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The art of lawn care

A beautiful, well-maintained lawn requires time, effort and knowledge. Caring for your lawn may seem like a daunting task, but with these helpful tips, you'll be on your way to becoming a lawn care pro in no time!

1. Mowing correctly is crucial for a healthy lawn. Be sure to mow often enough so that you're only removing the top third of the grass blades. This will ensure that your grass remains strong and doesn't become weakened or damaged. Also, be sure to alternate the direction that you mow each time to prevent soil compaction.

2. Watering deeply and less frequently is best for lawns. Watering shallowly and more frequently encourages shallow root growth, which makes your grass more susceptible to drought and disease. When you water deeply, the roots grow deep as well, making the grass stronger and more resilient. Generally speaking, lawns need about 1 inch of water per week.

3. Fertilizing your lawn gives it the nutrients it needs to be healthy and green. However, over-fertilizing can actually do more harm than good. Be sure to follow the directions on the fertilizer package carefully, and never fertilize before a heavy rain as this can wash away the fertilizer before it has a chance to be absorbed by the grass roots.

4. Managing thatch is important for preventing insect infestations and disease. Thatch is a layer of dead organic matter that accumulates on the surface of the soil over time. A thin layer of thatch is actually beneficial as it helps protect the soil from erosion and provides insulation against temperature extremes. However, if thatch becomes too thick (more than ½ inch), it can prevent water and nutrients from reaching the roots of the grass, leading to brown patches and an unhealthy lawn overall. To remove excess thatch, use a vertical mower or power rake.

5. Controlling weeds is key to having a beautiful lawn. Hand-pulling weeds is often sufficient for small areas, but if you have a larger area to deal with, you may need to use herbicides. Be sure to read the labels carefully to ensure that you're using products that are safe for your particular type of grass and make sure to apply them according to the directions – otherwise they won't be effective!

Taking care of your lawn may seem like a lot of work, but following these simple tips will help you achieve success in no time! A healthy lawn isn't just about aesthetics – it also increases your home's value and can even improve your family's health by reducing allergens in the air! So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start caring for your lawn today, or call Forest and Garden for lawn care advice or Fencing in Farnborough.

Does Your Garden Gate Need Replacing?

You might notice that your garden gate is looking a little worse for wear and wonder whether or not it actually needs replacing, or just repairing.

For instance, if it doesn’t swing properly any more and simply drags across the ground, it is causing a build up of damage. If you check the gate and see that the hinges need to be tightened then it is a simple repair job. However if the gate is sagging down then it is wise to get a new one. Another thing to look out for are gate posts, as these can be affected by the weather. If you’ve had particularly bad wind and rain, they can become wobbly and rot from the damp. If they just need to be strengthened then that is a repair job. However, gate posts that have started to rot is a bad sign, as they can cause more issues if they are simply left alone. This can be a similar issue for a wooden gate, particularly if maintenance has been ignored. You may be able to get away with repairing it, if it’s a small area. However if the gate has rotting material, then it could start to fall apart, so it may be best to replace it as soon as you notice.

If your garden gate is particularly old, you may find the hinges and latches are rusty and wearing away. If they are just a bit loose, then they could just be tightened. However if it is the former, then your gate is no longer safe and secure and will need to be replaced. Call us today for all Gates and Fences repaired in Woking.

What Happens To Trees During Springtime?

Spring is a favourite season due to the temperature starting to get warmer, colourful blossoms appearing and blue skies. This season is when a tree will get itself ready for growth. They will usually lose their foliage in the autumn months, after a long summer of turning sun energy into food and to help them grow from photosynthesis. Flowers that bloom on trees have responsibilities, such as reproduction. Quite often a tree will have male and female flowers. Pollen is made by the male flowers (which is when your hay fever will flare up!) which fertilises the female flowers, a process that is usually helped along with bees collecting pollen and transferring it over. Spring is when fertilised seedlings will start to take root.

During the spring, other sections of the tree will be busy. The roots will be growing fast in order to get water and nutrients. Tree branches will be looking for light for their leaves to keep them healthy. Tree sap will be absorbed and taken to the sapwood within a tree. All of these things combined will be keeping the tree healthy and will help it flourish during the warmer months. Why not call Forest and Garden for a free site visit for Tree Surgery Godalming.

The Importance Of Dead Wood

When a tree dies it is still full of potential for wildlife, as the copious amounts of nutrients it gives out when it breaks down is important. It can help to keep the soil enriched whilst allowing new plants to start growing, as well as existing plants staying healthy by absorbing the nutrients (nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus and potassium).

Dead wood can be used in several ways depending on the type. You can have dead wood as a log that has fallen down, or a trunk that is still standing. Different creatures will use these depending on what they need it for. For instance, snakes sit on top of logs to keep warm under the sun, whilst another creature would hide underneath. Other animals may make a home inside the dead wood, whilst birds would use the branches to rest. As well as a potential habitat, dead wood also provides food for both animals and fungi.

When having a walk, we should leave nature be. It may just look like a chunk of dead wood to us, but it could be some animals home or next meal, For more Tree Surgery Advice in Farnborough, call us today.

The Advantages Of Hiring A Professional Tree Surgeon

When you have a garden, you will want to look after it and keep it looking lovely and well kept. However, you may have trees in your garden and not know what to do with them. You may be concerned that you don’t know how to keep them healthy. This is when you should get a professional involved. Your trees need to be looked after properly or they will get tired. If you’re worried about the garden visually, then you need to ensure they are checked over. However, the most important thing to think about is the safety and health of your garden.

Someone who isn’t experienced shouldn’t prune your trees due to the potential of causing more problems. Pruning needs to be done to help keep your trees healthy (gently trimming it is also a good idea when dormant) but it needs to be done properly. An expert will ensure it is done with care and experience.

Things to look out for personally, are problems like branches from the trees dying, as these can possibly fall and hurt people or even fall on power lines. However, an expert should be the one to remove them, as they will think about the safety involved. The right machines and tools will be used (ladders aren’t the best choice) and they will have been trained to do it properly. Health and safety is very important and they will ensure everything is done right. They will be able to keep your trees and garden healthy and thriving. Call us today for all types of tree surgery in Camberley.

The Benefits of Looking After Boundary Trees

Boundary Trees are seen as integral parts of the landscape, making up the formation. They help to benefit the environment, particularly mature trees. Mature trees are generally open, with wide crowns that aren’t blocked by other boundary trees. They are important to organisms and the different species that receive nourishment from them. They also provide numerous homes for different creatures, as well as give privacy and timber.

There are numerous environmental advantages, such as the improvement of air condition, as they have the ability to take away pollution from the atmosphere. Boundary trees can also take in carbon dioxide, storing it in their bark. Aesthetically, they give landscapes character, particularly if they are very old and historical. By looking after these trees, particularly those with dead wood, you are helping to save any wildlife that are using them as a habitat.

If possible, do not prune these trees unless there is a good reason. For instance, if you need to extend the lifespan of the tree and it has a risk of falling over. It could be for health issues and you may need to remove a branch that could fall and injure people.

If you require advice from a Tree Surgeon in Farnborough, call us today.

The Benefits Of A Garden Fence

Garden fences have many benefits and can be a highly favoured investment in your garden. For example, it will help to heighten security by warding away animals, trespassers and prohibited vehicles. A fence will help keep your garden feeling secure and private, particularly if you have any houses opposite.

Fences are a great divider and can help to utilise the area around your house. They also provide protection against the elements, such as wet and windy weather and strong sun, particularly to areas that need more protection. Perhaps you have a vegetable garden or a flower patch that needs extra security?

Aesthetically, a fence can just be a piece of art that is admired for afar. Fencing does not always need to be just for privacy. Sometimes people have fencing that is covered in vines and flowers, or painted in fun colours as decoration. Whatever the reason, enhancing your garden with fencing is a good choice, for more details on Fencing in Godalming, call us today.

Thinking of becoming a Tree Surgeon?
Basically, a tree surgeon looks after trees to improve their life and help them live longer.

You can become a tree surgeon by following various routes; working towards the role, college course or apprenticeship, or via university. A couple of examples of the courses offered at college are Level 2 Certificate in Forestry and Arboriculture or Level 3 Diploma in Work-based Trees and Timber. Maths, English Language and Science skills are also important school qualifications to have; English for communicating well, Maths for measuring and working out prices, and Science for knowing about photosynthesis as well as other related issues.

You can expect to work a full week with some unusual hours, and in some cases the hours vary due to the seasons. You will need to be both mentally and physically fit and have good communication and teamwork skills.

Storm Ali Damage
Storm Ali has created havoc across the UK this September, from falling trees across roads to the devastating incident of a woman asleep in her caravan as it was blown off a cliff.
 
The storm has caused damage to the roofs of many properties across the country, from things as minor as guttering damage to trees collapsing onto roofs and causing extensive damage beyond repair.
 
Ali comes as reminder as we enter storm season in the UK that home owners should be undertaking maintenance of their property and roof as well as having access to an emergency repair company if necessary.
 
Jones Bros will happily undertake maintenance or repair works to your roof for a reasonable price, in preparation for storm season.
 
Save yourself future worries by getting in touch with Forest and Garden today.
 

Tree Threats in the UK
The Forestry Commission in the UK are on the front line of a challenging struggle against potentially damaging pests and diseases.
 
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) are looking into the trouble caused by organisms bought in from other parts of the world. In their native habitats these organisms cause little trouble, however when introduced to new environments like the UK, some of the organisms are virulent, fast-spreading and unstable. There is such a great concern over the future health of UK trees that the government is increasingly diverting expenditure towards research to combat tree pests and diseases.
 
To find out more about how to treat insect infestations, contact Forest and Garden Timber Services.

The importance of trees
The beautiful South Downs National Park is described as’ the most wooded National Park in England’. Trees provide all kinds of resources and benefits to us generally, many unseen and taken for granted. They help to reduce pollution and prevent flooding. They are also an asset in our communities where their beauty can increase property values and provide a sense of wellbeing.

All these benefits are recognised during National Tree Week which runs annually from 1st December. To mark their significance and demonstrate the importance of trees to our landscape and culture a locally grown oak tree was planted in a hedgerow by Lord Gardiner, Minister for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity he commented: “I am delighted to be here in this wonderful and wooded National Park, to celebrate National Tree Week. We can all be proud of these beautiful parts of our country. It has been a particular honour to plant an oak, which I am proud to call our national tree. It is vitally important we continue to value our nation’s trees, ensuring their resilience against the threats they face. That is why we are investing more than £37 million to understand pests and diseases and find new ways to tackle them.” For more information or if you require Tree surgery in Farnborough, call us today.

Sudden Oak Death
22nd Jan 09
Sudden Oak Death has reached parts of the South East including the New Forest from America.
It  is being investigated by the forestry commision and the Department for Food and Rural Affairs to determine the scale of the outbreak and destroy the diseased plants.

Its correct name is phytophthora ramorum and it poses little threat to our native oaks, although it is thought that beech and ash are susecptable. In america it has killed significant numbers of tan oaks and native american oaks.

In the New Forest a number of rhododendrons beside the famous Rhinefield Ornamental Drive near Brokenhurst have been found to be infected.

Symtoms include leaf tip dieback, lesions, and wilted stems on the infected shrubs, and oozing lesions on infected tree trunks.

People visiting areas known to be infected are advised to stay on footpaths, keep dogs on leads, disinfect footwear, and not to bring any plant material, dead or alive back home for fear of spreading the disease.

New tree disease affecting native oaks
11th Jun 08

NATIVE OAKS SUSCEPTIBLE TO NEW TREE DISEASE
Two cases of a new pathogen that could seriously affect trees have been found in native English oak (Quercus robur) trees in a wood near Redruth in Cornwall. This is the first discovery of fungal disease caused by this Phytophthora species in native oak trees in Britain.

The pathogen, is related to Phytophthora ramorum, known in the USA as Sudden Oak Death because of the widespread blight it has caused on American oak species. However, until now, native British oaks have proved to be resistant to both pathogens. Since the first discovery of P. ramorum in Britain early in 2002, neither laboratory tests nor painstaking surveys of more than 1500 woodland and forest sites across Britain have established any susceptibility of native oak trees to the deadly fungus.

Although P. ramorum is known to exist in more than a dozen countries throughout Europe, the new Phytophthora is so far thought to be specific to Britain. A major concern is that laboratory tests and observations in the wild indicate that it is more aggressive, and much faster spreading, than P. ramorum. Rhododendron, the main host and source of infection, succumbs in just a few weeks, rather than months.

Diseased Oak
This latest discovery raises fears over the pathogen’s potential impact on Britain’s 200 million oak trees, as well as other native tree species that may now prove to be susceptible.

The Forestry Commission’s Head of Plant Health, Roddie Burgess, said:”Our hope was that P. ramorum, and this more virulent pathogen, would not spread to native species. This new evidence indicates that this is not the case. We need to ensure that the precautions we take to identify and control the spread of this disease are commensurate with this significantly more serious threat.

If anyone suspects the presence of the disease on plants they should contact their local Defra or SEERAD office. If the disease is suspected on trees the contact should be the Forestry Commission. Further information on the two phytophthora is available on the Forestry Commission and Defra websites –
www.forestry.gov.uk and www.defra.gov.uk

High Hedge Disputes
11th Jun 08
High Hedge Disputes: The Current Position

Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, which gives local authorities powers to deal with complaints about high hedges came into operation in England on 1 June 2005.

Introduction

From 1 June 2005, provided they have tried and exhausted all other avenues for resolving their hedge dispute, people will be able to take their complaint about a neighbour’s evergreen hedge to their local authority – your district or borough Council.

The role of the local authority is not to mediate or negotiate between the complainant and the hedge owner but to adjudicate on whether – in the words of the Act – the hedge is adversely affecting the complainant’s reasonable enjoyment of their property. In doing so, the authority must take account of all relevant factors and must strike a balance between the competing interests of the complainant and hedge owner, as well as the interests of the wider community.

If they consider the circumstances justify it, the local authority will issue a formal notice to the hedge owner which will set out what they must do to the hedge to remedy the problem, and when by. Failure to carry out the works required by the authority is an offence which, on prosecution, could lead to a fine of up to £1,000.

You can contact ODPM (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) about high hedge matters at [email protected]

The Facts:

1. The legislation does not require all hedges to be cut down to a height of 2 metres

2. You do not have to get permission to grow a hedge above 2 metres

3. When a hedge grows over 2 metres the local authority does not automatically take action, unless a justifiable complaint is made

4. If you complain to your local authority, it does not follow automatically that they will order your neighbour to reduce the height of their hedge. They have to weigh up all the issues and consider each case on its merits

5. The legislation does not cover single or deciduous trees

6. The local authority cannot require the hedge to be removed

7. The legislation does not guarantee access to uninterrupted light

8. There is no provision to serve an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) in respect of high hedge complaints.

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