Setting up your garden for Summer

May 5, 2022 – by Mark Towers

Getting your garden up to scratch!

Pretty much all gardening is done in the spring and summer, but there are a few home maintenance jobs that you may want to consider incorporating into your yearly routine.

If you have decking, check that it is in good condition with no rotten areas or loose nails or screws.

You may also want to have it cleaned with a specialist decking cleaner, and then seal it with an appropriate weatherproofing treatment. This will serve both to make it look nice for use in the summer, and seal it against next winter’s weather.

Similarly, patios and driveways can also be cleaned, though will not need any kind of sealing. Pressure washing is a great way of getting this done so it is looking it’s best for all of the summer BBQ’s!

Spring time is also when you want to make sure you have a plan in place for the tasks that seem simple but can start getting out of hand very quickly!

Grass Cutting

Grass cutting & weed control are jobs that can get out control even if left for one week!

With the constant rain showers mixing in with the sun both of these grow like wildfire! It is best to aim to keep any lawn to around 2.5-4cm high, if the lawn is in an area of high wear and tear then it is better to be raised to 5cm and if the grass is in a very shaded area then it should be mown to 7.5cm.

If the grass isn’t cut to the correct length it can weaken it and allows weeds and moss to become established and spoil the lawn.

Your garden may have a few bare patches, caused either by the winter or the removal of moss and weeds. We can fill in these areas and improve the recovery of your lawn by spreading fresh grass seed.

Scarification and aeration will leave a nice seed bed, which will encourage both germination and establishment of the seed,  This is known as ‘overseeding’.

Once we have completed the overseeding, we keep the soil nice and moist with regular light applications of water to give the seed a chance to grow, we can even cover areas of the lawn with a mesh to prevent birds stealing the seed!

Weed Control

You’ve got to tackle weeds as soon as they appear to maintain a beautiful lawn. You should tame lawn weeds as soon as they appear. If you don’t, they’ll grow into large patches in no time. Weeds starve grass of nutrition and leave your lawn untidy and neglected.

The best way to prevent weeds from invading your lawn is to maintain thick, rich grass. More healthy grass means weeds have little opportunity to thrive.

You can control weeds by digging them out. But, prevention is much better than cure.

Aerating the lawn

Aerating the lawn using a hollow tiner allows air into the soil and relieves soil compaction. This improves drainage and encourages deeper root growth.

An aerator machine (or hollow tiner) houses rows of tines that punch tiny holes into the lawn. Aerating is an effective treatment for your entire garden.

Aerating your lawn is excellent for preventing moss. The improved drainage helps to deal with the damp patches on which moss thrives. With deeper root growth and improved drainage, your lawn is much better equipped to combat weeds and moss.

The aim of the game is to get as full and rich grass growth as possible, giving weeds and moss no space to grow.