Your Questions About Gardening

What are some of your favourite quotes?

Here are some of mine (:
– Hate is easy, love takes courage.
– Its a beautiful day, now watch some idiot screw it up.
– True love never dies.
– Do what makes you happy, be who with makes you smile, laugh as much as your breath,
and love as long as you live.
– When you run from something it only stays with you longer. If you fight something, it only makes you stronger.

How did people fertilize lawns , plants before chemical fertilizers?

I am imagining they probably threw out a thin layer of sifted cow manure on the lawn?? as well as around plants?

anyone know for sure?

how often and frequently did people do this?

and what about broadleaf weeds in the lawn?

Thanks for your answers!
Does anyone know when people began to really use chemical fertilizers and herbicides?
What did they use for pre-emergent ?

How can i tell my mum she is asking too much of me? I feel worn out?

I am a 16 year old boy and i live with my mum, and my little sister who is 10. From as young as i can remember my mum has always had a depression. As a result it has always been hard for me, and difficult to understand why i was different. I don’t stay with my dad so that just left my mum. From around 8 years old to 12, i used to misbehave and looking back now i think i underlying had behavioral issues. It was hard for me as i would see all my friends and their mums and dads go to the park and get taken places while my mum would never take me anywhere. I had to become mature early and go to the shops for my mum and help around alot. This mean’t i was deprived of my childhood, but i made a choice, and that was to stick by my mum and help wherever i can.

6 months ago my mum became really ill and was in the hospital for 3 months. She had septicemia and had major liver issues, she was really lucky to make it alive if i am honest and at one point i thought i would loose her. She came out the hospital and was told that she need’s to take it easy for the good part of 3 years at least. Before she was in hospital for 3 months she was in university, but she was told that all that had to stop and she had to look after herself and focus on her health. I was so grateful that my mum made it and even like 7 months on she has made an amazing recovery. The problem is i think my mum is starting to take advantage and push her luck a little. I am used to letting my mother get away with things and mood swings ect because i have always known she is depressed and at the end of the day i have to be a lot more mature about the situation. My mum has made an amazing recovery, she is back to normal in the sense that she is physically able to do things around the house and drive short distances, but just not physically able to take a job or go to uni. Basically i have my exams in 1-2 months and i am busy trying to juggle school and making my mum happy but i think she is pushing it. Like when she cooks dinner she turns off the cooker and goes to sit down and calls me from my room and tells me to come down and serve her, and she nags me to do it as if it is urgent, and because i don’t want any conflict i just do it.

Another instance is when she wakes up she goes to sit down and tells me to make her a cup of tea, now your probably thinking i am being petty, but i am not. This week i have gone shopping twice for my mother, i went to get her forms signed for a few things and i have done this 3 days this week. Not only this but i hoover the stairs, i mop the living room and i hoover the kitchen and clean up the garden too. But i feel angry when my mum takes advantage of it, she is more than capable of serving herself but its like she doesn’t want to she just makes me do it. This morning i was revising and she said “why are you not doing the dishes?” i said “Because i am busy revising” and you could see she got angry, but it’s not as if i do the dishes anyway i mean that’s what she usually does. Its to the point my friends have noticed that my mums always wanting me to do things, its like shes so strict and never gives me any space. Whenever i am in my room she always says “why don’t you come down to spend time with me”. I am 16 years old and i need my space as well as revision time for my exams, it’s as if she can’t comprehend that. Before my mum got ill, when she was healthy and not ill she always used to make me serve her dinner, one time i stood up for myself and said “do you think its fair that you call me from my room to serve you when your capable of doing it yourself” and she took an immature mood swing. I basically want a way of telling my mum to stop asking too much of me, i am only 16 and if i take too much on my plate i will brakedown.

My question is, how can i tell my mum she is being rather unreasonable without hurting her feelings, i mean whenever i tell her about something i am unhappy about regarding herself she always goes in a mood, i basically want to tell her how i feel because i don’t think she understands. I have no family that can help to speak on my behalf. Also talking to someone in my school would really be the last thing i would ever do. I like my personal life and don’t like sharing it with others. I would want to tell my mum this myself. I don’t think i can bring myself to tell a gp or a doctor. Like honestly, i really can’t tell anyone, i want this matter dealt with internally, i don’t need someone to fight my corner, i am a capable indipendant 16 year old and i just want a way of telling my mum this without hurting her feelings.

I basically want to tell her that she needs to do what she can for herself (ie serving herself) and also give my my space (she always moans that i am spending too much time alone and i never know how to argue my case). Thanks alot, 10 points for best answer!