Autumn work decides the state the garden will be in when spring arrives. The height of the last cut, the timing of leaf clearing and a potassium-rich autumn feed all matter, but the most important job is draining the irrigation system: a cracked valve costs far more in spring than the autumn service does.
Seasonal tasks, irrigation, pools and plant choices. Short, practical pieces drawn from our everyday work.
Autumn work decides the state the garden will be in when spring arrives. The height of the last cut, the timing of leaf clearing and a potassium-rich autumn feed all matter, but the most important job is draining the irrigation system: a cracked valve costs far more in spring than the autumn service does.
Mowing daily, a robot produces a denser, deeper green lawn, makes no noise and asks for no weekends. Neat stripes, crisp edges and the areas under shrubs remain the job of a conventional machine. In our experience the best result comes from combining the two, and we show you how.
Chemical-free gardening does not mean doing nothing. It means intervening somewhere else: in the soil and in the choice of plants, rather than with a sprayer. Compost, a mulch layer, a mixed perennial bed and a small area of water are what build a garden that stays stable on its own.
With hand watering there is always a dry patch, and always an area that gets too much. A well-designed automatic system distributes water evenly, runs at dawn when evaporation is minimal, and with precise dosing usually uses less water than a hose. It also produces a deeper-rooted, more drought-tolerant lawn.
From March to the end of May and from September to mid-October, soil temperature and rainfall both favor rooting. Success, though, is decided not by the date but by the soil preparation: an uneven surface will show through in the finished lawn. Here is what to watch for before and after laying, and when the first cut should come.
