I recorded the temperature at over 17c in this garden in West Sussex, this new customer keeps some areas as natural meadow but we are asked to prepare and improve the lawn for a celebration towards the end of April.

​From this angle all looks ship shape but close up  there is heavy moss, thactch and weed clumps.

Usually, with the extent of moss and thatch I would reccomend scarification but as we need the lawn to look better for April, we don't want to risk the weather intervening and slowing recovery so we have agreed a plan to make the lawn look better for the planned get together and complete the heavier work later in the year. 

I started with a moss control and "Headland Quick Start" spring feed and am back this week to complete a weed control. Further visits will follow over coming weeks and we may perk the lawn up just before with a seaweed spray if its needed.

Flexible Lawncare planning is what being an Independent non franchise company  allows us to do.

Once we have reduced the moss and thatch levels we may look to move this plan to our "ultimate moss" programme to stop future build up of the problem moss and thatch.

After spending  a few hours putting down the moss control we headed off to treat some customers who prefer an organic feed programme.  

I am busy with spring treatments at the moment and, for the most part, the weather is being very kind but........ 

Spending so much time by the coast means the sun can quickly disapear and this week we had sea mists rolling in so one minute its in the high teens and five minutes later I'm reaching for the fleece and flask of coffee (black no suger in case you are wondering), 

Its also the time of year when the phone and email enquiries flow in, the one's I realy like are when someone has seen our work and/or had us reccomended to them and  asks us to make their lawn look like their neighbours, there's an example below, the lush green one, we take care of and just over the fence is the chalenge we got to start work on this week, we will soon have it in tip top condition.   

As soil temperatures are rising, we have recorded double figures in some lawns, so pests and diseases can cause some problems, please keep an eye out for any unexpected changes to the lawn, it might be nothing but best to check it out to avoid problems further down the line. Its a few weeks before nemotodes are available to protect from and /or treat leatherjackets and chafer grubs but orders can be placed now for early delivery, always follow the instructions for use to the letter to get good results.

I was reminded of the damage these pests can do when I visted a customer in Chichester whose lawn was destroyed last year by leatherjackets, we were able to deal with the pests but it was too late in the year to consider rennovation. This week we prepared the ground, overseeded and put down a thin layer of top soil / top dressing to protect the seed and encourage germination. Seed needs to be in contact with the ground/soil and have moisture or it will not germinate. I will be back once the plant starts to grow to give it a nutritional boost to help it establish, this process is much more cost effective than re turfing.   

Annoyingly I discovered vine weevil grubs in some of my fruit tree pots this weekend so I have been busily dealing with these critters and will be applying nemotodes when they are available. I only found them by accident, they had been munching on roots but above the surface all was fine, just goes to show we all need to be on our guard as nature has a way of throwing challanges at us.

As always get in touch if you need advice of help with your lawn.

Take care

Annie x     ​

After yestrrdays balmy temperatures we are out and about, if slightly colder, completing more spring treatments in Aldwick and Pagham. The front verges in the picture show the difference our work can make. The grass at the bottom, which we take care of, is lush green, weed and moss free. The one at top is full of moss, daisys and other broadleaf weeds, we dont treat that one!

We have started to see soil temperature hit 9 degrees so we are completing our first lawn rennovation of the year this afternoon. Its a lawn that was destroyed by leatherjackets late last autumn. We were able to control the pests but it was too late in the year for us to overseed.

So i have already dealt with the weeds and today will prepare the ground, lay seed then top dress to protect the seed and help it germinate, its much more cost effective then laying new turf.

If you need help getting your lawn in shape this spring, get in touch.

Take Care

Annie x

This week we took the machines out of storage and got to work removing moss from new customer lawns to help the grass take back ownership of the lawn.

There are short windows in spring and autumn to do this work as the lawn needs time to recover. Right now works as its warming up and the grass is growing so the lawns will be right for the BBQ season to come.

We remove a lot of moss and thatch and to deal with any remaining moss we also apply a spray straight after the scatification

We then apply a feed formulated for the season to give the plant a further boost.

It helps if the lawn is cut short before the process so that the blades of the machine can do their work, the lawn will also look tidier afterwards.

Never scarify when the lawn is very dry or very wet, if you step on the lawn and squeese out water its too wet.

​If your lawn needs a moss reduction plan, then get in touch, the ground will soon be warm enough for our "ultimate moss control" treatment.

If your keen on "DIY" lawncare this video from The Royal Horticultural Society provides a good guide to some spring activity.

​ https://www.rhs.org.uk/videos/advice/Spring-lawn-care

We have some new treatments this year which can tackle moss and algae on hard surfaces without the need to presuure wash, so if you have fences, driveways, patios, decking or pathways that need help to get ready for summer give us a call.

Take Care

​Annie x  

On Monday I started my Spring treatment programme, this is timed to work with the rising air and soil temperatures so the grass can thrive from the start of the season.

We also tackle weeds that are also starting to show as the weather improves and if there is lingering moss we will deal with that as well.

If your treating your own grass take care to follow the label instructions on the products you use. Its better to spend a few extra pounds on good product designed for the season and tools to apply it then much more on repairing damage caused by two much or too little put down at the wrong time.

The photo at the top is a customers lawn in Tangmere West Sussex, thats the back lawn, the front is below. They both look great and thats before i apply the spring tonic and the reason is the treatment we applied in the autumn which helps the grass over winter.

At the moment some lawns are still too wet to mow, but if you get the chance to cut be gentle at first and never cut more than 1/3 of the blade, your lawn will thank you all year if you don"t cut it short in spring.

Tomorrow, if the conditions are right, we will start some spring scarification work, this is when we use our machines to remove thatch and moss from the turf, Its an invasive process so the lawn can look a little jaded afterwards but we also apply treatments which, along with the warming conditons, means recovery will be quicker. This is me in Walberton West Sussex this morning putting down feed.

We are tracking the rise in soil temperatures as its critical to some of our treatments particularly our "ultimate moss control" but also for laying seed and lawn renovation. Remember if you are trying to fill any bare patchs that have developed over winter you will get better results if you sprinkle a little top soil/dressing on the seed, just enough to cover not to smother and don't let it dry out.

Remember grass seed does not last forever so if you have a box of it thats been sitting in the shed for a year don't be surprised if your results ane not great if you use it.

If you use good seed and a little care you will get great results without spending a fortune in new turf or "miracle" patch repair kits.

If you woukd like your non franchise lawncare expert to help give me a call.

Take care

​Annie x