We love winter, the colours of fire kicking round our feet as we stumble home to a warm cup of soup, wrapped up snug, feet up and TV on, we barely give the garden a thought.
Mow-N-Blow has just finished building a stone paved area with fire pit for a client who likes to watch the stars outside on clear winter nights with a fire to keep warm. I’m thinking of doing the same myself, in the wildlife area of the garden where we live. In fact one of the best times of year to get those decks built or patios paved is now and over the winter, many of us will do a better deal at this time of year and it disturbs your life less. The plans you have been thinking about can be ready for the summer, rather than being done in summer. So do give the garden a thought and think about how much we enjoy it when the weather is right, so why not let professionals get wet and cold during the winter so you can enjoy summer!
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During winter the drone of the mower seems a distant memory, a famous spread chore, you either love it or hate it! Obviously at Mow-N-Blow its something we love, the hum of a well looked after mower means its summer and that the garden is that all-important extra room again.
For that drone to sound just right though takes maintenance, oil, filter and spark plug changes to engines, secateurs, hedge cutters and all sorts of various implements need their blades sharpened, strimmers wound with fresh cord, and even the purchase of fresh equipment. All perfect winter jobs and done in the comfort of a shed or garage. At Mow-N-Blow I have to service throughout the seasons but I get a better deal at this time of year and have more time to do it myself. If your doing this yourself don’t forget to check the plugs and cables on any electrical equipment you may have and as you probably don’t need the equipment right now you don’t have to rush the job. As I look out over the landscape and see the silhouetted skeletal framework of our woody leviathans looming over us everywhere my thoughts turn to tree surgery and tree pruning. As most of our trees now have no greenery on them it’s a good time to have inspected any larger trees for damage, have them reduced or pruned away from overhead cables.
I myself have a Beech to do that if I don’t I will undoubtedly lose Wi-fi at some point this winter as it will break the phone line. But most of us with gardens will have some woody element to them and when the weather is above freezing and the sap isn’t rising it’s a good time to prune. As our climate changes Mow-N-Blow have to amend the timings a little these days and I find myself doing more of this in deeper winter than I used to. If you are unsure about pruning your own trees and shrubs you can always ask a pro, if they don’t want to help then they don’t want your business! Over the last few years the winters have been harsh with deep snow and freezing conditions, and if some predictions are true as the planet warms we British are going to get colder winters! I lived in Canada and absolutely love the snow, yet for most of us it is an inconvenience.
Dealing with snow can also be hard, it weighs a lot, covers everything and gets you at the worst times in the mornings when you are trying to get to work or the kids to school. I advise all my clients to have a supply of Rock salt or grit to hand, something Mow-N-Blow provides as this really does help. If you want to get a snow shovel get one with a long handle as it makes it easier and use it often as it is surprising how back breaking clearing snow can be. Snow is heavy and breaks roofs of sheds and tree branches so if possible keep these clear too. If this all sounds like hard work give us a call and Mow-N-Blow can do it for you, provided we can get out of our drive! |
AuthorsChristian Dupont has been involved in horticulture for over two decades now, lives near Alton with his wife. She is also a fully trained gardener and horticulturalist. Both are keen photographers as well as accomplished Horticulturalists. some articles are from the Life Mags but mainly for the Herald newspaper, bi-weekly column in the local business Archives
April 2019
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