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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When it comes to maintaining a healthy garden, moss can be a real pain in the grass.

Typically found in damp or shady locations, a dense green clump of moss can be a blemish to an otherwise beautiful lawn.

Luckily, there are a few lawn moss control treatments and techniques you can utilise to combat your moss problem. Here are some handy hints from the experts here at Taylor Total Weed Control...

How to remove lawn moss

The best time to remove moss from your lawn is during the spring and summer months. This allows your garden to prepare/recover during the summer period, where it will be at its peak in terms of growth.

Moss doesn't fare well in iron-rich soil...which is great if you have high levels of iron in your soil. For those who don't - if you're reading this, that probably includes you - giving your mossy tenant a dose of iron is a great way to ensure it has a rocky stay.

Now before you begin pouring gallons of Guinness all over your lawn, there is an easier way to supplement iron. Besides, that's a colossal waste of perfectly good Guinness - save that for a celebratory toast to a job well done later on.

Most lawn moss killers contain iron sulphate, so a simple spray of any good moss killing agent should provide more than enough iron to kill your moss.

Easy moss removal techniques

Another great lawn moss treatment is one that is easily achievable by any self-respecting homeowner. Everyday washing-up liquid is something that any household should have readily available and can also make for an effective partner in lawn moss control.

It's recommended that you use around 50ml of washing up liquid with 4.5 litres of water (for smaller patches, reduce measurements accordingly). From there, mix well and spray using a garden sprayer, being mindful not to drown the area. Spray the moss patch until there is visible run-off and let nature take its course.

Additionally, moss isn't great with lime either, so adding lime to your sprayer may also be helpful in eradicating your unwanted garden guest. This will make the soil less acidic, which is more favourable to grass as well.

Ideally, try to time these methods so that they don't coincide with an impending spell of rain, as this will likely dilute the formula and reduce the effectiveness of the treatment - putting a literal dampener on your mossy mutiny.

The root of the problem

Dead or dying moss will soon turn bronze in colour before drying up completely. Moss has very shallow roots so, once it turns orangey-brown, simply rake over the auburn excess and let the healthy grass take back its patch.

However, while the above methods can be great solutions to your moss problems in the short term, they may not solve your garden gripes in the long run. You could simply repeat the previous steps ad nauseam; however, there's no guarantee this will stop the moss from returning time after time.

If there's an underlying issue that is causing moss to grow in the first place, this is something that needs to be addressed in order to prevent it from rearing its ugly head once more.

How to control and prevent lawn moss

You can prevent lawn moss growth in a number of ways, from mowing technique and scarification to sufficient fertilisation and healthy water coverage. However, for peace of mind, why not get in touch with us for some expert advice on moss treatment?

At Taylor Total Weed Control, we specialise in lawn moss control and know exactly how to identify, treat and rid your lawn of its unwanted eyesores, once and for all. We even use specialist fertilisers unavailable to the general public to ensure your lawn gets a new lease on life - moss-free!

Cure your mossy headaches today with a FREE moss treatment survey! Hit the button below for more details or visit our Moss Control page.

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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!

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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.

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From calculators and karaoke to sushi and sumo wrestling, Japan has given many gifts to the outside world. Sadly, knotweed is not one of them…

Japanese knotweed grows thick and fast with roots strong enough to break through tarmac. If neglected, it can cause havoc beneath the surface of your property.

Worse still, typical home insurance policies won’t cover damage caused by Japanese knotweed. While this does mean your insurance premiums may be unaffected, it does mean you are left to foot the removal bill.

In this blog, we take a closer look at the pesky plant from the East and answer a common question among homeowners, "does Japanese knotweed affect insurance?"

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