Stock Up On Pest Control For Warmer Winter Months

Stock Up On Pest Control For Warmer Winter Months: It is becoming clear that the planet is becoming warmer and warmer each year, and particularly in 2018 gardens have experienced the full force of Mother Nature. From the Beast from the East in March bringing endless amounts of snow to the scorching hot summer in July, the growth of grass, plants and trees may have taken a hit. But as we coast into winter, we have been experiencing increasingly mild temperatures for this time of year – with a number of pests staying put in the garden instead of hibernating away as they would usually.

Because of this warmer winter weather, it is creating the perfect breeding ground for slugs to still attack and wreak havoc in your garden, even in the winter. This is why it is important to stock up and take control with pest solutions now in preparation for the uncertain weather temperatures ahead.

Stock Up On Pest Control For Warmer Winter Months

The slug killer, Nemaslug by BASF, offers a biological solution to pest control and can protect your vegetables, fruit, flowers, shrubs and trees from a variety of pests – even in December. To use, all you do is mix the product with water and apply from a watering can with a coarse rose over the soil area. The temperature of the soil you are treating should be nothing lower than 5 degrees Celsius, which for December this would usually pose an issue, but for the climatic weather, it is not been a problem this year. Also, there is no need to keep children or pets away from treated areas and the whole programme is entirely biological.

Individual slugs are capable of breeding throughout the year but do so typically in times of favourable conditions, warm and wet weather, and it would seem even in December and January. If you were to leave the slugs be until the spring season, which is when pest control typically begins, you would find foliar damage which would be severe enough to cause significant plant loss on a vast number of susceptible crops very early in the season.

Nemaslug orders can be placed online, with an entire season’s worth being sent out as and when needed. This means that you can tackle the slugs in the garden now but also be prepared for the spring and summer months ahead – allowing you to concentrate on planting and growing in your garden, safe in the knowledge that your pest control is taken care of.

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10 Years Of Wildflowers For Hampshire Manor

10 Years Of Wildflowers For Hampshire Manor: A Hampshire wildflower meadow, grown and supplied by Wildflower Turf Ltd in 2008, has recently reached the ripe old age of ten.

A decade after it was installed at Grade II listed Ashley Manor in the Test Valley, the wildflower meadow continues to thrive and provide a safe haven for an abundance of wildlife. Improving long term biodiversity and ensuring a species rich habitat is now an important goal for landscape designers, and Ashley Manor is testament that a well-maintained wildflower meadow offers great longevity and can be relied upon to provide colour and interest year after year.

10 Years Of Wildflowers For Hampshire Manor

At the commencement of the original landscaping endeavour in September 2008, Wildflower Turf, a soil-less, pre-grown wildflower mat, was installed across two tiers of the steep south and west facing banks to the rear of Ashley Manor.

In total, 655m² of Wildflower Turf was laid and, despite the challenging profile of the banks and only a thin layer of top soil to work with, the installation of the turf was achieved without the use of pegging. A late-summer installation also meant that the turf did not require any additional watering.

The turf rooted in quickly and established itself well over the winter months, flowering beautifully in the spring and summer of 2009. The perennial Red Campion variety did particularly well on the lower slopes and the turf also acted very successfully as a weed suppressing mat.

The wildflower meadow at Ashley Manor also formed a home for a number of mammals and invertebrates, with voles and slow worms quickly taking up residence.

As well as the obvious aesthetic and wildlife benefits, ten years of meadow management has also given Ashley Manor’s Head Gardener, Olly Samways, ample opportunity to trial and perfect his meadow cutting regime.

Initially, a two-cut approach was used, with the first cut usually undertaken in late June. This regime greatly assisted with the initial establishment of the late season varieties in the turf, as well as allowing for the removal of old growth that would have otherwise started to compost and raise nutrient levels by the autumn.  In recent years Olly has swapped to a single-cut regime, with the meadow beneficially requiring less maintenance as it has matured.

Managing Director of Wildflower Turf Ltd, James Hewetson-Brown, said, “We already knew from the 15-year-old Wildflower Turf meadow at our production site that, if properly established, wildflowers offer a long-term solution requiring little maintenance.  Olly’s positive feedback over all these years has expanded our knowledge and confidence in our products and we are grateful for his interest and passion.”

Ashley Manor Head Gardener, Olly Samways concurs, “Our experience with our Wildflower Turf over the last decade has been excellent and I have no reservations at all about waxing lyrical about it to anyone who asks about it.” Olly continued, “Whenever I give tours around the garden, the wildflower areas continue to draw the most interest, as they have done every year since the turf was installed.”

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Rigby Taylor At Hever Castle

Rigby Taylor At Hever Castle: The “fantastic” success of Hever Castle’s use of Rigby Taylor’s Euroflor urban meadow flower seed mixes has spurred the Kent-based stately home to not only increase the number of areas that will be planted next year and existing plots enlarged, but it has also led to additional, similar projects off-site and the potential launch of a retail scheme which could see the flower seeds being offered to visitors.

Sitting on an estate covering over 400 acres, including an adjoining golf course, the project initiated by Hever Castle Golf Club head greenkeeper Rob Peers to “encourage visitors to both the golf course and the estate to fully enjoy and be immersed by and engaged with the complete site” has, he says, “been an overwhelming success” with the varied displays attracting:

Rigby Taylor At Hever Castle

  • A social media frenzy of visitor photos, plus local and national press coverage;
  • An endless stream of laudable comments from visitors, as well as from Hever Castle staff and proprietors; and
  • Numerous requests (from visitors) asking how they can achieve similar displays of the eye-catching colours and wonderful scents.

After carefully choosing a number of strategic areas for meadow flower seeding, some by the golf course and others between the course and the estate, a variety of Euroflor mixes (from Top Green, the largest seed producer in Europe) were selected; mixes identified as ‘best fit’ options in terms of colour and height, as well as in texture and form. The chosen mixes were:

  • Flora Britannica – 26 species including Black Medick, Viper’s Bugloss and Red Clover;
  • Rainbow annuals – 14 species including English Marigold, Tickseed and China Aster;
  • Posy (cut flower mix), comprising 12 species;
  • Sarah Bouquet – 30 species;
  • Peace (white), six to eight species;
  • Honey – 12 species including Borage, Cosmos and Baby’s Breath; and
  • The Souvenir 100% Red Poppy mix.

“After clearing the unused, mainly overgrown plots – which largely entailed the removal of grass, brambles and weeds – the areas were prepared for seeding and there is no doubt that the key to flowering success was in the preparation of the beds, especially the applications of weedkiller,” says Rob.

“We sowed on May 21-23 and within just five days saw the first seeds germinate. Despite having no rain for the following 62 days, we enjoyed a fantastic display beginning at the end of July – and it continues to last now [October] well into late autumn.”

Lack of natural rainfall this summer put obvious pressure on germination and plant growth: “But I was determined the project wouldn’t fail, and it was a case of all hands to the pump – including family members – to keep the seeds/flowers watered using bowsers and watering cans three times a week. Since the end of July, when it did rain again, the plots have largely taken care of themselves.”

Rigby Taylor At Hever Castle

He adds: “It would be egotistical to say that the displays have added to the footfall here – Hever Castle puts on many added-value attractions throughout the summer to attract visitors – but there has clearly been more people making their ways to the areas of the estate where we planted and there’s been lots of favourable comments.”

In addition, Rob says, “I’ve never seen so many pollinators on the estate – a wonderful sight” – an aspect that is in tune with his enthusiasm for biodiversity and environmental issues.

For 2019, a number of the areas will be left ‘to do their own thing’ in terms of re-seeding, while other patches will be expanded and new areas added. In addition, the success of the meadow flower seed mixes has also generated plans for plantings on other properties.

And now, due to visitor response, discussions are taking place about the possibility of retail offerings – perhaps packets of seed, or potted wildflowers or, indeed, a ‘lay down and plant’ package using Rigby Taylor’s FloraFleece biodegradable matting, which will eliminate the need for extensive soil preparation.

For more information, visit: www.rigbytaylor.com

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Cornwall Project For Wildflower Turf

Cornwall Project For Wildflower Turf: Wildflower Turf Ltd have recently been nominated as a key supplier by Cornwall Council as part of the council’s Green Infrastructure for Growth (GI4G) project.

The Hampshire-based wildflower experts are assisting Cornwall Council and their incumbent contractors Cormac with the delivery of a far-reaching programme that will see £3.5 million invested in public recreational areas, roadside verges and old churchyards to make them better places for people and wildlife.

Cornwall Project For Wildflower Turf

Seven Cornish towns have been identified to receive investment through GI4G, with the environmental funding focus creating a nature-rich habitat across an area equivalent to 35 rugby pitches.

In consultation with environmental specialists from Exeter University and with guidance supplied by the team from Wildflower Turf Ltd, Cornwall Council established a number of wildflower trial sites during late Summer/Autumn 2017.

The germination and growth results were very convincing and both Wildflower Turf and Wildflower Earth™ products are now being used across the various sites nominated by the Council, who have worked in close consultation with local communities to identify areas to benefit from this urban green space investment.

James Hewetson-Brown, Managing Director at Wildflower Turf Ltd said, “It is heartening to see the commitment of Cornwall Council to developing biodiversity and wildflower spaces in the South West.” Hewetson-Brown continued, “We are delighted to be involved with this exciting project and have enjoyed watching the speed with which these habitats have established and are now benefitting wildlife.”

The Green Infrastructure for Growth Project is supported by funding from the European Regional Development Fund, Cornwall Council, and the University of Exeter.

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Wilkinson Extend Gardening Campaign

Wilkinson Extend Gardening Campaign: Wilkinson Sword Garden Tools has extended a campaign designed to get school children gardening, by joining forces with Town & Country and increasing its reach to the whole country.

Wilkinson Sword is passionate about getting children into gardening and in 2016 it launched its school gardening campaign encouraging primary schools in Oxfordshire to get gardening. 2018 sees this campaign being extended throughout the whole country, and Wilkinson Sword has this year teamed up with Town & Country, which has a range of children’s gloves and wellington boots.

Wilkinson Extend Gardening Campaign

As part of the campaign, the winning school can win a £150 voucher to spend on tools from Wilkinson Sword and a £150 voucher from Town & Country to spend on gloves and wellies! On the day that the prize is awarded, the winning school will be visited by the sponsors alongside, 11 year old, Kelsi Rose. Kelsi is part of a gardening club that previously won the competition, and was, this year, nominated for the RHS young Gardener of the Year award. For six years Kelsi has contributed to the vibrant growing areas within her school community and further afield into the village community. She is passionate about gardening and is a real inspiration for getting children into the activity.

In order to take part, pupils are simply asked to design a fruit and vegetable garden for their school, which can either be done as a group exercise, or individually.

Mark Hewett, Garden Division General Manager for Wilkinson Sword and Town & Country, commented: “We are really excited about this project. We are passionate about getting children in the garden, and are confident that this will get them inspired and motivated about getting their hands dirty, and their tummies full of home grown food! We are really looking forward to seeing the designs.”

Wilkinson Sword and Town & Country have enlisted the help of gardening expert, Martin Fish, to provide top tips and to be on the judging panel. Martin writes for several gardening publications including Garden News and Kitchen Garden, as well as being a RHS Garden Advisor, and a judge of show gardens and nursery displays at RHS shows.

Entry forms and Martin’s top tips to help schools get started have been sent out to primary schools across the country. If you would like to request an entry pack please email fayclarkson@paskett.co.uk or tweet @WSGardenTools.

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SCH Supply De Haar Castle

SCH Supply De Haar Castle: British machinery manufactured by SCH is helping to maintain the historical De Haar Castle in the Netherlands.

De Haar Castle is the second most visited castle in the Netherlands. The gothic fairy-tale castle we see today was rebuilt from ruins in 1892 until 1912, with the designs sticking closely to historical accounts of the castles 15th century appearance. Many grand and luxurious features have been added inside, and the grounds that the castle sits upon have changed drastically during the renovation.

SCH Supply De Haar Castle

The castle is now surrounded by a large park, but this wasn’t always so. From medieval times until 1898 a village had been situated around the castle. The entire village was torn down and rebuilt 1.5 kilometres to the west so that the park could be created. To create a fully-grown appearance of the park as soon as possible, 7,000 40-year-old trees were transported to the surrounding land.

Looking after the 135 acre park surrounding De Haar Castle is a monumental task. The park includes many ponds, canals and bridges, as well as the famous Rose Garden and Roman Garden. The impressive park requires a large maintenance team, and the Dutch agent of SCH has recently supplied a fleet of trailers to help the ground keepers keep the site in perfect condition.

The trailers will soon become an essential part of so many tasks around the park, and SCH are proud that British machinery is helping to maintain the historical site. The heavy duty turn table trailer has its wheels mounted under the chassis so that the sides can be dropped down unhindered. The high mesh covered extension sides more than double the trailers carrying capacity, which is good news as the autumn leaves from thousands of trees will soon need removing.

The wide profile wheels give the trailer stability over rough or wet ground, and the chassis is of welded steel construction. The trailer is usually fitted with a clevis hitch so that it can be pulled by a small tractor or ride on mower, but the groundsmen at De Haar requested a ball hitch instead.

The castle is open to the public all year round, and our agent hopes that many will see the trailers hard at work over the coming years.

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Fresh Is Best In Nematodes’ Battle Against Pests

Fresh Is Best In Nematodes’ Battle Against Pests: Beneficial nematodes are microscopic worm-like organisms that are found naturally in garden soil. They are nature’s way of controlling slugs and other garden pests and BASF, the EU’s largest specialist nematode producer, has harnessed this natural control process and grows five species that each attack different pests.

Nematodes are grown at BASF’s facility in Littlehampton, Sussex, and can be used to control slugs, vine weevil, leatherjackets, ants, chafer grubs, as well as a product containing a number of different nematode species which will protect against a range of pests that attack various fruit and vegetables.

Fresh Is Best In Nematodes' Battle Against Pests

BASF is passionate about supplying its nematodes fresh, rather than dried, as this ensures the quality of the product remains high and consistently effective.

Gavin Wood, BASF’s European account and sales manager, says “To successfully hunt down their prey, nematodes must be healthy when customers receive them. That is why we do not freeze dry them and they are delivered fresh, with enough food matter in the packet so that they remain alive. It is safe to store them in the refrigerator and use before the date shown on the packaging.”

Watered on to borders, beds, lawns, hanging baskets, houseplants and containers, nematodes are a harmless biological control that do not pose a risk to children, pets or non-target species such as birds and small mammals.

An entire season’s worth of pest control can be purchased via online stockists and delivered straight to your door throughout the season, allowing you to spend more time in the garden and rest assured that your pest control is taken care of for another year.

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Protect Your Veg Plot From Slugs

Protect Your Veg Plot From Slugs: Slugs can be active throughout the year but cause the most damage when weather conditions are hot and humid. The slimy gastropods will make a meal of a huge variety of vegetables, even when you think that your plants are large enough to have escaped the threat. They will munch through peas, beans, lettuce leaves and tomatoes, and are partial to underground potato tubers; so even plants that you think are safely buried underground are at risk from the hungry beasties. This is because, at any one time, 95% of the slug population are living underground, feeding on plant roots and potatoes!

The answer to vegetable garden woes, though, is easy as watering on a simple, environmentally sound, pest control product – Nemaslug. Not only are nematodes extremely effective when they come into contact with slugs, but they can also reach the places that other slug control methods simply can’t. As nematodes are watered on, and don’t simply lay on the surface of the soil like pellets and other pest control options do, they can travel down through the soil to the pest and attack them before they get a chance to damage your plants.

Protect Your Veg Plot From Slugs

Unlike pellets, Nemaslug can be used as a preventative pest control, so even if you are lucky enough to have not seen any damage caused by slugs, treating the garden to a dose of Nemaslug will keep the critters at bay before they become a real problem.

The best time to target slugs is when they are newly hatched, so the period between March – October is ideal. A regular regime of using Nemaslug every six weeks is the most effective way to protect plants throughout the growing season and will help to ensure that your vegetables survive long enough for you to eat them!

All Nemasys products can be ordered online, with an entire season’s worth being ordered and sent out as and when needed. This means that all of your planning can be done now, and you can concentrate on planting and growing, safe in the knowledge that your pest control is taken care of.

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Limmo Peninsula Enhanced By Wildflower

Limmo Peninsula Enhanced By Wildflower: Hampshire-grown wildflowers have recently commuted to London, playing their part in the regeneration of Canning Town as part of London’s ambitious Crossrail project.

A beautiful wildflower meadow supplied by wildflower experts Wildflower Turf Ltd is now capping a maintenance and escape shaft for the Elizabeth line on the Limmo Peninsula.

Limmo Peninsula Enhanced By Wildflower

Overlooked by high-rise developments and next to the River Lee, the peninsula was Crossrail’s primary worksite for their eastbound tunnel boring machines, and the area adjoins Canning Town Tube and Docklands Light Railway station. Working with landscaping partner Turney Landscapes Ltd, Wildflower Turf Ltd was commissioned by CSJV – the Costain Skanska Joint Venture responsible for the turning the former construction site into the permanent Elizabeth line access shaft – to provide a biodiverse solution that will provide local workers and Canning Town residents alike with a temporary landscape that is both aesthetically pleasing and ecologically-friendly.

Turney Landscapes installed 2,600m² of Wildflower Turf Ltd’s Roof Turf in March and April of this year, across and down the sloping 8-metre-high exit shaft. Despite the challenging landscaping conditions, the turf is already flowering with the wildflower meadow providing a spectacular display of colour.

Steven Turney, Director at Turney Landscaping Ltd said, ““Working on such a large-scale and time-critical site as the Limmo Peninsula, it is crucial that our suppliers are able to adapt to many and varied requirements.” Turney continued, “The team at Wildflower Turf Ltd assisted us to ensure that this project was delivered on time and in budget, and the wildflower meadow is a dynamic addition to the local area.”

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Reliable & Biological Pest Control

Reliable & Biological Pest Control: Selecting the best pest control product can seem like a daunting task; lists of unrecognisable ingredients and various warning symbols mean you cannot be certain what you are applying to your garden or if it will work. BASF, from its specialist production facility in the UK, produce a biological pest control that contains only one ingredient; beneficial nematodes that do not lose efficacy.

BASF grow six different products, each containing a different species of nematode, all of which are simply mixed with water and either applied from a watering can with a coarse rose or sprayed onto the foliage and soil, depending on the variety. Pests are not able to develop a resistance to the nematodes, which means the treatment never loses effectiveness, so you can get back to growing and planting safe in the knowledge that the product is working!

Reliable & Biological Pest Control

Unlike pellets and chemical-based alternatives, the product is not harmful to use around pets, children or garden wildlife and the whole programme is entirely biological so that all the Nemasys products can be used by organic gardeners.

Nemasys products are a simple, reliable method to ensure your plants are protected throughout the growing season, as one treatment lasts up to six weeks and entire season’s worth of nematodes can be ordered in one go from BASF’s online stockists, which is then delivered to your home as necessary every few weeks, so no more trips back and forth to the garden centre and more time to spend in the garden!

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