Tips and Tricks

Here are some brief tips of things that everyone with a garden should be aware of.

Feel free to click on the tip to find more detailed articles or browse for those articles in our services.


LAWN CARE

List Icon Mowing so that you cut the grass at the correct height.

List Icon Knowing when to water your lawn and how much water it needs.

List Icon Weeding & Feeding in the right balance to get your lawn looking its best!

Correct Mowing Techniques

Correct Mowing Techniques


When mowing your lawn:

List Icon Always make sure your mower blades are sharp, so you cut the lawn and you're not tearing it.

List Icon Always mow your lawn in different directions, left to right, up and down and diagonally.

List Icon Never think that cutting your lawn lower will mean that it will grow back more slowly.

List Icon Never, take more than 1/3 off per cut. Scalping your lawn (cutting it too close to the root system) will encourage weed growth and expose bare spots on your lawns.

Drought Protection

Water Needs and Drought Protection for Your Lawns


In Australia, a little planning for inevitable dry spells can save you a whole lot of money, time and heartache later.

List Icon Water less often and to a greater depth. When doing so, this will promote a healthier lawn.

List Icon Watering is best done early morning or in the evening, not in the middle of the day.

List Icon Only water your lawn when it needs it, not every day.

List Icon How do you tell if your grass needs watering? Grass that needs watering will not spring back when walked over. Simple!

The Right Grass for the Right Reason

The Right Grass for the Right Reason


When planning the right choice of grass variety think about:

List Icon The climate in which it will be laid.

List Icon How much time you have to maintain it. Some grasses require more attention than others.

List Icon Shade tolerance in those areas that don't get too much sun.

List Icon Wear resistance for high traffic or areas or areas that have a lot of family activity.

New Lawns and Renovations

New Lawns and Renovations


When you want to turn that bare patch of ground into a nice lush lawn you need to be prepared to:

List Icon Think about why the last lawn didn't thrive and address those issues first.

List Icon Ensure that all old lawns and weeds are removed before you lay the new lawn.

List Icon Ensure that you address issues of having enough soil and correct drainage.

List Icon Select the best lawn for the job. Often lawns won't grow in areas you would like it too, so you and your lawn expert might have to devise a mixed planting strategy.



FERTILISING

Fertilising

What Is Fertilising?


When mowing your lawn:

List Icon Fertilisers are products extracted from minerals. They release nutrients to make up for any nutritional deficiencies in the natural soil.

List Icon Fertilisers are specifically designed to add nutrients and to make those nutrients more available to the plants. They increase plant growth and overall plant health.

List Icon Each type of plant requires a different balance of nutrients at different stages throughout its growth cycle.

Plant Nutrients

Plant Nutrients


List Icon Plants need food just like people to grow & thrive, so plant nutrition is not something that you can ignore.

List Icon Watch where you're planting as lack of water and sun, or too much water and sun, as well as the wrong soil type can limit plant growth.

List Icon The main nutrients that plants require are Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (the pros refer to the measurement of these nutrients as "NPK"). But small quantities of other trace elements can make a huge difference to your plant health too.

Lawn Nutrients

Lawn Nutrients


List Icon Lawns that are discoloured or slow growing or have invading weeds or other pest problems might be that way because they lack certain nutrients.

List Icon Fertilise your lawn when the grass is actively growing in early spring – mid summer and autumn.

List Icon Autumn fertilising helps the lawn keep its colour for longer as the year progresses into winter.

Soil Conditioning

Soil Conditioning


List Icon The type and texture of soil you have can affect the nutrient availability and water retention capacity of plants.

List Icon What is bad soil for one type of plant might be great soil for another type. Consider alternative planting rather than soil conditioning as one possible garden design strategy.

List Icon Check the pH level of your soil to determine its acidity and alkaline levels as different varieties of grass have preferential pH requirements.

List Icon Find out about the deficiencies, excesses and Soil pH with a soil test so you can determine what corrective fertiliser you might need.

Organic Fertilizers

Organic Fertilizers


List Icon Are derived from animal, vegetable and plant matter.

List Icon Proper feeding of soils and plants creates an optimal food source for earthworms and microorganisms that, in turn, keep the soil in a healthy, balanced condition.

List Icon Consider using kelp as a natural growth enhancer.

List Icon Consider using kelp as a natural growth enhancer.

List Icon Use compost to improve soil structure, loosen clay and help sandy soils retain water.



FERTILISING

Fertilising

What Is Fertilising?


When mowing your lawn:

List Icon Fertilisers are products extracted from minerals. They release nutrients to make up for any nutritional deficiencies in the natural soil.

List Icon Fertilisers are specifically designed to add nutrients and to make those nutrients more available to the plants. They increase plant growth and overall plant health.

List Icon Each type of plant requires a different balance of nutrients at different stages throughout its growth cycle.

Plant Nutrients

Plant Nutrients


List Icon Plants need food just like people to grow & thrive, so plant nutrition is not something that you can ignore.

List Icon Watch where you're planting as lack of water and sun, or too much water and sun, as well as the wrong soil type can limit plant growth.

List Icon The main nutrients that plants require are Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (the pros refer to the measurement of these nutrients as "NPK"). But small quantities of other trace elements can make a huge difference to your plant health too.

Lawn Nutrients

Lawn Nutrients


List Icon Lawns that are discoloured or slow growing or have invading weeds or other pest problems might be that way because they lack certain nutrients.

List Icon Fertilise your lawn when the grass is actively growing in early spring – mid summer and autumn.

List Icon Autumn fertilising helps the lawn keep its colour for longer as the year progresses into winter.

Soil Conditioning

Soil Conditioning


List Icon The type and texture of soil you have can affect the nutrient availability and water retention capacity of plants.

List Icon What is bad soil for one type of plant might be great soil for another type. Consider alternative planting rather than soil conditioning as one possible garden design strategy.

List Icon Check the pH level of your soil to determine its acidity and alkaline levels as different varieties of grass have preferential pH requirements.

List Icon Find out about the deficiencies, excesses and Soil pH with a soil test so you can determine what corrective fertiliser you might need.

Organic Fertilizers

Organic Fertilizers


List Icon Are derived from animal, vegetable and plant matter.

List Icon Proper feeding of soils and plants creates an optimal food source for earthworms and microorganisms that, in turn, keep the soil in a healthy, balanced condition.

List Icon Consider using kelp as a natural growth enhancer.

List Icon Consider using kelp as a natural growth enhancer.

List Icon Use compost to improve soil structure, loosen clay and help sandy soils retain water.



GARDEN CARE

Drought Protection

Drought Protection


When mowing your lawn:

List Icon Consider using drought tolerant plants or Australian natives that need little water.

List Icon Wetting agents and drought shields can be sprayed onto plants to protect against heat. These can be especially useful in times of unusually dry and hot conditions.

List Icon There are soil-treatments available to help soil retain moisture.

Irrigation

Irrigation


List Icon Drip Irrigation is about 20% more water-efficient than sprinklers.

List Icon Have sprinklers on late in the afternoon or in early morning to prevent evaporation, which only wastes water.

List Icon TUse Poly Pipe in areas where the ground freezes more than a few inches deep.

Mulching and Re-mulching

Mulching and Re-mulching


List Icon Layering mulch up to 30 to 50mm thick helps soil to retain moisture and also suppresses weeds.

List Icon Fertilise your lawn when the grass is actively growing in early spring – mid summer and autumn.

List Icon Autumn fertilising helps the lawn keep its colour for longer as the year progresses into winter.

Pruning

Pruning


List Icon Remove dead, damaged & diseased stems as soon as you see them and clean your pruners with alcohol after each cut to sterilise the blades and prevent any possibility of infection.

List Icon Prune spring-flowering shrubs back once they have finished blooming.

List Icon The more you prune the more compact and dense the shrub will become.

List Icon Always deadhead your flowers.

List Icon Trim branches by cutting them on an angle about a centimetre above a new bud.

Tree Removal

Tree Removal


List Icon Never cut trees while standing on a ladder. It's easy for the ladder to kick-out from under you, leading to a serious fall.

List Icon Stump grinding is a beneficial process where the tree stump is ground down to the point where the ground is even and free of tripping hazards.

List Icon In some cases, depending on the height and type of the tree, or preservation orders, you might need council permission before you can cut down a tree.

List Icon Depending on the type of root system a tree has it might be easier to grind the stump down instead of ripping out the roots.



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