Top Soil 2you

If your grass is looking pale, patchy, and thinning it could mean that is isn’t getting the correct nutrients it needs to thrive. Your lawn needs the proper nutrients to keep it healthy, green, and full. There are many different options on the market for lawn feed and the one you choose will be entirely dependant on your preference and condition of your grass.

If your lawn has weeds or moss then you will need to buy a feed that also contains weed and moss control which will help kill them. If your lawn is completely moss or weed-free you can purchase a feed specifically for grass without the weed control ingredients.

When should you feed your lawn?

You should aim to feed your lawn at the start of spring with moss and weed control feed, moving on to just feed towards the end of spring providing you have no weeds or moss. If you live in a warmer climate you may want to consider liquid feed as this will still provide nutrients even in dry spells.

You should feed your lawn in autumn too in preparation for the winter months. You can buy specific autumn lawn feed that will keep grass growing at a slow pace and will build up the roots and health of grass to withstand the colder months.

For most of us, our lawn grass is simply just grass but not all grass is created equal. There is not just one type of grass out there, there is actually quite a wide variety and the one you choose will come down to preference. So, what options do you have?

Dwarf Ryegrass
This is the most common grass in the UK due to its fast growth. It is also highly resistant and has particularly good recovery powers. Due to its popularity, it is also cheaper. The main downside to this grass is that it requires more maintenance and will require more fertilisation to keep it looking great.

Annual Meadowgrass
This hybrid weed grass is able to infiltrate soil easily. This is another common grass type found in the UK and is able to grow in a host of different terrains but this grass type tends to suffer during winter months.

Slender Creeping Red Fescue
This grass is more commonly used in the golfing community due to its aesthetic appearance and durability.

We are currently experience some glorious May weather in the UK which has seen most of us spending considerable amounts of time in our gardens. All of your hard work has paid off and you have a beautiful oasis to relax in but it is vital that during sunny spells you keep your garden hydrated to ensure your plants and grass doesn’t dry out.

How can I keep my garden hydrated?

– Water in the morning or at night – if you water during hot spells the water evaporates before reaching the roots. Droplets left on leaves magnify with sun rays which can scorch plants.

– Be vigilant – lookout for signs of dehydration. The leaves will start to wilt and crisp. These plants can be saved if rescued early.

– Water hanging baskets and potted plants daily, these don’t have a deep base so will need you to keep an eye on them. Feeling the soil will tell you if you need to water more.

– Break your soil – if the soil has become too dry, poking a few holes will help water get to the roots.

With all this glorious weather we have been having recently, most of us are spending more time enjoying our gardens. Having a tired and worn out lawn can soon make your garden experience less enjoyable, so you may be thinking, its time to replace your turf.

How will I know if my turf needs a complete overhaul or just some love to bring it back to live?

There are some tell-tale signs which will help you establish that you will need to replace your lawn. If your lawn is very weedy, the grass is thin or the soil is compacted then yes, you will need new turf.

So, you have made the decision to replace, but should you DIY the task or outsource to a specialist company. Replacing turf is now more than ever an inexpensive way to bring your garden back to life, but in some cases, it requires a lot of manual labour.

If you do not have the capabilities to spend hours of hard graft and do not have some of the power tools required to complete the job then it may be far easier for you to call in a specialist.

Sleepers are simply blocks of wood that can be used for various purposes around the house and garden. Reclaimed railway sleepers are especially useful, as they’re eco friendly and good value for money. You can buy them from timber merchants who have a good selection of reclaimed timber, giving you the choice of various appearances. If you’d prefer a different kind of finish, you can apply stains or varnishes to sleepers to make them take on the appearance you prefer.

Sleepers can have many different functions in a garden, from forming flower beds to being made into furniture, like chairs and tables. It gives you the chance to be creative and make something for yourself, without just having to buy shop bought furniture, wood or sleepers. You can make your garden your own and ensure that it reflect your taste and styles, all whilst being satisfied that you’ve done your part to be environmentally friendly.

A healthy lawn is a sign of a healthy garden – a green, flourishing lawn makes the best background for the rest of your plants and flowers. Keeping your turf healthy can take some work, but it is possible and will keep your garden looking beautiful. One of the most important steps is to choose the right kind of turf in the first place. You are fighting a losing battle if you have low quality turf – you will give yourself a much better chance of succeeding when turf is sourced from a good nursery, and is the right kind for your garden. For example, if it is mostly in shade, a shade-resistant type of turf should be used.

Once turf has been laid, looking after it is easier. Keep it well watered all year round, especially when it is hot weather. Scarifying the lawn and using good top dressing helps keep it healthy as well.

Cladding can be used to add decoration, visual interest and additional aesthetic features to a building. It might be used on rustic outbuildings like garages and annexes or, if you have a timber frame home or log cabin home, you might use if on your permanent property. Cladding can also help make a building more thermally efficient with better insulation, so there are benefits all round – you won’t find a reason not to install cladding on your building. For people seeking a material that is long-lasting and beautiful, Siberian larch cladding will very much fit the bill. Unique in its appearance and capable of delivering benefits to your building for many years, it’s easy to see why many homeowners choose Siberian larch cladding.

Why choose Siberian larch for your external building cladding?

Siberian larch has gained great popularity as a cladding material. Here are some of the reasons why it proves so popular, and why it might be perfect for your building:

• Unique aesthetics. Many people simply like the appearance of Siberian larch. It has a distinct wood grain, something that people look for to give wood a uniqueness – and to show that it is real, solid wood. The colour is also appealing and many people choose it because they like the natural appearance and won’t have to stain or colour it in any way. It ages beautifully, with the wood turning a kind of faint silvery colour. You will be left with a distinctive, distinguished appearance for your building.
• It is a slow growth wood, making it tougher. Siberian larch isn’t going to be easily damaged, which is why it’s so good as a cladding material. It is a slow growth type of wood, but at the same time, high density, so it is one of the most durable type of softwood you can buy. To compare, it is 50% harder than Scots pine, so you can view Siberian larch as a good investment. It will last you for many years on the outside of any building, without the need for any significant maintenance.
• It is highly versatile. If you want other aspects of your exterior design to match your cladding, then Siberian larch is also a suitable type of wood for these. It can be used for decking boards, fencing and furniture, so all your wood will match. This is good for people who like consistency and want an all-round type of wood that will be versatile and durable enough for use in various outdoor environments.
• It is easy to machine. Despite being a dense hardwood, Siberian larch is very easy to cut down to size and to machine. This makes it a good candidate for cladding, as it can easily be cut to the size and shape you need for your building. When you are ordering your cladding, it will be available in many different sizes. If you want cladding in a different size, then you can custom order the size you need, as it can easily be cut for you.

Sustainability is becoming a big issue in our general everyday consumption of products, and when we choose to use something, we often want to know about its environmental credentials. Nowhere is this more true than with wood, where we want to understand where it has come from and how the wood has been harvested. For customers who are buying decking boards, this is often going to be a key consideration.

Buying decking boards from a reputable supplier of wood and timber is usually the best place to begin. You should ask your supplier about FSC certifications and their processes for sourcing wood, before you make your final decision to buy. If you decide to go ahead with a certain supplier, ask them for specific information regarding their decking boards first, so you can understand where you wood has come from and if it has been grown in sustainably managed forests.

Flower beds don’t need to be dug haphazardly into your borders. You can make them into a garden feature so that they stand out and make the flowers look beautiful. One of the best ways to do this is to make your own raised flower bed, or to dig a flower bed into another part of the garden where it will stand out. 

A flower bed can be made from sleepers and pieces of timber that will form the outside, structural part of the flower bed. You should ensure you choose appropriately sized sleepers, and that they will slot together. You can even buy flower beds kits made from sleepers, which will already have the grooves and slots carved in. However, if you want more of a challenge, you can make your own flowerbed from railway sleepers, reclaimed sleepers, green wood sleepers and any other kind of responsibly sourced wood.