Let’s get in the garden for half term and bring the kids!

The last couple of weeks have been miserable and wet. So hopefully we get to enjoy a dry week to be back outside.

With the half term upon us, it’s nice to think we are going to have some time at home with the kids. You don’t want to get to next spring after the cold and wet winter weather and realise everything is suffering in the garden, autumn has arrived, and leaves are starting to fall everywhere making the garden look untidy. To stop this from happening we have put together a few things to do to maintain your garden. Keeping it nice and clean ready for spring next year.

Clear up the garden

The winter months are on their way, so the great time you’ve spent outside is sadly behind you until next year. While you are inside in the warmth, you are neglecting your garden during this time so let’s get the garden ready to be as healthy as possiable through the winter months.

Here is a few things to do:

• Removing garden furniture from the lawn to let the grass get as much sun as it can. This will stop the grass dying underneath.
• Wooden garden furniture will need to be covered as well so they don’t freeze.
• Overgrown hedges will need to be cut back and trimmed.
• Have a look at what plants will need to come inside this winter and clean them up. Removing dead leaves to reduce any disease the plant might have.
• Have a pond? Let’s get everything out that’s not supposed to be in there.
• Clear up greenhouses and clean out your guttering – Tip you can place chicken wire over the guttering to reduce leaves clogging it up.

Clean up the Leaves

One of the most important things to do before the winter is clearing the leaves from your garden.
Here are some reasons why you need to grab the rake and start removing the leaves.

• Your lawn needs to breathe.
• Leaves siting on top of your grass can cause pests and diseases.
• The leaves block the limited amount of sunlight through the colder seasons.
• Leaves lying on the ground can stop the new grass blades from growing next spring due to lack of light.

Leaves can go straight into the brown bin or a compost bin.

 Look after the lawn

It’s also the time that turf begins to repair itself after a long, hot summer. There are a range of steps you can take to bolster your turf during the Autumn  season.

Here are a few things that can help prevent that:

•  Remove moss covering the grass to help your lawn to receive the light it needs to thrive during the shorter days of autumn.
•  Aerate your lawn to help improve drainage through the wetter months. This is easy to remedy, simply move around the garden with a fork and press it into the turf. Move it around slightly to create air channels that reach the bottom layers of turf. You can also apply a sandy top-layer, brushing lightly across the lawn so that the new holes are filled.
• Autumn/winter fertiliser contain the perfect mix of nutrients to give your lawn the boost it needs into the winter months. Fertiliser targets the roots of the lawn and helps the grass to produce healthy leaves.

For prices on George’s Marvellous Lawn Feed. Please call us on: 01234 714555

Repairs

You tried everything, but parts of your garden are looking tried or even dead? This is a good time to start repairing. What people don’t know is that this is the best time to start laying down new turf.

Found an area that looks dead? And you feel you have tried everything?

1. Grab a spade and cut out the area
2. Dig up the dead grass
3. Prepare the soil by removing any weeds and large stones.
4. Dress the area with some new sandy topsoil underneath the grass
5. Lay down the new turf

Due to the weather changing, you can use the rain as a watering system but if you’relaying on a dry day, water the turf throughout with a garden hose or sprinkler. Making sure there is enough water to go through to the soil underneath.

For prices on George Davies’ Trident turf.  See more at this LINK

Let’s get planting

Now the garden is all clean and cleared. You can now see a bigger picture of what you want to get done. May be a space in your garden has sparked an idea for a plant or tree?

Here a few ideas:

• Cold Season Vegetable – Broccoli, cabbage, spinach, lettuce, carrots, kale and quite a few more.
• Grass – While the weather is still cool nights [8-10’] and warm days. You can go around over seeding your existing lawn.
• Roses [Especially climbing roses]
• Plant bareroot ornamental trees and scrubs – Make sure you have good drainage to avoid waterlogged soil.

For prices on George Davies’ Grass Seed.  Please call us on: 01234 714555

Bonus – Some ideas for the kids

The kids are home! So, for a bonus we have also put down some ideas for the kids to do.

• Nature Trail – Start from the house and work your way to the back of the garden. Grab a pen and piece of paper and get them write down everything they saw on the way. Maybe they will see beetles or ladybirds and even a few creepy crawleys. Could also add an empty jar for them to collect things that have fallen like leaves, feathers or even pinecones.
• Build a hotel for the bugs and inserts. Even the bugs and insects need place to hide from the winter.
• Gather horse Chestnuts and roast them with Marshmallows
• Tracing leaves or crayon rubbing over trees.
• Make a bird feeder.
• One for the older ones, pond dipping.
• Bird spotting – explore difference species.
• Plant some flowers
• Get pumpkin Carving
• Clearing the leaves and using them to draw out pictures on the drive or patio. [This also helps clear the leaves from damaging the garden]
• Find those conkers and acorns, plant them in some flower pots and watch them grow next spring, growing your own trees is a very special thing to do.

Being one of the biggest suppliers of turf in the United Kingdom. We understand how proactive you must be in the winter months and the best way to start is to start preparing in the autumn. If you are looking for more detail on how to look after your turf through the autumn season here is a link to our “Planning for Autumn – Turf Tips!”.

Have a great half term =]