lawn care - LJN Blog Posts - Landscape Juice Network2024-03-28T08:49:41Zhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/lawn%2BcareThis lawn has a SERIOUS PROBLEM that could destroy ithttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/this-lawn-has-a-serious-problem-that-could-destroy-it2022-07-24T17:19:32.000Z2022-07-24T17:19:32.000ZRobbiehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/Robbie<div><p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZlLdA7WWwhw" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p></div>Pocket money job sowed the seeds of success for award-winning young entrepreneurhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/pocket-money-job-sowed-the-seeds-of-success-for-award-winning-you2022-04-15T06:58:07.000Z2022-04-15T06:58:07.000ZJack Chapmanhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/JackChapman<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/10390647286?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p><strong>The grass definitely is always greener for a Kingsbury entrepreneur who has turned his pocket money hobby into a successful award-winning business.</strong></p><p>The seeds were sown for <a href="http://www.kingsburylawncare.co.uk/" target="_blank">Kingsbury Lawn Care</a> when 28-year-old Jack Chapman was just fifteen years old and mowing lawns in the North Warwickshire village. Now he employs three members of staff, specialising in lawn treatments and renovations at almost 900 homes across much of the West Midlands.</p><p>Kingsbury Lawn Care's success has just been rewarded with a top accolade at the West Midlands Federation of Small Businesses Awards.</p><p>Competition was tough for the Micro Business of the Year title, which celebrates small enterprises with fewer than 10 employees who are 'punching above their weight'.</p><p>Judges were looking for businesses which have demonstrated strong revenue growth and a product or service that stands out for its high quality.</p><p>As winners of the regional final, <a href="http://www.kingsburylawncare.co.uk/" target="_blank">Kingsbury Lawn Care</a> will be heading to Glasgow for the UK finals in May.</p><p>This latest gong builds on a previous history of award success for Kingsbury Lawn Care, which won Trades Business of the Year in both the 2018 and 2019 Tamworth Business and Community Awards, and became a Theo Paphitis Small Business Sunday winner in 2020.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.kingsburylawncare.co.uk" target="_blank"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10390649878,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10390649878?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="710" /></a></p><p><strong>"Remarkable that our team of four have propelled us to this"</strong></p><p>Delighted, Jack said: "We're over the moon with this result. With five impressive finalists in the Micro Business category, including businesses double our size, we did not expect to be getting called up to the stage to accept the first award of the afternoon at the FSB Awards held at the Forest of Arden Hotel and Country Club.</p><p>"Being recognised at the Tamworth Business and Community Awards pre-pandemic was brilliant for our business. To now be taking this beyond just trades businesses and from a local to a regional, and now a national level, has been a lot to take in over the last two days. It is remarkable that our team of four have propelled us to this. We are incredibly excited for what the next few weeks and months have in store for us."</p><p><strong>Sowing the seeds for success</strong></p><p>While Jack confesses that he loves what he does so much it doesn't feel like a chore, there's definitely a lot of hard work paying off.</p><p>It all began with Jack mowing his lawn at home using a push lawnmower for a bit of pocket money. He enjoyed being outdoors and posted flyers around the village of Kingsbury to expand his operations. He soon had 20 customers, before he was even able to drive. He then went to Loughborough University to study Sport Management with a placement year in the middle.</p><p>A little frustrated at the time-consuming nature of applying for placement roles, Jack instead presented a 13-page business plan he already had on his laptop to start his own venture - and Kingsbury Lawn Care was born.</p><p>Twenty customers became 60, the degree was deferred for a year, and Jack studied for a Diploma in Turf Surface Management with the Grounds Maintenance Association so he could refocus the business on becoming lawn care specialists.</p><p>When it was time to return to university, Jack took on his first employees so he could keep building the business while studying. Since then, the business has continued to grow rapidly.</p><p>Jack said: "Last year started with the business running as a two-van operation, with part-time office help from my mum, Lisa, and finished with us running three vans as a team of four. We will need to recruit an additional lawn technician and a further vehicle within the next 12 months."</p><p>As well as growing and developing his own business, Jack also supports the wider lawn care industry. In 2015, he joined the <a href="https://www.uklawncare.net/" target="_blank">UK Lawn Care Association</a> which gave him his first insight into the professional lawn treatment market. In 2019, he became the association's youngest elected committee member.</p><p><strong>Going for growth</strong></p><p>Jack said: "The business has more than doubled in size over the past two years and we anticipate serving the needs of over 1000 domestic properties in the near future. Looking after your lawn isn't as expensive as people might think. It can be as little as £125 per year for the smallest lawns.</p><p>"Simply, I love what I do. The variety that being a small business owner brings is an enjoyable challenge that I thrive on. I feel lucky that I relish Monday mornings."</p><p>While admitting it took a lot of confidence taking on employees in his early to mid-20s, Jack is incredibly <a href="https://kingsburylawncare.co.uk/our-team" target="_blank">proud of the team</a> he is building.</p><p>"It's not just about me anymore, I have three team members to look out for too. It's all well and good as a sole trader creating a living for yourself."</p><p>"However, it becomes really special when others are believing in your vision, and you manage to attract and retain, and train talented people. We're building our own little business family. The volume of 5-star reviews that we have achieved over the last two years in particular is no accident. It has to be a collective effort and I'm incredibly grateful to each individual team member and the magic touches they bring," Jack added.</p><p><a href="https://kingsburylawncare.co.uk/lawn-care-treatment-programme" target="_blank"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10390656285,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10390656285?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="710" /></a></p></div>My Top 3 TIPS for an AMAZING lawn this summer | Lawn care tips for Julyhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/my-top-3-tips-for-an-amazing-lawn-this-summer-lawn-care-tips-for-2021-07-16T18:09:27.000Z2021-07-16T18:09:27.000ZRobbiehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/Robbie<div><p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VCNNGBeTsRA" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p></div>Another winter over and its time to consider the grass/lawn again....https://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/another-winter-over-and-its-time-to-consider-the-grass-lawn-again2021-03-10T20:47:34.000Z2021-03-10T20:47:34.000ZAdam Pilgrimhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/AdamPilgrim<div><p>At the time of writing - Mid March 2021 - many, many people will have already given their grass its first cut of the year....</p><p>However, perhaps you haven't or can't or don't have suitable machinery?</p><p>Perhaps your lawn is such a long, unkempt, ugly, weed and moss infested mess that you just don't know WHAT to do first?</p><p>Here at South Lincs Grass Care (a trading name of ANP Services Spalding Ltd), we offer a full range of lawn and grass care services, from maintaining a top class domestic lawn to flail mowing a wildflower meadow, we have the tools, equipment and knowledge to help you out.</p><p>After a decade in the industry, we are proud to say that many of our current customers have been with us since our start in 2011.</p><p>Year on year we have built on our knowledge, equipment and expertise to deal with everything from a few annoying dandelions to sowing a new lawn from seed.</p><p>Possessing everything in-house from a simple lawnmower to a custom built tractor mounted seed drill, we aim to cover all bases with a reliable, professional service.</p><p>As an independent contractor we are not tied to any manufacturers products and won't try to talk you into any unncessary work.</p><p>If you need help with your grass or lawn, wheter your property is domestic or commercial, give us a call to discuss options as to how we can help you.</p><p><strong>Office - Monday to Friday 9-5 - 01775 830250 or mobile (office hours only) - 07745 247488</strong></p><p><strong>Email - anytime - anpservicesspalding@yahoo.co.uk</strong></p></div>20 Years and Counting!https://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/20-years-and-counting2021-03-10T16:34:19.000Z2021-03-10T16:34:19.000ZRichard Taylorhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/RICHARDTAYLOR398<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8653171297?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>It feels like we’re all finally coming out of a long winter that included much of 2020! Now it’s time to celebrate that fresh feeling of spring, with 20 years under our belt and looking forward to 20 more!</p><p>From humble beginnings with a summerhouse office at the bottom of the garden and a small workshop, to a very workable farm-based premises, 20 staff and the appointment of a Royal Warrant in 2018.</p><p>MD, Richard Taylor had the drive, belief and vision from day one to grow a business with customer service and a range of innovative, reliable products at the core. “At the tender age of 19 I learnt that delivering what your customers want and need is really important and that certainly helped me to build RT Machinery.”</p><p>“It’s always been about going the extra mile and that’s as true today as when we started, not forgetting that the ethos has to run throughout the whole team to ensure we look after every customer.”</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8653093474,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8653093474,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="8653093474?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a>“It’s also been important for me <span style="text-decoration:line-through;">t</span>o have family involved along the way - three generations with a fourth lining up in the background! Between them and the fantastic “family” team we have in place, we’ve been able to generate growth with enthusiasm, education and investment for the future.” </p><p>“One more vital ingredient has been the whole idea of sustainability, which has grown beyond our original vision in 2001 of seeking out new technologies and products that work within our environment sympathetically. Today that focus spreads to every area of our business, from the recycling of waste, to efficient use of resources and a genuine will to keep improving our contribution to the sustainability of our planet. We still have a long, long way to go!” </p><p>There have been a good number of awards over the years and we are over the moon to place our Royal Warrant amongst them. Serving the Royal Household and Her Majesty the Queen since we began in 2001 has always been a privilege and a pleasure.</p><p>Whilst we can’t celebrate in the traditional way right now, we intend to mark this year in other ways, embarking on new initiatives that celebrate how we got to where we are today, including development of our operations, training and an environmental focus, amongst other things:</p><ul><li>Early Learning Day on the Farm<br />We’re looking forward to hosting this day for children here on the farm, when they can get close to some of the animals that live here and find out what’s important for their wellbeing.</li><li>Reuse and Recycle - IT Tech<br /><a href="https://turingtrust.co.uk" target="_blank">The Turing Trust</a>, started by the family of Alan Turing, refurbishes IT equipment, installs a range of educational software and provides it to those who need it most. This year we will be donating all of our eligible computers, smart phones and more to this fantastic charity. Use and reuse starts at home and in our day-to-day.</li><li>Reuse and Recycle - Batteries<br />Whilst we are already recycling batteries as they come through our workshop, this year we plan to go further by launching as a Battery Recycling Centre for lithium power tools and equipment. We will be happy to take in batteries from tools that we have supplied, as well as batteries from UTV’s , mowers and tractors. All the batteries we receive will be recycled responsibly.</li><li>Re-energise Program<br />With the goal of improving our energy footprint we are replacing our heating and lighting with low energy alternatives. We are also surveying how we can implement solar power and water recycling into our business. Vehicles and transport are also under review, with changes in how we manage emissions and energy use, as well as the launch of our vehicles division with municipal electric vehicles and crew vehicles as part of the package.</li></ul><p>Of course we hope that we can enjoy some more traditional celebrations later in the year, especially with our annual RTM Show on 8th September. Until then, we are focused on what we can do, and in particular how we can continue to support those businesses and services that need our help coming out the other side of the pandemic.</p><p>The batteries are as energised today as they were 20 years ago and with a shared vision and drive in the team, this is indeed a proud moment and we’re looking forward to the next twenty!</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8653101664,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8653101664,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="350" alt="8653101664?profile=RESIZE_400x" /></a><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8653101890,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8653101890,RESIZE_400x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="350" alt="8653101890?profile=RESIZE_400x" /></a> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><div> </div><div>These images are a great reminder of where we've come from and where we're going to. An old Etesia Hydro 100 from around the time the business started and still going strong, in front of one of our modern vans promoting robotic mowers - both great products! And then one of a newly built Iseki TXGS24 Compact Tractor with one of our apprentices, Dan Cox in the driving seat. Young blood that's the future of the business!</div><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p></div>4 Things you can do for your lawn this Autumn or fall | How to get a the most from your lawnhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/4-things-you-can-do-for-your-lawn-this-autumn-or-fall-how-to-get-2020-08-28T12:21:48.000Z2020-08-28T12:21:48.000ZRobbiehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/Robbie<div><p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sNbtZJuB0ZI" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p></div>How to treat dog urine spots on grass | before and afterhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/how-to-treat-dog-urine-spots-on-grass-before-and-after2020-06-20T08:49:27.000Z2020-06-20T08:49:27.000ZRobbiehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/Robbie<div><p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OredQjvlrOw" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p></div>Moss removal from a small lawn - HOW TOhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/moss-removal-from-a-small-lawn-how-to2019-09-29T12:08:34.000Z2019-09-29T12:08:34.000ZRobbiehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/Robbie<div><p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EgNh_aD-hRc" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p></div>Autumn lawn care tips for the PERFECT lawnhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/autumn-lawn-care-tips-for-the-perfect-lawn2019-09-08T19:41:42.000Z2019-09-08T19:41:42.000ZRobbiehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/Robbie<div><p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C7TV9gPahiw" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p></div>Scarify and aerate a large lawnhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/scarify-and-aerate-a-large-lawn2019-04-26T23:00:06.000Z2019-04-26T23:00:06.000ZRobbiehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/Robbie<div><p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">My latest video blog on scarifying and aerating a large lawn</span> <br/> <br/> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HnXaIjI-WaA?wmode=opaque" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><span class="font-size-4"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCatgfCe7ywHXZXspps6JQbQ?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">Subscribe to my YouTube channel</a></span></div>How to prepare your lawn for summerhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/how-to-prepare-your-lawn-for-summer2019-03-04T00:02:53.000Z2019-03-04T00:02:53.000ZRobbiehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/Robbie<div><p> </p><p style="text-align: left;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7oPVpsPgnuk?wmode=opaque" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p>If you want your lawn to look fabulous this summer, work needs to start in early spring. Here are our top tips on how to prepare your lawn for summer.</p><li>Tackle moss infestations</li><li>Aerate the soil</li><li>Scarify to get rid of dead matter</li><li>Give your lawn a good feed</li><li>Have a sensible mowing regime</li><p>Read my latest blog to learn more – <a href="https://premierlawns.co.uk/how-to-prepare-your-lawn-for-summer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to prepare your lawn for summer</a></p><span class="font-size-4"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCatgfCe7ywHXZXspps6JQbQ?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">Subscribe to my YouTube channel</a></span></div>ANP Services Spalding Ltd - lawn care and grass care providers in Lincolnshirehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/anp-services-spalding-ltd-lawn-care-and-grass-care-providers-in-l2019-02-21T19:44:34.000Z2019-02-21T19:44:34.000ZAdam Pilgrimhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/AdamPilgrim<div><p>Under the trading banner of South Lincs Grass Care, ANP Services Spalding Ltd provide standalone lawn and grass care services right across the turf management sector as well as our complete garden and grounds maintenance services.</p><p>From weed and moss control, scarifying, aerating or mowing domestic lawns at residential properties, through mowing multiple acres on contract to parish councils and industrial sites, to maintaining equestrian horse paddocks, we can do it all, in house, with our own staff and own equipment.</p><p>We are an established, independent company and have a wide fleet of grass and turf care machinery at our disposal from pedestrian mowers right up to tractor mounted mowers.</p><p>We have experience of grass and turf care in many different scenarios and locations.</p><p>Wheter you have a weedy and mossy front lawn, a poached and lumpy paddock or five acres of grass to be kept neat and tidy, we can help.</p><p>We can also carry out subcontract works where required.</p><p>From our strategic base near Spalding, Lincs we operate over a varying radius (up to 20 miles depending on the works required).</p><p>If you need some help looking after your lawns, paddocks or commercial green space, call us first.</p><p>Email us at anpservicesspalding@yahoo.co.uk or info@lawncarespalding.co.uk or call us direct on 01775 830250.</p></div>What to charge for garden services and maintenance ukhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/what-to-charge-for-garden-services-and-maintenance-uk2019-01-25T21:44:17.000Z2019-01-25T21:44:17.000ZRobbiehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/Robbie<div><p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G3gaU9YK4kM?wmode=opaque" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://youtu.be/G3gaU9YK4kM">https://youtu.be/G3gaU9YK4kM</a><p>In this video, I will be discussing a survival figure, overhead costs, billable and unbillable hours, the pros and cons of fixed pricing versus an hourly rate.</p><p>How to determine your hourly rate and correct it.</p><p><br/> This information has been gathered from my past history and some of the information can also be found here at the Landscape Juice.</p><span class="font-size-4"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCatgfCe7ywHXZXspps6JQbQ?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">Subscribe to my YouTube channel</a></span></div>Can I cut my lawn in the Winterhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/can-i-cut-my-lawn-in-the-winter2019-01-04T12:40:30.000Z2019-01-04T12:40:30.000ZRobbiehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/Robbie<div><p><strong>Can I cut my lawn in winter?</strong><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/650775247?profile=RESIZE_710x" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="align-right" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/650775247?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="351" height="234"/></a></p><p> </p><p>I’m writing this in early December when wintery weather and dark evenings tend to keep folks indoors a lot more. Grass will continue to grow all year round if weather conditions are right, at the moment the ground is still warm above 5°C and the lawns are continuing to grow. At this time of year lawns tend to take second place to Christmas preparations. The lack of attention sometimes leaves lawns looking less neat than usual and clients often ask me “can I cut my lawn in winter? Here’s my advice</p><h2>Rules for winter lawn mowing</h2><p>Absolutely, yes! You can cut your lawn in winter. But there are a few common sense rules to stick to.</p><h3><strong>1: Avoid mowing your lawn when the ground is wet</strong></h3><p>Soggy soil is very vulnerable to compaction – especially if it’s typical of the clay soils found around Belfast. Healthy soil consists of millions of tiny particles of rock, minerals and organic matter. It’s home to lots of tiny organisms who help plants to thrive. Between the particles are spaces filled with air. Those spaces are crucial for the health of your soil. They allow water, air and nutrients to all of the living things in the soil – including the roots of your lawn grasses.</p><p>When you walk on wet soil, you squeeze the particles closer together and make it more difficult for essential elements to circulate.</p><p>Clay soil has smaller, stickier particles than sandy or chalky soil. When they are squished together, they stick to each other. That means that the air spaces disappear and don’t bounce back until your friendly lawn care man aerates your lawn in spring. Consequently, your lawn grasses will be getting less of the things it needs.</p><p>If your lawn needs mowing in winter, wait until we’ve had at least a couple of days without rain.</p><p>Grass will continue to grow all year round if weather conditions are right, at the moment as we have had very little frost and the ground is still warm above 5°C and the lawns are continuing to grow.</p><h3><strong>2: Remove every last piece of debris</strong></h3><p><img class="aligncenter wp-image-1225 size-full" src="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/twigs_on_lawn.jpg"/></p><p>While you are walking over the lawn to pick up leaves, twigs, dog poo and anything else that might be sitting on your lawn, you’ll be able to assess if the soil is dry enough for mowing. (see point 1). If you can feel your feet sinking slightly every time you take a step – leave the mower in the shed for another day.</p><p><em>Lawn debris needs to be removed even if it is too wet to mow. Worm casts can be left to dry and then brushed off with a stiff broom</em></p><h3><strong>3: Frosty weather</strong></h3><p>Frost puts a sparkle on the lawn and shows up every single piece of stray grass. BUT walking on your lawn when it is frozen will do untold damage.</p><p><img class="aligncenter wp-image-2053 size-large" src="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/lawn-footprints-683x1024.jpg" width="449" height="673"/></p><p style="text-align: center;"><em>Frozen grass doesn’t spring back when walked on and footprints can remain for a very long time</em></p><p>Each blade of grass is make up of trillions of individual cells. Each cell contains tiny vital organs that are floated in water for protection. Now, left to its own devices, grass is remarkably frost tolerant. The water in the cells freezes and then it thaws. The plant is not affected.</p><p>Now picture each cell as a water balloon. It’s normally quite flexible but when it’s subjected to gentle pressure it will change shape. If the water inside it is frozen, the smallest tap on the cell surface will send violent shock waves through the ice. Those shock waves will potentially damage the vital organs that are dormant inside the ice. If that happens, the cell will die. When lots of cells are affected the whole leaf will die and turn brown.</p><p>Which is why, walking on the grass when it is frozen will leave visible brown footprints on the lawn when it thaws.</p><h3><strong>4: Be careful not to scalp your lawn</strong></h3><p>If you need to cut your lawn in winter, please raise the cutting blade a little higher than usual. NEVER remove more than one third of the grass blades in one go. Remember that the leaves on a grass plant are there to harvest energy from the sun and keep the plant alive. Winter days are short and the sun’s rays are weak. The larger the surface area of a plant’s leaves, the more sunshine it can harvest. So for winter lawns, longer is better. For a ryegrass mix lawn, I recommend a cutting height of no less than 4-5cm.</p><h3><strong>5: Remove all cuttings</strong></h3><p>Going back to point 4 – it’s important that your lawn is exposed to as much sunlight as possible. If you were to leave clippings on the surface they would block that light. Plus, wet clippings sitting on a winter lawn are the ideal breeding ground for diseases such as fusarium patch.</p><h3><strong>6: Replace lost nutrients with a winter lawn feed</strong></h3><p><a href="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/lawn-feed/" rel="nofollow">More about seasonal lawn treatments in this blogpost</a>.</p><h2>To summarise: Can you cut your lawn in winter?</h2><p>Yes you can mow your lawn in winter, just be sure to</p><ul><li>Avoid mowing when the soil is wet</li><li>Keep off the lawn when it’s frozen</li><li>Raise the mower blades and don’t scalp the grass</li><li>Remove all clippings</li><li>If at all unsure, ask a lawncare professional to help. They usually have mowers that can cope with longer or wet grass.</li></ul><p><a href="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/contact-us/" rel="nofollow">Contact Premier Lawns NI for help with winter lawn care</a></p><p><a href="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/contact-us/" rel="nofollow">Book your spring lawn renovations</a></p></div>Caring for your newly renovated lawnhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/caring-for-your-newly-renovated-lawn2018-05-07T09:18:00.000Z2018-05-07T09:18:00.000ZRobbiehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/Robbie<div><p> </p><p><em>Imagine that you have recently had major surgery. To help you recover you will need good food, plenty of water and lots of resting. Once recovered, you will be looking and feeling better than ever. It’s the same for your newly renovated lawn. It can’t speak to tell you what it needs, but after 25+ years of training and experience, <a href="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/about-premier-lawns/" rel="noopener">Robbie Lynn</a> from Premier Lawns definitely knows what will bring the quickest and best recovery.</em></p><p> </p><h2>Water your newly renovated lawn every day</h2><p>Just as a convalescent person needs to be kept well hydrated, your lawn must be kept well-watered whilst recovering from renovation works.</p><p>Plants cannot absorb nutrients from the soil unless those nutrients are dissolved in water first. If the soil is dry the plants will be hungry and thirsty and all of that renovation work will have been in vain.</p><p><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1827" src="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/watering-lawn-1024x324.jpg" alt="watering newly renovated lawn" width="640" height="203"/></p><p style="text-align: center;"><em>It is essential that your newly renovated lawn is watered daily until the plants perk up and any new seed is growing strongly</em></p><p>DO NOT ASSUME THAT RAIN IS ENOUGH. Your lawn needs at least 5mm of water every single day until the plants have recovered and all new seed has germinated. If the soil is allowed to dry out, the plants will die and it will take much longer for your lawn to look as good as you want it to.</p><p>For best results, water in the evening and use either a sprinkler or a hosepipe with a rose attachment. Water daily until the seed has germinated and the new plants are at least 5cm tall.</p><h2>Keep Off the Grass!</h2><p>The grass plants in your lawn have had their roots and leaves disturbed to stimulate new growth. You may also have had grass seed added to speed up the process.</p><p>Right now, all that soft and tender new growth is vulnerable to bruising and needs time to build strength.</p><p>In 3-4 weeks-time your lawn will be able to cope with light traffic. In the meantime, please keep off the grass.</p><h2>Protect seeds from birds</h2><p>Overseeding your lawn leaves lots of delicious looking grass seeds on or near the surface of the soil. Be prepared to find ways to stop the birds from eating every last one of them before they germinate. You’ll find ideas for home-made bird scarers on the internet.</p><h2>Mowing</h2><p>After renovation, wait until the grass is 7-8cm tall before you cut it. Choose a nice sunny day when the grass is dry and there is no risk of frost. Make sure your mower blades are spotlessly clean and very sharp. Blunt blades rip at the grass and leave ragged edges that can get infected (yes, the grass gets diseases too).</p><p><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1828" src="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/mowing-newly-renovated-lawn-1024x341.jpg" alt="newly renovated lawn mowing" width="640" height="213"/></p><p>Put the grass box on and set the blades nice and high. To scalp, the lawn at this stage could be fatal. Aim to remove about 25% of the length.</p><p>For the first cut, mow once, and then mow again at 90 degrees to the first cut. This will make sure that most of the grass blades have their tips nipped off. That’s important because it will stimulate new growth.</p><p>Wait at least 3-4 days before the next cut. For the next 6 months or so it’s important to never remove more than 25% of the grass blades at each cut. If you are not able to mow little and often, think about asking Premier Lawns NI to help.</p><p> </p><h2>Troubleshooting</h2><h3><em>What’s normal and what’s not</em></h3><p>It’s normal for your newly renovated lawn to look brown and sparse to begin with. You should be able to see new growth within 14 days – weather permitting. In cold weather, you’ll not see much change until the soil starts to warm up.</p><p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1183" src="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/8_top_dressed_with_soil_and_reseeded.jpg" alt="top dressed with soil and reseeded" width="640" height="480"/></p><p style="text-align: center;"><em>This Belfast lawn has been scarified, to remove moss then topdressed and overseeded.</em></p><p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1184" src="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/1_month_later.jpg" alt="1 month later" width="640" height="480"/></p><p style="text-align: center;"><em>One month later. The seed has germinated and is growing strongly. What was once a mossy patch of ground is well on it’s way to being a premier lawn</em></p><p> </p><p>It’s normal for seed germination to be a little bit patchy sometimes. Seeds germinate at different times according to the grass species and the microclimate. Don’t worry – keep it well watered and growth will catch up within a couple of weeks.</p><p>If new plants appear floppy and lay flat on the ground, something is wrong. Check the soil. If it is dry – water it ASAP. When the soil has been watered very recently, is still damp and the plants look poorly, then ring Robbie for advice.</p><p>If you can see areas of blackened grass that are evenly sized and regularly spaced – the plants may have been bruised. Has anyone walked across the lawn when it was either frozen or when seeds were just germinating? It should recover in time but it will look a bit odd for a couple of months.</p><p>Keep an eye out for signs of fungal infection, particularly after autumn renovations. Slimy deposits, small white globules, or patches of discoloured grass could be cause for concern. Phone Premier Lawns NI for advice.</p><h3><strong>Toadstools</strong></h3><p>It’s not unusual for toadstools to pop up in newly renovated or newly turfed lawns. Fungal spores lay dormant in the soil for a very long time and all those cultivations can sometimes stimulate them into growth. This is a natural phenomenon and is not permanent. More often than not, the toadstools will disappear once you start mowing regularly.</p><h2><strong>Contact Us</strong></h2><p>IF you are at all worried about your lawn’s recovery, please don’t hesitate to <a href="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/contact-us/" rel="nofollow">contact Premier Lawns</a> for advice.</p><h2>FREE aftercare advice sheet</h2><p>Download our FREE aftercare advice sheet <a href="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Premier-Lawns-2pp-A4-4-18.pdf" rel="nofollow">here</a></p><p> </p><h2>Helpful articles</h2><p><a href="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/how-to-revive-worn-out-lawn/" rel="nofollow">How to revive a worn out lawn</a></p><p><a href="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/lawn-feed/" rel="nofollow">When to feed your lawn</a></p></div>Lawn feed: The nutrients your lawn needs and when to applyhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/lawn-feed-the-nutrients-your-lawn-needs-and-when-to-apply2018-03-16T09:03:02.000Z2018-03-16T09:03:02.000ZRobbiehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/Robbie<div><p><strong>The nutrients your lawn needs and when to apply</strong></p><p> </p><p>In the world of plants and gardening, your lawn is the equivalent of a long distance runner. It has stamina, it takes a lot of wear and tear and it works hard. Just like an athlete, if it is poorly nourished performance will suffer. With the right lawn feed at the right times, you will get the best possible results all year round.</p><p> </p><h2><strong>Why does your lawn need feeding?</strong></h2><p>I don’t want to blind you with science, so I won’t go into great detail. Grass plants need nutrients to help them live, grow and stay healthy. Same as you and me. Only grass plants can’t nip to the shops to buy their food. They rely entirely on sunshine, soil and water for everything they need. If the soil doesn’t contain the <a href="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/the-guide-to-a-premier-lawn-part-one-nutrient-uptake/" rel="nofollow">right balance of nutrients</a>, the plants won’t thrive.</p><p><img class="size-large wp-image-832 aligncenter" src="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/DSC01366-premierlawns-1024x632.jpg" alt="garden regularly treated with lawn feed" width="640" height="395"/></p><p style="text-align: center;"><em>A well fed lawn has a strong plant population, nice even colour and texture and a vibrant healthy colour.<br/>This lawn in Belfast has regular applications of seasonal lawn feed supplemented twice a year with an organic seaweed tonic</em></p><p> </p><h2><strong>Maintaining the right balance of soil nutrients</strong></h2><p>It’s very easy to look at the grasses growing at the side of the road and conclude that if they look OK without any feed then so will your lawn. If you look closer at the wild grasses though, you’ll see that they’re not really what you would want in your garden. They often have broad, coarse leaves, the plants are spaced quite wide apart and some of them have a lumpy tufty sort of growth habit.</p><p>Lawn grasses on the other hand are fine leaved and closely spaced. That’s how they give you a nice even, velvety texture.</p><p>The way that plants look, behave and space themselves is mainly down to genetics and the balance of nutrients in the soil. There are also some external factors such as wear and tear, weather patterns, light levels and mowing regime.</p><p>Because a lawn consists of an unnaturally large number of plants per square metre and because we ask so much more of them, lawn grasses need a lot more nutrients than wild grasses. In the same way as a professional lawn care person like me, working hard all day outdoors in all weathers needs more bacon sandwiches than someone with a more sedentary lifestyle.</p><p>Wear and tear along with regular mowing, disrupts the natural balance between plants and soils. So it’s up to gardeners to do what they can to restore that balance. That means aeration, scarification and yes, you guessed it, feeding.</p><p><img class="size-full wp-image-1239 aligncenter" src="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/lynda_farm.jpg" alt="lynda farm" width="642" height="480"/></p><p style="text-align: center;"><em>Mowing your lawn is an essential part of maintenance and it’s what creates that beautiful velvety texture.<br/>Use a combination of really good lawn feed and a mineral rich organic tonic to promote strong healthy regrowth.</em></p><h2><strong>Getting your lawn’s diet right</strong></h2><p>Humans are lucky in that we need fairly constant levels of nutrients all year round. We protect ourselves from the weather and carry on regardless of the season. Lawns are different. All outdoor plants are subject to seasonal changes in their growth. You see, all a grass plant wants to do in life is to procreate. It wants to form seeds and spread them about so they can make new plants. The “mother plant” wants the seeds to have the best chance of survival and so it works with the seasons to create them at the best time of year.</p><p>As lawn makers we disrupt the seed setting process by mowing – but the plants’ growth phrases and nutritional needs remain unchanged.</p><p><img class="aligncenter wp-image-1676" src="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/lawn-feed-applicator-1024x702.jpg" alt="lawn feed applicator" width="469" height="322"/></p><p style="text-align: center;"><em>A professional standard lawn fertiliser spreader is quite an investment but well worth it.</em> <br/> <em>If lawn feed is applied unevenly it can result in overdosing some areas, underfeeding other areas and a very mottled appearance overall.</em></p><h3><strong>Spring</strong></h3><p>Soil warms up, soil microbes become more active, daylight hours get longer and the plants grow fast. At this stage, grass needs lots of everything. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, iron and all those other micronutrients. If they’re not freely available in the soil, the plant will probably survive, but it won’t thrive.</p><p>Feed from late February with a spring-summer feed and for best possible plant health, supplement it with a foliar feed. Foliar feeds are absorbed quickly and a great source of Iron. Iron gives plants their green colour, helps fight disease and also supresses moss in lawns.</p><p>Lawn nutrients get used up quickly in spring, so feed every 8-10 weeks and if you can, top up in between times with a foliar feed. Especially if you are carrying out renovations or if you like to keep your lawn close-mown.</p><h3><strong>Summer</strong></h3><p>Growth naturally slows down slightly. By now, if we hadn’t have mown them off, the grass plants will have formed seeds on long stalks and those seeds would be getting fatter and ripening. Wheat and Barley are grasses – if you want to see what Mother Nature wants your lawn grass to do – just look at the farmers’ fields all around County Antrim. You’ll see that the corn has ears on it and that they’re changing colour as they ripen.</p><p>In summer, you need to make the same nutrients available to your lawn as they had in spring. The days are long and if there’s plenty of moisture in the soil you’ll be able to convince the grass that it’s still April so that the plants stay green. If you aerated your lawn in spring, you’ll see the benefit of it now.</p><h3><strong>Autumn</strong></h3><p>As daylight hours get shorter, the soil cools a little and there’s more moisture about, the plants know it’s time to prepare for winter. Grass doesn’t want to get to lush just before winter time. It is a hardy plant but it knows that lots of soft sappy growth could be susceptible to frost damage. So it puts its energy into toughening up.</p><p>Go easy on applying nitrogen to your lawn at this time of year. If you are using a proprietary lawn feed, switch to an autumn-winter formulation.</p><p>This is when grass really does benefit from a foliar feed with lots and lots of minerals in it. Foliar feed means that it’s applied directly to the leaves and gets absorbed quickly. Minerals are the equivalent of the vitamin supplements we take in winter time to ward off colds and flu.</p><p>A low nitrogen feed in autumn – before the frosts really set in – is worth its weight in gold. It’ll make sure the plants enter a cold snap in prime condition. If they start off healthy, they’ll not be hit hard by the frost and you’ll be rewarded with a stunning lawn all year round.</p><p>I also thoroughly recommend applying a supplementary seaweed feed sometime between late October and early December. The plants are still growing slowly but they are less able to absorb nutrients from the soil. The foliar feed gives them a much needed dose of minerals to boost their resistance to winter diseases such as fusarium patch and <a href="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/red-thread/" rel="nofollow">redthread</a>.</p><p> </p><h3><strong>Winter</strong></h3><p>Grass doesn’t stop growing in the winter. OK, the leaves grow slower and you won’t need to mow as often as you did in summer, but while the soil temperature is at 6 degrees or more, the roots will keep on growing and working to support the plant.</p><p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1677" src="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/lawn-beneath-snow.jpg" alt="snowy lawn" width="542" height="361"/></p><p style="text-align: center;"><em>Even in the depths of winter, your lawn is still growing. Snow is a very effective insulator. The soil beneath this lawn is probably still warm enough to support root growth.</em></p><p>Winter is when the lawnlover’s arch nemisis really shows itself. Moss. Moss loves winter weather. It’s a primative plant that needs to release spores into a thin layer of water in order to reproduce. In Northern Ireland’s climate, it’s pretty difficult to avoid water on the lawn in winter time. It’s also harder for grass to outcompete moss when its in its winter growth phrase.</p><p>Winter time calls for a two-fold approach for tackling moss. 1. weaken the moss plants and 2. strengthen the grass plants. And we greenkeepers know exactly how to do both of those things at the same time. Iron. Iron is a fabulous element, much loved by the gardeners of yore but rarely seen on the shelves of the garden centre. Greenkeepers make full use of it though. Have you ever wondered how golf greens look so good in the depths of winter? Iron. Usually in the form of a liquid treatment because that’s what gets absorbed the quickest.</p><p>As well as controlling moss, Iron gives lawn grasses a much deeper, greener colour and keeps them looking really vibrant and healthy. I like to apply it in January. More often than not, lawns treated with Iron stand out from every other lawn on the street. They look amazing and are the main focus of the garden until the spring flowering bulbs appear in early march.</p><p> </p><h2><strong>Which is the very best feed</strong> for <strong>my lawn?</strong></h2><p>Most lawn modern lawn feeds are a very complicated mix of chemicals. Yes. You read it right. Chemicals. In the wrong hands, chemicals can be nasty things, which is why the lawn feeds and lawn treatments you’ll find on sale in the garden centre are a lot less concentrated than the ones that are available to trained professionals. For the most part you will be buying either filler (if it’s a granulated or powdered lawn feed) or water (liquid feeds) with small amounts of nutrient added in. You’ll also be paying premium prices for the pretty packaging it comes in.</p><p>At Premier lawns, we have the training, the specially calibrated equipment and the knowhow to apply the right balance of lawn nutrients at the right time of year. That means that we able to buy and use far superior products to the ones you’ll find at the local DIY store.</p><p>Each of my client’s lawns are treated individually. I don’t offer a “one size fits all” treatment. But in general, I like to apply a seasonally appropriate feed in mid-winter, early spring, late spring, summer and autumn.</p><h3><strong>Lawn tonic improves winter hardiness and speeds recovery from spring renovations</strong></h3><p>In late autumn, just as the leaves are falling from the trees, I like to apply an organic seaweed tonic to the lawn. That’s the time of year when you will most likely be thinking about vitamin supplements for yourself to help you through the winter. Well, just like your body, your lawn will also thank you for a dose of concentrated goodness.</p><p>The tonic I use is 100% natural and organic. It’s a liquid that is precision sprayed onto the lawn. Most of it gets absorbed through the leaves where it helps with winter hardiness, colour and disease resistance. Some of the tonic finds its way into the soil where it nourishes those all-important soil microbes – the ones that help break down dead matter and turn it into plant food for the next spring.</p><p>Where your lawn is either recovering from disease, in the process of being renovated or just needs to look super-fantastic and fast – I’d recommend applying the same tonic in spring and summer too. I use it on my own lawn and the results are amazing.</p><h2><a href="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/services/feed-weed/" rel="nofollow">What does professional lawn feed cost?</a></h2><p>Less than you might think! Treatments start from just £15 – not much more than you’d pay for garden centre fertiliser AND you get expert advice for free.</p><p>Contact Premier Lawns for a free assessment of your lawns nutritional needs and a no obligation quotation.</p><p><a href="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/contact-us/" rel="nofollow">Contact Robbie at Premier Lawns</a></p><p><a href="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/services/feed-weed/" rel="nofollow">More details about our lawn feed services</a></p><p><a href="https://www.premierlawnsni.co.uk/lawn-feed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Original article here</a></p></div>South Lincs Grass Care - from preparation to perfection....https://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/south-lincs-grass-care-from-preparation-to-perfection2017-11-29T21:17:49.000Z2017-11-29T21:17:49.000ZAdam @ SLGChttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/AdamSLGC<div><p>Even in our local area, not many people know the true scale of the works that we can offer - basically if its grass (of virtually any description), we can offer services to help you maintain it, improve it, or even prepare the ground and reseed it.</p><p>As well as the usual pedestrian equipment expected of a business of our type, we also have a range of compact tractors and implements dedicated to grass care and the preparation and maintenance of grass areas.</p><p>Services we offer include:</p><p></p><p><strong>To domestic properties:</strong></p><p>This service operates to domestic properties within an approx 10 miles radius of Spalding, Lincs and can include (as well as the grass cutting) fertilizer applications through the year, moss control, scarifying and weed control as necessary to most sized lawns on a weekly or fortnightly basis.</p><p>Generally on each visit these lawns will be cut with a pedestrian roller mower, lawns edges maintained and all grass cuttings taken away as part of the service. Additional treatments undertaken as seasonally necessary and at appropriate times.</p><p>If you just want your grass cutting and no lawn care services - we can offer that too!</p><p></p><p><strong>Commercial and amenity grass cutting:</strong></p><p>Commercial and amenity grass cutting services are generally offered with 25 miles of Spalding, Lincs and can be caaried out on a one off or regular (generally) fortnightly basis - for other options please contact us.</p><p>Pedestrian mowing using roller or wheeled machines, collection, discharge and mulch options available - we have a waste carriers licence in force enabling us to legally remove grass cuttings from your site for off site disposal via an approved composting facility.</p><p>Using our compact tractors we can offer mowing services including flail mowing without collection with our Sovema flail mower or with collection facility with our Amazone flail mower (we can flail mow and collect cuttings from wildflower areas using this machine if necessary).</p><p>We also have Teagle rotary finishing mowers with rear discharge or mulch options and Huxley cylinder gang mowers for cutting finer turf areas.</p><p>With a quick blade swap, the Amazone machine also converts into a flail scarifier, again with or without collection option. Ideal for sports pitches, large lawns etc where pedestrian scarifying would be uneconomic.</p><p></p><p><strong>Equestrian paddock maintenance:</strong></p><p><b>Wide range of services available throughout the year!</b></p><p>We also have available in house a full selection of equipment for maintaining and improving equestrian paddocks, we can offer chain harrowing (both mounted frame types and trailed fully floating types), we also have a Sisis Deep Slitting machine which we find ideal for aeration of horse and pony paddocks. With a working width of four feet and tines that can penetrate over 6" into the ground this tool quickly makes thousands of thin 'slots' in the ground helping alleviate the inevitable compaction caused by horses hooves vastly improving grass health and surface drainage.</p><p>We also have heavy harrows and a tractor mounted roller for smoothing out heavily poached or damaged areas of grass.</p><p>If you have a severe waterlogging or compaction issue or are on heavy clay land, then we can also offer mole draining services. This consists of a specially constructed mole 'plough' that creates a cylindrical passage through the earth and through the compaction layer above allowing water free passage from the surface into the lower layers of soil.</p><p>If your paddock needs fertilizing or weed control - we offer that too. In conjunction with our agronomists, we can analyse your soil, find out what fertilizer would be most appropriate and correct most mineral and trace element deficiencies to give your grass a much needed boost.</p><p>We can also offer weed control services to deal with most common paddock weeds including the dreaded Ragwort. </p><p></p><p><strong>Preparation of ground and seeding of new grass:</strong></p><p></p><p><strong><br/></strong>We can also carry out preparation of ground and carry out seeding of new grass or repairing of existing areas wheter you just need a light chain harrowing and overseeding to thicken the grass in your paddock or need an area of ground preparing and transforming into lawn, we have the equipment to do so.</p><p>We can plough and/or rotovate, level out, consolidate and then seed most areas that it is possible to get a compact tractor into.</p><p>We have access to seed mixtures for all occasions be it sports turf, paddock grazing, general purpose or formal lawn.</p><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-5"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Got a question?</span></strong></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-5"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Need some more information?</span></strong></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-5"><strong><span class="font-size-5">Think we can help?</span></strong></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-5"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">For all your grass care needs, don't hesitate to contact us:</span></strong></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-5"><strong><span class="font-size-5">By phone to the office 01775 830250, by phone to Adam's mobile 07745 247488,</span></strong></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-5"><strong><span class="font-size-5">or by email southlincsgrasscare@yahoo.co.uk or info@lawncaresspalding.co.uk</span></strong></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font-size-5"><strong><span class="font-size-5">South Lincs Grass Care is a trading name of ANP Services Spalding Limited.</span></strong></span></p><p></p><p> </p></div>Marestail Control Guidehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/marestail-control-guide2016-07-07T11:41:07.000Z2016-07-07T11:41:07.000ZAgrigem - Sarah Kimmhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/agrigem<div><p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314796927?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314796927?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="1014" class="align-center" height="1434"/></a></p></div>Seeding or Turfing – Which One Is Better for Your Garden?https://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/seeding-or-turfing-which-one-is-better-for-your-london-garden2016-02-24T13:13:30.000Z2016-02-24T13:13:30.000ZTheodore Beasleyhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/TheodoreBeasley<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314732311?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>In today's world of gardening, there exists a discussion so heated that puts even the age-old coffee vs. tea debate to shame. And it all began with one deceivingly simple question – <strong>should you seed or sod your lawn?</strong> As it turns out, both sides of the coin have their fair share of advantages and disadvantages and it is up to you to make the final call. <strong>Take a look at the differences below to make an informed decision that you won't end up regretting later.</strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-5">Let's Talk Business</span></strong></p>
<p>If Frankenstein was a gardener, then turfing would have been his lawn growing method of choice. Why? <strong>Because sod is, essentially, a patch of professionally treated lawn that is transplanted on bare soil.</strong> A very expensive patch of lawn that will save you heaps of time... if you know what you're doing. If not, there are many reliable turfing London companies who will gladly offer their help.</p>
<p>Don't have the extra cash? Don't worry – even the most expensive seed mix is infinitely more affordable than buying grass shaped like welcome mats. But keep in mind that it will take much longer than 24 hours for your lawn to sport the soothing pastel green that everybody knows and loves. In fact, you won't see any of it for several months on end!</p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-5">Turfing & Seeding – The Good News</span></strong></p>
<p><strong>The main benefit of turfing can be described with two words – <span style="text-decoration: underline;">“instant lawn”</span>.</strong> Lay the patches of grass closely together, fill the joints with a mixture of sand and soil, wait for about two weeks for the roots to develop and you'll be ready to throw a barbecue party. <strong>Another advantage it has over seeding is that you can plant the grass anytime you wish</strong> – as long as it gets its fair share of water, even winter won't hamper its growth. <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Sod is also virtually weed-free, can lead a healthy life even on erosive slopes, and can endure the foot traffic of children or pets.</span></p>
<p><strong>Seeding, however, also has its uses</strong>. Here, you are not limited to a few types of grass and can plant as many varieties as you desire. <strong>But this is not a purely cosmetic benefit – you can get species that are tolerant to sun or shade, resist various diseases, and so on.</strong> Seeds do not require transplantation and will establish a much more deeper and stable root system. On top of that, locally grown seeds are not as water-thirsty as sod and can be used to also patch up a lawn as opposed to only grow it from scratch.</p>
<p><span class="font-size-5"><strong>Turfing & Seeding – The Bad News</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>As revolutionary as it may sound, lawn turfing does suffer from several shortcomings.</strong> For starters, you've got a very limited selection in terms of grass species. This stems from the fact that not every variety can be uprooted and expected to thrive in a different microclimate. Because of its feeble roots, sod will also need to be watered well over the course of the next two or three months. Shade tolerance is non-existent – exposed to cool temperatures, turf will shrink and the gaps between the mats will grow larger. At this stage, it will be only a matter of time before weeds invade.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, seeding is not without its faults either. <strong>Unlike turf, seeds are heavily restricted by seasons</strong> – your best bet is to grow them between mid-spring or early autumn... and seed germination could take up to 10 whole days! For the next several months, any spotted weeds will have to be uprooted by hand, because the use of herbicides may stunt the development of your lawn. But your real enemy here is rain – a heavy downpour can easily wash away a significant portion of your seeds and you might have to start all over.</p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-5">A Healthy Soil Makes a Healthy Lawn</span></strong></p>
<p>When the grass starts to wither, many gardeners are quick to put the blame on the quality of their seeds or sod. While the latter is not impossible, the most likely reason that their grass didn't feel at home is because of poor <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/what-is-soil-food-and-how-to-make-it-7272424.html" target="_blank">soil preparation</a>. <strong>That is why it's recommended that you conduct a soil test as soon as you feel like growing a lawn.</strong> Ideally, the results will show that you have a sandy loam soil, which is perfect for growing grass. If not, a bit of peat or other organic matter is all it takes to make clay soil and other varieties hospitable as well.</p>
<p><strong>Before buying any seeds or turf, make sure to get rid of perennial weeds</strong>, such as bindweed or Dandelions, either by hand or with a <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.spundge.com/story/47163/" target="_blank">non-residual weed killer</a>. Try to stay away from commercial herbicides, because they can cause more harm than do good. It's all due to the fact that they <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ipernity.com/blog/1605118/969022" target="_blank">contain highly toxic chemicals</a>. <strong>Your next step is to finely grade the area for proper drainage</strong>. Then, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">consult with your soil test</span> results and add as much potassium fertilizer, nitrogen, or phosphorous as needed. Once you <strong>rake the surface and use a roller to level and slightly compact the soil</strong>, you'll be ready to transplant or sow the lush lawn you've always wanted!</p>
</div>Getting Back to Basics - Lawn Care Techniqueshttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/getting-back-to-basics-lawn-care-techniques2015-11-26T13:33:58.000Z2015-11-26T13:33:58.000ZMatthew Martinhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/MatthewMartin<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314723545?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>In the Southeastern United States, lawn care and turf management programs have failed to evolve. Even though new herbicides are becoming more and more normal, fertility costs are where the sacrifices have been made. As a result, the cheaper nutritional packages are resulting in underperforming lawns and the issues that come with it - disease, weeds, poor soil.</p><p>I feel, as industry professionals, it is our duty to educate customers on the costs of professional maintained turf and to work within their budget to provide a beautiful lawn. At the same time, it is our responsibility to do what is right for the soil, the turf and the environment.</p><p>How do we do this?</p><p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.lawncareknox.com">My program at Outdoor Designs</a> has certainly shifted over the years to keep up with economic fluctuations; however, my goal remains the same: provide the best results I possibly can with the budget I'm afforded. I do this by honing in on correcting soil structure and drficiencies. This is a long term solution, but with correct customer education, a turf professional can be alloted additional time and ultimately budget to provide the quality of lawn the customer comes to expect.</p><p>Compost teas have become a vital part of my program. Year one, the effect isn't overwhelmingly astounding. As we move into year two and three the results begin to compound - less disease, better color, greater root mass. Interestingly enough, neighbors who've gone the conventional fertility path begin to see a decrease in performance at the year two and three mark.</p><p>In the end, shifting my focus to soil health has garnered my business more growth than providing a two week green up. I am also minimizing my environmental impact by applying fewer nitrates, phosphates, and DMI and Strobi fungicides. The way I see it, the kinder we are to our environment, the longer our children get to enjoy it.</p><p></p></div>