earlier, this morning, a local authority lady rang my doorbell and, after I opened the door, she asked me one simple question.. whether I did own a dog? I said no.. but do come in. No no.. bye. Hu? That was an überly brief social interaction.

They stopped "hondenbelasting" in my area, so no local authority man ringing my doorbell any more.

The other day there was a man at my door, trying to enter with a key though. And then peeking through my windows. When I opened he asked me if I was one of the Polish people. Told him my Polish vocabulary consisted of two words only.

They had given him the wrong address. I asked him if he was allowed to enter, just like that. He said that for a house inspection he could. Apparently we're getting new tenants next door.

Without calling first or even knocking? 

That's a good way to get shot around here.

[Parts]

Earlier, this morning, a local authority lady rang my doorbell and, after I opened the door, she asked me one simple question.. whether I did own a dog? I said no.. but do come in. No no.. bye. Hu? That was an überly brief social interaction.

They stopped "hondenbelasting" in my area, so no local authority man ringing my doorbell any more.

The other day there was a man at my door, trying to enter with a key though. And then peeking through my windows. When I opened he asked me if I was one of the Polish people. Told him my Polish vocabulary consisted of two words only.

They had given him the wrong address. I asked him if he was allowed to enter, just like that. He said that for a house inspection he could. Apparently we're getting new tenants next door.

Without calling first or even knocking? 

That's a good way to get shot around here.

Around here too.  I worry about at times when I go and look at houses I am bidding work on and the people tell me they will not be home and to let myself in,  I always make a lot of noise and knock really loud just in case they forgot to tell someone who might be home when I get there.  It's better now that I work for myself,  were I used to work the salesmen use to get addresses wrong all the time or forget to tell the people someone was coming out that day

['andersom']

Earlier, this morning, a local authority lady rang my doorbell and, after I opened the door, she asked me one simple question.. whether I did own a dog? I said no.. but do come in. No no.. bye. Hu? That was an überly brief social interaction.

They stopped "hondenbelasting" in my area, so no local authority man ringing my doorbell any more.

The other day there was a man at my door, trying to enter with a key though. And then peeking through my windows. When I opened he asked me if I was one of the Polish people. Told him my Polish vocabulary consisted of two words only.

They had given him the wrong address. I asked him if he was allowed to enter, just like that. He said that for a house inspection he could. Apparently we're getting new tenants next door.

Without calling first or even knocking? 

That's a good way to get shot around here.

If he was to inspect an empty dwelling his actions could be reasonable.  I'm not sure how much or little he could see in the windows.

House inspections only happen when there is a change in rental contract. I had one when my ex officially left the house. But, then they will still ring the doorbell, and will not just enter like that. They will not enter a house that is still inhabited without permission of the inhabitants.

My neighbours are not the direct tennants, the company they work for are the ones paying the rent. And somehow they have things like this in their contracts.

But yeah, in a different neighbourhood, this could have ended completely different for him.