If you’re not familiar with the term “grounds maintenance”, prepare to be enlightened – it’s a big deal!

In fact, from sports teams and retail parks to schools and local parks, it’s one of the most important aspects of day-to-day operations.

What is grounds maintenance?

So, let’s start at the very beginning – what is grounds maintenance?

Anyone that owns a garden knows that, sadly, grass and turf doesn’t take care of itself. In fact, keeping it green and healthy can be a never-ending journey with many speed bumps and roadblocks along the way.

For those in charge of public property, communal land and professional playing surfaces, maintaining the ground can take on a whole new level of importance. In fact, for sports teams in particular it can be the difference between winning and losing.

The Importance of Grounds Maintenance

Can you imagine Tiger Woods hitting the perfect putt to sink a birdie, only to have the ball roll off-course due to a dodgy patch of green? It’s fair to say that Mr Woods would not be best pleased.

While that example may seem a little outrageous, professional pitches and playing surfaces are no stranger to grounds maintenance problems.

Even the Principality Stadium has had its fair share of headaches when it comes to grounds maintenance, recurrently taking a pounding in the media for the way its field has cut up during play over the years.

This was particularly notable during the problematic pallet system of the early 2000s, while they also faced issues from Mother Nature in 2009 when the whole pitch had to be replaced following an unfortunate infestation of Bibionidae flies.

Even the introduction of a new £3.1m semi-artificial pitch wasn’t without issues, proving that, even at the top-flight of national sport, grounds maintenance is no walk in the park.

Grounds Maintenance Services

If you are in tasked with managing a site where grounds maintenance lies within your remit, why not avoid the unnecessary stress of surface upkeep and call in a professional?

At Taylor Weed Control, we offer a variety of grounds maintenance services across South Wales and South West England, with the experience and expertise to back it up.

Having dealt with a whole host of sporting surfaces – from bowls club and cricket pitches to football and rugby grounds – we know that two surfaces are rarely the same. As such, our bespoke grounds maintenance service is tailored specifically to you.

If you’re in need of grounds maintenance service, why not get it Taylor made? Call today on 029 2039 7554 to find out more or click the button below to request a FREE professional grounds survey with no obligation.

Request a FREE Survey

Whether you’re in charge of a Swansea sports team, a commercial business park or even a school, the responsibility of taking care of the grounds that come with it can be an additional burden that quickly becomes an unwelcome and avoidable stress factor.

Rogue grass and unsightly weeds can be a pain to tame on your own. Luckily, here at Taylor Total Weed Control, we offer grounds maintenance Swansea can be proud of, ensuring your patch remains at peak performance all year round.

So, if this sounds like something you're in desperate need of, find out how we can help you with our expert grounds maintenance in Swansea!

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Bristol Grounds Maintenance

Need an expert to help with your grounds maintenance in Bristol? You've come to the right place! Here at Taylor Total Weed Control, we offer professional grounds maintenance services throughout Bristol and the South West of England.

Whether it's a commercial business park, a full-size football pitch, or something else entirely, the team here at Taylor Total Weed Control are more than up to the task! Our professional team can visit your grounds in Bristol throughout the year to make sure they are maintained to a high standard. 

Better still, our Bristol grounds maintenance services are also available to other parts of South West England as well (including Somerset, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire).

We carry out weed control and maintenance for a variety of different clients, including:

• Those who require a full, comprehensive maintenance service on a regular basis
• Those who need specialist, one-off assistance with a problem they haven't encountered before (e.g. a moss invasion)
• Those with unusual/bespoke requirements

Thanks to our professional technicians, we've become a firm favourite for grounds maintenance in Bristol and the surrounding areas. 

What's to expect from our grounds maintenance in Bristol

Even though it may sound pretty self-explanatory, you may be surprised to find out what we offer as part of our Bristol grounds maintenance or why it is important.

For those of you who may not be up-to-date, take a look at our blog below to find out everything you're likely to expect with our professional Bristol grounds maintenance.

What Does Grounds Maintenance Involve? >

Our Seasonal Bristol Grounds Maintenance

No matter the time of year, our team of professionals will ensure that your Bristol ground maintenance needs are taken care of so that your land is in tip-top condition. Here is what you can expect from our seasonal services in Bristol and the South West!

Spring

• Grass Cutting & Lawn Maintenance
• Planted Areas, Shrubs & Bedding
• Hedges & Bushes

Summer

• Tree Works
• Commercial Hard & Soft Landscaping
• Weed Control & Invasive Weed Management

Autumn

• Tree Planting & Moving
• Park & Playground Maintenance

Winter

• Winter bedding 
• Fertilising 

So, if you're in need of grounds maintenance in Bristol or South West England, don't be shy and give us a call! We'll make sure that your grounds look picture-perfect, whatever the season!

For more information on grounds maintenance Bristol-wide or otherwise, click one of the buttons below and get in touch today!

Our Grounds Maintenance Services >   Contact Us Today >

Okay, first things first, just what are perennial weeds?

As the name so accurately suggests, perennial weeds are simply troublesome vegetation that recur regeneratively time and again with a seemingly infinite frequency (i.e. perennial in nature).

These persistent little pests can be a major headache for gardeners and make for an ugly addition to an otherwise perfect flower bed. Without proper treatment, these troublesome weeds can crop up year after year like a botanical bad penny.

If knowledge is power then it’s time to take the power back, as we take a closer look at Britain’s most common perennial weeds.

What Perennial Weeds Are Common in the UK?

Ranging from the humble dandelion to the common buttercup, perennial weeds can come in a whole host of shapes, sizes and, of course, species.

Naturally, some are a little easier on the eye than others and sadly not all weeds will take the form of the aesthetically pleasant buttercup – which is all the more reason to give your soily squatters a speedy eviction.

Here are the five most common perennial weeds you may see in and around your garden.

Bramble

Featuring long thorny stems, brambles can grow up to 2m high. While they can feature clusters of white or pink flowers during the spring/summer, they are most recognisable by their fruit – the blackberry!

Thistle

Thistles are commonly found in two varieties: the spear plume and the creeping thistle. The former is relatively easy to deal with, while the latter is far more troublesome. Characterised by dark pink/purple flowers at the top of the stem, the creeping thistle is both easily spread and hard to unroot.

Bindweed

Boasting eye-catching white flowers, this somewhat pleasant-looking weed can be very misleading. Beneath the service, its roots can burrow very deep and are frustratingly brittle, making them almost impossible to remove whole.

Nettle

Commonly used for tea, soup and even smoothies, nettles can be a helpful weed to have around – particularly if you are adventurous in the kitchen. However, they can also be potentially hazardous due to their stinging hairs and can grow wildly out of hand if left to themselves. The roots can become a tangled mess beneath the surface, while the plant itself can grow to over a metre in height.

Dock

While dock leaves are famed for their soothing qualities in neutralising nettle stings, docks are still deemed weeds themselves. If left to mature, dock seeds are produced in abundance and can spread easily. Worse still, dock seeds can survive in soil for up to half a century!

Dealing with Perennial Weeds

So, just how do we give these weedy perennials an everlasting burial?

Like most problems in the garden, this is one problem that can be solved by rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty. If you don’t happen to have any sleeves, now's the time to get changed – ‘cos it’s time to roll them up and get in the dirt!

The most effective way to weed out these perennial pains is to go straight to the source and get to the root of the problem… that being the roots. Unfortunately, most perennials weeds have roots that spread deep and wide, so ridding your soil of its outstretched tentacles can be a tough task. Tough but not impossible.

Physically pulling them out is a wise place to start; however, this may not be possible for weeds with brittle or stubborn roots. If yanking doesn’t get the job done, another way to deal with your weedy invader is to give the area a good old-fashioned forking. If available, it’s also a good idea to use a hoe and plough thoroughly.

Outrageous innuendos aside, yanking, forking and hoeing are the holy trinity of removing/destroying most perennial weeds. If the roots aren’t removed entirely, the damage done from the trauma should break up any remains, preventing regeneration. However, it's important to remember that this is a general rule of thumb and each weed may require its own particular approach.

If you still need assistance or aren’t sure how to deal with your particular case of perennial weeds, it may be worth considering chemical warfare in the form of weedkillers; however, if this is the case, it may be easier (and safer) all round to simply call in the experts.

For more information on weedkillers, treatments and general weed removal tips, why not drop us a line or enlist our team of experts to remove your problem plants for you?

Call today on 029 2039 7554 or hit the button below to contact us for a free survey now!

Get in Touch Today!

Football is a passionate sport: from the fans in the stands to the players on the pitch. If you’re involved in the upkeep of a football pitch, that same passion can show with the way the pitch itself is maintained. After all, a good pitch can make a big difference come kick-off time.

Here are our top five tips when it comes to football pitch maintenance.

Mow

According to several football pitch experts (including those associated with clubs in the Premier League), the grass on a football pitch should never be allowed to exceed 60mm in length. That means regular mowing and frequent TLC – even in the off-season.

During the playing season, the recommended grass length is between 25 and 30mm long. To achieve this, it’s recommended that your pitch has a minimum of 20 cuts per year, allowing for additional cuts to be made if the weather is good and promotes a faster rate of growth.

Fertilise

Fertilising your football pitch can be an effective way of ensuring it’s well maintained and continues to grow and recover healthily. An unfertilised pitch can lead to a weak pitch that recovers a slow rate – which is far from ideal during the height of the season.

However, like anything in life, too much of a good thing can quickly become bad news. Excessive use of fertiliser – particularly nitrogen – can lead to a number of problems and cause your turf to damage more easily.

Weed

As with any grassy terrain, football pitches can be susceptible to weed growth, which can be both an eye-sore for the fans and an annoyance for the players. This doesn’t just apply to the aesthetics either - a weed-free pitch also provides a better surface for the players to perform.

When it comes to weed prevention, herbicides can be a great way to ensure your pitch stays in peak condition. However, it’s worth noting that the application of agrochemicals can only be administered on your pitch by a licensed and fully-qualified professional.

Maintain and Repair

Staying on top of your pitch throughout the season can be the best way to ensure it stays in tip-top condition until the very last game. That means regular repair work and methodical care from week to week.

From applying top dressing and verti-draining to fixing divots and maintaining pitch markings, regularly tending to your ground’s needs can be the difference between a lush, green playing surface and a boggy pit of sludge.

Tough Decisions

While nobody wants to be the bad guy when it comes to sport, sometimes tough decisions need to be made for the greater good. For a groundskeeper, that can mean calling off a match if conditions aren’t ideal.

It won’t be a popular decision to make but a soaking pitch that’s been stampeded for 90 minutes by 22 players will leave behind a seriously tarnished battlefield and one that may not recover by the following week.

Another tough decision that may prove to be a good one is to outsource some of your maintenance needs. There’s no shame in knowing when you’re out of your depth and sometimes calling in an outsider to help lighten the load can be a wise call.

After all, a botched job can prove catastrophic for an impending fixture and getting it right the first time is vitally important. The football fans (and players) that attend may not be so forgiving if the pitch isn’t fit for purpose!

If you would like more info on football pitch maintenance or are looking to outsource any of your maintenance needs, drop us a line today! Call our grounds maintenance team now on 029 2039 7554 or drop us a message for a FREE quote.

Enquire today!