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

I popped in to see this customer in Aldwick West Sussex last week, she was worried about a little redness on the lawn as she thought it might be a fungus called"red thread". I was able to tell her that the "reddish" tip of the blade was a symptom of the end of winter, just below all was fine and just to complete the first lawn cut of the year to bring up the green. A few days later I receive this photo and the comment "the lawn has never looked this good this early in the year", happy days.

In the autumn we scarified and aerated these lawns and used a low nitrogen feed all helping to maintain the grass and roots through the winter months. I am starting my spring treatment programme next week so this lawn will be looking even better very soon.

Quick reminder that if you do see something that worries you on the lawn, give me a call or send me a photo, it's better to be deal with anything early and it's all part of the service.

Oh and on the same day the neighbour asked me to start a treatment programme for her lawns as they need a little "Lawnrite Love". #firstdayofspring, #springisintheair, #independent lawncare

Take care

Annie x

So storm “Dorris” brought havoc to the much of the country and I am sure we have all been picking up plant pots and other debris over the last few days.

In the South “Virgin Trains” told people to avoid all unnecessary travel and in the North it was time to get the “big coat” out!

These changeable weather patterns are a sure sign that spring is upon us and this Wednesday marks the first day of the metrological spring.

Of course in the astronomical calendar, equinoxes mark the start of spring and autumn and solstices mark the start of summer and winter. This year the spring equinox falls on March 20.

The air temperatures are getting milder and hopefully here in the South the risk of a severe frost has passed. Critically, soil temperatures are on the up and so we can start to plan lawn renovation, whether that’s a spring scarification, over seeding or a full lawn renewal, it will be soon be perfect conditions to complete the work.

Every day I see new flowers blossoming in the garden and around us the parks are starting to fill with colour. Nothing beats the taste of “home grown” and I have planted new varieties of tomato this year and they are germinating in the warmth of the house, can't wait to tuck in.

Of course changeable weather and temperatures can cause some lawn diseases so keep an eye out for any patches or lawn discoloration and if you see something amiss give us a call as it better to be safe than sorry.

For those of you who have suffered from Leather Jacket or Chafer Grub attacks in the past a reminder that there are currently no chemical treatments to deal with an infestation or to help prevent one. The only solution, apart from good long term cultural practise, for these pests is nematodes which you water into the lawn, these are available by mail order but not until April as the soil temperature has to be right for them to be effective.

You can place an order now ready to take action. Please, please follow the label instructions as you have to maintain the right soil conditions whilst these little creatures do their work.

As always if you have any questions on lawn care or lawn treatments get in touch and I will do my best to answer them or if you live in East Hampshire or West Sussex I would be delighted to talk to you about your lawn(s).
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Take Care
Annie x

So the weather is teasing us at the moment with the warmest February 20th for over 100 years, typically a Monday!

I spent the last weekend in the North and wow so much moss around in the gardens up there it really has been a great growing season for moss. The picture is of a lawn in Leeds, the "in laws" which will get our Ultimate Moss Control Plan in the Spring when I take on the lawn care for the first time. Its full with moss and we will soon have the grass seeing that off!

Still the warmer weather is a great chance to get in the garden and get serious with the pruning and cutting back to make sure all the plants and shrubs have the space they need for spring.

Its a good time to plant new trees and shrubs, make sure you check how big it will grow to avoid space problems later and try to visualise what the area will be like through the season, I find a little sketch plan helps, it’s all too easy for things to get crowded as the growth picks up so a little preparation saves on remedial work later down the line.

If you have some shrubs or rose bushes that would benefit from a better position in the garden then thats also something that can be done now whilst the plant is still dormant- make sure you leave at least 20cm clearance for a small bush or rose plant but up to 50cm for a small tree, when you are replanting, don't worry about cutting the big roots when you dig the tree/bush up as the small roots will regrow. 

If you like the idea of a fruit tree in your garden but don't think you have the space  you may find dwarf trees work well for you and give a good crop.

On the lawn it’s still a good time to tackle the moss and to start thinking about the first spring feed and weed control.

If the lawn is dry enough get the mower out and trim any growth, gentle and high for the first cut and never more than 1/3rd of the plant. It’s always best to leave the grass a little longer in spring it helps the plant to grow and to keep any weed seeds in the shade and discourage them from germinating to allow the grass to dominate.   

It’s still a little cool and wet to get stuck into lawn renovation but it’s a good time to plan what’s needed.

As always if you need Lawn Care Advice or would like help with any lawn problems and I will try and help and visit if you are in Hampshire or West Sussex.

Take Care

Annie
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So for two days this week we took a break from the Winter Treatments to attend the annual conference of the Lawncare Association. The association, is a not for profit group, its members are all Independent (none franchise) Lawn Care Companies with shared goals and values. The Association sets a code of practise and provides a forum to share knowledge and best practise and bring people together as well as providing a voice to the Independent Sector of our industry.

The setting at Bisham Abbey was supberb, one of the homes of Elite British sports men and women and where the British Womens Hockey Team where based before winning Gold at Rio, infact the very pitch they won it on was first  installed in Bisham for them to practise on and then dismantled and put back together in Rio for them to win on.

We were luckly to receive a talk from  the head Groundsman for Bisham, St Georges (where the English Football team train), Lilleshall and the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham. He reminded us how important it is for all in the "turf" related industries to share knowledge as we all face many of the same challenges in dealing with lawn diseases, pests and keeping the grass green.

We were reminded that if the ELite Athletes from Bisham had been a team at the Rio Olympics then they would have been 17th in the medal table, thats ahead of Austrailia! The hallways and public areas are covered in pictures and quotes from sporting heroes from the recent and more distant past as a motivational reminder of what human spirit and endeavour can acheive with the right mind set.  

So taking on the Olympic Spirit there followed two days of debate, networking (not all in the pub) and presentations on topics as diverse as "Lawn care fertilisers: a history, evolution and future", "the Power of Social Media Marketing ", "Online Marketing – Google, SEO, AdWords and Measurement", "Pesticides, Herbcides and Insecticides".

There were associated exhibition stands from industry leading suppliers of fertilizer and many other products that we use to help the lawn's to fight the weeds, moss, pests and diseases and its mightly helpful to be able to discuss products directly and see whats new.

It all started with a talk from Professor John Moverley of the Amenity Forum who talked to us about the general importance of the amenity industry to the community as a whole and how everyone is impacted by what we do and how we do it - the Forum have lunched a realy good awareness campaign  - Take a look at the video below and find out more at ​http://www.amenityforum.co.uk/getmoving.html

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The big two challenges I think all the industry is facing is how the changing climate is affecting moss growth and how regulation is impacting on what, how and when we can apply products.

​Dr Colin Mumford from Bayer reminded us  that his company was formed as far back as 1863, their first big product was Aspirin launched way back in 1899 and that Bundesliga member Bayer Leverkusen started as the factory team.

Bayer are one of the leading suppliers of "amenity" products and until last year supplied the only insecticide product that was highly effective in dealing with the main Lawn destroying pests, Chafer Grubs and Leatherjackets. The product was withdrawn because of a regulatory decison last year, a rule that seems to have been driven by politics rather than science but "we are where we are".

There are organic nemotodes that can be used to deal with these pests but only at certain times of year, when soil conditions are right and the soil has to be kept moist for several weeks to make sure these little organisms can travel through the soild and get to the pests.

This is not just a problem for domestic Lawn Care, these pests attack grass where it tastes good to them and the gound conditions suit, so think golf courses, race courses and one that does not immediately spring to mind "airports". These pests eat the roots but the major damge is  often secondary and caused by feeding badgers or birds and you can see why having an attractive grub feast for birds on grass next to a runway may cause  some alarm for those responsible.

The good news is that the potential for harm means an emergency application is being made to allow the product to be used, the bad news is this will take some time and may not be successful and as Chafer grubs can have a lifecycle of up to five years this problem will run and run. 

We are here to help so if you have a problem with Grubs get in touch with us or your local independent lawncare company (search for them at  https://www.uklawncare.net).

And so to Moss, a hot topic for many delegates, the relativly mild winters of late and 400 million years that Moss has had to learn how to adapt means it seems to be getting worse each year. It has two growing seasons once in Autumn and again as Winter moves into Spring. The traditional way of dealing with Moss is to apply Iron and to Rake and Scarify.

In 2016 we became aware of some new lawn products which incorporate a composting bacteria to break down moss and organic matter into nutrients whilst feeding the lawn, they have the added benefit of reducing thatch levels as the bacteria convert this "organic matter" to feed for the grass. We trialed it last year and based on those positive results are launching a new program in 2017 called "Ultimate Moss Control" this is designed to control moss and thatch without raking, blackening and with less need to scarify so reducing mess and having to wait for the lawn to recover.

If you would like to hear more about this programme just call e-mail or follow the link to our home page  

So a highly infomative couple of days, new friends and contacts and as always new learnings to help us help you

Please get in touch with any questions.

Take Care

Annie
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So yesterday, we had a day away from the frost and braved the fog and M25 to attend a conference in Leicestershire.

It’s so important to keep up to date with what’s happening in our industry and with the regulations and law that applies to the products we use and how and when they can be applied.

The conference was run by and for Independent Lawn Care Companies and there were representatives from 11 other firms from all over the country to network with and share experience and knowledge.

We have fantastic presentations from industry experts on lawn fertiliser’s, weed control, grass seed and how the changing climate impacts grass, how and when it grows and how best to care for it.

It’s vital to keep informed on the best products available to help our customers and how, as Independent Companies, we can really stand out from some of the bigger franchises because we can and do flex the products we use to the location, grass type and specific goals for the customer, every region and every lawn is different so one size definitely does not fit all.

There was a great debate on why moss growth seems to be getting worse year on year, partly due to the milder winters but a strong thinking that the recent reductions in the amount of acid rain, as less “dirty” carbon is burned, has contributed to the problem.

I guess, whatever the cause, we have to tackle the problem, so if moss is taking over your lawn, give us a call as it’s the perfect time to apply a moss control treatment to reduce the levels and enable the grass to dominate into spring. 

Well 2016 comes to a close and what a year, becoming an Independent Lawncare company, adopting a new IT new system, building  a new website and welcoming so many new customers. Thank you to all our new and exisiitng customers for your support and we look forward to seeing you in the new year.

Have a fantastic Xmas and New Year

Take Care

Annie
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So Wednesday was the last day for our aeration and Scarification work until spring 2017, time to get the machines serviced and let the body recover from all that raking and bagging!

The weather has been kind to us through September and October and, at the moment; the forecast for the next couple of weeks is still mild for the time of year so it might still be a bit early to retire those mowers just yet.

Once those temperatures do drop winter should be a quiet time of year for the lawn but here’s some simple tips to help keep the grass healthy into spring:.

Once the growth stops try to keep foot traffic to a minimum.

Only mow if the grass is growing and the ground conditions are firm enough.

Don’t walk on frosted grass.

Sweep up fallen leaves, the grass still needs that sunshine and it lessens the chance of disease.

Fungal disease can still be a problem at this time of year so if you see something that does not look right, please call as it’s better to be safe than sorry.

The end of October brought about a change in the way common lawn pests, chafer grubs and leatherjackets can be tackled, the last chemical treatment, which was very effective is no longer available to legally apply.

The good news is there is still a treatment, nematodes, these are natural organic predators and can be watered in to the lawn to deal with / prevent these pests from damaging the lawn.

You don’t need a licence to apply this treatment so, as long as you follow the manufacturer’s instructions you can complete this treatment yourself. The main drawback is that the nematodes need the right temperature and conditions to be effective.

If you need help or advice on any lawn problem please call or email, we are always happy to provide advice.

Annie
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 Its incredible how much damage can be caused by little critters like Chafer Grubs and Leatherjackets. This picture was taken this week by our friends at Lawnrite Hitchin it shows a lawn that has been decimated by Chafer Grubs and a close up of the little culprits.

If you have seen patches developing on your lawn and birds digging down for a feast, dig a little under the turf and have a look for any insect activity. If you think you have a problem or want to take preventative action - take at look at my page on lawn pests for advice or call me - its the best time to take action and I am being called to a lot of lawns with insects in Emsworth, Chichester, Bognoir Regis and the surrounding areas.

Please call or email me for advice or help with any lawn problem.    

Take care

​Annie
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