Get gardens summer ready

Rolux Kentonon-Sea here to assist in any way

With summer on our doorstep, this is the time to get out into the sun and start your summer garden care regime.

Let Rolux Kenton-On-Sea lighten your load with its highquality garden equipment from Stihl, Husqvarna, Gardena, Bosch and Professional all under one roof, so you can do it right the first time, and have more time to enjoy your garden with family and friends.

Rolux store owner, Shirley Robinson, shares her tips on how to get your garden summer ready.

1. Out with old and in with new

Step 1: Loosen dead grass with your rake or scarifier.

Scarifying the lawn using a scarifier or a strong but affordable rake removes old, dead grass to make way for new growth.

This allows water, air and nutrients to get through to the roots.

This can be done on kikuyu and cynodon lawns, which have runners, but will damage evergreen, shade-loving lawns with no runners.

Tips: Renting a scarifier is often the most efficient and affordable solution.

You can also buy an affordable Rolux Rake which outlasts any other rake.

Buy the Professional Hivac lawnmower as it has interchangeable scarifying blades. Step 2: Prune overgrown trees Assess your garden’s trees and the shade they are casting.

Too much shade can hamper lawn growth and darken your outdoor area. Using a good quality chainsaw, like the Rolux Magnum X Chainsaw or StihlMS170 or husquvana120iTK4-P battery Pole pruner will open up the canopy a little by thinning out the branches carefully.

This will let air and sunlight in and give your trees more shape.

Step 3: Neaten up Tidy up the garden by pulling out weeds and give your paved areas a good clean.

Tidy lawn edges with an edge trimmer and neaten up shrubs and hedges with a hedge trimmer.

The StihlGTA26 shrub shear/ hedge trimmer is lightweight and battery operated which will help get the job done right, and fast.

2. Breathe life into your lawn

Step 1: Aerate your lawn using a spike roller.

Aeration allows air to get to the grass roots, which aids in drainage, making available all the minerals and nutrients needed for lush growth. It also reduces soil compression and increases the water-holding capacity of the soil.

Tip: If your ground is firm, water generously before using your spike roller to ensure proper aeration.

A Rolux 500mm Spike Roller can be bought or rented from Rolux Kenton-On-Sea

Step 2: Apply lawn dressing This is a mixture of garden soil and a soil enricher, such as compost. Usually applied in spring and early summer, it improves the quality of your soil, levels out uneven bits and stimulates the grass to produce new shoots.

Depending on your lawn type, the general recommendation is a 1.5cm layer of lawn dressing. Note that buffalo grass, LM and all cool season lawns do not tolerate lawn dressing.

Tip: Place small heaps of dressing on your lawn and larger heaps where there are small depressions. Spread the dressing evenly, creating a level surface.

You can use a smooth roller if your lawn is very uneven but be careful not to compact the soil underneath. The Rolux 500mm Smooth Roller can be bought or rented from Rolux Kenton-On-Sea. Step 3: Fertilise your lawn Lawns love to eat and drink – and require a good dose of TLC to look their best. A good general fertiliser for all lawn types is 5:1:5 (36). Apply this fertiliser during the growing season at a rate of 60g/ m² at least once every three months.

Alternatively, use a specialised fertiliser for established lawns available at your local garden centre. Repeat this process every four weeks throughout the season, or alternate with a high nitrogen fertiliser like LAN.

Tip: It is important to water after fertilising to avoid burning your lawn. Step 4: Water lawn Water your lawn deeply but infrequently

– once or twice a week, depending on the heat and rainfall. Pay attention to your grass during heatwaves as it may need more water.

Tip: Water early in the morning or late afternoon so less water is lost to evaporation. Step 5: Mow lawn Get the best out of your lawn by mowing it properly. Most people cut their lawns short to increase the time between mowings.

However, cutting it too short can damage and weaken your grass and decrease its drought resistance. Adjust your mower blades so you don’t take off more than a third of the grass length

– especially for the first cut in spring or early summer.

Tip: Regularly cutting your grass helps thicken up your lawn and keep weeds at bay, so keep mowing. As a general rule, keep kikuyu at a height of 4-6cm, finer grasses such as cynodon at 3-4cm and shade lawns at 6-7cm.

● Visit Shirley at Rolux Kenton to get the right advice and find the best equipment, to make your dream garden a reality.