Ever thought you needed to 'thicken up' your lawn or fix up some bald patches? Want a quick fix? Looked at those packs of grass seeds at the hardware store with a longing, but doubtful eye?
A doubtful eye was the best thing you had that day! Here's why:
Most lawn seed mixes include couch and/or kikuyu and/or other species.
We've already mentioned why Couch grass and Kikuyu aren't good candidates. Boxes of seed can be had for less than ten dollars. There is a reason for that...
Some of the 'other species' in some lawn seed kits are even worse. They tend to grow incredibly fast, almost in the same manner as onion weed. They form thick tufts of incredibly dense grass that will fill you catcher in only a few metres.
Here's a top example:
One of my clients on Sydney's North Shore bought a beautifully renovated house. Every little detail was just right! Except the lawn. The developer had re-seeded the front lawn, which had probably been destroyed by the tradies and contractors working the development, with a "box'o'seeds".
When my clients inspected the property, I'm sure it looked utterly perfect. However, when they moved in, there had been at least eight weeks since the lawns and gardens were tended (i.e. during the settlement period, during which the former owner has very few legal obligations and seemingly felt they had no moral obligations). The lawns and hedges were already in a difficult state.
What would you say to removing more than three catchers full of grass from an area of less than twenty square metres? Yep - I think I used that word too!
Needless to say, there is remediation work to be performed on that site's lawns as the result of an unethical vendor who chose to make it 'look nice' rather than doing what is right.
Overseed your lawns, in the American style, with a box of miscellaneous grass seeds? Only if you're a glutton for punishment.
You need to chose a species that is right for your garden and locale, that is not invasive and that will not present unreasonable challenges for you or your gardener.
Talk to us and we'll help you.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
What is a 'quality lawn service'?
Glad you asked!
As experienced Garden Guys on Sydney's North Shore, we get to see a lot of grassed areas, lawns, jungles and gardens.
Let's just focus on what a quality lawn service is this time.
So many of the grassed areas we see are just that: grass. The previous lawn service that has worked the property has just 'tip cut' the lawn so that it looks tidy so that they can take their fee. The work is done to maximise their profit and to let the less knowledgeable customer think they have had their land serviced. It's a horribly deceptive practice.
Tip cutting is running a mower over a lawn to bring it to something roughly approximating a level surface, but with no regard to the lawn's past or future. It's the kind of work that non-professional lawn service people and home owners do. It speaks loudly about laziness and a lack of commitment to the final product. This is a shameful and reprehensible practice and we can't do it. Go get a franchise service to under-service and over-charge you if that's your preference.
Cutting a lawn properly, as a professional, involves rather a lot more. Of course, the benefits are far greater, despite the cost being around the same.
So many sites we visit that have previously been serviced by 'brand name' mowing services lack even basic edging! By this, I mean that the edges may have been cut more than one year ago. On some sites, I have found obstructions such as fallen branches which were mowed around for a very long time. Disgraceful!
Edging the nature strip, the garden beds and paths is part of our basic service. You're hiring a lawn service because you want a professional finish - not because you want to be cheated. My Garden Guy offers and delivers that professional finish as our basic service. You want to look good because your grounds look great. We want you to look good and fel confident that you can say "My Garden Guy did it!"*
Seasonal services include timely fertilisation, aeration, moss removal and more. If you care about the visual and practical appeal of your lawns, then we're ever so happy to assist you reach those goals.
We're here to service your needs. You are our client. We're committed to you, your needs and lifestyle.
Allow us to make the difference. For you.
* If you're a client of My Garden Guy and you refer a client, you're eligible for a discount on your next lawn service. Ask us for details.
As experienced Garden Guys on Sydney's North Shore, we get to see a lot of grassed areas, lawns, jungles and gardens.
Let's just focus on what a quality lawn service is this time.
So many of the grassed areas we see are just that: grass. The previous lawn service that has worked the property has just 'tip cut' the lawn so that it looks tidy so that they can take their fee. The work is done to maximise their profit and to let the less knowledgeable customer think they have had their land serviced. It's a horribly deceptive practice.
Tip cutting is running a mower over a lawn to bring it to something roughly approximating a level surface, but with no regard to the lawn's past or future. It's the kind of work that non-professional lawn service people and home owners do. It speaks loudly about laziness and a lack of commitment to the final product. This is a shameful and reprehensible practice and we can't do it. Go get a franchise service to under-service and over-charge you if that's your preference.
Cutting a lawn properly, as a professional, involves rather a lot more. Of course, the benefits are far greater, despite the cost being around the same.
So many sites we visit that have previously been serviced by 'brand name' mowing services lack even basic edging! By this, I mean that the edges may have been cut more than one year ago. On some sites, I have found obstructions such as fallen branches which were mowed around for a very long time. Disgraceful!
Edging the nature strip, the garden beds and paths is part of our basic service. You're hiring a lawn service because you want a professional finish - not because you want to be cheated. My Garden Guy offers and delivers that professional finish as our basic service. You want to look good because your grounds look great. We want you to look good and fel confident that you can say "My Garden Guy did it!"*
Seasonal services include timely fertilisation, aeration, moss removal and more. If you care about the visual and practical appeal of your lawns, then we're ever so happy to assist you reach those goals.
We're here to service your needs. You are our client. We're committed to you, your needs and lifestyle.
Allow us to make the difference. For you.
* If you're a client of My Garden Guy and you refer a client, you're eligible for a discount on your next lawn service. Ask us for details.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Couch Grass - Common, but unfavourable.
In previous editions, we've talked about a few common grass species which are prevalent on the North Shore. Those are:
We've already explained that Buffalo has generally positive characteristics for your lawn and garden and that Kikuyu is a generally unpleasant lawn species. This time, we'll explain Couch grass.
Simply put, Couch grass is a perennial grass, much like Kikuyu. It shares a few characteristics what that 'orrid species in that it is invasive and if it isn't properly managed can become quite a disaster on your property.
In the past, it was considered to be favourable because it had soft blades compared to Buffalo. Earlier Buffalo species were known as "old scratchy" in some places because it was a very coarse-leafed grass and wasn't much fun for the kids to play on. Modern buffalo species have been bred to remove some of those unfavourable characteristics, including the 'purpling' that old species display in winter.
However, much like Kikuyu and some others, Couch grass is a high maintentance species. If you don't undertake a rigorous maintenance schedule, there is a very high chance that you will have 45 cm tall grass in a very short time. With a little less attention and good growing conditions, it's possible for it to grow to 150 cm in one season! It is an excellent grower and makes some decent fodder for some pets (goats, sheep, etc). Chances are that quite a few of those 'weeds' in your garden are Couch grass. In my garden, I know they are!
For modern lifestyle purposes, Couch grass is just a pain in the hindquarters.
If you're installing new turf, don't think of the cost savings by choosing this weed at installation time. Consider the cost of maintenance and how much commitment you can make to maintaining and containing this species.
You're most welcome to comment below or make contact with My Garden Guy if you have any questions.
Next edition, we'll talk about those fun packs of grass seeds available from hardware stores. What is in those packs may shock you.
- Buffalo
- Kikuyu and
- Couch.
We've already explained that Buffalo has generally positive characteristics for your lawn and garden and that Kikuyu is a generally unpleasant lawn species. This time, we'll explain Couch grass.
Simply put, Couch grass is a perennial grass, much like Kikuyu. It shares a few characteristics what that 'orrid species in that it is invasive and if it isn't properly managed can become quite a disaster on your property.
In the past, it was considered to be favourable because it had soft blades compared to Buffalo. Earlier Buffalo species were known as "old scratchy" in some places because it was a very coarse-leafed grass and wasn't much fun for the kids to play on. Modern buffalo species have been bred to remove some of those unfavourable characteristics, including the 'purpling' that old species display in winter.
However, much like Kikuyu and some others, Couch grass is a high maintentance species. If you don't undertake a rigorous maintenance schedule, there is a very high chance that you will have 45 cm tall grass in a very short time. With a little less attention and good growing conditions, it's possible for it to grow to 150 cm in one season! It is an excellent grower and makes some decent fodder for some pets (goats, sheep, etc). Chances are that quite a few of those 'weeds' in your garden are Couch grass. In my garden, I know they are!
For modern lifestyle purposes, Couch grass is just a pain in the hindquarters.
If you're installing new turf, don't think of the cost savings by choosing this weed at installation time. Consider the cost of maintenance and how much commitment you can make to maintaining and containing this species.
You're most welcome to comment below or make contact with My Garden Guy if you have any questions.
Next edition, we'll talk about those fun packs of grass seeds available from hardware stores. What is in those packs may shock you.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Kikuyu - Accursed Grass Species.
In an earlier post, the three dominant lawn species on the North Shore were mentioned:
Buffalo is the dominant local species but with so many older homes around here, the other two are also quite often found and usually as an invasive species.
In the past, Kikuyu was seen to be a panacaea for lawns. It's fast growing, it's pretty much self-healing and it fitted in with that ideal of a close-napped species which was ideal for very short lawns. Best of all, it was cheap and fashionable. Times and fashions change, as do environmental sensibilities.
These days, it's classified as a noxious weed in some parts of Australia.
Owing to its growing habit of being thickly matting and being an aggressive grower, it is a high maintenance lawn. While that was more acceptable in the past, most householders are now time-poor and end up with a matted mess which takes considerable work to correct if the maintenance schedule slips. As an aggressive grower, it will find its way into garden beds and other places it shouldn't be. It can choke out many plants of much higher value. It also is reputed to exude a toxin which kills other plants.
An untended Kikuyu lawn can grow up to 300 mm in less than eight weeks - sometimes up to 450 mm in optimal conditions. Owing to its dense growth habit, mowing at this stage is a serious undertaking. It can be quite costly and time consuming to return that wild and wooly growth to being a lawn, let alone a common grassed area.
Overall, it's nasty and high-maintenance. If you have recently purchased a property which has a couch lawn, consider having it killed off and tilled back into the ground and new turf installed. You will be much happier for many more years than trying to fight this monster.
If you're considering a new lawn or patching an existing one, please consider one of the modern soft-leaf Buffalo varieties. There is not a big cost difference at purchase and installation time, but there is a massive cost difference for maintenance in the long term.
Questions? You're welcome to e-mail us and we'll help you or you can leave a comment below.
Next time, we'll talk about Couch grass.
- Buffalo
- Kikuyu and
- Couch.
Buffalo is the dominant local species but with so many older homes around here, the other two are also quite often found and usually as an invasive species.
In the past, Kikuyu was seen to be a panacaea for lawns. It's fast growing, it's pretty much self-healing and it fitted in with that ideal of a close-napped species which was ideal for very short lawns. Best of all, it was cheap and fashionable. Times and fashions change, as do environmental sensibilities.
These days, it's classified as a noxious weed in some parts of Australia.
Owing to its growing habit of being thickly matting and being an aggressive grower, it is a high maintenance lawn. While that was more acceptable in the past, most householders are now time-poor and end up with a matted mess which takes considerable work to correct if the maintenance schedule slips. As an aggressive grower, it will find its way into garden beds and other places it shouldn't be. It can choke out many plants of much higher value. It also is reputed to exude a toxin which kills other plants.
An untended Kikuyu lawn can grow up to 300 mm in less than eight weeks - sometimes up to 450 mm in optimal conditions. Owing to its dense growth habit, mowing at this stage is a serious undertaking. It can be quite costly and time consuming to return that wild and wooly growth to being a lawn, let alone a common grassed area.
Overall, it's nasty and high-maintenance. If you have recently purchased a property which has a couch lawn, consider having it killed off and tilled back into the ground and new turf installed. You will be much happier for many more years than trying to fight this monster.
If you're considering a new lawn or patching an existing one, please consider one of the modern soft-leaf Buffalo varieties. There is not a big cost difference at purchase and installation time, but there is a massive cost difference for maintenance in the long term.
Questions? You're welcome to e-mail us and we'll help you or you can leave a comment below.
Next time, we'll talk about Couch grass.
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