What better way to encourage your child to take an interest in the garden by giving them their very own space in which to cultivate crops or vegetables, fruit and flowers.

If you have children then I'm sure you have all had the day when your child brings home a small pot of cress from school. From an early age children are given an insight in the natural world of nature.

Hollow tining is the practice of sinking a hollow steel tine into your grass surface and removing the plug of grass and soil. This will then be deposited temporarily on the surface. This is then removed and topdressing is spread and worked in.




 
 
 
 
 
 

With the right lawn care program dollar spot should not be a problem and it is more often or not the result of a neglected lawn. Dollar spot is a serious lawn disease as it can effect and kill the whole of the grass plant including the roots. This means that affected areas of the lawn will often need reseeding. Dollar spot will infect a large number of different grass varieties.

Red Thread normally attacks lawns made of fine grasses such as the Fescues, and some Ryegrasses. It is more likely on turf that is rarely - if ever - fed! Again we are back to a good maintenance regime to prevent this particular disease.

Leatherjackets are the larvae grubs of the Crane Fly (Daddy Longlegs.) Leatherjackets in lawns are a real pest and can have severe consequences unless killed. They are a pest of the lawn, for they eat the roots of the grass plants causing the grass to die. A small infestation is nothing to worry about, however if you have a lawn full of leatherjackets then the effect can be quite dramatic. In worse cases, resulting in much of the lawn dying and needing substantial remedial treatment.

What is Fusarium patch disease?


Fusarium patch disease is the most common disease of turf in the UK.
The Latin name of the fungus that causes the disease symptoms is Microdochium nivale but in the past its Latin name was Fusarium nivale, hence its common name.

Most people like the idea of having a beautiful lawn in there garden but few people actually understand the fundamental basics on how to acheive the best results.

There are many attributes to obtaining a "perfect" lawn and the timing on certain tasks can vary depending on the area you live. Below is a simple guide that will set you on your way to acheiving a better lawn.

Strawberries are one of the easiest fruits to grow and will produce a good crop of fruit year after year with very little effort.
To ensure you have sufficient plants to pick enough fruit for the needs of a family of four over the summer, plant around 100 plants in a strawberry bed.

The following steps will help ensure you maximise your fruit.





Step 1.
Begin with freshly rooted plants and don't keep plants for more than three years. Renew a third of the bed each year for the best productivity.

Step 2.
Ideally plant in early autumn; If not, in late summer or spring.
Dig a hole large enough so that the roots can spread outwards and downwards.

Step 3.
Stop the crowns from rotting in winter by planting level with the soil. Keep them well watered and free from weeds, but don't waterlog the soil.

Step 4.
Place straw or matting around the plants as they begin to flower to encourage root growth, supress weeds and keep fruits off the ground.

Step 5.
Tp protect the crop from birds or squirrels you will need a fruit cage, or spread small meshed garden netting over a suitable frame to cover plants.

Alternatively the strawberries can be grown in hanging baskets - this method helps keep pests such as slugs away from the fruit.

Tip: Once the crop has produced fruit the plants will start to shoot off runners - these can be cropped and re-potted into baskets, plant pots, etc and grown ready for new plants.