PESTS-ANTS

Summer’s here.....apparently!......and so will some of those ‘pests’ we tend to be seeing more of!

Weather patterns are changing and so are the habits of these ‘pests’

Many people don’t look upon ants as pests, but many also will!  They are certainly becoming more widespread than ever before.

Now, I’m not going to go into how many types of ants we may have, what colour and what size, but the simple fact about ants is, we don’t really know that much about them, probably because they are not deemed that much of a pest.

     summer time picnics can be ruined by ants in the lawn

Don’t get me wrong, if you are luxuriating on your lush green lawn, having a picnic and Pimms...they will be a nuisance!  Believe me!

For those of us that love our grass, ants can be a problem in many ways.

Firstly, by bringing soil to the surface.  So when we mow it creates a ‘smeared mess’, and secondly, our lawns can have these almost mole like ‘humps’ all over the place, thus making mowing very difficult.

How to get rid of ants in the lawn

I’m a great believer that we often talk and write about how the ants create the mounds, when they will appear and what type we may have, but most people want an answer....’how can I get rid of them?’

Now, I can hear you all thinking...yes, that’s great....finally an answer!

Well, I wish I had a perfect answer, but sadly do not have something that works 1 million percent!

However, don’t be put off......I am a great believer that ants and ant nests vary from lawn to lawn, so what works for one person may not work for others.

This can be down to the type of ant.....when they are treated, with what product and how many times you have treated?

I would say to anyone, try what is available.  If that does not work...try something else.

There are many domestic products available, including the new use of biological nematode’s and I hear many different responses!  However, it is times like these that make the curious, try something...a little different!

One great tip when using anything is to try and get any product into the depths of the said nests.  This will allow the product to get into the areas where the ants actually are. 

We often treat the surface which only treats those coming to the surface, at that time.

Aerate the soil, using a fork to get any product really in well...And if it says soak it....soak it!

Now some of those ‘wacky’ ways to help eradicate ants...and don’t laugh, are these;

Lemon juice, cinnamon, peppermint, baking soda, coffee, vinegar, to name but a few!

There are few miracles, but something may work for you, but always try an area that’s out of the way first.  You don’t want it damaging your lawn.

If you don’t want to get rid of them and it’s just causing mowing problems, simply brush with a besom broom prior to mowing.

If its bumps in your lawn, look at increased hollow tining so that over a period of time, the mounds get lower...and maybe even top dress!

There’s no easy solution...but perseverance 

David Hedges-Gower  is an experienced greenskeeper who has looked after some of the most prestigious venues in the country.  He is currently writing a book on 21st century lawn care.  

You may also like:   

How to prepare your lawn for summer barbeques

Download our FREE guide to creating the perfect lawn

Now in these days of us all being somewhat greener and our wanting to use less chemicals than ever, weed control often comes with a slight intake of breath!

Weed control in lawns, in my opinion, is often over criticised.....the word ‘killer’ with anything brings on a certain fear.  Weed killer, moss killer, total weed killer....etc.  The words weed and killer give out a sense of something incredibly strong and toxic.  And this is not really the case.  Pesticides are becoming safer and safer, year on year.

broadleafed weeds, poor nourishment
and irregular mowing are spoiling this lawn
 

Dealing with weeds in the lawn

However, let me tell you the best type of weed control.......................healthy grass.

Keep your grasses thick and your soils healthy and weeds won’t actually have much of a chance to get carried away.

When I used to manage a golf club, I first came across people’s miss-conception about weed control.

I ran an American designed, American maintained golf club, where the grass quality was the best in Europe at the time.  And people believed that when we had a slight inkling of a problem....we hit it a pesticide....That never ever happened!

It was only during a talk I gave to a local college, whereby I took all our empty pesticide containers along for one single season. ....... It didn’t even take up a table top.    And it was a 260 acre site!

We concentrated, as any lawn owner should on sensible practices first.

If weeds became a problem, we dealt with them....but certainly rarely with ‘blanket sprays’

Some people, on the other hand don’t even mind weeds (ask Monty Don...he loves them, I think more so than grass!)

Weed control in lawns is a very tricky area.  Garden centres are not able to supply very much these days, but what they do supply, can work, if applied correctly.

How to weed the lawn

Now, you can have an nice lawn with weeds in...If that is what you want....

You can have a nice lawn, with no weeds in...If that’s what you want....

Weed control can be done by hand or by chemical.  Some weeds are impossible to pull out, some are easy.

One of the main reasons why weed killers are not sold, or even a little weaker than their professional counterparts is simple.......People rarely understand how to apply them correctly

So, the other suggestion is maybe do an all over spray using some of the domestic varieties, or better still....call in someone who knows the best type of weed killer to apply. 

One who can and does understand the workings of a spraying device...and one who knows the exact amount of weed killer to apply.

It’s a lot more complicated than people think!  And of course, by calling upon someone who knows how to do it, does not mean that you will be applying tons of pesticides over the coming years.  Oh no.....

Weed killers can essentially be just growth hormones.  When applied, you will see growth increase and the weed grows, curls up and dies.  That’s it....

Essentially you just force on its metabolism so quickly that it can’t keep up....

Sound lawn care advice 

So, whatever you choose, whether it be weed removal or weed killer...concentrate on the health of the grass first...It may surprise you how few weeds you actually have to worry about!

David Hedges-Gower made his mark in the world of green keeping on such prestigious courses as the Oxfordshire Golf Club. He tailored conditions for such golfers as Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie and Ernie Els, to name but a few. He is now able to bring his wealth of experience to help you on your lawn. Follow David on Twitter

Read David's advice on mowing your lawn

Caring for new turf

Never have daisies caused more controversy than in argument between immaculate lawns and flowering lawn. Daisies, bird’s foot trefoil, clover and other flowering plants in a lawn are a great source of nectar for pollinating insects but to a seasoned lawn lover they can be a source of irritation and disappointment. Should a lawn be purely grass or is there room for a bit of variety?

Personally, I like to see a daisy or two in the summer time lawn; and, judging by these pictures taken in the Queen's garden at Sandringham in early June, so does Her Majesty.  I have fond memories of making daisy chains during playtimes at primary school alongside my best friend Jo and I love to watch the bees foraging amongst the daisies, clover and birdsfoot trefoil on my own lawn.

Working for a turf grower and particularly one that grows to the TGA Standard, there's a part of me that sees daisies as being weeds.  The TGA Standard demands that there are less than 5 percent impurities in the Sward and I guess that if I were buying turf, I would want a perfect lawn with a nice, even colour and texture.  Unless, of course I were buying wild flower turf - that's a whole different product.

If you have daisies in your lawn, and don't want them there, they're reasonably easy to remove using an appropriate herbicide. But bear in mind that removing a large number of plants will leave baldy bits on the lawn. Bare patches could be over seeded or, if you want instant and reliable results, the whole area could be returfed. Returfing gives great results and is relatively simple.

Watch our video to find out how.

Could you have Britain’s Best Lawn?        

• Is your lawn is the apple of your eye?  
• Are you committed to creating the perfect sward? 
• Are you mad about trimming your turf?   

If so, then you really should enter Briggs & Stratton’s competition to find Britain’s best lawn.

The winner will receive a brand new lawn mower, a selection of lawn care tools, lawn seeds and fertilisers, a wheelbarrow, tickets to the RHS Harrogate Autumn Flower Show and a 12 month subscription to Garden News Magazine.  Wow

For more information and an entry form, go to www.Britainsbestlawn.co.uk

If you want to create Britain's Best Lawn - download Q Lawns turf growers Guide to creating the Perfect Lawn

According to a recent article in Horticulture Week magazine, Landscapers say that an increasing number of people are asking for artificial grass to be installed so that they can spend more time relaxing and less time mowing.  The article also cited as reasons to swap from natural grass to synthetic groundcover are hosepipe bans, low maintenance features and the need for a really tough surface.

Thankfully, this is not the case for the Royal Parks.

The Royal Parks spends £80,000 to £100,000 a year refreshing grass in its parks and has undergone huge refurbishment since the Olympics last year.  Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Parks Colin Buttery said “we have thought about artificial grass but decided it wasn’t appropriate for a grade 1 listed landscape”

Chris Carr at Q Lawns is nonplussed by the latest trend in garden design.  “I can understand why some people might like the idea of a no-mow lawn but I’m sure that they’ll miss the smell of new mown grass, the feel of cool leaves between their toes and the way it’s so easy to change the look of the garden by changing lawn into flower beds and vice-versa.   There are so many environmental benefits to a natural lawn that it makes no sense at all to be laying plastic on the ground…..but maybe I’m old fashioned, or biased or both”

By Angela Lambert      

May 27^th – June 2^nd 2013 is the 17^th National Barbecue Week.   Everyone at Q Lawns loves a barbecue and when it rains – well we just put up a gazebo and carry on regardless.  But in an ideal world, the sun would shine, we’d waft charcoally smells all around the neighbourhood and friends and family would relax on the lawn while the food is cooking on the coals.

A great lawn for  friends and family to enjoy

The ideal lawn for relaxing on is free from prickly weeds like thistles, has a nice thick (comfy)sward and is robust enough to resist being damaged when the games get lively.

If, like me, you’re hoping to do a lot of cooking out of doors this summer, it’s a good idea to take a few minutes out of your week to ensure your lawn is in good shape.  A great lawn for entertaining on will look good and be able to cope with rain, drought, wear and tear and the occasional escaped spark from the barbecue.

Feeding the lawn:

 Don’t forget that a lawn needs feeding every 6-8 weeks.   Regular applications of the right lawn feed will make sure that the whole of the grass plant is strong and can easily recover from wear and tear.  A well fed lawn will stay greener for longer during a drought, it will resist pests and diseases and it will generally make you feel proud.  Q Lawns recommend Nutrifusion Spring/Summer feed because it has the right balance of nutrients for a domestic lawn.

Mowing:  

Mow little and often.   Twice a week is ideal if you can manage it, if not, then cut the grass at least once a week.   Don’t scalp the lawn – slightly longer grass is less likely to be invaded by moss or weeds.   Read our expert’s tips on mowing the lawn.

Weed control: 

I’m not one for chemical applications if I can avoid them.  Clover, daisies and birdsfoot trefoil, I tend tolerate because the bees love them so,; but If I get big weeds such as dandelions, or worse – thistles (ouch) I spot treat them by pouring about a dessertspoon full of table salt into the crown of the plant.  After a few days, the plant will wither and die but the surrounding lawn will still be OK.

Ants’ nests in the lawn:

 Ants are a problem on my lawn.  I do try to support biodiversity and I enjoy watching the blackbirds come to forage for creatures hiding the the grass, but when I’m being crawled all over and sometimes even bitten by ants, or when I daren’t let the grandchildren sit on the lawn, then I’m afraid, I feel inclined to give biodiversity the boot.  Again, I don’t like using pesticides – they may affect the critters I want to keep – so to encourage ants to move on, I use peppermint essence.  Yes, you heard, peppermint essence…..the stuff you use to make peppermint creams and/or marble cake.

Dissolve around 30 drops of peppermint essence into a tablespoon of vodka (it’s an oil so it won’t dissolve in water)  tip the mixture into a 2 gallon watering can, fill with water and sprinkle over the affected area.   Ants HATE peppermint and they’ll soon move on.  

Bare patches on the lawn:

 It happens!  The children put up a tent and leave it in the same place for a fortnight, the dog scratches up the lawn looking for that last, miniscule piece of leftover sausage, barbecue lighter fluid gets spilt on the grass.   If a lawn is being used properly, it will develop  the odd bare patch.  Simply loosen the soil with a spring tine rake, sprinkle on some grass seed, water it in, protect it from birds (and feet) as best you can, and let Mother Nature do the rest.  But do try to repair bare patches as soon as possible – before they are invaded by weeds. 

Great Giveaway

During National Barbecue Week, Q Lawns Turf Growers are running a competition to win a set of Barbecue goodies for lawn lovers.  The prize includes A portable barbecue with charcoal and tools, a Sainsbury’s shopping voucher and a lawn repair kit.   Simply “like” Q Lawns’ page on Facebook and share the picture of the prize to be in with a chance of winning.

Top 10 most hated gardening tasks

A recent survey by online garden centre GardeningExpress.co.uk has revealed that mowing the lawn comes eighth in the ten most hated gardening chores.

Raking up leaves was the least popular job with 21% of the 540 respondents confessing that tidying up autumn leaves was something they really dislike.

Cutting the grass was cited by 4% of the people polled as being their least favourite jobs. 

A spokesman from GardeningExpress.co.uk said “Most gardeners will turn their hand to anything and don’t mind even the most medial jobs if their garden looks good.  However, there are always some jobs we dislike more than others and raking is high on the list for many people.  It’s no surprise to see some to the more strenuous tasks coming near the top.  Trimming hedges, digging and chopping down trees all require a fair bit of energy and stamina and can easily be among the tasks you put off.  Once complete though, you feel good and the garden looks great.”

Top ten most hated gardening jobs.

Raking leaves                                      21%
Tidying                                                  16%
Trimming Hedges                              13%
Digging                                                 12%
Pruning overgrown trees                  11%
Weeding                                              10%
Pruning bushes/plants                       8%
Cutting the grass                                  4%
Planting                                                  3%
Watering                                                 2%

If cutting the grass is your least favourite task, why not read our expert’s tips on how to make mowing easier?

All about mowing

As well as three grades of turf we supply MeadowMat Wildflower Matting, Enviromat Sedum Mat for living roofs, EcoGreen reinforced turf, soil, compost and bark as well as a number of associated products. Everything you need to know is here. To order a copy please phone or email, alternatively you can click on the image below download a PDF version here.

Gatekeeper (Maniola tithonius)

Sighting of a Gatekeeper often indicates that summer is at its full height. They are usually on the wing as bramble flowers are at their best with groups often seen feeding on the nectar.

This one was photographer on Ragwort flowers on one of our Environmental areas on the farm.

Large White (Pieris brassicae)

This is a common sight in our gardens – but the species is better known for its larvae whish can be very destructive in the vegetable garden. Has a wingspan of around 6cm. These were both photographed on wild flowers in some of our Conservation areas near to streams and brooks.

Meadow Brown (Maniola lycaon)

This is probably the most numerous and widespread grassland butterfly in the region. The wings are a very distinctive dusky brown with a striking eyespot. The wingspan is around 5cm and the larvae are around 2.5 cm long and feed on various grasses. This Meadow Brown was photographed on a thistle in a field corner which has been left to encourage wild flowers and grasses to grow.

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)

With the distinctive salmon pink upperwings this species is one of the easiest to recognise.

In England it is a summer visitor having migrated from North Africa and Southern Europe. It is very easy to approach this species particulary when feeding – this one was photographed on a thistle on our farms.

Small Totoiseshell (Nymphalis urticae)

This is one of Europes most familiar and attractive butterflies. The wing margins carry the distinctive blue mosaic affect. The larvae feed on nettles – so it is always important to leave nettles in some areas to provide a food source. This one was seen sunbathing on the edge of a wood on our farm.

Privet Hawk-Moth Larvae (Sphinx ligustri)

The Privet Hawk-moth is the largest hawk-moth resident in Northern Europe with a wingspan of 10-12 cm. It flies at night feeding on flowers and is attracted to light. The larvae are up to 8.5 cm long with distinctive bands on the side. This larvae was photographed feeding on a  Privet brush next to a grain store on our farm.

You may also like this blog post on our sister site www.meadowmat.com

Growing food for caterpillars

Storing Turf and its aftercare

It’s another thing not much spoken about, but both storing your turf and caring for it after it has been laid, are two essential things that you need to learn about.

When either of these is done badly, they can ruin all the work you have just done.

How to store turf

Storing turf seems something really basic....’put it over there...out of the way...for when I’m ready!’

However, I have seen way too many pieces of turf put down where exactly that has happened.

Remember, turf can be laid ANYTIME of the year.  When it’s cold, when it’s wet and when it’s dry. 

If you lay the turf as soon as it is delivered on your doorstep, you will rarely have a problem.  But the longer you leave it rolled up, the more chance you have of ruining this gorgeous piece of turf.

Turf is a great convector of heat, especially when rolled up...so the hotter it gets outside...the hotter the turf will be.  There is no rule of thumb about how long you can leave it rolled up for, as it depends on so many factors, but here are some useful tips;

1)    Get the lawn area prepared before you order your turf.  If you haven’t got that preparation completed, it can unnecessarily hold up the laying of turf.

2)    Decide on where to store the turf before you get it delivered.  Ensure access points are not being blocked and it won’t be put anywhere inconvenient.

3)    If the sun is out (and that can be a rarity these days!), try placing in a shady area, where it can stay a bit cooler.

4)    Don’t ever water your turf during storage.  Whilst watering is essential when it’s down, watering when it is still rolled up will actually quicken up the ‘yellowing’ process!

Caring for a newly turfed lawn

After you have laid your new lawn, you will need to dome things to ensure it stays good!

Again, mistakes are often made by thinking; now it’s got green on...it’ll all be fine....

The most important thing about aftercare...is exactly that....caring for it...  Don’t forget that it’s a living plant.

Now, once you feel that roots are getting down and watering is becoming less essential, the next stage is moving onto a different form of aftercare.

I would suggest applying a good feed after about 6-8 weeks, such as Q Lawns Nutrifusion, in order to keep up the plant health.  Dwarf ryegrasses like food and feeding should be a regular part in your lawn programme.  (Remember, when we cut and remove the clippings, we are taking away food and water!)

A few other aftercare tips;

1)    Mow turfed lawns a bit longer than your old lawn.  20-30mm will keep your lawn much healthier!

2)    Mow a little more often....

3)    Hollow tine aerate a lawn after about 6 months(between Oct-Mar).  This will allow moisture to penetrating through your lawn.  It will also help soil bacteria and oxygen levels to increase.

A little thought and planning can go a long way! Happy turfing!

David

> watch our video: how to lay turf

Q Lawns turf is grown at Shrubhill Farms in Norfolk and our directors also own land at Great Harrowden in Northamptonshire.

Between the two farms there is over 100 acres of woodland, which, along with hedgerows, waterways and road verges is carefully managed as wildlife habitat.

These photographs were taken in early May and demonstrate how a little bit of TLC pays dividends.

Woodland management at Q Lawns at Harrowden involves:

• Removing excess ivy to protect larger trees such as oak and ash (we leave some ivy as it’s a valuable source of pollen and nectar in the winter time.
• Felling dead trees to make room for new plants to grow
• Planting evergreen fruiting shrubs such as holly and laurel to provide winter food and year round cover for insects and birds
• Replanting of hedgerows around woods so that they become peaceful, sheltered spots where wildlife feels secure
• Leaving dead wood on the floor of the wood to provide habitat for insects such as solitary bees.
• Only carrying out works at a suitable time of year to prevent disturbing the wildlife.

A pheasant's nest - proof that wildlife is thriving (and breeding) in our woodlands

People often ask me ‘What type of turf should I buy?’

And some say nothing, assuming that all turf is the same  (if only!)

Choosing a turf is not that complicated, but mistakes can be made and it certainly helps when you can call upon someone like Q Lawns for advice

Q lawns have a passion for all things green......(and not just lawn turf)

Upon recently visiting their Turf farm, I was able to see, first hand, what this passion really meant.

Being someone who is passionate about lawns myself, it certainly is great when you meet people with a similar enthusiasm.  Grass lovers could sit and talk for hours........just about grass...and I mean hours!

Driving around the farm really showed me that the end user rarely gets to see what precise work goes into making this end product so good.  Apart from seeing fields of lush green grass, the way it is harvested is something else.  A top of the range ‘turf harvester’ was being driven up and down with such, laser guided precision (and that is what is used...a laser!) that it was more in keeping with something from a sci- fi movie.   I think most people’s perceptions are of ‘old Ted’ and his mate in field with a turfing iron, plodding away with a pallet a day!

Types of Lawn Turf

I was shown their ‘Classic Lawn Turf’...and I could see why it was their best seller.

A lovely mix of dwarf ryegrass, fescue’s and smooth stalked meadow grasses.  This really is an exceptional quality turf....... good enough for your ornamental lawn or even your golf tees!

Now, whilst I thought that was it......no, they also grow an even more economical turf, for those of you that don’t want that perfect finish.  It’s called their Q Grass Turf.

Now whilst it was tricky to spot the difference in quality, it will give you a more cost effective option, should you be looking for more of a ‘play lawn’ or just landscaping some areas.

How to choose lawn turf

So, my advice when choosing your turf is;

1)    Decide what you want to use it for?  Not just now, but in the future...

2)    Give Q Lawns a call to make sure.  It’s a very important decision, so use their expert advice!

3)    Learn how to maintain this type of turf.  It’s not all the same and a bit of advice now, can save you time and money in the future.

As a grass fanatic, going round a turf farm is wonderful.  Too see how it’s actually done...to see the blood, sweat and tears that go into the making of a product....is great.

So, give Q Lawns a call now...you won’t regret it!

You may also like: Understanding Turf Quality Standards

Chantall Ridd-Jones
9th May 2013 

Stuart and I attended the Huntingdon Rugby Club Inaugural ‘Picnic Ball’ this weekend. What a fantastic idea for a fundraiser – everyone buys a ticket but each table of guests brings their own food and has to decorate their own table, with a prize going to the winning table.

Being of farming stock, what better way to cover the table than to …. yes you’ve guessed…turf it!!!  Complete with toy combines and tractors and trailers, plastic cows and even a token wind turbine it looked fabulous.

One problem – where to rest one’s glass?

Problem solved – a pastry cutter had been brought along so one could cut out a ‘glass holder’ in the turf and pop the glass into the hole. Marvellous!

Photos not of great quality – something to with the photographer (Stu) and the volume of alcohol consumed by that point (probably too much)…

Do you like this idea?  why not order turf online and have it delivered to your table in time for a summer barbeque, a charity fundraiser or a picnic with a difference.   

order turf online

In the current world of Health and Safety, you can never be too careful.

As Groundforce were too busy to help, they called in Millie and Henry. Armed with several rolls of top quality Q Lawns turf the team got to work, filled in all the holes, and spent the rest of the Easter holidays lovingly watering the new turf.

Lawn turf history

May 2013 marks the 20^th birthday of Q Lawns turf growers and so we’re reminiscing about the olden days and thinking about what the future might hold.

In this short video, Chris Carr, our Sales and Marketing Manager recalls how the business diversified from dairy farming and pig rearing in Norfolk to supplying lawns to most of the UK.

He recounts the development of Enviromat for green roofing and of Meadowmat wild flower matting and speculates on what the future might hold.

Wayne Grills, Chief Operations Officer at BALI – The British Association of Landscape Industries has confirmed that he will be speaking to delegates at Q Lawns’ Sustainable Landscaping event about the shortage of skills in horticulture and landscaping.

A skilled workforce is essential to secure the future of UK horticulture

Without skilled labour, the future for horticulture is dubious.   TV Presenter Alan Titchmarsh has been quoted as saying of the industry “Our role is undervalued by Government, by the population and by young people in particular – in every instance because they just do not understand the breadth of what we do and its importance in terms of the wellbeing of the planet and its population.”

At Q Lawns event, Wayne will be talking both about the need to enthusing people of all ages to learn more about our industry and consider a career in horticulture and about the provision of good, relevant training in all subjects and at all levels.

Event Itinery

“We are awaiting confirmation from another two high profile speakers who will be talking to delegates about other aspects of sustainable landscaping.” said Angela Lambert, Sales and Marketing Co-ordinator   “The day will also include a tour of the farm – looking at food production as well as growing and harvesting of turf, sedum mat and wild flower mat – a free lunch and some great networking opportunities.  I’m really looking forward to it.”

Be a part of it

Q Lawns’ Sustainable Landscaping Event is free to attend but booking is essential.  It takes place on 4^th July 2013 at Corkway Drove, Hockwold, Nr Thetford and promises to be an interesting day out. For those who prefer public transport to driving, Angela is more than happy to collect delegates from Brandon Train Station if you let her know what time you expect to arrive.

For more information, please email Angelal@qlawns.co.uk

A study into the way that Brits use their gardens has revealed that an astounding 7.4 million people in this country never use the outdoor space that’s freely available to them because they don’t know how to care for them.

According to this study, 21% of back gardens are neglected and unloved and quite frankly, such an embarrassment to their owners that they are never revealed to friends and family and only ever used for smoking cigarettes in.

What a shame.

Will the next generation be good gardeners?

If government proposals to teach gardening in schools become reality, maybe we’ll see the next generation feeling more confident about growing their own vegetables, recognising and nurturing wildlife friendly flowers or simply taking the broken washing machine out of the garden and creating a traditional British lawn instead.

Maybe local authorities should run adult education classes in gardening?  Students could practice (under supervision) in their local parks to help keep maintenance costs down and allow the community to develop pride in their green spaces.

Britain used to be a nation of gardeners.  Hopefully, we can be again.

Start simple.  Make a lawn

Find out how easy it is to create a lawn with our FREE downloadable guide

Here's a tip for disposing of the clippings from your lawn. 

Mulching around roses with well rotted  grass clippings in early spring, just before the leaves break will help prevent black spot disease. Blackpool spores overwinter in the soil and reinfect the plant in spring. It has been shown that chemicals produced by the rotted grass can kill the blacksmith spores.

Interesting.  I wonder if this applies to other fungal spores.....does anyone know?

This tip is taken from the book "the greatest gardening tips in the world " by Steve Brookes

More more hints and tips on how to mow your lawn, visit our previous blogpost

As with any construction, the site needed tidying up once the building was finished and so Q Lawns stepped in with a donation of Q Lawn Classic Turf to give the pavillion those all important finishing touches.

Spring is the ideal time of year to create a beautiful lawn from turf.   For help and advice, download Q Lawns' free guide to creating a lawn  or watch our video

Spring and your lawn

We are finally seeing some sunshine and feeling some warmth on our backs, so imagine how those lawns are feeling having been succumbed to so many months of bleak, cold, wet weather.

Well, it doesn’t take long after the sun has come out, for us gardeners to get into our gardens and onto our lawns.

Now that spring is finally upon us (fingers crossed), we are all lagging a bit behind, so need to get things moving.

One major factor though, is that we are guaranteed to be going into a warmer bout of weather, so we know whatever we do on our lawns.....it will work.  No more frosts hopefully!

Moss Control

After last summer’s washout and this winter’s snow, moss has been one of the main problems you will have been seeing.

Now, moss control is done in many ways, not just through a moss control product.  It will also be down to correct mowing height and frequency, adequate nutrition through the year and scarification.

Now, scarifying will only remove the physical plant we see.  It does not kill spores...(and you do not need to remove every single plant from the sward, when doing it)

Following your moss control actions, what is essential, is the use of a balanced feed such as Nutrifusion Spring and summer.  A sensible amount of nitrogen will get some grass growth moving, along with some phosphate to help those seedlings and new shoots. >more about moss control

Feed the lawn

Now, a handy tip about feeds.....if they are due to last 6-8 weeks (dependant on the rate you apply and environmental conditions, rain etc), then look to apply your next feed, a week or even two before it may run out.

So order your next application, at the same time as ordering your first.

Mowing the lawn

Now the last thing to tell you right now, although it may not be the most important issue on a lawn, it can be one thing that set a lawn backwards......And that’s lawn mowing.

Yes, that’s right.....It’s a very essential part of lawn care.  One single bad mow at the incorrect time can make a lawn look awful and undo some of the spring work you may have carried out.

So, dust your mower off, sharpen those blades and realise that the first cut of the year, should not be at the same height, as when you last used your mower.

Hacking your lawn down too quickly will turn it very yellow and unsightly.  Work the height down in stages to no lower than 25mm.

And make sure those blades are sharp.  This will maintain the colour of your lawn throughout the year.
>more about lawn mowing

Last words

A little bit of extra care and attention at this time of the year, can make all the difference.

David Hedges-Gower made his mark in the world of green keeping on such prestigious courses as the Oxfordshire Golf Club. He tailored conditions for such golfers as Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie and Ernie Els, to name but a few. He is now able to bring his wealth of experience to help you on your lawn.

guest blogger David Hedges-Gower
19th April 2013

MOWING YOUR LAWN

Mowing a lawn can, when done correctly, enhance the way your lawn looks and in fact, boost your whole garden.

So, what is correct and what is not?

All too often, lawn mowing can in fact be the main reason a lawn is in poor condition.

We are the ones who want our lawns to look great and a lack of good education, can in fact, be the reason our lawn is not as good as it should be.

If we look at the professional sporting venues, we have in the UK, we often admire the beautiful lush green stripes.  However, we can do something similar on our lawns.  It’s just a matter of learning a little off them and using bits of it, in our own domestic environment.

First lesson: frequency of mowing 

When lawns are cut, we divert growth sideways, instead of vertically (and into our compost bins)

These sports venues mow more often than we can sometimes afford to do, but just learn the fact that the more often we cut...the thicker our lawns will get.  It’s the same as when we cut the top of a hedge....the sides grow out!

So, is there a rule of thumb?

Well, essentially the rule of thumb is never cut more than a 1/3^rd of your leaf blade (i.e, if you mow your lawn at 30mm, cut it when it gets to 40mm)

This is almost impossible to do, but if you can realise that during good growing weather, maybe look at increasing the frequency to two cuts per week.

Second Lesson: best mowing height

Essentially, the lower you mow a lawn, the more work involved in maintaining it.

Remember, the leaf blade is where the plant stores food and water, so the lower we cut, the hungrier and thirstier it gets.

Dwarf ryegrass lawns, as sold in top quality turf, is a very different grass to our natural grasses.  And that can be said for mowing heights.  It’s a grass that, if left to grow to 25-30mm, you will experience more benefits than disadvantages.  It’s a modern grass that has been bred for the modern environment.

Natural fescue/bent lawns can be mown a little shorter, maybe to a length of 20-25mm, but they will require more thatch control as well.

What should I do with clippings?

Remember, the leaf blade is 70% water, so the idea of leaving your clippings on the surface can have benefits at certain times of the year.

A top tip, during good growing weather, (such as May), is to maybe increase your mowing from one cut to two, per week.

Maybe the first cut (say on a Tuesday), leave the box off and on the second (maybe on a Saturday), keep the box on. 

You will find this only increases your time mowing by an extra 10%, but with twice the stripes and twice as much density.

Mowing your lawn is a big way to reap the rewards of all your lawn work.  Do it badly and it can quickly undo all your effort....do it well and your neighbours will be green with envy!

David Hedges-Gower made his mark in the world of green keeping on such prestigious courses as the Oxfordshire Golf Club. He tailored conditions for such golfers as Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie and Ernie Els, to name but a few. He is now able to bring his wealth of experience to help you on your lawn.

Moss-Love it or hate it?

In these greener days, there are still many who are willing to put up with a mossy lawn...In fact, some love it!

But for lawn enthusiasts, it’s an annoyance...sometimes even seen as a failure.

What causes moss?

Well, simply put....many things.  It is more often than not blamed on that poor old ‘shade’.  People often never look close enough, but when it’s over the whole lawn...it’s not necessarily just a shade issue. 

Here are the main causes;

1                     Short mowing-this is one of the main causes.  Cutting too short removes too much leaf blade.  This can cause the plants to thatch up quicker.  This will then lead to moisture retention...leading to moss encroachment.

2                     Irregular mowing-a lack of a sensible mowing regime can also allow moss to flourish.  Allowing the grass to grow long can mean that moss spores get the wet, moist conditions they need to survive.

3                     Compaction-this can be caused by the short mowing.  Thinning canopies can allow the sun to bake the surface, which will cause compaction within the top few millimetres of the soil profile.  This can be enough to stop water filtrating through the soil quickly enough.

4                     Nutrition-a lack of nutrition is rarely seen as something that can give moss a helping hand.  But many UK grasses grow in a way, whereby a  lack of nutrition can cause the plant to use up food reserves.  This will make grasses produce more shoots and dead leaves, leading to increased thatch levels.

So, how can we cope with controlling or eradicating moss?

Ensuring you have a healthy plant is always a great start.  And this is done by correcting all of the above issues.

Scarification-this will remove moss plants.  The ‘bit’ we see.  It won’t kill moss spores though.

Scarify in many directions, removing a small amount each time, rather than one pass.

Moss killer-often this can be done badly...or in fact at the wrong time.  Moss killers are best applied through adding water as it can scorch grass plants.  However, if that’s not possible, try and apply after you have scarified, and maybe before a shower of rain.

Make sure you cut your lawn at a sensible height.  Short mowing does nothing but stress the plant out.  There is a reason why golf courses only have 18 small circles.  It’s very expensive to maintain short grass in a healthy way.

Ensure your mower blade is sharp and cutting at a sensible height.  It’s better to have a slightly longer mown lawn, which has grass, than a short cropped one that is thinning out and sparse.

Aerate as regularly as you can.  Soils are often forgotten about, as they are not seen by us very often, but remember, these are where we expect our plants to be growing.  Along with using feeds, such as Nutrifusion, aeration will also get working on those very important soil bacteria’s.

Try and work out a regular feeding pattern to your lawn.  Irregular feeding patterns (waiting for a lawn to become hungry before you apply another feed) do not help lawns.  They like a sensible balanced feed program.

All of these things make it easier to control moss, by keeping your lawn healthy.

This, in turn, makes it more difficult for moss to have a chance to come back in.

td>

David Hedges-Gower made his mark in the world of green keeping on such prestigious courses as the Oxfordshire Golf Club. He tailored conditions for such golfers as Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie and Ernie Els, to name but a few. He is now able to bring his wealth of experience to help you on your lawn.

New DAF lorries for Q Lawns

Q Lawns turf growers have taken delivery of four new lorries in a bid to save costs, minimise environmental impact and improve services.

All four trailers will be hauled by DAF XF105 460 ATe tractor units.  These are currently the most eco-friendly DAF on the market.  They comply with Euro 5 and EEV emissions standards and have some innovative engine features that make them exceptionally fuel efficient and therefore cost effective.

Patrick Chapman, Logistics Manager at Q Lawns says “These new trucks should lower our carbon footprint, reduce transport costs and, with the colourful and distinctive signwriting, will also help to improve brand awareness.”

All four lorries will carry Moffatt Mounties for convenient offloading.

Q Lawns have also welcomed four new members of staff.  Alan, Alvin, Paul and Martin are already motoring around the country delivering landscape supplies to Q Lawns customers so please look out for them on your travels.

Chris Carr, Sales and Marketing Manager is delighted with the new mini-fleet. “After 20 years of supplying turfgrass to the landscape industry it’s great that Q Lawns is still finding new ways to improve our offering to customers whilst reducing our impact on the environment”. 

At Q Lawns we're proud to play host to a wide range of wildlife from spiders to snakes, beetles to badgers, dragonflies to deer but we're proudest of all about our resident population of barn owls.

These majestic birds can often be seen at dusk or after dark hunting for small mammals in the field margins, alongside the river and around untrimmed banks of our many drainage ditches.

Totally silent when in flight, these ghost like creatures are not responsible for the "tatwhit ta whoo " sound so often associated with owls, the barn owl has an equally eery call that is more of a screech than a hoot. Hence their common name of screech owl.

 A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to visit our local RSPB reserve for a barn owl walk.  The warden,  David White told us a lot about barn owls and showed us photos of babies in the nest. Funny little things! They have the distinctive heart shaped face from the moment they hatch and are blessed with foracious appetites.  On a good year when the weather is kind and food is plentiful, barn owl parents will rear 4 or 5 young which means that the parents will have a whole lot of hunting to do.  The RSPB reserve has vast hunting grounds for their owls to patrol but agricultural land can sometimes have smaller populations of mice, shrews, voles and other such small mammals because there are fewer places to shelter and fewer mini beasts for them to eat.

Wildlife habitat on our farm

At Q Lawns we do what we can to provide habitat for creatures at the bottom of the food chain without compromising the quality of our crops and we're rewarded with the occasional glimpse of fascinating and enigmatic creatures like the barn owl. The presence of these birds and the fact that they are nesting on our farm is a sign that our soil is healthy and productive, we're not sloshing pesticides about willy nilly.....and we're proud to preserve our wildlife.

A barn owl nest box sited on the edge of a turf field

Turf Australia is a not for profit organisation similar to the UK’s Turfgrass Growers Association (TGA) or the worldwide Turfgrass Producers International (TPI).

Their research simulated overland water flow of 200mm per hour and showed how different surfaces behaved under these conditions.  An 80m2 un-surfaced area – ie bare soil lost 484Kg of sediment.   Natural turf outperformed other ground cover materials and proved to be crucial for sediment control.

Sediment control is not just about preventing landslides or keeping topsoil where it is meant to be; it’s about keeping rivers in good condition, not having drains silted up, helping to prevent pollutants from entering our waterways.

Certainly at Q Lawns, the turf crop is extremely good at protecting our soil against wind erosion.  “Our wonderfully lightweight soil that makes the turf so easy to handle has a tendency to blow around on dry, blustery days – it’s a strange phenomenon and a real sight to see” says Chris Carr, Sales and Marketing Manager at Q Lawns, and he adds “it’s a bit of a pain to see your topsoil disappearing over the hedge into the neighbours’ field or landing in the drainage ditches and upsetting the ecosystems. It just doesn’t happen on the turf fields though, so I I'm not at all surprised by Turf Australia’s findings.

"It's important that the construction industry, local governments and landscape professionals recognise cheaper, artificial options are a false economy, requiring ongoing replacement and maintenance," says John Keleher. President of Turf Australia

"Natural turf should be recognised as much more than an aesthetic contribution to property development. It is the most natural, sustainable and effective solution to prevent soil erosion," he said.

Sentiments I’m sure, that will be echoed by the TGA and TPI

Turfman's tips on how to make a lawn for less

Finding thrifty ways to keep up appearances is the objective for most British families in these difficult times.  So how can one have a beautiful lawn without breaking the bank?

1. Care for what’s there.  Proper lawn care can usually improve what’s already there.  It may seem time consuming, but it’s not expensive. Mow regularly and start feeding the grass with a really good balanced lawn feed you’ll make a big difference to the way your lawn looks.
2. Pay attention to detail.  Well-trimmed edges and making sure your mower is in good condition (so that it slices the grass instead of hacking at it) will make the lawn look neat and crisp.  Professional-style.
3. Re-seeding.  If the levels are all wrong, the ground is compacted and the grass is really worn, it’s best to start again.  Take off all the nasty vegetation, prepare the ground thoroughly and use the very best seed you can afford.  Budget grass seed may have a poor germination rate or contain weed seeds.  Always buy from a reputable source, ideally talk to a turf-grower first – they REALLY know their seed.
4. Avoid cheap turf.  Slightly more expensive than seeding but far quicker, value, or contractors grade turf will cover the mud but is unlikely to produce a prestigious, classic looking lawn.
5. Invest in quality turf.  Prepare the ground well, taking your time and maybe even employ a professional landscaper to help you.  Buy the best turf you can find – going direct to the grower will get you the the ultimate in freshness and quality and you’ll be saving money because you’ll cut out the middle-man. 

Your garden has the potential to increase the value of your house so please look upon your lawn as an investment and don’t think in terms of buying the cheapest; go all out to get the best value for money you can.

You may also like.................

lawns for dogs                            how to choose turf

Q Lawns turf growers are members of the TGA, the TPI and BALI,  we also like to keep in touch with the APL, the SGD, Landscape Hub and Landscape Juice Network – to name but a few.  But why?  What do, landscape trade associations do for you….the person buying our turf, Meadowmat or Enviromat?

The best way I can describe it is that joining a trade association is like signing up for the University of Life and studying everything to do with landscaping, garden design and running a business.

We can any of us go on formally organised courses, and indeed most people who work in the landscape industry do……health and safety courses, courses for safe application of chemicals, safe use of chainsaws, working at heights, pulling a trailer – you name it, it requires a certificate.   We can also read books, download information from the internet and talk to suppliers. 

But nothing beats being able to swap experiences with people who have been in similar situations to yourself.

For example……which is the best mower to buy? Which vans are easiest to pack and manoeuvre? what do you do if your apprentice is always late for work? How on earth does this design software work?  What’s twitter all about?

These are all questions that are best answered by people who have tried and tested different methods, different plant species, and different suppliers.

BALI members visiting Ransomes

You might think that coming face to face with your competitors will cause problems – it doesn’t.  At least I’ve never known it to.  Everyone is there for a common cause and to be honest with you, each business that is represented at meet-ups is usually very different from all the other businesses present, so there is rarely any direct competition.  At a typical BALI meeting there will be a mix of suppliers, landscape contractors who do massive jobs that involve earth-moving and drainage, landscape contractors who do grass cutting and general maintenance for parish councils and local authorities, garden designers….who always get on well with everyone….landscapers who employ one or two people and specialise in rebuilding domestic gardens, students, buyers, turf growers, retired landscapers with lots of advice to share and Uncle Tom Cobbleigh and all!

How does BALI benefit Q Lawns' customers

BALI keeps us in touch with Industry matters – like the hosepipe ban in 2012 which means that we, in turn, can keep you up to date with what’s OK and what’s not OK to do.  But more importantly, going to meetings and talking face to face with people in our industry in a really informal setting means that Q Lawns can get a better understanding of the problems faced by our customers.  Then, if it’s in our power to do so, we can help.

From talking to landscapers and designers, we know that lawns are getting smaller, and so we have reduced our minimum order quantity so that customers can buy as much or as little turf as they need.  We developed Meadowmat to cater for large and small projects where biodiversity is essential but hard to achieve.  We ran green roof installation courses so that customers could learn how and why to install Enviromat and last, but not least, we employed a Transport Manager to make our deliveries more timely, cost effective and environmentally friendly.

Meadowmat: for use where biodiversity is
essential but difficult to achieve

Another good reason for being part of BALI is that all Landscape members are stringently vetted.  So we can be confident that when asked to recommend a landscaper, the Companies we tell you about will be 100% reputable and have all the necessary skills to complete your job safely and to a high standard.

In the landscape industry, members of a landscaping trade association are generally trustworthy and thoroughly well informed so if you’re not lucky enough to be introduced to a good landscaper by word of mouth or local reputation, you can always fall back on BALI, the APL or the SGD and if you’re looking for good quality turf to lay yourself, TPI and TGA members are the tops.

More about Q Lawns

My lawn is in terrible condition at the moment. The grass is uneven, discoloured, patchy, mossy and generally unattractive. It's hardly surprising considering the weather has been atrocious for the last nine months.  With all the rain and snow we've had, most of the goodness must have been washed out of the soil, depriving not just the plants but the soil microbes too of essential nutrients needed for healthy growth and strong immunity to the ravages of pests and diseases.  Added to that, my lawn took a real beating over the winter from excited grandchildren and dogs who couldn't resist playing out in the frost and snow (number one rule for frozen lawns - keep off! )

 Whinge over ; I'm sure all is not lost.

First thing I need to tackle is to sort out the compaction caused by feet, paws and JCB tyres (that's another story ). So it's out with the garden fork and I'm making holes all over the lawn - not huge craters,  all I'm doing is pushing the tines of the fork into the lawn,  giving them a wiggle and pulling the fork back out again. This is happening every 15 centimetres or so, all over the lawn. The idea being that it will help excess water to drain away and it will make it easier for air to get to the plant's roots and indeed to the microbes and minibeasts that are vital for sustainable and healthy growth.  I'm hoping that relieving the compaction will make conditions more difficult for the moss to thrive but just to be sure I'll be treating the worst areas to an application of moss killer.

  Now, moss killer makes a lawn look pretty sick for a while,  but bear with. Once the moss has turned black and been raked away, the bare areas can be over seeded with a suitable mix of grass species and at this time of year they'll germinate and grow at a rate of knots. Lovely.

Where the moss is absent, I'm going to be using my favourite lawn feed, Nutrifusion. I like this particular lawn feed because it has sensible amounts of plant nutrients and it works for soil microbes too.  All plants need nitrogen, phosphate and potassium for growth just as we all need protein, fats and carbohydrates BUT,  just like you and me (well, mainly me actually ) if the balance of nutrients is wrong they'll grow big, but not necessarily strong.

 No-one wants to spend their summer strapped to the lawnmower coping with a hyper-active lawn so it's far better to feed the grass little and often.  Plus, if we are unlucky enough to have another soggy summer it's likely that nutrients will be quickly washed away again ;wasting your money and upsetting the ecological balance in our waterways.

 Nutrifusion applied every 6 weeks from now until september will build the sward up steadily and sustainably, helping to  keep disease at bay, ensuring the plants are well prepared for drought, waterlogging and all the wear and tear that a family lawn needs to cope with.

 Oh yes. I can't benefit from this, because I work there - but you may be able to ; QLawns have an offer running from March until the end of April whereby the twentieth person to order moss killer, grass seed, Nutrifusion or indeed turf from www.qlawns.co.uk on any day,  will only pay post and packing the products will be entirely free.  No tricks, no catches, it's part of their twentieth birthday celebrations.  > more here

Q Lawns, 18th March 2013

To keep your lawn in the best possible shape throughout the spring and summer, it's vital that your lawnmower is working well.  If it's difficult to start, you won't feel like using it as often as you should, the grass will probably alternate between being long and being scalped - a guaranteed way to stress and weaken the plants - and your lovely lawn will become a disappointment to you.

If the blades are worn or not as sharp as they ought to be,  the grass will be torn rather than cut.  Viewed through a microscope, torn grass has a really raggedy edge that not only goes brown quite quickly,  it lets in diseases and leads to water loss from the plants.

 Servicing your mower looks fairly simple - I'm not the right person to ask for advice on machinery so here's a video that I found on YouTube showing you how to service your lawn mower.

http://youtu.be/meMZTjDDquo

 And if it makes sense to you - please would you come and do mine?

Mowing the Lawn....help and advice from the UK's biggest turf producer

Q lawns is very proud to sponsor the recently established  Podington Rugby team.

The village of Podington in Northamptonshire has had a cricket team since 1883. They are a very sociable and successful side and have had a lot of success against local sides in the Northants Hevey League.

 In the late summer of 2011, as the cricket season was coming to a close, the team decided to set up a rugby side. This would keep the team together over the winter months and keep the social activities going !

 The aim was to train every week and play roughly six matches a season.

Last season they won one game and narrowly lost four more. The team was very proud to have held their own against established local rugby side. They have also become legendary for their post match socialising !

 For this season new kits were purchased and the Q lawns logo is proudly displayed on the rear of the shorts. This was decided as a prime spot as it gives good advertising as they cross the touch line of the opposing side !

Growing your own mini-turves

This idea is taken from Steve Brookes' book "The Greatest Gardening Tips in the World" ;  A brilliant and humerous book, well worth a read whether you are an enthusiastic plantsman or a reluctant gardener.

When you have small dead patches of grass to repair on your lawn, the easiest solution is to grow your own mini-turves.

Line a half or full sized seed tray with about 6 layers of absorbent kitchen towel and moisten well.  Sow your grass seed thickly over the surface and press the seed into the wet towel.  Place the trays on a well-lit windowsill, keep moist and turn regularly.  After a couple of weeks you will have a mini-turf growing through the kitchen towel.

When the grass is about 1/2 " (12mm) high, you can lift out your 'turf', cut to size with scissors and set in the prepared spot on the lawn.  Growing it in this way you have avoided loss of seedlings to the birds, established a good root system, provided a moisture retentive medium for the first few months and added some food to the soil with the rotted down kichen towel.  Plus, you will also feel like a very clever gardener indeed!

Steve's book is available from www.stevebrookes.com

Turfman's tips for choosing grass seed

The quality of grass seed can vary enormously.  Old seed may not germinate very well and cheap grass seed may well contain weed seeds too.

Always buy from a reputable supplier and choose your grass species carefully.

For a family lawn, or a lawn for dogs, Q Lawns' grass seed is ideal.

Shady lawn?  try RTF grass seed, it's bred from woodland grasses and performs well in lower light levels.

Don't forget to water your turf

Flooding seems to have been a real issue in 2012 and now, at the beginning of 2013 as the recent heavy snow is melting, we've got some large-ish puddles on some of our fields.  BUT, thanks to the pioneering work of a Dutchman named Vermuyden in the 1640's and continuing vigilance, maintenance and investment  from our local drainage board, turf harvesting at Q Lawns has barely been affected by the wet weather.

Q Lawns' turf harvester being towed out of a "wet spot", february 2013

1918.  The River Ouse breaks its banks.  The land in the background of this picture is where Q Lawns turf is grown in rotation with crops such as potatoes and wheat.

So although some of our turf is a bit wet at the moment.....it could be much much worse!

The turf is to be laid indoors at an international festival for food excellence that runs from January 27^th until February 3^rd. BITE features chefs such as Greg Wallace, Prue Leith and the Fabulous Baker Brothers.

Fortunately for all, David had some turf left over from a pre-Christmas delivery that he had wisely unrolled and laid out on a holding bed.   The turf was covered with a 10cm layer of snow.  However, after a quick brush down, the sward was revealed to be in excellent condition and so the turf was rolled up and delivered to a delighted customer.

Q Lawns turf is grown in East Anglia on premium quality soils and can be delivered anywhere in mainland UK, normally within 2 working days of an order being placed.  Q Lawn grade turf is good looking and hardwearing and is popular with landscapers and gardeners because it is a quality product at a reasonable price.  In other words, Q Lawns turf is excellent value for money.  

Turf should always be laid within 8 hours of being delivered, so make sure that the ground is prepared before your turf arrives, then all you need to do is unroll it, trim the pieces to size and keep well watered until the grass plants have rooted into your soil.

*Please note, that because of limitations with our website, customers won’t know if they are the recipient of free turf until the first working day AFTER their order has been received.  The order value less the cost of P&P will then be refunded.

For more information about Q Lawns turf please go to www.qlawns.co.uk/turf or telephone 0333 456 4536 between 7am and 5pm on weekdays.

Patrick has the unenviable task of improving the Company’s delivery service for the whole range of soft landscaping products that are available throughout the UK; including turf, Meadowmat, Enviromat green roofing components, Topsoil and Woodchip Mulch.

Q Lawns have long prided themselves on being able to provide a next day delivery service with no charge for pallets or forklift offloads.  However, rising fuel costs, an increased number of products and a bigger customer base, means that maintaining and improving such a high level of service is complex and expensive.

Patrick has plenty of experience in organising transport, not just in the horticultural and garden trades but also for urgently required products.  He has worked as transport manager for a large pharmaceutical company and, more recently for a shed manufacturer delivering large numbers of garden buildings on a daily basis to both trade and domestic customers.

As Logistics Manager for Q Lawns, Patrick will be liaising with customers, hauliers and product despatch managers to ensure that deliveries are as timely, cost effective and as eco-friendly as possible.

Chris Carr, Sales and Marketing Manager commented that “Q Lawns are approaching our 20 year anniversary of trading and the Company is flourishing. People like our products and they like what we do. With Patrick’s help, we’re aiming to lessen our impact on the environment even more; improve service to our landscapers and gardeners and make significant cost savings that can be passed on to our customers”

Patrick is based at Q Lawns office in Norfolk and can be contacted on 01842 828266 or email Patrick@qlawns.co.uk                 

Laying turf is probably the quickest and easiest way to create an instant lawn, but the old adage “right plant right place” applies just as much to turf as it does to trees, flowers, vegetables or flowers.

Five questions to ask yourself when choosing turf

How do you know which turf is going to suit your garden?  You need to juggle five factors and maybe compromise a little between them to get the best results and the best value for money.

1. What do you want your lawn to look like?
2. Who will be using your lawn and what for?
3. How much time do you have for on-going lawn care?
4. What are the conditions like in your garden?
5. What is your budget?

In the table below we’ve set out our recommendations for different types of lawn – the higher the score out of 5,  the more suitable the turf  is for that application.  Please note these scores are for an established lawn.  ALL newly laid lawns need to be cared for until the turf is well and truly rooted in.

If you have any questions at all about choosing the right turf for your lawn, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

* Easy maintenance = mowing once a week in spring/summer, occasional feeding, pretty much fends for itself

** Greenskeepers' lawn = mowing 3 times a week or more in spring/summer, regular feeding, scarifying, aeration and disease control

***Average maintenance = mowing once or twice a week in summer, regular feeding, other treatments as necessary

# lawns in shade or semi shade or in tricky soils may need periodic overseeding with RTF grass seed - a brilliant grass for difficult areas

A 44ft fenland black oak has been unearthed from a field less than 6 miles from Q Lawns' turf farm in Norfolk.   Experts believe that this is "the largest ever intact 5,000 year old sub-fossilised trunk of an ancient giant oak" but we at Q Lawns think differently.

In February 2009, the Eastern Daily Press reported that Q Lawns had found a 50ft long preserved tree trunk on their farm in Feltwell.

Bogoak is the somewhat unromantic name for native timber that has been preserved in wetlands for several millenia and  is now one of the rarest forms of timber in England.  When dry it is said to be comparable to some of the world's most expensive tropical hardwoods. 

A bogoak is the preserved remains of a native tree that would have been growing around 400 years BEFORE Stonehenge was built.  Growing in a pollution-free atmosphere, it would have been home to many hundreds of early life-forms.  These trees grew around the lakes and swamps of the neolithic wetlands we now know as East Anglia.  As the trees died and fell into the lakes, they were preserved in the anaerobic conditions.  Today, we can still see the texture of the bark, the growth rings and the pattern of the woodgrain......it's amazing.

Bogoak stepping stones, taken from these ancient tree trunks, and pieces of branches, roots and tree trunks are available from www.englishbogoak.co.uk and make a fascinating and original addition to any garden.  

Designing a lawn for dogs:

If a lawn is to be hardwearing, it needs to have as much light and air as possible.  Trim trees and shrubs to reduce shade.  If you know that your dog is likely to spend a lot of time patrolling the fence, or if he has a regular route around the garden consider replacing that part of the lawn with a path of woodchip mulch … it will be much easier to keep in good condition.
Choose the right turf: 
If your dog is going to be allowed to play on the lawn, you will need a really tough turf. Try to make sure it contains ryegrass…which is one of the toughest grasses we have in the UK and is commonly used on tennis courts and sportsfields. Smooth Stalked Meadow Grass is another good grass for dogs, it grows from underground stems and is brilliant at repairing smallish scuff marks and bald patches without extra seed being needed. Q-Grass turf contains a good proportion of dwarf perennial ryegrass and smooth stalked meadow grass as well as some fescue grasses to help give the lawn a velvety texture.

When laying turf, make sure the ground is really well prepared so that the grass roots don’t need to struggle to grow deep into the soil to find food and water.

Managing a lawn for dogs: 

When a lawn is going to be enjoyed by dogs, it’s important to make life as easy as possible for the grass plants.  If plants have a relatively stress-free life, they’re more likely to survive the ravages of living with a dog.

Think of the lawn in the same light as your living room carpet;  When the dog is a regular visitor to the living room, the carpet needs more TLC to keep it looking good.
Mowing: As a general rule of thumb, mow high and often – longer grass is more resistant to wear and tear so don’t scalp the lawn, keep the sward at between 2.5 and 3centimetres long.  It will still look good and it won’t scuff quite so easily.  PLUS  a longer grass sward is less likely to turn brown in the summer. Avoid letting the grass get long and then hacking it back.  This is incredibly stressful for a lawn and will weaken the plants.
Feeding: Hard working lawns need to be well nourished. Apply lawn fertiliser every 6-8 weeks through the spring and summer. If you choose the right lawn feed, it’s not a time-consuming operation and doesn’t cost much but it will pay dividends.
Aerating: Where the lawn is getting a lot of traffic, the soil beneath it can become compacted.  It’s worth taking the time, once or twice a year to spike the lawn, using a garden fork, or even a lawn aerator tool (widely available on the internet).  This will allow air to get to the roots and also help with drainage.

Avoiding Urine Scorch on a lawn

Dog urine can damage a lawn, but by starting with the right sort of turf and using a few simple tricks, it shouldn’t be too much of a nuisance.

Urine scorch usually presents itself as irregular shaped patches of darker green grass dotted around the lawn.  If the dog regularly uses the same spot, or if the urine is very strong, a small area of dead-looking grass might appear in the middle of the darker green patch.

Urine scorch is caused by nitrogen in the dogs’ wee.  Nitrogen in small quantities is plant food but too much of it will burn the lawn.

If your dog’s doings are making dark green patches, it’s a sign that the lawn is enjoying the extra nitrogen, in other words, it’s hungry.  Feed the lawn regularly and the different coloured patches will become less noticeable.

If you have brown patches too, it could be that the dog wee is particularly strong…make sure the dog always has access to plenty of water. If the dog has been shut inside for a good while, maybe overnight or while you are at work, that first “aaahhhhh” wee is probably going to be quite strong. So keep the dog off the lawn until that’s over and done with.  Angela has a fenced off area by the back door where her three dogs can relieve themselves without trashing the lawn.  

Our best tip for mixing lawns and dogs is:  lots and lots of dog walks are good for the lawn.  They burn off energy thus saving wear and tear on the lawn from over exuberant puppies, relieve boredom so there’s no need for them to dig holes and keep their bodies working well so urine scorch is less of a problem..

Finally, a word from Lenny Longlegs, our resident Lawn Lover

Please please don’t concrete over my lawn.  I love to sit out on the cool grass and watch the world go by, it’s so much more comfortable than hard landscaping and when I run, the grassy surface is kinder to my joints and tendons.  If you let me out regularly and take me for walks I won’t purposely damage your lawn but if I do, I know you’ll forgive me…..after all, who’s got the bestest character and the biggest heart, me? or the lawn?

Q Lawns are best known for their classic lawn turf, Meadowmat wild flower matting and Enviromat sedum matting but they also offer very competitive prices on a large range of soil types.

Topsoil from Q Lawns is just what you’d expect from this well-known industry supplier; Good quality, sensibly priced and readily available.  Q Lawns “Black Beauty” grade of topsoil has been featuring in several episodes of Alan Titchmarsh’s garden makeover programme “Love Your Garden”

A great soil for grass growing

Black Beauty Topsoil is just one of the types of soil available from Q Lawns. It can be delivered in dumpy bags or in bulk and it has a really wide range of uses, it’s great as a general garden soil and works well with grass, vegetables, bedding plants and shrubs.

Similar soil type to the growing medium in Q Lawns turf, this screened topsoil is rich in organic matter, reasonably lightweight for barrowing around and shovelling and it is this amazing rich dark colour that fascinates gardeners.  Because it’s instantly compatible with Q Lawns turf, this soil is brilliant when you’re preparing to lay turf.

Black Beauty is also great for growing fruit and veg because it’s quick to warm up in springtime and will retain heat for longer in the autumn…so it effectively extends the growing season and the colour contrast between the black soil and the green leaves is visually attractive.  So good from the landscaper’s point of view, from the plant’s perspective and from a design outlook too.

Q Lawns hold a considerable stock of this topsoil in dumpy bags so as long as your order is received before 12 noon, it can be normally be delivered to you the next day.  Click here to order

You won't find all of our topsoils on our website just yet, so If you’d like more information about the types of soil available from Q Lawns or if you need to see a sample of our Black Beauty soil, please email Chris, our Sales Manager on chrisc@qlawns.co.uk or call us on 01842 828266

The car is "A" rated for fuel efficiency and has CO2 rating of 99g/Km, which means that it is one of the least polluting vehicles on the market.  The manufacturer claims that it averages 74.3 miles per gallon and Chris Carr, Q Lawns Sales and Marketing Manager is happy to verify this.

“Part of the Q Lawns ethos is to care for the Environment” says Chris “this is reflected in everything we do, from the way we try to improve biodiversity on our farm to organising deliveries so that the lorry saves fuel by taking the most direct route.  These vehicles should help to reduce our carbon footprint even further.”

Q Lawns grow 1,200 acres of quality lawn turf on their farm near Hockwold in Norfolk as well as Enviromat sedum matting for the green roof industry and Meadowmat wild flower matting.  The Company also supplies bagged and bulk topsoil, woodchip mulch and a range of lawncare products

The TGA (Turfgrass Growers Association) quality standard for turf is an important feature in Q Lawns turf growers quality control.

All of the turf at Q Lawns is grown to the TGA Standard and is tested regularly for quality, but only the best of the best gets to be called “Q Lawn grade turf”

The results of our TGA testing are recorded on a TGA Turf Quality Standards Declaration form that gives details of the seedmix sown, the grasses that have grown, roll strength, roll weight and general health of the turf on the day the test was taken.

There is more information about the Turf Quality Standards Declaration Form on Angela's blog at http://www.qlawnsturf.wordpress.com where you'll also find a picture of an actual declaration completed by Despatch Manager Brian Walker on 15th May 2012.

To have reached the standard for Q Lawn grade turf,

• at least 15 out of 20 rolls must stay in one piece when held up by their shortest edge
• the sward must be at least 95% pure; in other words, virtually weed-free
• the soil layer must be between 5mm and 15mm thick...enough soil and root to get the plants off to a good start in their new home, but no so much as to make the rolls heavy and unwieldy
• the grass itself should be no more than 35mm long

If the turfs don't reach this standard, then they will be sold as "Contract Rye" grade turf, which is less expensive than Q Lawn grade, establishes quickly and is hardwearing, but won't necessarily be as easy to handle and may not make a "luxury" lawn.

Turf at the TGA standard is weed free, robust and healthy, strong enough to withstand rough handling and generally quite easy to install…especially if you are inexperienced at turf laying.  Q Lawn grade turf is slightly more expensive than our Contract Rye grade but in our experience, it’s worth paying that little bit more to have a lawn that you are truly proud of.

click here to compare the prices of Q Lawn and contract rye grade turfs or contact us if you would like samples.

Because a quality, good-looking lawn can act as a backdrop to the rest of the garden, it pays to make the most of it and treat it as a garden feature.

Lawn purists and traditionalists may argue that the lawn should be an expanse of green with nothing to deter from or obscure this. But, we all have our own personal feelings and our gardens are personal spaces – so use the lawn as you want.

 Shapes – oblong, circular or wavy

 Although most traditional lawns will be square or oblong with straight edges, it doesn’t have to be this way. A circular or oval lawn often looks, and fits in, better in modern gardens and it can help make a garden look wider; long, rectangular lawns will make the garden look longer and thinner.

Some people go for wavy edges – but bear in mind that maintenance will take longer as edging can be more time consuming and more troublesome. If you do go for curves, make them long and sweeping – not just a series of short squiggles and use a flexible hosepipe to help guide you when cutting them out.

 Edging

 After mowing, always trim the edges and around any objects in the lawn. This will help give the finishing touch to the lawn.

If you don’t want to use edging shears and want to make the job easier or do away with it completely, then use edging strips. These are available in a number of different materials, but there is one golden rule – make sure it is at or just below the lawn level – there’s nothing worse than seeing galvanised edging strips sticking out boldly above the lawn.

 Paths & stepping stones

If you use the lawn regularly as a way to get down to the bottom of the garden, then it pays to put in a path or, often better, stepping stones. Constant wear and tear from foot traffic will damage the grass and create worn, muddy patches. If you go for stepping stones, you can choose from paving slabs or wood and even ornamental options are available. Again, there is one golden rule – keep the level of the path or stepping stones below the level of the grass otherwise you’ll keep catching them with the mower blade.

Trees, shrubs & bulbs

A lot of people like to grow trees or shrubs in their lawn or even turn it into a flower meadow, planting a lot of bulbs in it. Although this can look good, it’s not great for the lawn. Trees and shrubs will take a lot of nutrients and water from the soil, so the lawn starts to suffer. And, because bulbs should be left until their foliage dies down, they are there for several months and this delays mowing and so causes havoc with the grass.

In these circumstances, if you want to break up the vast expanse of green of a large lawn, it is far better to create island beds within the lawn and grow the plants here.

Other features

Lawn purists will say there’s no place for furniture, statues or plant containers on the lawn. If you’re not a traditionalist and want to adorn your lawn with these features, just remember that you’ll ends up with dead patches of grass under them and they will be fiddlier to mow and trim around.

Wildflower meadows

The zenith of growing other plants in the lawn is to create a wildflower meadow. Although these are delightful garden features, they aren’t a lawn in the true sense of the meaning.

Find out more about Meadowmat, our wild flower matting, consisting of 34 species of perennial British native wild flowers and grasses

To keep a lawn looking good well into autumn and winter, it’s important that it’s well-nourished during periods of speedy growth.  It’s like caring for any Olympic athlete or a top-class racehorse what you put in will ultimately impact on things like recovering from wear and tear and resisting disease and illness.

Grass always seem to grow well without much intervention from us humans but if you want a lawn that is even-coloured, has a nice dense sward and copes well with wear and tear, you do need to give it a bit of help.  Think stadium.  The greenkeepers at Wimbledon or at the Millenium Stadium –even at your local bowls club are forever mowing, feeding, irrigating, reseeding and feeding again; and that’s what us humble lawn keepers need to be doing right now. Feeding

This month, especially after all the rain we’ve had it’s a good idea to apply a granular feed containing a little nitrogen to keep the leaves nice and green, some phosphorous for healthy root growth and potassium for disease resistance. 

Q Lawns recommend Nutrifusion spring summer lawn feed for this time of year.  It contains all the essential nutrients for your lawn as well as organic carbon to support the soil microorganisms that help fight against fungal diseases such as redthread and fusarium patch.  Nutrifusion is a granular lawn feed that is easy to apply and starts to work fairly quickly.  You can also use it to feed your green roof…if you haven’t already done so.  

Click here to order Nutrifusion lawn feed, or talk to a member of Q Lawns’ staff by phoning 01842 828266 between 7am and 5pm on weekdays.

1. Take a picnic into the garden:  I love cooking and eating outdoors but can’t always be fussed with firing up the barbeque, especially on a hot day. What  I do enjoy though, is  taking a trip to my local farm shop and treating myself to delicious fresh bread, cheese, chutney, fruit , salad and locally produced apple juice, then taking everything home, spreading a blanket on the lawn and eating in the garden.  It’s a favourite way to spend time with friends but on a quiet day I’ll download a speaking book onto my i-pod and enjoy my lawn for as long as possible.
2. Lie on the grass and watch the clouds make shapes:  A great way to spend a lazy half hour with my seven year old grandson.  It’s one of the few things we do together where he stays still and we chat about life in general. 
3. Stargaze:  My lawn is there all night long and it’s a wonderfully cool, calm and relaxing place to be on a clear night.  I’m rubbish at identifying stars and galaxies but I still enjoy trying.
4. Have a water fight with the children; Lawns and children are the perfect partners. Depending on the size of the lawn, it can lend itself to football, rounders, races or handstands but nothing beats a water fight on a hot day
5. Pitch a tent and spend the night out of doors; A great activity for children of almost any age.  It seems a bit weird going outside to bed but believe me, you will become far more aware of the night time noises and wildlife in your garden you’ll probably benefit from all that extra fresh air too…I normally sleep like a log when I’m camping and I wake up happy (family and work colleagues will testify that I am NOT normally a “morning person”

Whatever your plans for this summer, remember that your lawn is free, you won’t have to travel far, you can go home if the weather turns bad, grass is one of the most child-friendly materials there is (I’d rather have green knees than grazed knees!), the dog can come too, it doesn’t cost a fortune for a cup of tea, it’s environmentally friendly, and , in short, it’s awesome.

If you need help and advice on keeping your lawn in good shape this summer, please visit Q Lawns web site at www.qlawns.co.uk

The recent government funded National Ecosystem Assessment shows how much humans benefit from nature from things like food, fresh water, cleaner air, rainwater management and wellbeing , yet because these things cannot be priced, until now they’ve not been considered in economic planning.  With the Biodiversity 2020 plan implemented and managed by Defra, this situation is about to change. Biodiversity 2020 encourages landowners, wildlife charities and public bodies to improve UK biodiversity.  Q Lawns’ workshop looked at ways in which gardeners and householders can increase biodiversity without necessarily impacting on their lifestyles.

Delegates met at Brandon House Hotel for a light breakfast followed by a presentation on green roofing from Q Lawns’ Angela Lambert and a talk from Catherine Puttick from RSPB Lakenheath on designing gardens with wildlife in mind.

This was followed by a tour of Q Lawns’ production unit in Hockwold to show how farm Director, Colin Brown has improved wildlife habitat on the farm by planting new hedges and trees, putting up nesting boxes and managing drainage dykes as wildlife corridors whilst keeping producing food crops, turf, sedum matting and wild flower matting.

A visit to the Enviromat and Meadowmat fields generated a lot of interest from delegates and we were lucky to have been holding the workshop on the first sunny day in a very long time.  Both the sedum matting and the wild flowers were alive with bees and other minibeasts so whilst enjoying a picnic lunch, delegates got a good appreciation of just how valuable these products are for bringing wildlife into gardens. Production Manager Robert Allen explained the process involved in growing Enviromat and Meadowmat so that they can be transported efficiently with minimal stress to the plants and he introduced everyone to a new product; native floral matting that has been developed in conjunction with Bauder and is suitable for use either on green roofs or for ground applications.

Turf production and harvesting was demonstrated and delegates were amazed at the technology involved and the sheer scale of Q Lawns’ operations.

A very brief demonstration of green roof installation was followed by a short trip into Feltwell village to view a well-established and well maintained Enviromat green roof.

Feedback from delegates was very positive indeed and there are plans to hold a similar workshop next year when Q Lawns will be celebrating 20 years of turf production.

Sutton and East Surrey Water has had dialogue with the various horticultural and turfing Trade Associations we are prepared to reintroduce our concession of permitting the watering of newly laid turf and also allow the watering in of plants and shrubs for a duration of 28 days following the sowing, turfing or planting activity provided that evidence is submitted by the contractor that work has been undertaken by a commercial organisation. This evidence of work order or invoice must be submitted by the contractor to exemptions@waterplc.com The watering must be undertaken using a hand-held hosepipe only, the use if sprinklers will remain banned in all circumstances.

South East Water has also confirmed 'Following record rainfall in April and continued in May, the water industry has agreed to relax the Temporary Use Ban for businesses who rely on garden watering, such as landscapers and private gardeners. This will come into immediate effect.' The exemption will include the watering with a hosepipe, of one of the following: Newly sown lawns, newly laid turf, newly planted trees and newly planted shrubs and plants.

This only applies when the planting has been carried out as a service to customers in the course of a business and is restricted to the new plants, trees or turf. Initial watering will be carried out by the landscaper or gardener, ongoing watering could be done by the householder. In light of this, landscapers/gardeners will need to inform their customers to contact South East Water to aply for the exemption. Once received, we will send them a letter confirming this.

Anglian Water Services Ltd has announced ‘using a hosepipe to water a garden or to water plants where such watering is restricted to newly laid turf, newly sown lawns and newly planted trees, shrubs and plants when the planting has been carried out as a service to customers in the course of a business. This exemption only applies for a period of 28 days from the day of planting, sowing or turf laying.