We’ve been sent these gardening hints:

Money saving hints for gardeners

Save all your empty plastic pots for starting plants off in. If you have solid
pots then you can quickly drill a few holes in the bottom to let the water out.

Look at your local morrison’s supermarket in the flower section – they sell
their black plastic buckets for 8 for £1 …. They’re great for growing
plants in!

You can use growbag compost in pots too instead of proper compost. It’s quite
rich though, but perfect for tomatoes and other greenhouse crops. It’s loads
cheaper than buying compost.

Recycle old containers into planters. Anything can be used as long as it has
drainage hole.

Plant a few lettuce seeds inside the greenhouse. There are some winter hardy
types. These can save you money as they’ll be cheaper to grow than buy at the
supermarket.

A simple but effective compost bin – well worth a look if you’ve got some wood you can use and want to make a compost bin that’s easy to fill and empty. Note the wood that allows the planks at the front to be slid in!

If you have a shed then it’s a good idea to make sure it’s locked and secure. Shed security hints include ensuring when you place a shed in your garden then the door and window are facing the house so you can make a visual check regularly that it’s secure.
Use a good quality padlock and hasp to keep it locked. Chain down anything valuable inside – link tools together with bike locks to make it easy for them to be take out. You can secure bolts to a concrete floor and this makes for a secure place to fix stuff too.
Ask if your shed is covered on your home contents insurance. It usually is but check what security measures they will require you to have. Don’t leave tools outside – not only can they go rusty if they get wet or stolen, but they can also then be used to break in to either your shed or your home.

Some basic security measures means your shed contents will be safe. Simple shed alarms can be effective at letting you know if anything happens to your shed. If you have a shed break in you should report it to the local police. You should also ask your neighbours to watch out as shed thieves tend to target an area.
Reducing thefts from sheds means your life is less stressful and your insurance doesn’t go up!

These shed alarms are available at Garden Buildings Direct

Deluxe 50mm Padlock Protector Security Alarms, Locks and Lighting £39.95
Building Accessories – The BillyOh Deluxe 50mm Padlock Protector is a more secure shed. This unique hasp

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Everyone knows what an evergreen tree is, but most gardens have an evergreen in them that’s on the ground not up in the air! A lawn could be considered an evergreen!


A lawn needs fairly regular care and attention if it’s to look good. It’s easy for an unkempt lawn to quickly get out of control and look very scruffy. Even a neglected lawn can be turned around though. One of the most effective weed controls is to mow it regularly. Grass likes to be cut. It responds well to being trimmed regularly and it’ll do it’s best to outgrow the weeds.


Some weeds need removing. Any weeds that take over a patch of grass need cutting out. You can use weed killer but I always believe it’s best to use as little poison as possible in the garden. Weeds can be cut out either using a special tool or just use an old dinner knife to cut them out. With daisies the root is general spread out in a small area but will remove easily. Dandelions send their roots down and so a long knife can cut away at the weed and remove much of it. If you remove too much soil replace it with a mix of soil and grass seed. This helps the grass fill in the patch before annual weeds get attached!


That’s one reason why weed killer is a bad idea – it can remove the weeds but then leave bare patches where other weeds will flourish. Many of the annual weds are very opportunistic and will do their best to appear!


Remove dandelion heads even if you don’t dig them out. It’ll stop them spreading. Send them to the tip or burn them – but don’t put them on the compost heap as they will be viable seeds within no time at all!


In the autumn you often have to be quick to get the last mow in before the grass gets too wet. It’s worth making the effort though to have a tidy lawn all winter. Trim off any edges that look messy. Use a string to get a straight line. It’ll look smart! If you’re going an arc then use a string but fixed to a point and work round the arc of a circle with the half moon tool to get a perfect curve. It’s a nice trick and gives great results.


You can buy autumn feed for your lawn and it’s worth giving it a treat to help it through the winter! You can also aerate your lawn at this time of lawn using a hollow tine aerator or some other sort of spike. Autumn feed is specially for this time of year as it’s high in phosphates and potash. This will help strong roots to develop, which will produce healthy leaves – rather than a spring fertiliser that will be ended to encourage lush growth!


A heavily shaded lawn can become mossy so thin out any trees of hedges to allow the sunshine through. Aerating these areas is worth doing too as the extra air in the soil helps dry the surface more prevent it from getting a grip. Brush a sandy mix into the holes after.

Remove the thatch by raking. It can be strenuous work even with a springy rake but worth doing. Some people use the moss for hanging baskets – but I’ve never tried it! It’s fine to put the moss on the compost heap.

When it’s frosty or snowed then do not walk on the lawn.

Remove leaves regularly on dry days and put them in the leaf bin to rot down.

RoLawn Direct has these new lines today

Rolawn GroRight Autumn Lawn Food Twin Pack £20.90
SPECIAL OFFER Save £5 when you buy Rolawn GroRight Autumn Lawn Twin Pack. Using GroRight Spring Lawn Food in conjunction with GroRight Autumn Lawn Food provides a year round programme to promote a healthy, green and hardwearing lawn. Each 4Kg box covers 100sqm.

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Too late for this year – The big buttefly count – Butterfly Chart to print out!

If you have lawn damage caise by dry weather then what is the solution?


Leave it alone apart from perhaps water it! In hot dry weather grass can appear very yellowed and scorched. It normally recovers well as soon as it’s started to rain again. If after a month of rainy weather it’s not recovered them it might well have died – but it does take extremes to do this – months of no rain.


If you want to help your lawn avoid being damaged then there are some hints you can use;


Don’t lay turf in hot dry drought weather.

Don’t lay turf during a hosepipe ban.

Don’t expect grass to look green during a drought.

After a prolonged period of dry weather the grass will stop growing.

Cut with the grass box off so the grass clippings can be used by the lawn as it’s own mulch.

Stop cutting the lawn in very hot weather.

Give it a water if you really must – but watering by hand is tedious and time consuming.

Depressing as it might seem it’s starting to feel like Autumn here. The last few weeks of rain have suddenly started getting colder and so I’ll start looking at Autumn Lawn Care.


Autumn Lawn Care


In theory cooler weather means the lawn grows less. Keep on top of it though if there’s a dry day to get out and cut it. Leaving it to go too long just makes it look terrible and it’ll stay wetter meaning a vicious cycle can start where it’ll never be quite dry enough to cut!


Autumn Lawn Fertiliser gives your lawn just what it needs at this time of year.

* Suitable for use on all lawns.

* NPK Fertiliser 4:10:5 + 1Mg + 2.5Fe + 0.5Mn

* Rolawn Lawn Foods contain:

o N Nitrogen – To promote thicker, greener leaf growth

o P Phosphorus – Strengthens the roots

o K Potassium – Strengthens the shoots

o Mg Magnesium – Protects against pathogens

o Mn Manganese – Helps roots resist fungal attacks

o Fe Iron – Promotes a greener colour

* For best results apply early Autumn, ideally just before rainfall, when the soil is moist.

* Avoid windy conditions and frosts.

* It is important that the product is spread evenly.

This lawn feed ensures your grass in a great condition to keep healthy and looking great. Essential in damp weather to protect your grass from the nasty fungus diseases out there.

If you start getting lots of worm casts them when they’re dry brush them across the lawn. The worm casts are just made of soil so are not harmful to your lawn. Worm activity is essential for a healthy lawn.

Keeping pets off the lawn – don’t let your pets foul the lawn. Supervise pets outside and ensure their mess is cleared up quickly as you would if you were on the street. A dirty lawn is unusable by humans for risk of eye damaging worms which can cause blindness.


Rake up leaves and put them in a special bin to rot down. They take longer than normal plant material so keep them separate.

Scarification is the removal of dead grass matter, roots and moss – it can be done using a spring-tine rake by vigorously pulling the rake through the grass sward. Electric scarifiers are also available for hire from local garden centres or DIY stores. It can be done in the autumn.

The sunshine – or lack of it – has finally allowed two of my tomatoes to start turning colour properly.

I’ve been inspired to post because of this blog article which has pictures of non-red tomatoes!
It’s a nice blog too – so worth a read!

Garden Beet sell Garden Accessories, Planter Pots, Garden Gifts, Garden Art

10% voucher code for all items.
Type in gardenfreebies at checkout to claim your discount
Visit Garden Beet here

This voucher is available until August 2010

Take the massage mat, undo the velcro fastener and unroll it. Lay it out on your lounger, put batteries in and then lay down and hit the on button. You get to pick which massage type you want first. Try them all, they offer different patterns of massage and you’ll find them invigorating! Change the type and the intensity of the massage. Feel your back being massaged, your tops of your legs and your calf muscles will also benefit from the massaging action. The pulse is a regular beat of massage action that sooths your muscles. The wave goes between muscle sets and relaxes and unwinds you in a fantastically soothing way. The full massage does all your muscles at once. Relax and change the massage type using the simple control unit. The instructions are easy and simple to follow. You’ll finish your 15 minute massage feeling like you’re raring to go again!


Homedics Outdoor Massage Mat is designed to be used on your garden furniture outside. It’s a revolutionary idea! Indoor massage chairs and mats have been available for a while but using them outdoors has not been a possibility.
It’s a perfect way of relaxing and enjoying your garden! You will find that this massage is just what you need after a hard day at the office, or a hard afternoon of mowing or weeding the garden!


6 massage motors make this mat perfect for a relaxing and invigorating massage. Just think of the possibilities – relax after gardening, chill out after work, lay back on the patio lounger and enjoy the summer sunshine, all whilst having an invigorating massage! Doesn’t that sound perfect?


The Homedics mat comes in it’s own bag. It is very easy to carry and light too. You’d certainly not mind carrying it with you on short trips! Take it round to friends when you’re going for an afternoon so you can show off your fantastic massage mat!


Make sure you read the instructions, but it’s so simple to use after you’ve put in batteries you will find the simple controller easy to understand and use. It’s got lights on, so you can lay back and relax without the need for your reading glasses – you can see the intensity indicator easily. It defaults to the middle setting when you switch it off, so you might want to adjust it to full or more gentle. You will feel your muscles after using this – it is quite invigorating and you’ll feel like you’ve got some more energy to do some more gardening!


You do need to use this on a chair or on a sun-lounger ideally. It’s perfect for unwinding after a hard day at the office, or a hard day gardening! Relax and unwind and let the gentle massaging action sooth your shoulders and back muscles with a variety of actions. The pulse option works in pulses in a rhythmic fashion. The wave goes between locations offering you a brief massage before moving on the the next set of muscles. The full option does it all at once! Try them all out! They are quite different sensations and you might find you prefer one over another. The full is relaxing but leaves you feeling full of energy! Adjust the mat if it doesn’t feel like it’s in the right place.


Homedics have designed this outdoor massager to work on AA batteries! This is a remarkable achievement when you find out how good the massaging action is. There are certain rules to follow – firstly, don’t use it in the wet! This is only sensible advice – after all you wouldn’t be outside in the rain, but also wipe down any seats if they’ve got water on them before you put the mat down.


Strapping it to your seat is done with it’s built in strap and then you can lie down and relax. The controller has it’s own holder attached too so it won’t dangle or tangle when you’re putting it away. You can use the massager for up to 15 minutes at a time.


Testing the massage mat out is a pleasure! It’s very relaxing to lay back and feel the intensity of the massage change on the wave option – up and down your body, you can hear it pulsing away but in a relaxing way! Shoulders, back and legs all take their turn on this setting. There are three different settings. Pulse, wave and all. With three speed settings too it gives you plenty of opportunity to find the perfect settings for your ideal massage.


The Homedics massage mat is made from a strong fabric that will resist water and mould, whilst still being comfortable to lie on even when not using the massager. It’ll fit your outdoor furniture whatever style of lounge you have. It’s light enough to take away with you on holiday too – and that means you can relax on the beach or by the side of the pool whilst enjoying a lovely relaxing massage.


Having a massage from this homedics mat will relax and unwind you, making you forget the cares of the day. It’s a fantastic way of relaxing and getting some time to yourself. Once you’ve chilled out for the maximum 15 minutes you can switch it off, and carry on relaxing! This is a great gift for someone who loves a massage and spending time in their garden! They can take it on holiday with them and enjoy a holiday packed with relaxing!