How do I keep the front of the Ducato clean? (1 Viewer)

[Riverbankannie]

i have started a small nursery of sycamores in the gap between the bonnet and the windscreen.
What is the best way to clean it out as there are very deep crevices here.
What is the best cleaner to get off the green algae?
How can I keep it clean in future? I don't have any silver screens but I can see that something to cover the area may help . Suggestions please.

 

[RandallC]

Kill all vegetation within 50m. and or park it in a garage!!!!!!!

Know what you mean and will follow this thread with interest. However having got rid (moved) of the trees not really any further issues, other than green & black streaks!

 

[Jaws]

Bloody hell ! You wanna get that out quick !
The roots are STRONG and will spread any joints very quickly.. even metal to metal welded ones..
Once out get some sort of weed killer on the job.. Leave for a couple of days and then hose it all out clean ..

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[WillH]

Your drains may be blocked, clean them out regularly.

 

[DanielFord]

On the cab I use a jet wash, but first you have to make sure the scuttle drains are clear. Personally I use a 1m length of plastic to push out all the rubbish, then give it a damn good blast.

 

[Riverbankannie]

Kill all vegetation within 50m. and or park it in a garage!!!!!!!

Know what you mean and will follow this thread with interest. However having got rid (moved) of the trees not really any further issues, other than green & black streaks!

Thanks everyone. However trees are in conservation area and we have to have permission from tree officer at the council every time we have the tree surgeon around which is every year! The basic problem is not the sycamore but the stand of 4 elderly silver birch at the front which are on council land, They are not ever cut back and not only do we have to literally drive through the branches to get in and out of our drive but they shed trillions of seeds which form a nice compost in which the sycamore can grow. The sycamore themselves are fairly easy to dispose of although a chore all around the garden this time of year.

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[Kingham]

My last house backed on to a wood and the only way to stop the build up of new vegetation was regular attention, to both the gardens and the motorhome.

When it's windy, a 50 metre exclusion zone is nowhere near enough distance for airborne seeds.

 

[raysalaugh]

Yeah that's definitely the scuttle getting blocked up, as said must be kept clear. I use warm soapy water and a
toothbrush to clean that area.

Ray

 

[sedge]

LOL - it's either buddleia or ash trees round here - and those favourite perennials - the pis-en-lit and the convolvulus. Not to mention brambles.

Q on Gardener's Question Time years ago when we happened to be going somewhere in the car early one Sunday afternoon - How near to my house should I plant a sycamore? Answer - At least 5 miles, preferably further.

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[Riverbankannie]

LOL - it's either buddleia or ash trees round here - and those favourite perennials - the pis-en-lit and the convolvulus. Not to mention brambles.

Q on Gardener's Question Time years ago when we happened to be going somewhere in the car early one Sunday afternoon - How near to my house should I plant a sycamore? Answer - At least 5 miles, preferably further.

The tree officer allows us to get young sycamore felled but the great big mature ones are no go. We even have to get permission to prune the holly. We get a forest of seedlings all over the garden. Mowing keeps them down in the lawn and I go around hoeing the borders and generally trying to pull them up. I always miss a few and once they get to 2 years old I have to use Root Out as they cannot be pulled up.
I think I might look for an external cover for the front of the van.

 

[Vanman]

Sounds like a good excuse to be away in it more

 

[PeteH]

Try my Solution.? NO trees (well one Apple) within 100Yards. NO grass, ("Pretty" Gravel and paving) Raised beds with a "Pretty" gravel "mulch" and membrane. Result very few weeds, EVER.

SWMBO. loves her plants (Triffids as I call `em!), but has mobility and back issues so cannot do much if anything. Me and Gardens, dont get on!. When I had almost 1/3rd Acre, some years back. I managed to turn ALL the front into a "Parking Area", kept "swept" by judicious application of Sodium Chlorate, Amazing stuff, kills anything, and no regrowth for up to 5 Years!. Sadly no longer available.. (combined with other chemicals it makes amazing explosives?, and was "popular" with many "dissident" groups, Allegedly)

Edit:- And as for the Ducato, just be careful that when "Rodding" the Drain, it does not come off under the Hood, as you will then get all the Water/Crap all over the engine and Gearbox. (as I found out the hard way!).

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[WynandJean]

Yeah that's definitely the scuttle getting blocked up, as said must be kept clear. I use warm soapy water and a
toothbrush to clean that area.

Ray

Handy tip: Rather than using your own toothbrush use the wife's. You may need to rinse well before returning it though.

Wyn

 

[maison]

I would definitely treat the vegetation in the scuttle with a strong weed killer, such as Roundup, before trying to pull it out.

The weed killer is absorbed through the leaves. If you try to pull it out and leave roots behind you could have further trouble.

Kill them first, then remove.

 

[wizzer59]

You really need to wash it more you naughty girl but really if you keep it clean that won't happen and Autosmart G101 is a great cleaner for that sort of thing, just use as instructed and wax afterwards

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[Gromett]

Once you have got it clean, just a suggestion but cling film over the scuttle to prevent further incidents. Remember to remove before driving off.

 

[MR. FUSION]

The tree officer allows us to get young sycamore felled but the great big mature ones are no go. We even have to get permission to prune the holly. We get a forest of seedlings all over the garden. Mowing keeps them down in the lawn and I go around hoeing the borders and generally trying to pull them up. I always miss a few and once they get to 2 years old I have to use Root Out as they cannot be pulled up.
I think I might look for an external cover for the front of the van.

The Scottish Govt has allowed over a million trees to be felled........just tell the council you want to build a wind turbine

 

[Gromett]

The Scottish Govt has allowed over a million trees to be felled........just tell the council you want to build a wind turbine

There you go again

In 2010 Scotland announced plans to plant 100 Million trees by the end of 2015.
The failed to reach this target by over 11 Million. Let's say 12 Million for argument.
That means they planted 88 Million trees. That is a lot more than the 5 million trees chopped down for building wind turbines...

An increase of 83 Million trees, not a 5 million tree loss like the anti wind people shout about.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/...ment_11_million_trees_short_of_growth_target/

Oh and they are planting at least 11 Million new trees a year with a target of 22 Million.
http://www.confor.org.uk/news/lates...uts-pressure-on-rest-of-uk-to-raise-its-game/

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[suavecarve]

There you go again

In 2010 Scotland announced plans to plant 100 Million trees by the end of 2015.
The failed to reach this target by over 11 Million. Let's say 12 Million for argument.
That means they planted 88 Million trees. That is a lot more than the 5 million trees chopped down for building wind turbines...

An increase of 83 Million trees, not a 5 million tree loss like the anti wind people shout about.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/...ment_11_million_trees_short_of_growth_target/

Oh and they are planting at least 11 Million new trees a year with a target of 22 Million.
http://www.confor.org.uk/news/lates...uts-pressure-on-rest-of-uk-to-raise-its-game/

Its so much nicer having the facts in front of you.
Cheers

 

[MR. FUSION]

There you go again

In 2010 Scotland announced plans to plant 100 Million trees by the end of 2015.
The failed to reach this target by over 11 Million. Let's say 12 Million for argument.
That means they planted 88 Million trees. That is a lot more than the 5 million trees chopped down for building wind turbines...

An increase of 83 Million trees, not a 5 million tree loss like the anti wind people shout about.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/...ment_11_million_trees_short_of_growth_target/

Oh and they are planting at least 11 Million new trees a year with a target of 22 Million.
http://www.confor.org.uk/news/lates...uts-pressure-on-rest-of-uk-to-raise-its-game/

Very similar situation I suspect to the EU funded replacement of landowners fences, lots of flourishing hedgerows full of wild plants and annimals were grubbed up to be replaced by dead twigs.

Having lived in the middle of a forest for 11 years I have a pretty good idea that much wildlife will have been displaced and killed during the road building and felling process for turbines. That wildlife will not be back to a sterile replanted forest.

I believe tree saplings make very little difference to CO2 absorption compared to mature trees. So planting millions of saplings to replace mature trees is largely irrelevant at the moment. The SNP are THE masters of spin, I think you fell (no pun intended) for it!

 

[davidathomas42]

The basic problem is not the sycamore but the stand of 4 elderly silver birch at the front which are on council land, They are not ever cut back and not only do we have to literally drive through the branches to get in and out of our drive but they shed trillions of seeds which form a nice compost in which the sycamore can grow. The sycamore themselves are fairly easy to dispose of although a chore all around the garden this time of year.

You may not like what I would do but it would be along the lines of getting my petrol hedge trimmer out late at night and having a steady walk past the trees trimming them back to an acceptable level. Failing that upgrade to the chainsaw.

It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

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[suavecarve]

Very similar situation I suspect to the EU funded replacement of landowners fences, lots of flourishing hedgerows full of wild plants and annimals were grubbed up to be replaced by dead twigs.

Having lived in the middle of a forest for 11 years I have a pretty good idea that much wildlife will have been displaced and killed during the road building and felling process for turbines. That wildlife will not be back to a sterile replanted forest.

I believe tree saplings make very little difference to CO2 absorption compared to mature trees. So planting millions of saplings to replace mature trees is largely irrelevant at the moment. The SNP are THE masters of spin, I think you fell (no pun intended) for it!

"think" "suspect" "Believe" and "pretty good idea" ?

 

[Riverbankannie]

You may not like what I would do but it would be along the lines of getting my petrol hedge trimmer out late at night and having a steady walk past the trees trimming them back to an acceptable level. Failing that upgrade to the chainsaw.

It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

We do have a rechargeable hedge trimmer but I don't think we could reach up to cut back above height of van.


And....what about the neighbours? I don't think that they would all be sympathetic.

 

[davidathomas42]

We do have a rechargeable hedge trimmer but I don't think we could reach up to cut back above height of van.


And....what about the neighbours? I don't think that they would all be sympathetic.

I refer you to the last part of my previous post

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[MR. FUSION]

"think" "suspect" "Believe" and "pretty good idea" ?

And your point is ???

 

[Gromett]

And your point is ???

Links to sources that back up your statements would be nice?

 

[Gromett]

I believe tree saplings make very little difference to CO2 absorption compared to mature trees. So planting millions of saplings to replace mature trees is largely irrelevant at the moment. The SNP are THE masters of spin, I think you fell (no pun intended) for it!

I have seen reports stating both that young trees take up more CO2 than old trees. I have also seen reports that old trees take up more than young trees.

New trees take up more.
http://www.trtworld.com/life/young-forests-abosorb-far-more-co2-than-old-trees-40598

Old trees take up more.
http://www.natureworldnews.com/arti...der-trees-grow-faster-take-up-more-carbon.htm
However for this one there is a caveat. They didn't finish their research.

One of the next steps in this research is to determine whether the accelerated growth of an individual tree will translate into greater carbon storage by aging forests. The answer will have an impact on a number of carbon sequestration programs that rely on the carbon-absorbing abilities of forests.

Lets for sake of argument split the difference and say overall they take up about the same.

I would bet that 88 Million new young trees will suck up more CO2 than the 5 Million that have been removed. Especially with between 11 and 22 Million new trees being planted each year. Those 5 Million removed trees are a small price to as the CO2 that is being prevented going into the atmosphere far outweighs what those trees would have absorbed.

I didn't fall for any SNP spin. I did independent searches and looked for reasonable and reliable sources. Note that I chose one that showed that the SNP had failed in their target. Not exactly a pro SNP article was it.

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[MR. FUSION]

Links to sources that back up your statements would be nice?

My personal experience of living in a forest, why should I link ?

 

[MR. FUSION]

W

I have seen reports stating both that young trees take up more CO2 than old trees. I have also seen reports that old trees take up more than young trees.

New trees take up more.
http://www.trtworld.com/life/young-forests-abosorb-far-more-co2-than-old-trees-40598

Old trees take up more.
http://www.natureworldnews.com/arti...der-trees-grow-faster-take-up-more-carbon.htm
However for this one there is a caveat. They didn't finish their research.


Lets for sake of argument split the difference and say overall they take up about the same.

I would bet that 88 Million new young trees will suck up more CO2 than the 5 Million that have been removed. Especially with between 11 and 22 Million new trees being planted each year. Those 5 Million removed trees are a small price to as the CO2 that is being prevented going into the atmosphere far outweighs what those trees would have absorbed.

I didn't fall for any SNP spin. I did independent searches and looked for reasonable and reliable sources. Note that I chose one that showed that the SNP had failed in their target. Not exactly a pro SNP article was it.

Well thank you for your research, I suppose a few million trees either way is irrelevant when the leccy is off:
http://euanmearns.com/new-renewable-energy-targets-for-scotland/

If those mad idiots do split from the union hope Westminster tells them to f off out of the national grid and we would see how long bravefart lasts in the dark & cold!!!!

 

[suavecarve]

And your point is ???

I think @Gromett answered how i believe I would have done. I suspect he put some thought into it. I have an idea he might laugh at my reply.

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