Posts Tagged ‘compost’ < back
Mowing Tips
28th Jun:
Firstly and most importantly choose the correct lawn mower for your lawn. Cylinder mowers are only really suitable for perfectly flat lawns with finer grass types. Consider whether you want stripes (in which case best results come with some sort of roller) whether there are hard to reach or sloping areas (use a lighter fly-mow) or if you need the mower to collect cuttings too.
Make sure your mower is serviced regularly and that the blades are as sharp as possible which will ensure a better cut. Do not cut your lawn too low.
Whenever you fill your mower with petrol, never do this on the actual grass as petrol burns grass.
Don’t cut your lawn too short (min 1 inch). Cutting your lawn too short can encourage lawn diseases, moss and weed growth. Also never cut more than a third of the height at any one time. If you do, it can cause scalping which can take 2-3 mowing cycles to recover.
Also try to remove any clippings from the lawn as this can encourage thatch which means moss will thrive.
Cut your lawn frequently as this encourages it to grow thicker which keeps out the weeds.
Don’t mow the lawn when it is wet as this can cause the soil to be compacted which suffocates the roots and causes bald patches.
Keep your edges nice and neat by using either a half moon edging tool or even installing an edging product such as EverEdge.
If conditions are very dry and the lawn is looking brown, try to keep off the lawn as much as possible as the grass will be dry and brittle and liable to break. Do not cut shorter than 2 inches and do not cut again until there is a sign of growth.
When watering, don’t overwater by watering every day. In the summer every 2-3 days should be enough. Water the lawn early in the morning or during the later part of the day when evaporation is at its lowest. An irrigation system is always a good idea.
Watering deeply will encourage deep root growth.
Aerate your lawn, using a fork on the smaller lawns and specialist machines (that can be hired) on the larger lawns.
Once this is done, scarifiy your grass, again using a hand rake on smaller areas and machines on the larger lawns. These jobs can be done in either order.
Next is the grass seed. On a small lawn scatter it by hand thinly. Careful not to be too generous at the start and run out before all the area is covered. Then using a stiff brush gently ‘encourage’ the seed down the holes as much as possible.
Next apply a top dressing, which is a mixture of compost and wash sand which helps improve drainage and fertility of the soil. Using a soft rake, gently spread the topdressing into the grass.
Feed your lawn regularly with an appropriate lawn fertiliser. This will make it greener and thicker, and helps return nutrients to the soil.
Autumn Gardening Tips
13th Oct:
1. Give your garden a good tidy up to reduce the risk of disease and garden bugs.
2. Planting for next year. Now is the perfect time for planting spring bulbs and transplanting shrubs and dividing of existing perennials.
3. Lawn care. Reduce the amount of mowing, raise height of cut, scarify and treat lawn. Don’t forget to water if still dry.
4. Taking care of your garden furniture. Take it inside if possible or cover up allowing air to circulate around it. Clean before storing and if wooden, treat with a preservative.
5. Get that compost going. Use the green waste you collected to begin the composting process for the next year.
6. Autumn Planting. Introduce some autumn colour into your garden with seasonal window boxes and hanging baskets. As well as the most afforable way to plant up your garden – bulbs!
7. Don’t forget to keep watering your lawn and garden if still dry.
8. If planning any hard landscaping, paving, walls, fencing or decking, now is the time, so it is completed in time for the following Spring.
9. Remember all the garden maintenance work you put in this autumn will benefit you when Spring comes around next year.
