After a long winter, it’s likely your outdoor space is not quite looking its best. However, with summer on the horizon, there’s no time like the present to turn your attention to getting your garden ready for the sun.
Little and often is the key when it comes to summer prep which means enjoying your garden is easy, whether you’re green-fingered or not. This is where to start.
Love your lawn
Mow your lawn twice a week in June, and stick to the same pattern. Never take more than a third off the top of the tips, and water the grass in between if necessary. In July, apply a summer fertiliser and water in if needed. Don’t cut the grass too short but continue to cut twice-weekly where possible. It’s possible to mow your lawn in January and February too, provided the weather is mild, which ensures less maintenance is required in the summer. You should keep off the grass though if it is waterlogged or frozen.
At Ernest Doe Power, we offer a range of fertilisers and weed killers suitable for lawns. Some fertilisers should only be used at certain times in the year as they have different purposes. For example, nitrogen helps to green the lawn, phosphorus helps root growth, and potassium is for general hardiness throughout the colder winter months. In branch you can find a full range of fertilisers, but for professional results, why not try the Landscaper Pro range by Scotts.
Our Garden Catalogue is a handy lawn care guide, which explains exactly what homeowners can do each month to keep their lawn in tip top condition. Pick one up for yourself in branch now for more tips on how to care for your lawn.
Essential gardening tools
Lawn mowers, however, are the most commonly used machine for overall garden and lawn maintenance. The best type of lawnmower for you depends on the size of your lawn, and we offer products for all types of gardens. For a small or compact lawn the lightweight petrol Atco Quattro 4-wheel lawnmower is a great option, with a 40cm cut. For the medium sized lawn, or if you like your lawn with stripes, the petrol Hayter Osprey 46cm push mower or the Atco Liner 19 self-propelled petrol mower is ideal.
For the larger lawn, we recommend offerings from Honda and Hayter, as well as our flagship range of Stiga lawnmowers, sold exclusively at our Framlingham store. We also offer a range of speciality mowers such as the HoverPro range by Toro, and robotic automowers from Husqvarna and Stiga.
There are many other tools available nowadays to help keep the garden in shape too. However, we like to keep it simple. A lawnmower, strimmer, set of shears, trowel and fork should help the average gardener maintain their property. We offer these aforementioned products for every size garden. It’s important to purchase the right tools for the job!
Maintaining your gardening tools
You can buy many other gardening products online at ernestdoeshop.com, but what makes good gardening equipment? The saying ‘you get what you pay for’ definitely applies when it comes to gardening equipment. When purchasing machinery such as a lawnmower or strimmer, only buy from a retailer who offers the full package. At Ernest Doe Power, we backup our offering of machines with spare parts support, servicing and warranty.
Tools with engines should be maintained after each use to prevent damage. Modern fuel does not last long, and if left sitting in any engine for a prolonged time period, could cause damage to the carburettor, leading to a potentially expensive service bill!
We recommend draining fuel from engines if you are not planning to use them for a while. Regarding smaller hand tools such as shears, sharpen the blades before the season to ensure they cut through branches well, preventing damage to plants and trees.
Across East Anglia and the South East, there are 19 Ernest Doe & Sons branches trading as Ernest Doe and Ernest Doe Power. All 19 locations have experts in garden machinery and spare parts who will be more than happy to help you with selecting the right equipment for your garden.
Top