Conkers

jim · Post by **jim** » Tue 14 Sep, 2010 10:19 pm

Lilysmum, my mother always told us not to harm spiders, as they were the most effective means of "disposing" of all the other insect life etc that was to be found inside houses!

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Tue 14 Sep, 2010 10:26 pm

jim wrote: Lilysmum, my mother always told us not to harm spiders, as they were the most effective means of "disposing" of all the other insect life etc that was to be found inside houses! As an arachnophobe I have a fear they may dispose of me! OK I know that is silly, but I don't like spiders. There have been more (and larger) ones in my house this year than the last couple of years (or at least those I know of, or knew of and then caught and threw out). I've heard that conkers can keep spiders away but I've never tried it. I shall have to look at conker trees to see if they have no or few spiders compared to other tree types! PS. I'm probably wrong but conkers seem to be developing late this year. PPS. I wonder if kids still make figures using acorns? That was fun.

dogduke · Post by **dogduke** » Tue 14 Sep, 2010 11:56 pm

We used to grow acorns on top of the neck of old medicine bottlesfilled with water and the tops of carrots in a saucer of water.On a more 'refined'note later we used to suspend avacado stones on cocktail sticks over a bottle of water.

dogduke · Post by **dogduke** » Thu 16 Sep, 2010 2:20 pm

dogduke wrote: We used to grow acorns on top of the neck of old medicine bottlesfilled with water and the tops of carrots in a saucer of water.On a more 'refined'note later we used to suspend avacado stones on cocktail sticks over a bottle of water. We also used to grow mustard and cress on damp blotting paper.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Thu 16 Sep, 2010 3:01 pm

The talk of growing things triggered a vague memory I have as a child in the late 1940s to early 1950s of having bought for me small containers (a bit like yogurt cartons) to which you added water to grow pre-planted seeds. I think you could grow very small plants and also such things as cress. Innocent fun days.

Post by **chameleon** » Thu 16 Sep, 2010 3:36 pm

Leodian wrote: The talk of growing things triggered a vague memory I have as a child in the late 1940s to early 1950s of having bought for me small containers (a bit like yogurt cartons) to which you added water to grow pre-planted seeds. I think you could grow very small plants and also such things as cress. Innocent fun days. 'an carrot tops in a saucer of water

Arry Awk · Post by **Arry Awk** » Thu 16 Sep, 2010 4:24 pm

jim wrote: Lilysmum, my mother always told us not to harm spiders, as they were the most effective means of "disposing" of all the other insect life etc that was to be found inside houses! That's right Jim, My wife's dad (an old countryman!) alwayssaid ;"If you wish to live and thrive,Let a spider run Alive!"Personally, I always had trouble hitting the blighterswith conkers in a catapult!

jim · Post by **jim** » Thu 16 Sep, 2010 6:24 pm

You give me inspiration, 'Arry. I'm off to practice dropping conkers onto moving targets from a great 'eight!

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Thu 16 Sep, 2010 6:52 pm

jim wrote: You give me inspiration, 'Arry. I'm off to practice dropping conkers onto moving targets from a great 'eight! That will conkerete over them.

jim · Post by **jim** » Thu 16 Sep, 2010 7:10 pm

M.S. ........... Mutley Snicker ( I'm afraid I don't LOL )