Posts Tagged ‘lawn mower’ < 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.
Gardening jobs for May
18th Apr:
Spring is officially and deeply present – at last! – and, perhaps even better, Summer is tangible and just around the corner. Everything is shooting into rapid growth, and blooming, or promising bursting displays of flowering glory. Relish and enjoy your garden and plants at this time of the year, and take delight in what you have – but also take note of spaces, and possibly failures, that can still be rectified in time for Summer. Evenings are warm and light, mornings are bright and cheerful, and the best is still yet to come!
It’s not all about the relaxation and an easy-life though (unless you employ us to take care of your garden – in which case it most definitely is!)…
1) Weeds are on the rampage, and must be kept at bay before they shed their cursed seed and run wild throughout the Summer. Glyphosate based herbicides are highly effective, and very efficient, and aren’t too damaging for the soil if used correctly. Good old-fashioned hoeing and hand-weeding are still to be put into practise though, and mulching is an excellent way to suppress the weeds from their advance, as well as conserving moisture in the soil. Speaking of which…
2) Watering is important at this time of year, despite occasional showers. If you haven’t done so already – then get those irrigation systems up and running again, or install them. Or, better yet – let us take care of that for you! An efficient and effective irrigation system works wonders, and require very little in the way of maintenance or care, if installed and managed professionally.
3) Planting, planting, planting – get more plants into those gaps and spaces while there is still time, before the hot and dry Summer months. Perennials are excellent ‘gap fillers’, and insightful selection can ensure guaranteed results over the Summer and Autumn.
4) Clip those hedges! Or, again, let us do this for you! Most hedges are cut in late Summer, but fast-growing or ornamental hedges that are meant to keep their shape should be cut now – especially Box.
5) Pestering pests must be gotten on top of. Spray all Roses, Clematis, and anything else that is susceptible – even the super tough Box can be plagued with whitefly in the Summer if left unchecked. Organic pesticides are widely available, and quite often they are just as effective as the non-organic choice. Slug pellets are important at this time of year, with all that soft, tasty, leafy growth that is available to them.
6) Bedding plants for Summer displays should be planted now to get the absolute maximum pleasure from them. Plant up window boxes or pots, and be bold – there is so much on offer at this time of year. Geraniums, Pansies and Petunias are all good – please don’t get me wrong – but how about Bacopa, Diascia, Dahliettas, Thunbergia (Black-eyed Susan), Lantana, Heliotrope, Felicia…
7) Lawns, mow them, water them, feed them, weed them – or simply enjoy them, and let us do the hard work! Feeding and weeding programs applied now will reap dividends for the Summer, as well as the occasional thorough soaking to promote healthy and strong growth, and root development.
8) Painting – if it’s dry and warm, then now is the time to apply a fresh coat of paint to that tired-look wall, or stain the decking, or seal the paving, or oil the furniture, or pain the shed etc… Have a look – there are bound to be some areas of your garden that could be brought back to life simply with a new coat of paint or varnish, do it before it’s an eyesore in the Summer when you’re out there every day.
9) Feeding – it’s not too late to apply slow release fertilisers, if you haven’t already done so. This can also be done by mulching with well-rotted manure, which will also act as a weed barrier and retainer of soil moisture. Combine both mulching and feeding for the very best results and remember – what you invest now, will pay you back bountifully come the Summer.
10) Finally, enjoy your garden! Get out there, whether at weekends with your children, or partners, or on your own with a good book and glass of plonk, but just don’t leave it for the weekend – get out in the evening after work, or after a long day. Gardens are to be enjoyed and relished, they are there for you to relax and unwind in, so do so, as often and as much as you can. City gardens are havens of peace and beauty that recharge your batteries from the draining effects of whatever else is going on around you. For us, it’s work; but for you, it’s pleasure!
February Garden News and Tips
5th Feb:
Welcome to the latest news and tips from the garden maintenace team. Winter seems to be never ending at the moment and I think everyone is now in need of warm weather and some sunshine, including our gardens.
Anyway here at Harrington Porter we are looking forward to the year ahead and below we have listed a few things to do during the month of February in order to help prepare your garden for what hopefully will be a lovely long hot summer.
- Prune any summer flowering shrubs
- Tie in wall trained fruit trees and bushes
- Finish pruning fruit trees
- Dig any unworked vacant ground
- Keep off lawns in frosty weather
- Ensure that the mower is serviced
- Spike lawns to aid drainage
- Provide food and water for garden birds
- Prune back your Wisteria
This year we are trying to encourage more of our clients to think about their gardens earlier in the year, so any maintenance work booked in during February will get a 20% discount on the labour costs. If you have any questions that you want answered by our maintenance team please get in contact and I’m sure we will be able to help you out.
