Ali Green

How did it last? I'm trying to do similar, and I am also worried about trapped water freezing. Was that a problem? Thanks.

I would be interested in seeing what it was like in a cow's brain. They are often perceived as dull or stupid, but are actually pretty clever (look up videos of cows opening gates if you want some examples), so I wonder what they think about all day.

Thanks all, I think I'll pile it up in a corner until next year and use it for a lasagne garden then.

I don't know if I have messed up. I managed to get an arborist to drop some mulch and a few logs on my driveway, but rather than some lovely woodchip, it's mostly shredded leaves. I don't mind, as it will make for some great compost, hopefully. My main concern is that it's mostly holly. I did actually specify that I only wanted loads with no spiky material, as I have kids who are intolerant to shoes at home (if you know what I mean), and I like to garden without gloves when possible. Will the holly leaves render all that mulch unusable? I had hoped to use it to make a new lasagne bed and mulch under some berries. How long before the spikes break down?

Try misting them with water every evening. Disclaimer, I haven't actually looked into this properly, so take it with a pinch of salt, but the theory is that they are from a misty/foggy region, so I've always been told that they need it. Maybe they just need a little more moisture at the roots, so spraying them with a hose does that. Or maybe the first few never set. I grow them nearly every year, and in my experience,  the first few flowers never set, but by the end of the season they are hugely productive.

I'm keen to see if anyone has good tips on getting them to start setting sooner.

Could it be your water? I've struggled with it before, though not as badly, and I notice that different water can affect me at different times. The water at my in laws always leaves me so itchy and sore. The water at home is usually OK, but when I'm having a flare up it's also irritating, so I use rainwater or distilled water from our dehumidifier until it's settled.

So it could be that some of the cures you've tried would be effective if combined with different water.

The only other suggestion is raw milk. I haven't actually tried it on my hair, but it does wonders on the dermatitis on my hands.

I've not lived with a septic tank, but grew up in a community where a lot of people did (including my grandparents). A bit of wisdom I heard and stuck in my brain was that if you were having problems/ some people said every x number of years, you should chuck something dead in the septic tank. This was generally road kill or the guts of something that had been shot.
I have also recently started a bokashi bin for food waste, and from my research beforehand, the liquid given off can be great for boosting the microbial action of septic tanks, and can even unblock drains.

I'm thinking of making a wicking bed in the site where I hope to build my polytunnel. My idea is that it will take the overflow from my rainwater barrels. Currently I have a hose connected to the top of one barrel, and it just overflows onto the grass a little way away from the house, that happens to be where I hope to put the polytunnel.

Chop and drop composting. Rather than spending time and energy carting my hedge and grass cuttings to the compost bin, storing it, turning it, then carting it to my plants, I just dump the mowing and clippings under the plants nearby, where they compost in place, while also being a great mulch.

Thanks for the advice. I have gently dug it up and replanted it higher. I'll baby it for a while, and hopefully it does well.