as dry as a lizard's tongue in the Mojave desert

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by Floyd, Jul 23, 2010.

  1. Floyd

    Floyd Apprentice Gardener

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    our gardens (in Kent) are suffering as are most this summer and yet they are still covered in moss! :skp: I have been watering but its still dry and brown.

    our 'garden maintenance' person seems clueless and his attempts in Spring to bring our lawns up to scratch failed miserably.

    I think I need a professional a la Greenthumb - I have two questions:

    - is there any point in getting one of these outfits in before autumn/wetter weather?
    - can anyone recommend a specialists in the Bromley area? I have emailed the Greenthumb franchise twice and have had no response - clearly too much business already.

    thanks in advance, Floyd
     
  2. wiseowl

    wiseowl FRIENDLY ADMIN Staff Member

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    Hi Floyd I very much doubt that your Gardening Maintenance Person as you call him is actually "clueless"
    His job title is that he maintains the garden,he probably is,nt a Green keeper,I doubt if anyone else could turn the condition of the lawns round until the Autumn,sorry I couldn't be of more help to you,:)
     
  3. Floyd

    Floyd Apprentice Gardener

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    might have been a bit harsh but the guy doing the work right now is just a student (his boss knows what to do, sure, but this new guy keeps cutting the grass too short for a start...)

    I don't want this to detract from the point of this plea for help though, so if anyone can assist please do.
     
  4. Marley Farley

    Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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    Hi Floyd.. :thumb: I think most of us in the southern part of the country are all suffering the same with our lawns... Brown..... :scratch: If your student is still coming round why have you not told him to either leave it completely or to raise his blades..?? I have not really cut my grass on weeks except for the few long bits.. Sounds like you could be being a tad harsh here...
    This has been the longest driest winter on record & now a very dry summer... I think you should talk to your "students" boss & sort it out first if he " .. Before you try another person.. :scratch: You say..
    So find out why he has not told your "student" what to do... If by then you don't get an answer you like then go elsewhere, but I seriously think most of this is the weather...... :doh:
     
  5. Alice

    Alice Gardener

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    Hi Floyd. You say you have been watering but it is "still dry and brown".
    All I can say about that is you are not watering enough.
    Grass needs a lot of water -sometimes rain 12 hours a day 3 days in a row.
    Are you providing anything like that ?
    A sprinkler an hour a day twice a week won't do it.
    So how much water are you giving the grass ?
     
  6. shiney

    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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    Hi Floyd,
    Just type 'lawn maintenance companies' into google. You'll have a choice of different companies to approach and I'm sure you will get a response from one of them.

    I have a lot of lawns but during the drought I accept the fact that they will go brown. They recover pretty quickly once the rain returns. So instead of spending four hours a week mowing I can spend four hours a week doing something else. :thumb: :yho:

    Of course, it depends on how much lawn you have. If it is not too big then you can water it regularly without using too much water. Mowing it low is one of the worst things that you can do to a lawn in this weather so I would stop the student from touching the lawn at all.

    Good luck :thmb:
     
  7. Floyd

    Floyd Apprentice Gardener

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    Thanks everyone.
    For those interested, the boss had told hos team to raise the blades twice. To me this is elementary stuff for a 'gardener' - I do not expect people I pay for this service to be advised about a lawn's needs.
     
  8. Bean13

    Bean13 Apprentice Gardener

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    Doh yet another blunder by a gardening beginner, At least I know to leave it longer next time lol.
     
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