FAQ

General rule of thumb, depending upon grass type is not really how often but to mow to keep the grass between 2/12-3/12 inches tall, never cutting more than a third of the overall blade at any one time,. So more often in the spring/summer when it's growing quickly and less often in the fall as growth slows.

Lawns should be watered thoroughly 2 to 3 times a week with approximately 1" to 1-1/2" of irrigation. Place a cat food or tuna can in the area you are watering. Once the pie pan is full, that area should be adequately watered. Record the time and now you know how long to run your sprinkler. Avoid water at early night or during the heat of the day. Early morning is best!

Regrettably, too many people waste their precious weekends raking leaves into piles or shattering the quite peace of sunny afternoons with leaf blowers. There is a better solution. Rather than trying to rid your lawn of fallen leaves, you should actually leave them where they are. It is nature’s way to recycle, after all. Certainly no one is raking up and bagging the leaves, which fall in wooded parks and forests. Given a bit of time, all of the leaves are transformed by worms, bacteria, and other organisms into rich humus, which will continue to feed trees, shrubs, and other plants. Your yard is simply an extension of the same natural process. Trees around your property draw nutrients and minerals from the soil, converting those elements into new leaves and branches. By raking up those leaves, you essentially short-circuit the natural cycle by which nutrients are returned to the soil. After a number of years, the soil will lose its fertility.

Aeration is a process of punching holes into the turf to a depth of 35-60mm. These holes allow water and air nutrients to more easily reach the grass root zone. This stimulates root development and healthier turf.

Compost, the result of natural biodegradation, is a renewable resource. Chemical fertilizer, derived from petroleum and produced with additives, is not. Agricultural application of compost and organic fertilizers outperform artificial methods for the long term , and can be procured locally. Composting aids the formation of aggregates in soil, which tends to improve aeration, improve drainage due to increased permeability, and decrease the need for fertilization and irrigation.

Annuals for a particularly hot and sunny location include marigolds, zinnias, sunflowers, vinca, verbena and Cineraria Stardust. Annual salvias such as Splendens Dwarf Red are also good choices. In most cases, proper soil preparation is at least as important as the plant selection. Adding lots of organic matter and mulching after planting will help soil retain moisture and nutrients. When you water, make sure you soak the area down to the full depth of the roots. Shallow watering encourages shallow roots that are more susceptible to drought.

All organic material will eventually decompose. However, to speed the process along, you'll need two types of materials, as well as water and oxygen:

1. Carbon-rich materials such as dry leaves, straw, shredded paper, and sawdust or wood chips. (These are called "brown" materials.)

2. Nitrogen-rich materials such as fresh grass clippings, kitchen fruit and veggie scraps, fresh clippings from the landscape and fresh manure. (These are called "green" materials.)

An easy way to start out is to mix the "browns" and "greens" in about a 50/50 ratio. The smaller the ingredients, the faster they will decompose, so try to shred or chop large pieces. As you construct the pile, sprinkle it with water from your hose-the ingredients should be as wet as a damp sponge. Your pile should be at least 1 cubic yard in size in order for it to have enough mass to insulate and retain heat.

To speed decomposition further, turn the pile every few weeks to incorporate oxygen and move the outer materials inward. At the same time, apply water if necessary to reach the proper "damp sponge" moisture level. If you don't turn the pile, just keep collecting until you have a good-sized pile and just let it sit. It will decompose in 6 to 8 months.

You don't have to be a trained designer to create great flower combinations. Most people are drawn to certain colours, so if there is a colour scheme you've admired - whether it is in a favorite jersey, upholstery or garden - keep this in mind when choosing plants. Just focus on the following aspects of colour, and you'll be able to evoke a certain mood in your garden. Pastel tints set a mood of tranquility.

They look best when viewed up close, and can look washed out in bright mid-day sun. Bright colours invigorate and energize a garden. They hold up well to brilliant sunshine, and attract the eye even from a distance. To help you combine colours, get a colour wheel from a craft store. Colours that are opposite one another on the wheel (yellow and violet; orange and blue; green and red) are considered complementary colours. Their high contrast brings energy and vitality to the garden. Harmonious colours are next to each other on the wheel (blue and violet; orange and red; orange and yellow).

These combinations are gentler on the eye than complementary colours. A harmonious colour scheme unifies a garden, while allowing enough range of colour without becoming monotonous. In a monochromatic garden, you create interest by using plants with different sizes and shapes of flowers of the same colour. You might also highlight foliage with interesting textures and colours. Perhaps you are partial to a single colour such as yellow. You can create varying moods depending on whether you choose soft pale yellows or bright sunny yellows or deep golden yellows. Or you might use a mix of shades.