Category Archives: Topsoil Tips & Advice

Simple Tips To Protect Your Garden From Heat Damage

Now that the sunshine has finally decided to grace us with its presence it’s time to turn your attention to your garden.

With the warmer weather here you are no doubt itching to get out and enjoy your green space as much as possible, and make sure that your plants, shrubs, and flowers look their best to provide an oasis of calm filled with the rustling of leaves, the buzzing of bees and bursts of vivid colour that brighten every day.

Of course, this beautiful scene can quickly turn sour if you don’t make an effort to care and protect your garden from the damage that the sun can cause. While most plants and flowers welcome sunshine, one too many scorching days can see bright blooms crumble, lush leaves curl and green grasses turn dry and brown.

So what can you do to ensure your garden stays protected from too much sun? Here are some simple but very useful tips.

Mulching is a top priority

Mulch can be a lifesaver when it comes to protecting plants from the harsh rays of the sun. Reflective kinds work particularly well as they will deflect the suns rays.

Effective mulch will also help with water retention saving you time and money by reducing the amount of evaporation and ensuring that roots remain happy and healthy.

Water early

We all know the health benefits of drinking a big glass of water to rehydrate you on wakening – well, believe it or not, this is exactly what your garden needs too. Early morning watering can help keep roots of your garden plants and flowers hydrated enough to last through the day. Preempting before the sun gets at it’s hottest will help prevent heat stress (which is essentially like sunburn for us). It’s also cooler in the mornings so the water will have time to sink into the soil rather than evaporating off the surface. If the day has been unusually hot, you can always choose to give the garden additional water in the late afternoon or early evening too.

Provide your plants with shade

One of the easiest and most logical ways to protect your plants from the sun is to get them out of it. If you know there is a particularly dry and warm spell approaching; you can take preemptive action by using shade cloth and row covers to protect vulnerable plants. Make sure that you still allow your garden to breathe and grow underneath, and there are gaps for helpful insects such as needs to get under and work their magic too. You could also use the shade already provided in your garden to protect younger, more vulnerable plants by moving them under larger, well-established ones who will act as ‘big brothers’ and keep them safe from the worst of the sun.

Plant seeds more deeply

If you were hoping to get some late planting done, you don’t have to avoid it just because the sun is out. Simply plant the seeds slightly deeper down in high-quality, nutrient-dense soil and this will ensure when their root systems establish, they do so in damper, cooler soil that hasn’t been dried out by the sun.

While we all love the warmer weather, just remember, your garden may need a little extra TLC. So use the tips above to protect your garden from heat damage this summer and you’ll ensure it looks fantastic all season!

Thinking of turfing your lawn? Read this first!

Laying lawn turf can be an excellent way to achieve that lush green lawn you’ve always wanted just in time for summer! With instant results, and no wastage more gardeners are choosing this option to create lovely green spaces in their garden.

However, while it’s not a complicated task, it’s also not just as simple as rolling it out and hoping for the best. Making sure that you prepare the ground, the turf, and then care for your newly laid lawn will ensure that you help it to flourish and thrive.

Our top tips for turfing your lawn

Laying your lawn turf takes some preparation, and there are several stages to complete to ensure that you give your lawn turf the best chance of taking, providing you with a beautiful, even, lush lawn to enjoy.

Prepare the ground

Inadequately prepared ground could make it difficult for your lawn turf to root properly. To start, you need to remove existing lawn turf to clear the area, and then work the soil, turning it over to a depth of 15cm. You can do this using a spade or, to make life easier, a powered cultivator will also do the job and might be better if you have a larger area to cover. While doing so, make sure that you clear the area of stones and debris which could get in the way of the roots.

Rake the soil

The key to a perfect lawn is to ensure that the ground is as even as possible before you lay your lawn turf. To make the ground even, you need to rake the lawn to help level out the surface while still keeping the soil loose and crumbly rather than compacted. You can tread over the area to reveal any uneven patches, which can then be raked over to even them out. Repeat the process until the ground is even all over.

Ordering your lawn turf

Before ordering your lawn turf, you need to measure your lawn space in square meters so you can buy as close to the exact amount of turf as you need. Most suppliers sell to the nearest meter squared, so make sure you round up to ensure you have enough to cover the entire area.

Ideally, turfing your lawn should occur as soon as possible after it is delivered so make sure you order so that it arrives the same day or within 24 hours of when you plan to lay your lawn. If this isn’t possible, try to keep the turf in a shaded area and water it if necessary.

All the preparation and care in the world won’t be able to save poor-quality turf. So make sure that you do your research and find a reputable seller before you buy. At Bury Hill, we are proud to offer superb ornamental lawn turf for domestic and semi-professional use.

Turf laying

Sprinkle turfing fertiliser onto the prepared ground to give your lawn the very best start. You can now roll out your lawn turf. It’s a good idea to use turfing boards to avoid walking on the newly laid lawn as you do so. You should try to start at the perimeter and work in. Using bigger pieces where possible will avoid the turf drying out, particularly at the edges. As you lay your turf keep checking to ensure it is in full contact with the soil underneath. You can cut off any overlapping pieces with a lawn edger or knife.

Caring for your lawn turf

Now that you have laid your lawn turf, you need to ensure that you take good care of it. Turf care for newly laid turf needs plenty of water, particularly in the summer months. Keeping the lawn moist will avoid it drying out and the warmer and drier the weather, the more vigilant you need to be. In hot weather the grass may scorch and turn brown but also the turf could shrink leaving gaps and unsightly curled edges.

Feeding your lawn with a balanced fertiliser will ensure that it remains healthy. Try to feed your lawn every four to six weeks and follow the given instructions to make sure you get the quantities right for your lawn.

Don’t cut the grass until it has rooted. You can check this by lifting the turf at the edges to see whether the roots are attached to the soil below. If they aren’t, allow the grass to keep growing as cutting it could place unnecessary stress on it and prohibit the roots from taking. Initially, when mowing just take off around one-third of the grass height. This can be reduced over time when the lawn is well established.

By following the tips above, you can make sure that you lay your lawn turf the right way and enjoy a beautiful lawn throughout summer and for many years to come!

If you have any questions or need any more advice about laying a lawn, get in touch with the customer service team at Bury Hill today – we’d be more than happy to help!

How To Use Horse Manure In Your Garden

One of the main problems that gardeners have is making sure that their soil remains in top condition. One of the ways to do this is to add compost which is rich in nutrients and will aid plant growth.

Horse manure is ideal composting material and can be used as an organic fertilizer to super-charge your garden!

So what makes horse manure an excellent fertilizer?

Horse manure contains organic matter which, when applied to plants in the garden can give them the best start and enable them to grow more quickly and become stronger and healthier too.

Horse manure is Nitrogen-rich though it doesn’t have particularly high quantities of Phosphorus and Potassium, which is why it can work best on non-flowering plants.

For best results, horse manure should be given to nitrogen-hungry plants such as corn, potatoes, garlic, and lettuce and it can also be fantastic for boosting your grass lawn. However steer clear of adding horse manure to flowering and fruiting plants such as tomatoes, and peppers. Or if you do decide to use it mix it with other compost so it doesn’t inhibit the growth of fruit and flowers.

At Bury Hill, however, we supply stable horse manure which will work particularly well on roses and can be used throughout the garden.

Using horse manure in your garden should be done so carefully. If you want to use it as fertilizer it is important to use well-aged, thoroughly dried manure that can be worked into the soil without running the risk of burning the roots of your plants.

Horse manure compost

If you are looking for ways to improve soil conditioning, bring your rose beds to life, give trees and shrubs the best start or break up heavy soils than our horse manure could be the ideal solution.

Horse manure can also be used in throughout the year and needs no special treatment. Just scatter it over your garden area and work it into the soil. It’s as simple as that!

Horse manure can be a great way to give your garden a boost. However, you can also improve your soil in other ways. Browse our website for premium grade topsoil, soil conditioner, and composts and mulches too. If you have any questions or need some advice, get in touch on 01306877540 and our team will be happy to help.

Smart ways to get your garden shed organised

With the weather getting warmer and spring plants beginning to emerge in all their glorious colours, there has never been a better time to get your garden organised. Prepare your garden now, so that when the sun comes out for real, all you’ve got to do is grab a great book, pull up a chair and enjoy!

Getting your garden organised not only means tidying up your plants, wiping down furniture and potting new blooms, it’s also about tackling the dreaded garden shed, and making it a practical and useful space that will make keeping on top of your gardening tasks so much easier.

We’ve all been guilty of letting our garden sheds become a dumping ground for anything that doesn’t ‘belong’ indoors. Quickly what was once the perfect place to access all your garden-related tools becomes stuffed to the rafters with things you don’t use or need, making it impossible to locate anything with ease.

So what can you do to put an end to the clutter, and get your garden shed in tip-top shape for summer? Try the following:

Put up some racks and shelves

Getting your garden shed sorted is all about making the most of your space. By putting up racks on the walls you can immediately hang gardening tools such as rakes and spades for easy access, and shelving can make room for pots, seeds, and tools that you can get to without doing yourself an injury!

Consider what you need to access most frequently

Before you decide where everything should go, it’s sensible to think about those items that you need to access all the time, compared with those that you use far less frequently. Make life easier for yourself by putting those much-used items nearer the front of the shed or in places you can grab them without having to wade through or stretch over other things to get to them.

Invest in some clever storage

Storage is crucial and thinking about the kind of storage you need to make the best use of your shed will help to ensure it stays ordered. Have a place for everything and sort items into different drawers, boxes or storage units to ensure that everything is kept separately and therefore reduce the risk of getting it all muddled and cluttered again.

Get labelling!

Once you have separated items into different storage compartments, you should label them clearly so that it’s easy to know where everything is. Perhaps more importantly, you’ll know where to put items back once you’ve used them too!

Use the entire height of the shed

Remember, it’s not only the walls you can hang things from but the ceiling too. Why not free up some space by investing in some vertical bike storage? You can keep your bikes dry, get to them quickly, but keep them from taking up too much room at the same time – it’s a no brainer!

By following the above tips, you can make sure that your garden shed is a neat, tidy and useful space that will mean you can access all your gardening tools and equipment without any hassle.

At Bury Hill, we offer a range of gardening and landscape supplies to make your garden looks great, from top-quality soil to lawn turf, woodchip and decorative stone we’ve got all the supplies you need to reshape your garden our outside area into an attractive and relaxing space, however big or small!

How To Use Railway Sleepers In Your Garden

If you are looking to revamp your garden in time for spring, one of the easiest and most transformative ways to do so is by thinking about how you can neaten up your current space, create new areas for seating and planting and get it looking great in time for the warmer weather.

Railway sleepers are a fantastic and cost-effective way to create a brand new look for your outside area and work well in gardens of any shape or size.

What are railway sleepers?

Railway sleepers are used to help support the bottom rails in train tracks making sure they remain correctly spaced as well as providing support so that they stay upright. When railroad tracks were first laid railway sleepers were all made from wood, though now concrete is often used instead.

Of course, you aren’t planning to lay a railway track in your garden, so what are they used for here? Because of their shape and structure, railway sleepers are perfect to use in the garden to help landscape the space. Wooden railway sleepers can give your garden a sleek, designer look, without extensive effort or expense.

How can you use wooden railway sleepers in the garden?

Railway sleepers have many great uses. Here are some ideas of how you could use them to create features and separate areas in your outdoor space.

Raised flower beds

Using sleepers to create raised flower beds can give it a different dimension and add interesting shapes and beautiful colours too. For a more unique look, mix more weathered sleepers with newer ones to create contrast and exciting lines.

Retaining walls

If you have an area you want to separate, you could use railway sleepers to create a retaining wall to fence it off while also adding texture. So if you have a pool area or a dining or BBQ area, you can terrace your garden with railway sleepers and create different spaces for socialising and entertaining.

Garden pathways

If you want to create smart edges around your garden path, railway sleepers are the ideal material to give a more defined look. If you don’t have a garden path yet, you could create the outline using railway sleepers and fill in with gravel or bark. Larger sleepers could also be used to create the path itself using them as “stepping stones” to lead to a different area of your garden.

Feature steps, furniture, and seating areas

Wooden railway sleepers can also use used to create steps up to (or down from) raised areas of your garden. Similarly, railway sleepers can be used to create different seating areas in your garden too. Railways sleepers can be a great material to build simple wooden garden furniture such as tables and benches. You can even use railway sleepers to create eye-catching design elements such as a water feature complete with lush plants and pond ornaments, or even fish!

Decking & patios

Railway sleepers can also be used as an alternative to traditional decking boards. Sleepers offer a more rustic and arresting effect which can complement the plants and flowers growing in your garden.

Buying railway sleepers

There are lots of different options to choose from, and you may have to do your research to decide which type will look best in your garden, depending on your project and what kind of look you are going for. Aged wood can look more natural and blend seamlessly into your current garden design, or you could choose original reclaimed sleepers which will be treated to give them a longer lifespan. Newer varieties come in hardwood and softwood and a variety of different shapes and sizes. Hardwood sleepers tend to be better for building patios and retaining walls as they can withstand higher forces and footfall. Softwood sleepers are easier to manipulate.

Making the most of your railway sleepers

Should you decide to use railway sleepers in your garden, it’s a good idea to choose wisely as if the wood is in regular contact with moisture it may not last as long. Similarly, if you have to cut the wood to create certain features, the untreated core may then be more susceptible to damage. Treating timber can help to preserve the wood and extend its longevity.

Using railway sleepers in your garden is a great way to refresh the space, and there are lots of different ways this material can be utilised to significant effect. So if you are hoping to make your garden look fabulous in time for spring why not get planning and use railway sleepers to enhance your outside space?

At Bury Hill, we provide not only quality railway sleepers but also a range of soils, seeds and decorative stones to help gardeners create beautiful green spaces. If you have any questions or need any advice about your gardening project, give our friendly team a call on 01306877540 today!

How To Use Your Garden in Winter

Winter can be a quieter time in your garden, and even the most enthusiastic of gardeners may want to stay indoors when the colder weather strikes. However, especially in a country where winter can go on for a while, it seems a shame not to use your outdoor space for months on end.

So how can you continue to enjoy your garden over winter, and keep those green fingers green?

Here are some ways in which you can use your garden in the colder months:

Help wildlife survive

As lovely as it is to stay warm and cosy indoors over winter, it is important to remember that not everyone has the option! Feel good about yourself by helping the birds, and the bees have an easier time by leaving out seeds and water for birds as well as bird boxes if they need a place to shelter. You can also keep your garden bee-friendly by keeping your compost heap going, growing ivy which provides handy cover as well as nectar, growing winter flowers and creating twig and leaf piles for protection too.

Appreciate winter plants

Just because you might not want to spend hours sitting out in your garden over winter, doesn’t mean you can’t keep it looking good. Pretty plants such as Cyclamen coum, hellebores, snowdrops, crocus, and aconites all provide colour and interest over the winter months. So stock up on these seasonal plants and flowers, and then you can still admire the garden even if it’s from the comfort of indoors!

Have a good old tidy up

Winter is the perfect time to get your garden in ship shape before the warmer weather arrives. When the sun comes out you’ll no doubt want to spend more time gardening and just relaxing in your outside space so bite the bullet, put on a thick jumper and some good gloves and get out there to tackle all those slightly less glamorous jobs such as pruning, sweeping, sharpening your tools and organising your garden shed.

Utilise your greenhouse

If you are pining to plant or desperate to dig you can try to keep those winter blues at bay by heading to your greenhouse where you can grow citrus plants or start sowing seeds ready to transfer to the garden come spring. If the weather gets particularly severe rather than moving more vulnerable seedlings into your home, you can provide extra insulation by wrapping with bubble wrap.

Pay attention to your veg plot

While winter isn’t an ideal time for many plants, the great news is that many vegetables do well over winter and you can enjoy homegrown parsnips, leeks, winter cabbages, kale, and winter salad varieties too. Winter is also a great time to plant fruit bushes, raspberries, rhubarb and garlic which should come good later in the year.

Have a winter garden party!

Now that you’ve got your garden looking great why not celebrate by inviting your nearest and dearest over for a winter garden party? Wrap up warm, invest in a fire pit or chimenea, get some outdoor lights, mull some cider and enjoy your outside space despite the cold.

These top tips mean you can enjoy your garden all year round! For more gardening tips and advice why not check out the rest of our blog? And if your garden needs some TLC to give it a boost after winter frosts take a look at our range of topsoils, soil conditioner, compost and mulches, and lawn turf to help get it back to its very best?

New Year New Garden – Inspiration For Your Garden in 2019!

If you are looking to give your garden a makeover in the new year we have some great inspiration for your garden below. Follow these tips to create a unique, vibrant outdoor space that you’ll love.

Inside meets outside

If you have a courtyard, terrace or patio garden a popular trend for 2019 is to try and seamlessly blend the room leading into your garden with the outside space, thus creating a lovely flow – bringing a bit of your garden into your home and vice versa. Do this through smart decor decisions, colour themes, and soft furnishings to create a seamless and unique space.

Pots galore for a quick win

Pots bursting with an arrangement of colourful, vibrant plants can instantly transform any garden. Containers come in all shapes and sizes, colours and patterns and in a range of different materials too, so it’s so easy to put your stamp on your garden without having to do too much prep. Just choose your pots and plants, make sure you use high-quality soil to ensure their longevity and sit back and admire your handiwork with a nice cup of tea! Pots provide a perfect solution for the time-poor gardener, and if you get bored with your new look moving the positions of the containers, switching up the plants and flowers or swapping out the pots for different designs instantly gives you a fresh new look.

Real grass shows class

An impactful way to revamp your garden is to put a real lawn down. There is nothing more beautiful than looking out of your window to a stretch of lush green grass and laying lawn turf or planting grass seed can provide you with just that. Why not scatter some wildflower seeds in amongst the grasses for a colourful country garden look too?

Quirky planters to make your garden stand out

2019 is the year to get creative with your garden so why not think outside the box and use some unusual vessels to house your plants and flowers. Anything from a grand piano to a handbag, typewriter or wellington boot could add a touch of magic and imagination to your outdoor space.

Relaxing is what it’s all about

Gardens are there to be enjoyed, so make sure in 2019 you keep things simple. It’s all well and good having a beautiful garden, but if it takes up all your spare time maintaining it, you are missing the point. The joy of a great garden is to be able to sit back, breathe in the fresh air, admire the beauty of nature, soak up some rays, entertain friends, and enjoy the space you’ve created. So make your garden an area you can unwind in to ensure you make the most of it.

Eco-friendly is important

Look after the bees and the birds as well as other wildlife by making sure your garden is as eco-friendly as possible. Leave out bird feeders and water baths. Plant bee-attracting flowers and use natural weedkillers to make sure that you don’t upset any visitors that arrive in your garden. Buying hardier plants that don’t need too much watering and using a top-quality soil with great filtration will help to keep your garden healthy without having to use too much water. Recyclable pots, peat-free composts, and solar lighting are all plus points also.

Colour is the key to change

Garden furniture ranges used to be limited regarding colours and designs. However, now you can get garden furniture in any colour or pattern imaginable. You can also think about the colours of your soft furnishings, decorative pathways and stones, pots, walls, flooring, lights and of course your flowers and plants. Say goodbye to dull, stiffly designed gardens in 2019 and instead get creative and go colour crazy for bright, striking spaces that will bring a smile to everyone’s face.

If you are looking to give your garden a facelift in 2019, use the tips above to make it as dramatic, lively and enjoyable as possible.

If you have a garden project and need some advice why not get in touch with our friendly team on 01306877540 today?

Using Railway Sleepers in Your Garden: Project Ideas for Homeowners

Railway sleepers are those rectangular pieces of wood that you’ll see supporting railway tracks. They help the rails stay evenly spaced, upright, and in the correct shape.

But did you know that they’re also fabulous for creating stunning garden features?

Use them in your garden project and you’ll transform the look and feel of your garden, and perhaps even make the neighbours green with envy.

Here are some tips on how you can include railway sleepers in your garden, including project ideas, how to lay railway sleepers and where you can buy them.

Railway sleeper project ideas

Railway sleepers make a versatile, attractive and hard-wearing addition to any garden, adding natural texture and an eco-conscious feel to your outside space.

Here are our favourite ways you can use them.

1. Create a path

Make a great easy pathway on grass or gravel to add a touch of rustic chic to your outdoor space.

2. Build some garden steps

If you’re not a fan of bricks or stone, why not use those sleepers to make some steps instead? You can create the exact garden look that you want, they age really well, and they’re very straightforward to make.

3. Edge your veg

You could also use your railway sleepers to create an attractive boundary between your vegetables, flowers and the rest of your garden.

4. Build a raised bed

If you have poor soil quality, minimal space or you’d just like to keep your plants contained, use those sleepers to create a raised bed.

5. Craft a bench

Railway sleepers can also be used to create a stylish and rustic-looking bench which will fit perfectly in your garden design scheme.

6. Border your lawn

To create an effortless boundary for your lawn, lay some railway sleepers and then sit back to enjoy your handiwork!

Laying railway sleepers

Once you’ve decided which project you want to tackle, you can get stuck in! Here’s how:

Gather your tools

You only need a bare minimum of tools when you use railway sleepers in your garden. Usually, this involves a saw, a hammer, a screwdriver, wood screws, nails, a spirit level and safety equipment like gloves and goggles.

Clear the area

Before you start laying the railway sleepers, you also need to ensure the area is clear from unwanted vegetation and materials like rocks, roots and rubble.

Create your foundations

Next, you’ll need to prepare the area and then dig a shallow, level trench (unless you’re creating a piece of garden furniture), then add a bedding mixture to hold those sleepers in place. This will create solid foundations for your project.

Get building!

Once you’ve done this, you can start building your creation, using a combination of wood screws, nails or galvanised straps. Make sure you use your spirit level to keep everything looking professional.

Finish off

Then it’s time to trim away any excess material, gently round the edges of the wood and treat using a wood preservative if required. If you’re creating a planter, this is when you’d add your high-quality topsoil before standing back and appreciating the fruits of your labour!

Voila! You’re done.

Where can you buy railway sleepers?

The good news is that it’s easy to find railway sleepers for sale these days. You can find them in most garden centres and also online.

If you’re looking for railway sleepers in Sussex, Surrey and London, look no further than our dedicated page.

Railway sleepers add a unique touch to any garden space, so why not dive into one of these projects and transform your outside space?

What Causes Poor Soil Quality and How Can You Fix It?

Poor soil quality is every gardener’s worst nightmare.

There’s nothing worse than carefully planning and creating your perfect garden, only to produce vegetables, fruit or flowers that are weak, unhealthy and altogether disappointing.

Without healthy soil, all your gardening efforts could be in vain because healthy soil is essential for strong, nutritious, high-yielding plants that can resist pests and diseases and look beautiful in your garden.

If this sounds like your garden, don’t despair. Poor soil quality is a relatively common gardening problem. With some topsoil TLC, it can soon be improved.

So today let’s discuss how to spot if you have poor quality soil, why this happens, and how buying high-quality topsoil can help.

How do you know if your soil is poor quality?

Poor quality soil is usually very easy to spot because of its appearance, water drainage, the quality of your crops, and the presence or absence of weeds and other wildlife in your garden.

Soil texture

Soil that is hard to work, overly cloddy, loose, fine and sandy, ‘floury’, or filled with stones and pebbles are of poor quality. You’ll notice that any water tends to absorb water poorly and drain poorly. drain poorly and potentially flood.

Crop quality

If your tomato crop constantly suffers from blight or diseases, your cucumbers don’t grow as large as they should, or you suffer from other problems with crops or flowers, you are probably suffering from poor soil quality.

Local wildlife

Another surprising way you can tell if your soil is poor quality is by looking at the wildlife that visits. If there’s less healthy wildlife such as worms and bees around, and/or an excess of weeds, it’s time to improve that soil quality!

What causes poor soil quality?

Poor soil quality is often caused by one of these five factors:

Over-farming. Growing too many crops in one space year after year removes essential nutrients like nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus from the soil.
Infrequent crop rotation. Without adequate crop rotation, the demand for the same nutrients is high, leading to a long-term shortage and poor quality soil.
Draught or water shortages. Dry soil causes essential nutrients to gather in ‘clusters’ in the soil, making it much harder for those plant roots to reach.
Flooding or heavy rain. Soil that is overly wet will leach nutrients and essential topsoil can wash away.
Soil contamination. Overuse of toxins or chemical can contaminate the soil and reduce soil fertility.
New homes. A large portion of the healthy topsoil gets stripped away during home building, leaving behind poor quality soil that is less fertile.

How to fix poor quality soil

Thankfully, improving your soil quality and growing better plants is easy.

Pop to your local garden centre and select a high-quality topsoil that is high in nutrients and organic matter. (We provide topsoil and landscape supplies in Sussex, Surrey and London that would be perfect for the job!)

These topsoils are great for all garden purposes including improving your existing soil quality, and creating new beds, borders, raised beds or even lawns.

Topsoil prices vary, depending on what grade soil you choose:

Premium grade topsoil: Highly fertile, great structure and should be free from weed seeds.
General purpose: Great for creating new beds, borders and for laying new lawns. Comes in different screen size grades.
Economy: More affordable. Usually comes unscreened. Ideal for increasing the quantity of soil in your garden.

If you are struggling with poor quality soil, remember that there is hope. Simply invest in some high-quality specialist soils and you will soon produce a beautiful, healthy garden to be proud of.

A Beginner’s Guide to Autumn and Winter Pond Care

The autumn and winter are the toughest months of the year for our garden ponds. This means it’s vitally important to tackle those essential pond care jobs before the coldest weather comes.

Get it right and you’ll ensure your fish are healthy, pond plants thrive and that it all looks beautiful when the warmer weather comes around again.

6-step autumn and winter pond care action plan

Here’s our foolproof autumn and winter pond care guide that will help you take care of these remaining garden pond care jobs quickly and easily.

1. Remove fallen leaves

We all love to crunch our way through those autumn leaves, but they’re one of the main causes of pond problems during the autumn and winter. Once they fall into your pond, they start to decay and can disrupt the fragile ecosystem of your pond, killing your fish and harming any wildlife living there.

So make it your priority to skim away those leaves once they start to fall before they can do any harm. Don’t forget to remove them from any decorative stones, pond pumps and pond ornaments, too!

If your pond lies within close range of a tree, or leaves are a real problem, it’s also worth considering covering your pond with protective netting (also useful when it comes to deterring predators – see below – or investing in a pond filter.

2. Keep your pond free from ice

When the big freeze comes, it’s vital to make sure that your pond isn’t completely covered with ice. Gases from any rotting plants or organisms can soon build up, precious oxygen levels can drop and it could potentially damage your pond liner.

Prevent this from happening by placing a floating pond de-icer, a clean ball or a clean plastic bottle containing a few stones into the pond water.

If you leave it too late, don’t panic. Simply pour a small amount of warm water onto a small patch of ice, allow it to melt, and keep the hole open using the tips above. Whatever you do, definitely don’t shatter the ice as this can traumatise and even kill your fish.

3. Give your pond plants some love

Another great way to avoid rotting leaves, dying plants and other cold season havoc is to look after those pond plants before the weather gets too cold.

Start by removing any dead or dying leaves from your pond plants and tossing them on your compost heap. Also, make sure that their roots are planted deep enough so they have a better chance of surviving the winter.

Then, completely remove any plants that don’t like being submerged in the icy water, such as Japanese Iris or Cardinal Flower. Pop them into your garden until the spring rolls around again, top up with some nourishing premium grade topsoil, and you’ll have healthy, strong plants for next year.

4. Cut down on fish food

Even though fish don’t hibernate like many other animals, they do descend to the deeper, warmer waters in your pond and their metabolisms slow significantly once the outside temperatures drop. This means that you’ll need to feed them much less than you usually do.

Stick to just one or two small helpings per week during the autumn. Once temperatures drop below 10°C, you should stop feeding them altogether.

Most importantly, be sure that there’s no food left floating around as this could pollute your pond water, damaging the pond ecosystem.

5. Beware of predators

The autumn and winter are dangerous months for any fish living in your garden pond as there’s less food around and so more hungry predators looking for a snack. Make sure they don’t take a fancy to your Koi Carp or goldfish by covering your pond with high-quality netting or adding a scarecrow to your garden.

6. Consider switching off your pond pump

If temperatures drop below freezing, it’s a wise idea to turn off your pond pump.

Cold water contains plenty of oxygen already, and the metabolism of your fish will slow down anyway. Plus, you’ll save money on electricity costs and give yourself have a great opportunity to clean the pond pump ready for next year.

So, before it gets too chilly outside, make sure you’re preparing your garden pond for the colder weather. It needn’t take long and that little bit of effort will be well worth it! It’s also worth noting that wooden pond features need extra protection during the colder months, which is why we recommend considering attractive decorative stones as a fuss-free alternative for your water feature.