The days are getting shorter and the weather’s getting colder…
As we dig out our winter woollies it’s a sign that some parts of the garden need a bit of extra warmth too!
So it’s time to think about preparing your garden for the winter.
Here are our top tips for getting your garden (and house!) winter-ready:
Tend to plants
Before the frost hits, dead-head plants that have finished flowering and prune shrubs.
If you use supports for any of your plants check to see if they need any repairs. If so, do this now before the weather turns.
Put winter warmers on delicate plants!
Not everyone has a greenhouse or space indoors to put delicate plants over the winter.
Protect them with cloches, frost fleece or bubble wrap.
In the greenhouse
Want to grow salads etc over winter? Give them a helping hand to stay warm by fixing a layer of bubble wrap to the interior of your greenhouse.
Get digging
As long as the ground isn’t waterlogged or frosty, dig clay soil beds to improve the soil quality over winter.
You can leave digging sandy soil until spring.
Cover up
If you’re not growing veg over the winter, cover your vegetable patch with weed control fabric, plastic sheet or flat cardboard boxes. This will help to protect the soil and stop it from losing valuable nutrients.
Improve your soil
Dig in to, or spread on top of, your beds a good layer of soil improver such as compost or manure.
Plan ahead
Even as late as November, you can still plant winter-flowering bulbs for colour in January.
Tidy borders, beds and trim hedges
Weed your beds and borders and give hedges a trim to tidy them up before winter.
Safety first
Tidy paths, patios and paving. Remove moss or anything that can become slippery in the frost or snow.
It’s a good idea to keep a bag of Rock Salt to spread on these areas too.
Winter colour
Make sure you’ve still got something to enjoy in the garden over winter. Add evergreen shrubs and winter-flowering plants.
Wash and wax
Check sheds, fences, decking and outdoor furniture for damage and repair if necessary.
It’s a good idea to treat wooden structures and furniture regularly with oil, wax or varnish to protect them from the cold wet weather.
If you have metal or plastic furniture, give it a good wash now to make sure it’s clean to use next spring and summer.
Keep it clean
Clean water butts, gutters and downpipes.
Check gutters and drains aren’t clogged with leaves and debris. Clear them if they are to prevent overflow when the rain comes.
Feed your garden visitors
Food is scarce at this time of year for birds, hedgehogs and lots of other garden visitors.
Put out fat balls, seeds and nuts for birds.
Keep water fresh and check it daily to make sure it’s not frozen.
Cut a small hole at the bottom of a fence to allow hedgehogs in and either buy or make a house for them.
Look to the future
Now is a great time to plan your garden for next year. Sketch a plan of your garden to show what you’d like in it and where.
Then make a list of all the things you’ll need so you’re ready to go next year.
And last but not least – don’t forget the lawn!
Winter can be tough on lawns so give yours a head start.
Scarify your lawn to remove any moss and thatch so the growth isn’t stunted.
Aerate with a garden fork or aerating tool to get air and water deep into the roots.
If you’re going to add a top dressing you can do that now too.
How to repair your damaged lawn after the hot summer weather.
Over the summer, your lawn can really suffer.
The weather is hotter and we use our gardens much more than the rest of the year.
So it’s inevitable that your grass will show the signs come autumn!
It may be brown, thin and patchy and generally not looking as good as you want it to!
But don’t despair…
It may not be as bad as it looks!
The good news is that BROWN grass doesn’t necessarily mean DEAD grass!
Brown grass will revive itself after a good rainfall.
So you might have to play the waiting game until it rains to see what you’re dealing with!
If after a good watering your grass has repaired itself, you can give it a helping hand for next year:
Keep your mower blades on a high setting over the winter and into spring.
Apply a lawn feed in the autumn to aid recovery.
Aerate your lawn to avoid compaction and allow the rain in. (Make sure you use spikes and not hollow tines for this.)
What can you do if it doesn’t recover naturally?
If after a few weeks and some rainfall your grass isn’t showing signs of repairing itself, don’t worry. You can give it a gentle nudge by over-seeding and adding lawn dressing!
Scarify if necessary – gently remove any thatch and/or moss with a rake
Remove any weeds
Rake your lawn to break up the surface
Scatter grass seed and rake over to ensure an even spread and get the seed into the soil
If you are also adding lawn dressing, brush a layer over your lawn
Water where you have seeded, sit back and wait for your new grass!
The seed should start to grow in 7-10 days – simple!
What about patches?
Where the grass is dead in patches, you can remove it and add new seed.
Scrape away the dead grass using a small trowel
Rake the soil to loosen it
Add a layer of grass seed (also add seed to the surrounding grass to blend together the old and new) and water.
You should see new grass growing within a week.
And if it’s beyond repair?!
If there’s nothing you can do to revive your grass, the time may have come to invest in a new lawn!
The idea of laying new turf may fill you with dread but it’s quite a simple job.
Now that summer is officially here, the hot sun can start to take its toll on your lawn.
Summer is generally when they get the most use and come under the most stress.
What happens to grass in hot weather?
Grass loses water through its leaves which keeps it cool and fresh to the touch. Hence why dogs lay on the grass to cool themselves on a hot day!
When the weather is really hot the soil dries out. The grass can’t replace the lost water and nutrients through its roots.
This is when it starts to turn brown, dry and patchy.
So what can you do to care for your lawn?
It’s not just watering that can help your lawn in the heat of summer.
There are other things you can do too. Here are our tips:
Let it grow!
Let the grass grow a bit longer than usual by raising the height of your mower blades. The longer grass will provide shade for the soil to stop it drying out.
The best time to cut grass is early-mid morning or late afternoon.
If you’re only cutting a small amount off the top of your grass you can leave the box off your mower. Leave the cuttings on the grass and they will act as a mulch for the soil.
**Be careful not to let the clippings build up on the grass too much as it can cause damage.**
Keep it tidy!
Clear away toys, paddling pools etc when you’re not using them.
Move garden furniture to different spots a couple of times a week.
This allows transpiration (when the grass loses water through its leaves).
Give it some TLC!
If you want to give your lawn some extra nourishment you can apply a summer lawn treatment.
Keep off the grass!
If you’ve got a patio or decking area, try to use them instead of the lawn as much as possible.
Only water if you NEED to!
Well-established lawns (over a year old) can survive hot weather without watering.
The grass will naturally repair itself after rainfall.
If you have a younger lawn or newly-laid turf it’s a good idea to keep it watered as the roots are still establishing.
Water in the early morning or late evening.
If you can, try to use water from your water butt rather than from the house tap.
If you are going to use a hosepipe, make sure there isn’t a ban in your area first!
Hope this helps!
Don’t forget to take a look at our other blogs for more advice!
June is a great month for sun-lovers with the 21st being the longest day of the year!
This means more sunlight to help our gardens grow!
So while the sun is shining it’s the perfect time for being out in the garden.
You can get a few jobs ticked off your list, then sit back, relax and enjoy the fruits of your labours!
So, what are your Gardening Jobs for June?
Here are our 10 Top Tips:
If you grow your own fruit and veg, you can pick strawberries, early potatoes, lettuce and other salads now. There’s nothing like a barbecue with a home-grown salad on the side!
Plant your favourite summer flowers in beds, borders and pots
After roses have flowered, deadhead them to encourage new growth and flowers
Take care of tomato plants – give them a feed and pinch out side-shoots
Stay on top of watering – it’s a tough time for grass, plants and flowers that don’t like the heat! Just make sure there’s not a hosepipe ban in your area!
Divide spring bulbs. Dig up the bulbs, divide them and re-plant for even more blooms!
Keep planting salad seeds every couple of weeks to enjoy them for as long as possible!
Pull up weeds regularly to keep your garden tidy and avoid self-seeding
Add more colour with hanging baskets on your house, fences or summer house
Cut your grass weekly and treat your lawn to a feed if it needs it
And, as a bonus tip – make sure you spend as much time as possible enjoying your garden!
If you’re planning a garden makeover, check out our range of turf and aggregates.
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with news and advice!
Can you lay new turf when the weather and ground are wet?
The weather in May can be quite unpredictable!
If you’re planning to invest in a new lawn you might be holding off until the weather is likely to be drier.
The good news is, you don’t necessarily have to wait!
How much does the weather affect when you lay new turf?
In winter the soil may be too frozen or wet for the turf to root and establish.
In summer there’s the risk of the weather being too hot and the soil too dry. The turf can dry out and become damaged, especially if there’s a hosepipe ban to prevent watering.
And in the height of both these seasons, the ground may be too hard to dig and rake to prepare it!
It’s helpful to lay turf when there’s some rainfall as this helps the roots establish and saves you from having to water it yourself.
So when is best? Can you lay turf when the weather is wet?
As a general rule, you can lay new turf all year round if the ground conditions are suitable.
There are possible pros and cons to laying turf in each season!
It’s generally considered that between autumn and late winter is the best time.
It’s fine to lay your new turf on a slightly rainy day. (Although it might not be much fun!).
Weather Warning!
BUT! If it’s raining heavily or has been for a few days, we would recommend you wait until the soil has drained.
This will prevent damaging the turf.
It’s certainly better for the turf to lay it on a wet day than in the middle of a heatwave!
And it means you don’t need to water it as much!
If new turf (or established grass come to that!) is allowed to dry out it’s likely to suffer and develop dry, brown and/or bald patches.
Not what you want to see on what was going to be your lovely new lawn!
So while there’s no ‘law’ about when is best, a mild day is best for the turf.
And it will be much more enjoyable for you!
What do you need to do first?
As with most things, preparation is key!
Make sure you’ve prepared your soil well for the best results!
When people start to get a bit more enthusiastic about their gardens after the cold of winter has passed!
Revamp your garden for the summer!
You might be planning to revamp your garden with a new lawn, a play area for the kids, or a swish summer house to escape to!
Or maybe you want to dig in some new flower borders or a veggie patch?
Whether you’ve got a large garden or a smaller space, it’s quite easy to introduce defined zones.
Maybe a dedicated barbecue area or a wildflower corner to encourage bees and butterflies.
Sketching out how you’d like your garden to look can really help you to plan it. Think about what you want in your garden – from seating to plants and colours – and add it to your plan.
Make a list of what you’ll need such as seeds, plants, turf and aggregates (not forgetting the summer house!) and tick them off as you buy them.
Then once the hard work is done you can sit back, relax and enjoy your new garden!
Be inspired!
If you’re stuck for ideas, take a look around our website for inspiration!
From turf to aggregates to play surfaces, we offer a wide range of products to help you create your dream garden!
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to keep up-to-date with our latest news, hints and tips!
If there’s enough snow on the ground then definitely build a snowman or two! As well as being fun it’ll help your lawn by not letting the snow sit on it for too long.
But if there’s no snow and the ground isn’t too wet, now is a great time to aerate and scarify your lawn to keep it looking its best.
Aerating
If the soil under your lawn becomes compacted, the rainwater won’t be able to drain properly and fresh oxygen won’t reach the turf.
This can damage the lawn as the grass will grow much slower and thin out.
Spiking or aerating the ground will improve drainage and allow oxygen to reach the grass.
You can use a hollow-tine aerator which will remove thin plugs of soil.
If you don’t have an aerator you can use a garden fork to spike holes in the ground. Push down to a depth of about 15cm / 6 inches.
Once you’ve covered a few square metres, brush a sharp sand dressing (NEVER builders’ sand!) into the holes you’ve made then spread a top dressing over to help the roots in the spring.
Only do this if the weather is mild and dry. If it’s still quite wet it might be best to wait until March.
Scarifying
Scarifying is the process of removing moss or thatch build-up from your lawn to allow it to breathe.
If the weather is mild and dry, now is a good time to do this.
You can hire or buy scarifying tools, or you can use a soft rake to gently remove the thatch.
Results might not be immediate but in the spring you’ll really see the benefits of having done it!
Of course, there are always other jobs to do in the garden aswell!
Prune some shrubs and climbers such as clematis, buddleia, hydrangea and roses
Plant bulbs for summer flowers
Sow sweet peas
And keep your eyes open for daffodils and snowdrops starting to come up, for the start of the spring displays!
