Lawns

Laurel contains some cyanide, but it dissipates once the wood and leaves are dead. I regularly put laurel prunings through the shredder. The product has a strong almondy smell, which I think is the cyanide. Once it has been composted for a few weeks the smell goes, and it rots down normally. So,...

Thanks both of you for the info on ALS. Looks useful

Shiney: With such a large amount of grass cuttings, any tips on how to compost it quickly and neatly?

I used some 'shady area' seed from B&Q autumn 2006 to fill in a patch where a stump had been removed. The seed took ages to germinate. There was little to see after 2 weeks, but it did eventually come through quite well.

Loofah, how have you got on? We moved into our house in January and I'm now looking at sorting out our garden. I've cut the grass a couple times and the weeds and moss are rife.

Sounds like a cool job! I mow the paths about once a week (with a pushmower)in the growing season and scythe half down at the end of August (or early Sept if I'm being especially lazy ). I know all the received wisdom is cutting twice a year, but mine seems to be doing ok on only one cut a...

Agree, totally.

Urm sounds interesting - special squirrel spray?

Ah Rosie the joys of a dog run along the hedge been there, done that although truth be told we haven't got one now (a homemade dog run by the girls that is)our BIG Lad use to do it and to be honest I wouldn't mind having to put up with his little run if I could wish him back.Our two old...

Thanks guys. Yeah, the decking's looking great. A job I should really have done last year but kept putting it off. Well it's done now and the wife is pleased with it, and that's all that matters. It keeps her happy

Lots... less preparation with seed and cheaper than using turf, will also match in better.

Pete, I agree. I live in a cul de sac and sometimes we can have as many as 6 or 7 vans and pickups taking up the limited parking spaces.

I also do not use granulated weed and feed .Not only is it easy to overaply and scortch it is also expensive and as a trade user bulky to transport.For weeds I treat with spearhead ( the comercial equivelant of verdone)For green up regular sparys of ferrous sulphate and the ocasional...

Verdone

Id avoid walking on it for a few more weeks if poss, cut it when the weathers a bit dier on a high cut.Gradually lower your cutting heigh each time till you get to the height you normally cut at.

My father in law wanted to use general purpose weedkiller on the area around the bottom of the garden by the fence. He mixed it in a watering can at the outside tap (top of garden)then walked across the lawn to the back fence. He never thought to see if the watering can was leaking, which it...

You should have used a selective turf weedkiller like verdone.Scratch up the areas with a rake, then overseed. Stick a mix in a few handfulls of compost in with the seed so as to help it stick.

Dwarf ryegrass preferably. Be aware that some of the cheaper grass mixtures contain nothing more than two agricultural, late heading grazing grasses in pretty boxes.

I am also in the real world of horticulture! I'm 47 and have been doing my garden for 23yrs last 8 or 9 being totally tropical.

inter, I might think about swapping at some time but don't hold your breathe :D . I don't feed, rake, scarify or weedkill any of my lawns. The lawn in the picture takes something less than 30 minutes. Apart from two very small lawns that take more time getting the mower to them and then...