Latest news with #gardenexperts
The Sun
10 hours ago
- General
- The Sun
Gardeners urged to not cut their grass if they want lawns to be thick & green all summer long – plus best height to mow
A LAWN can make or break a garden in terms of how good it looks. And in the summer months, it can be hard to keep it from drying out and looking patchy. 1 Fortunately, garden experts have shared three tips to get it looking its best and there's one job that is essential. While summer officially starts from June 21, July is when the peak season starts, so it's important to get your lawn ready now. The hot weather, wind and lack of rain can put pressure on your lawn and cause it to die off and thin out. While you may not be able to control the weather, you can control how you care for and prepare your lawn, so it survives in these tough conditions. Experts at New Garden have shared several tips that 'will have you seeing green in July'. Grass growth can slow down and stop entirely due to the stress of summer, so the experts have a tip to counteract it. The lawn pros have urged gardeners to raise their mower height as a 'priority' to help with this if they want to improve the health of their grass. They claimed: 'The longer you leave your lawn when you cut, the greener and healthier it will be. 'A good height for lawns is three and a half to four inches'. To adjust the height, measure from a hard, flat surface like the driveway or pathway to the bottom of the mower blade and adjust the height accordingly. The four easy steps to get your tired lawn lush for summer & you don't need to worry about pigeons ruining it either Also, be sure to sharpen your mower blades regularly to prevent damage to the grass when cutting it down. The experts also suggest skipping fertiliser and using iron instead, as fertiliser can burn your grass in summer. This will 'give you a short-term green-up without the risk of overfeeding'. It is available in liquid and granular form. Always apply according to package directions for maximum effectiveness and safety. Whether you choose a liquid or granular form of iron, keep it off of walkways or patios as it can stain. As a third option, gardeners can apply lime to their lawn. Often, lawns have a low pH, which means there could be nutrients in the soil that the grass can't use. Applying lime 'makes those nutrients available to make the grass greener'.
The Sun
03-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
The £3.49 Lidl buy that stops weeds growing & it makes your flower beds more attractive too
LIDL is selling a cheap garden buy that stops weeds growing in your garden flower beds and makes them look good. The budget buy costs less than a £5 and can be found in most Lidl stores. For only £3.49 the garden buy is an essential in summer to help keep weeds at bay. A 40 litre bag of decorative wood chips can be purchased from any Lidl store. The chips can be used as mulch, weed suppression, decoration, moisture retention or all of the above. Spreading them around your flower beds helps to slow and prevent weed growth. The chips also lock in moisture and help your plants stay cool in the summer. They can also be used decoratively across your whole garden, covering borders, pathways and flower beds. At just 8.7p per litre the garden chips are a near unbeatable bargain buy. Expert gardeners recommend the chips for moisture retention. They help create a cool area above your soil, preventing water from evaporating and plants from drying out. The chips packaging says they are: "Ideal for all garden beds, borders and pathways." It adds that they offer "improved soil moisture control." 4 4 Experts say the chips can be used in compost to improve carbon content. They can also help to prevent soil compaction between flower rows among other benefits. Even when the chips break down they are still useful. After decomposing the woods leach nutrients into the soil and improve its overall health. It's recommended that the chips are placed on top of the soil rather than mixed through it. Not only will this improve your soil and plant health but it will help improve the overall look of your garden. The chips can be used to help plants, trees, bushes and flowers grow.
The Sun
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
The best times to buy summer garden essentials including the three you must buy NOW – and you could save over £180
SHOPPING experts have revealed when is the ideal time to stock up on major garden essentials to make huge savings. Three of the key items should be bought this month in order to make the biggest savings. 3 Boffins at comparison site Idealo have done the hard work for us and worked out that shoppers could save £183.84 if they purchase a gazebo this month, rather than in November, when they are at its worst price. One shopper recently bragged about picking up a "huge" gazebo from her local Morrisons for just £20. May is also your month for hedge trimmer shopping and you could save £12.80 as opposed to buying in August as their most expensive month. As most parents will know, tearing kids away from screens can sometimes be a challenge, making garden toys a lifeline in the summer months. If you're after something that will keep your little ones entertained for hours, what about the trusty pogo stick? May is the best month to pick one up, creating a saving of £1.24 rather than in December. For your other green-fingered needs, June has been officially crowned as the cheapest month of the year to buy garden bits in the UK, with the greatest deals on offer. While June is ideal, buying garden goodies any time between the end of May and August is also promised to save you cash. Idealo found that savings of up to £649 can be made by buying each item at the right time. BEST AND WORST MONTHS TO BUY PRODUCTS Beach/ sand toy (Best: April, Worst: May) - £3.34 Water gun (Best: August, Worst: October) - £2.39 Trampoline (Best: July, Worst: November) - £37.80 Greenhouse (Best: June, Worst: December) - £177.24 Garden table (Best: June, Worst: March) - £18.67 Garden lighting (Best: June, Worst: October) - £16.19 Sun lounger (Best: June, Worst: December) - £14.27 Fire pit (Best: June, Worst: August) - £9.60 Parasol (Best: June, Worst: January) - £6.16 Garden shears (Best: June, Worst: December) - £3.13 Gazebo (Best: May, Worst: November) - £183.84 Hedge trimmer (Best: May, Worst: August) - £12.80 Pogo stick (Best: May, Worst: December) - £1.24 Katy Phillips, senior brand and communications manager at idealo tells The Sun: 'Our data shows that a little patience can go a long way when it comes to saving money on garden essentials this year. "Holding off until the right month could save shoppers hundreds of pounds on big-ticket items like sun loungers, tables and fire pits. 'We'd always recommend comparing prices across multiple retailers before committing to a purchase. With a bit of planning, and by using apps with tools like price alerts, you can enjoy your garden for less and make your money stretch further this summer.' 3 How to save money on garden furniture Opting to buy your new garden furniture or items on sale could save you a lot of money. Most retailers start discounting garden items after summer and will run promotions over the winter, but be aware stock can be far more limited during this time. Retailers will start reintroducing more to their garden ranges during spring and may run limited promotions over bank holidays, for example. You are unlikely to get a great deal just before or in the height of summer, but some retailers offer mid-summer clearance sales to get rid of old stock, so keep an eye out. Remember to always shop around when making a big purchase, as even if one store has a sale on, you may be able to get a better deal elsewhere. You can use websites like Price Spy to compare the prices of items across multiple retailers and see how the prices have changed over time. Remember, you may not need to buy you furniture - you could save a fortune by up-cycling old items instead. Giving dirty pieces a good wash and a lick of fresh paint can make them look brand new. You can also pick up perfectly good items second-hand. Try platforms like Facebook Marketplace or eBay to see if anyone near you is getting rid of old items - you may even be able to pick them up for free. 3
