Landscape Juice

Advice on repairing a fence after high winds

If your fence or other features of garden infrastructure were blown away in this week's gales then you may be in need of a landscape or garden contractor to help you repair the damage.

Let's face it, gusts of 50-100 miles per hour are likely to damage the sturdiest of fences, sheds, trellis or greenhouses.

If a fence has been in place for more than ten years then it's more than likely that the base of wooden posts, especially softwood, will have become weakened at ground level as moisture and soil (or organic matter) conspire to weaken the wood.

If a fence post sits in clay or has been completely encased in concrete then deterioration and rot may be accelerated to a such a degree that a post may last no more than three years.

RHS Grow Your Own iPhone app

How many of us have a smart phone now?

Over 5% of access to Landscape Juice comes through mobile devices and that number is set to continue to rise as mobile computers - yes they're not just phones any more - become even more sophisticated.

Can you remember the day when we had no choice but to refer to a clonky great hard-backed book if we wanted to look something up or get advice on what's the best plant for a particular spot?

Now we've all, potentially, got all the reference books we need - if you count Google as a source through a browser - literally in our pockets.

Stuart Marler on networking benefits

Carol Miers interviews a Landscape Juice Member on a mission.

Stuart Marler spent his youth at sea but wanting to put down roots led him to landscape gardening. Today he is still unable to resist an adventure so he's growing his own seven year old business and expanding into international waters.

He was having breakfast but in spite of the sounds of clearing dishes Stuart managed to explain what drives his company TVG Landscaping.

Kew Gardens - how to care for a moth orchid

Christopher Ryan, the orchid manager at Kew Gardens demonstrates how to take care of a phalaenopsis or moth orchid. He shows how to cut back the plant to encourage re-flowering and how to re-pot.

The matter-of-fact tone of the commentary belies the perfect example of this orchid with the flower heads evenly spaced and of the same height.

Award winning orchids should have sepals that are round full and flat and form the shape of an equilateral triangle.

The customer is always right....or are they?

It's kind of drummed into you at an early stage of business life: The customer IS always right.

It's usually the customer - who has no interest in the morality of the message - who utters those immortal words.

It's a kind of code, meaning, 'I've got my back against the wall here, I know I'm wrong but I'll play the "I'm always right" card' to turn a negative situation (for them) into a positive one.

Don't you believe it and don't succumb to playing mind games with your customer. In my experience, a customer might have a strong idea about what it is they want and maybe a little knowledge of how it can be achieved but it cannot compete with your knowledge on landscaping or horticulture, let alone the skills you've acquired over the years.

When there's money and reputation involved, rationale and common sense can often fly out of the window - this is especially the case when there is a dispute between client and contractor - how both parties deal with the ensuing discussions is paramount to what can be the difference between a successful outcome or a length legal battle.

Autumn and spring lawn care help and advice videos

Lawns: - How To Seed A Lawn

Achieving a perfect lawn has baffled and dogged the amateur gardener for years and applying lawn treatments and/or remedial services to grass was a very profitable portion of my garden maintenance business.

A lot of the time we were called in because the home owner had botched an operation such as scarifying or spiking, overdosed or under-applied fertiliser or selective weedkiller or was unsure of how to re-seed and top dress their lawn.

The internet didn't exist when I first started in business so the only way of learning was to do a course, buy a book or learn from a professional but now, times have changed and there is a wealth of information - not all of it good - a gardener can use to get the best out of their garden.

Tough questions before starting a garden or landscape business

I've kicked off the first post in an initial 15 week series on How to start and run a gardening or landscape business.

There is an awful lot for a potential new business owner to learn and understand before making the leap and the strongest message to get across at this stage is don't let your heart lead your head.

Working outside; whether that's in a private or public garden, park, golf course or arboretum, is a wonderful life. There's no better feeling than being at one with nature and watching the seasons come and go or touching and smelling plants and feeling the breeze and rain on your face.

However, like with so much in life, adding money into the equation often brings stress and exposes frailties.

What I'm asking is, do you have the physical and mental capabilities to make a garden business work?

The comment section is open so please feel free to join in with your opinion, examples of tips.

Advice if your tree doesn't come out in leaf

What do you do if a newly planted tree or shrub doesn't come out in leaf during the growing season?

It's not uncommon for buds not to burst forth with leaves after any plants is uprooted, moved and replanted but it doesn't necessarily mean that you've lost it.

The photo is of a Field Maple - Acer campestre - I lifted, with bare roots, from my woodland in late winter. I planted it into an already prepared hole but the leaves never came out and now, even in late September after the growing season's all but passed, it's still alive.

Tips on tying onions: video

If, like me, you've recently harvested your onions, you'll probably be wanting to get them dried and stored as soon as possible?

Tying onions serves many purposes; a string of onions looks great in a farmhouse kitchen; saves space and keeps them from taking up valuable veg-rack space and also helps to prevent humidity causing the onions to rot before having a chance to use them.

I've just tied all m onions - sorry about the colour quality.

Can I water my newly laid lawn during a hosepipe ban?

If you've recently had or are planning to have a new lawn laid, you are no doubt wondering and worrying if you are allowed to safeguard your investment during the critical stages of establishment whilst a hosepipe ban is in place?

A statement from from United Utilities on the Turf Growers Association (TGA) site:

"We have made a concession for the watering in of newly laid turf as per your advice which is used in the UKWIR guidance. As such the use of a hosepipe within the United Utilities region is permitted where there is a contract in place to lay the turf and water it in for the period of 28 days."

The first month is the most critical as new roots form and anchor themselves into the fresh soil rootzone area. The TGA offers the following advisory information.