Reviewing Uses, Benefits And Disadvantages Of Insulated Water Bottles

Before a recent trip to a major city  we went on we decided to buy a couple of insulated water bottles. We knew it would be warm and we had a lot of walking to do. We did not want to keep buying plastic water bottles, partly for environmental reasons and partly due to the expense. 

Although the water bottles we purchased were far more expensive than a single plastic water bottle, we knew the cost of single plastic bottles would mount up and we would use these insulated water bottles for many reasons not just this one trip. 

In addition we were fed up with plastic water bottles becoming a not very nice rather warm tepid drink within a short period of time and often leaking.

It is so important to keep hydrated in the summer heat we felt it was a worthwhile investment. Now I have experienced travel with one of these insulated water bottles I would never be without one and feel they are an everyday essential for just about everyone. 

For us they were a real game changer and helped us to feel much more comfortable and hydrated. We bought two of the 750 ml ones in different colours and it was one of our best purchases. 

The reason these insulated water bottles are so good is that they use double walled vacuum insulation to keep the drinks at the right temperature for many hours. Some models including the one we bought keep cold drinks cold and fresh for up to 24 hours, and hot drinks hot for up to 12 hours. Different models will have different times for hot and cold liquids so do be careful to check that out.

They come in a range of sizes from small ones that can be carried easily to big one litre ones for a long trip and other in between options. We found the 75 litre size perfect for our days out. There was no strange taste or smell and it all was just fresh cold water and thirst quenching.

A tip is to fill with water then put in the fridge for a while to have really cold water for your trip or day out. However it is not advised to have freezing cold water as it can upset your stomach, just cold water is best. 

Ideas How To Use Insulated Water Bottles.

These insulated water bottles are incredibly versatile and since we have owned them have far more uses than I initially thought. 

For City sightseeing trips like ours they are invaluable. Walking for miles and needing regular drinks, these water bottles were fantastic! We added rehydration sachets as well to maximise the benefits of the cool fresh water and sometimes lemon.  We saved a small fortune on city centre cafe visits and found many places to fill them up.

For more serious hiking, biking or camping trips and long nature reserve walks where hydration is important. The size to choose will depend on the length of time you are out, the weather,  and how comfortable you are carrying the size and weight of the bottle. 

Fill it with cool water for exercise in the gym, running, yoga, Pilates or spin class to rehydrate. It is useful to add rehydration sachets to the water to help you as well. 

On family trips out each family member can have their own individual drink in smaller sizes, maybe each person has a different colour. Alternatively, the family or couple can share a larger size bottle.

Keeping one with you when gardening to keep hydrated or have a lovely coffee, tea or hot chocolate just when you feel like it without having to go inside. This is great for me as an avid gardener I can now stay outside all the time and I do not need to go inside to make a drink! Also as it is sealed, unlike a glass or mug of water you wont get any stray insects in it!

Take hot tea, coffee or fresh cold water with you on your journey to work and for use while at work. For people who work outdoors, it would be a very handy way to hydrate and have good hot drinks available just when you need them.

Very good for keeping fresh cold  water or hot lemon drink by your bed when feeling poorly or post operation, as it is important to keep hydrated and also for taking medication. No need to keep getting up to make drinks when you don't feel like it, or bothering someone else.

Keep one bottle by your bed at night, filled with water,  in case you wake up thirsty, which I often do, when the weather is very hot or humid. The water is much fresher than when it is just in an open glass. 

Older people often do not drink enough water to keep hydrated. If they have one of these it is easier for them or carers to monitor how much they are drinking. It is easier to drink more when a bottle is by your side than having to keep getting up to get water or make a drink.  

Take one for long train, bus or car journeys and have your hot or cold drink just as fresh as you made it. I once ran out of water on a long train journey in the summer heat and I do not recommend it, I felt quite poorly as I was dehydrated and so since then always make sure I have more than enough water with me. 

 

 POWCAN 40 oz Insulated Water Bottle with 2-in-1 Straw and Spout Lid, Keep Cold 24H, Leak-Proof, BPA-Free, Double Wall StainlessCheck Price

Benefits Of Insulated Water Bottles

• They keep drinks cold or hot for hours which is a major benefit and one of the main reasons I wanted buy one. I love this feature as I dislike lukewarm water or a just about cold coffee. It is a lovely thing to have a refreshing cold drink several hours after you have made it or a nice hot coffee or tea halfway through the day. So great for both warmer and colder months. 

• A huge advantage is that many of them and the ones we bought are leakproof. This was my second reason for buying one. Ours have a guarantee against leaks which is a big plus for me. I once had a plastic water bottle that leaked all over on a bus which was embarrassing and then meant I had no water for my rather hot journey. I would certainly choose one that is leakproof. 

• You can also  make your drink exactly how you like it. For example I like water with a hint of lemon. I like my coffee milky. Most coffee shops make it too strong for me. My husband likes coffee strong but not sweet. So we can now customise our drinks the way we want them and have a bottle each. 

• They are perfect for rehydration for travel and days out, exercise and illness.

• Insulated water bottles are better than constantly buying plastic water bottles then discarding them. Or filling a plastic bottle repeatedly and risking leaks as the plastic weakens or the top seal fails. Instead we can just refill these insulated water bottles helping to reduce plastic use overall and is in time cost effective.

• In addition most insulated water bottles are made from stainless steel, which makes them strong, though do check individual models and makes for exact construction.

• There are a variety of useful sizes to choose from. From small bottles perhaps for exercise use, medium sized for carrying around sightseeing all day, to large flasks for long hot days or sickness, we can choose the best for us and our needs.

• While certainly more expensive than a plastic bottle or take away coffee initially,  over a short period of time you will more than recoup that cost by making your own drinks and using this flask.

• These insulated water bottles are available in a good choice of colours and designs to suit most needs and styles. We found it useful to have one colour for water and one colour for coffee. Or one colour for each of our different coffee preferences. Ours came available in silver, blue, green, black or white and there are a wide range of colours to choose from in most brands. 

• They are easy to clean. We just clean ours manually in the sink.

 Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle with Straw, BPA-Free Sports Water Bottle, Great for Travel, 24 Oz, Camo CoolCheck Price

Disadvantages Of Insulated Water Bottles

• Insulated water bottles are significantly more expensive than plastic bottles. However we find the cost recouped really quite quickly once we no longer needed to buy plastic water bottles or so many cafe visits. On our one week trip with them we already saved most if not all of the cost than if we had bought the same volume of water in plastic bottles. 

• They can be heavier and take up a bit more space in a bag or rucksack than a plastic bottle. However on our city break trip and nature walks we have not found this an issue.

• The bottles are generally opaque so you cannot see from the outside how much of the drink you have left before opening them. We found that you can get an idea by the weight though quite quickly once you are used to them. 

• If you are going to want to refill them often when out and about be careful which size you choose. With our 750ml bottles we found that we could refill them at most water filling points. However, there were some we could not fit the bottle underneath. So if that is a concern perhaps take one smaller bottle to use alongside a larger one in those circumstances or just the smaller bottles.  

• It is important to clean thoroughly after containing tea or coffee.

However for us these insulated water bottles have been wonderful and made life so much easier! A few minor issues are not important compared to the major advantages and now I would absolutely never be without one or two. 

 TOURIT 32 oz Insulated Water Bottle, Stainless Steel Bottle With Straw, Double Wall Vacuum Insulation for Cold and Hot DrinksCheck Price

So in summary, we think these insulated water bottles are a great find for us and for many people. They look nice and stylish and have a good range of colours to choose from. The size choice is good from small to very large. Many carry a good guarantee against leaks  as well which was important to us. Once bought you will never need to buy plastic throw away water bottles anymore or take away coffees, so you will easily recoup the money spent. As always read the details about each brand carefully and choose based on your own needs and activities.

 BJPKPK Insulated Water Bottles, 18 oz Stainless Steel Metal Water Bottle with Strap, BPA Free Leak Proof ThermosCheck Price

Finally these would make a lovely thoughtful gift for just about anyone. Especially for a birthday or Christmas present and would also be a thoughtful gift for someone starting work who has a commute, exercising regularly,  someone going travelling, a gardener or an older person, to name a few.

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Reviewing Features When Choosing A Garden Hosepipe

 

We have always had a hosepipe for our garden. We generally use it for watering the garden particularly the containers and pots, washing the car and general cleaning of the patio. We also use it for filling up the bird bath and cleaning out the big bins. 

Why Do You Need A Garden Hosepipe?

Hosepipe uses

Are you watering a small or large number of plants in pots or containers, your lawn or other plants?

Do you intend to wash your car or motorhome at home?

Do you need it to clean your patio?

Do you need it to fill a birdbath, child's paddling pool or dog bath? 

Over the years we have had several different types of hosepipes and while we do restrict its use for eco reasons and cost reasons we do find certain tasks are so much easier for us with hosepipe. 

Hosepipes can make everyday tasks like watering gardens, cleaning patios, filling paddling pools, cleaning and filling bird baths and dog baths easier and quicker. However there are different types of hosepipe that may suit different needs, budgets and uses. 

 Standard Hosepipes 

This was my first hosepipe and one I replaced more often than I can remember. Very affordable and widely available, standard hosepipes are within most peoples budgets and do the job. They are usually made of plastic or rubber. 

In my experience while I never expected them to last too long, the biggest issue with them was the constant checking and releasing kinks that prevented proper water flow. 

I understand now that you can buy kink-resistant coils to help with this issue or even hoses with kink resistant features in affordable models. They are a decent affordable option if you buy one with this feature.

Expandable Garden Hosepipes

This was our previous hosepipe and I loved it! These hoses shrink when empty, making them much smaller, lightweight and very easy to store.

 When in use, they expand to their full length as water flows through them. I found it was important to let the entire hose fill with water and fully expand before starting to use. Being expandable meant it was really easy to store and crucially to move around.

 It was so lightweight. I also liked the various spray nozzle features such as mist, fan, cone and shower. The handle on my model however did have to be kept pressed down which if doing a long watering session I found hard on my hand. So I would now always buy one that you can clip in place to stay on. 

We had ours for nearly two years and were very careful about storing it inside in winter. However it did not survive the second winter and split one day beyond repair. 

It was really good for our garden while it lasted and I was very impressed. So easy and light to use. I think that maybe it got too much use and being dragged across sharp gravel and concrete may not have been good for it. I wonder if it is maybe better for lighter duties. Otherwise our expandable was a really excellent hosepipe. If I got an expandable one again I would look for a heavy duty option like the one below.

 J&B XpandaHose 75ft Expandable Garden Hose with Holder - Heavy Duty Superior Strength 3750D - 4 -Layer Latex Core - Extra Strong Brass Connectors and 10 Spray Nozzle w/Storage BagCheck Price

Steel-Core Hosepipes

Our recent purchase is a steel core hosepipe and we spent rather more than we ever have on this one as we wanted durability as a primary function. It is built for strength and to be long lasting. Steel-core hosepipes are reinforced with metal, which makes them much more resistant to annoying kinks and splits or punctures.

 I can certainly say that it feels more robust and copes well with our gravel drive and concreted steps and many changes in direction as I go around the garden. It has not kinked or split or punctured and is easy and fairly lightweight to use. I thought it would be heavier but it is really very easy to move around. 

I love that it has many spray nozzle features such as full, mist, jet, cone spray etc which gives a lot of choice in how you use it.

One of the features is for the spray to stay on when a clip is pulled over so it reduces strain on the hands as you no longer have to hold the lever down. These steel core hoses are certainly more expensive, but the idea and my hope is that they last longer.

 SPECILITE 75ft 304 Stainless Steel Garden Hose Metal, Heavy Duty Water Pipe with Nozzles for Yard, Outdoor - Flexible, Never Kink & Tangle, Puncture Resistant (Sliver)Check Price

Features To Consider In Garden Hoses

• Storage Space. Some Hosepipes come with with hooks and wall mounted features. If you like a tidy garden wall-mounted reels are a great solution for storing the hosepipe preventing damage and tangles. An automatic rewinding device is an even greater feature to make life a bit easier. Or are you happy to store in a bucket or bag? 

• The handle should be a comfortable grip and ideally be able to be held down with a clip or similar. This saves a lot of pressure on our hands constantly having to hold a handle down. It makes watering a lot easier and then only light hold of the handle is required.

• Spray nozzle choices. For me I like a wide range of spray nozzle features to choose from. So I mostly use a mist for plants that need a gentle spray, jet for cleaning the car or patio area, full or shower for general watering and cone for spraying the larger areas such as grass on the lawn or newly seeded areas. 

• 

• Anti kink abilities. Maybe this is a pet hate of mine but i cannot cope with a hosepipe that is constantly kinking and stopping the flow of water, so for me and maybe for you this is important. 

• Durability for your needs. Are you using it for light jobs such as watering pots or heavier use for a range of activities. Will it be dragged across difficult surfaces or a smooth patio or well mown grass?  

• Budget. There maybe a balance cost as you can buy hosepipes very cheaply or rather more expensive. However the higher the quality and guarantee available the hope is the longer they will last, thus saving money in the long term.

Disadvantages Of Using A Hosepipe.

For water saving strategies hosepipes are probably not the best for watering a garden. Water here is expensive now and so using less water has become a mission for many people.

So if you can water your garden with a watering can either via a tap or ideally by using a rain water butt or a trough then you could save money on water bills that way. 

 2 Gallon Watering Can for Outdoor Plants with Removable Long Spout and Stainless Steel Sprinkler Head, Large Plastic Watering Can for Garden Flowers PlantsCheck Price

We may in a hot summer face a hosepipe ban where it is not permitted to use a hosepipe for anything, except in special circumstances. 

Using a hosepipe is probably not the most eco friendly item to use if we are trying to save water.

Using a hosepipe can work out more expensive for your water bills, depending on how you use it and if you are on a standard charge or a water metre.

Advantages of Using A Garden Hose

For me using anything but a smaller watering can to water our garden plants is difficult. I have a back issue and while most of the time now it is under control, there are some things that will set it off and sadly using a watering can full of water and walking down our steps to the garden can and does result in pain for me. I only usually water plants in pots, other plants in the ground can usually survive without watering. 

Equally for my husband who is severe sight impaired it is less dangerous for him to hold a hosepipe and do a lot of watering without having to move too much than it is for him to have to constantly walk up and down to the tap and navigating steps and a gate to do so.

Perhaps for some people with certain disabilities and some people who are older a hosepipe may be a better option than carrying a heavy full watering can. 

Washing our car at a commercial jet wash or car wash involves driving quite a way, then paying for it. At home we can wash the suds on the car using a bucket and car wash and simply rinse off with the hosepipe for a cheaper and more convenient way to wash the car. 

We do not pay anyone to clean our big wheelie bins, we do that ourselves using suds and a brush then rinse it all out with the hosepipe. 

There are many hosepipe options to choose from, including not having a hosepipe at all. I hope I have managed to cover some of the main features and qualities to consider, the basic choices available and main features to help the decision which to buy to suit your needs a little easier.

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Reviewing Features When Choosing A Garden Hosepipe By Raintree Annie

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Reviewing Over Fence Hanging Metal Pot Planters

I love looking for ways to enhance our garden and to expand my areas for planting. Whether you have a small garden or a patio or balcony or a large garden with fences that look more bare than you would like a pot holder is a lovely idea to increase areas for planting and to brighten up the garden. 

These metal hanging over the fence pot holders are usually not very large, but not too small either and have a hole at the base to allow water to drain away.

Reasons To Buy a Hanging Over Fence Metal Pot Holder

Good Looking

They look lovely! Whether your garden is very modern contemporary or traditional, quirky or cottage garden these metal pot holders can fit into the scheme and compliment your garden design. They come in many different finishes from painted metal in many different colours dark or light, vibrant to pastel to natural colours,  to steel and copper. So there is a option that will be suitable for most people and most gardens.

Drainage

When planting into any container drainage is vital for the health of your plants. Without it they may suffer rot and just become waterlogged and die. As these pot holders have a decent drainage hole at the base excess water can flow away . I like to put a crock over the drainage hole or a layer of gravel to ensure that it doesn't become blocked by soil or compost. 

Space Saving 

If you garden in a small space such as a balcony or patio it can be very helpful to make use of walls and vertical spaces. If you have several pot holders you can easily make a beautiful hanging display of flowers or foliage to cover the wall or fence. This can really make a significant impact in a small space. 

Even in a larger garden it is good to cover bare fences and lovely to have more space to fit those smaller plants to make a beautiful display. 

Longer Lasting

These metal planters are more durable than wood or even plastic and are more weather resistant. So we can safely leave them out in rain or snow or brilliant sunshine and they should  be alright.

Planting Options 

You can grow a wide variety of plants in these pot holders. Herbs do well as the drainage is so good. Flowers look amazing. Hanging or trailing plants add a lovely dimension. You could even try smaller vegetables or small salad plants.  As they are portable and easily moved you can move them to where the plants will be most happy for example in full sun or part shade. I like growing herbs in them, particularly sun loving herbs like Thyme that do not need too much water. So if I forget to water them it is not a disaster.

Easy to fit.

Hanging pots are so easy to install in the garden. The ones we bought came already fixed with a hook and are not detachable so we simply planted them up then hung them over our fence with the hook. This took a few minutes and required no tools or knowledge. We had checked that the hook was large enough to fit over the fence.  If you do not have a fence it may mean installing a bracket or something they can hang over but that can be something very simple. If you buy pots that have detachable hooks or other fixings then they may require some assembly. 

 KINGLAKE Flower Pots,10 Pcs Metal Iron Hanging Flower Plant Pots 4'' Flower Holders with Detachable HookCheck Price Dahey 10 Pcs Hanging Flower Pots Metal Iron Bucket Planter Flower Holders with Detachable Hooks, Black, 4 InchesCheck Price

Aspects To Bear In Mind About Hanging Metal Pot Holders

As these pots are quite small you must only fill them with small plants. This might mean that you will need to move plants out of them if they get too big for the pot. You will notice this if you see the roots growing through the drainage hole or roots growing on the surface of the soil. 

In warm weather you will need to water quite often, possibly as often as once a day. This can be seen as a chore, or a lovely way to reconnect with your plants and check them over each day. The best thing to do is to check with a finger if the first inch of the soil is dry, if it is then water. 

It is better to use a gentle watering system like a long spouted watering can or a hosepipe on a very gentle spray. If you use  too forceful jet it will just displace the soil and be a bit harsh on the plant. 

If hanging over a fence in the garden then the drainage is no issue. However if you are hanging them on your balcony or patio you may find it beneficial to have something underneath them to catch the drained water. I feel it is a good idea to have another potted plant underneath, that way you catch the water and water the ground plant at the same time! 

Always check the size of the pots as you want to make sure they are not too small for your needs. Some are round pots with one hook and some are oval shaped or oblong shaped usually with a double hook and more space. Check measurements carefully to ensure they and the hooks will fit your fence or brackets properly.  

Some of the pots have a fixed hook and others a detachable hook. Both are great for this purpose. However if you have a detachable hook then you can use the pot as a freestanding planter on a surface as well more easily. The ones with detachable hooks may need some assembly though, so read each option carefully. 

 LaLaGreen Rail Planter Outdoor Plants(5 Pack, 11.8 Inch) Black Metal Iron Hanging Flower PotsCheck Price 8 Pack Metal Hanging Planters for Railing Balcony 10.6" & 5.1"Multicolor Hanging Flower Pot with Detachable HooksCheck Price

I like to buy pots like these so that they are grouped together in some way so to buy 3 or 7 or more to have a fuller display always looks better to me than a single one. 

Over fence metal hanging pot planters are a lovely addition to any garden whatever your style. They are very useful as you can use the vertical space in your garden which is often underutilised. They are practical and beautiful and really optimise the space in your garden. 

 

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Reviewing Over Fence Hanging Metal Pot Planters by Raintree Annie

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Reviewing Overseeding A Lawn With Grass Seed.

  

Our lawn gets heavy traffic as we are often walking on it, putting garden furniture on it and our late dog and other friends dogs play on it. We nurture our plants, vegetables and flowers and we also need to look after our lawns so that they are also healthy. So every few years we feel the need to revitalise it and overseed.

We usually have good success with Canada Green grass seeds which is a tough mix, but there are many other grass seeds available. It is important we choose the grass seed that best meets our lawn needs, whether in sun or shade and how the lawn will be used for example light or heavy use. As we are on heavy clay soil, part of our garden is mostly in shade and the other part mostly in sun and our lawn is much used most of the year, we want a tough grass mix that can stand up to our activities. 

I have never sown a new lawn from scratch but we do overseeding of our existing lawn and sow over smaller bare patches as well as needed. If the lawn looks like this photo below, with bare patches we could do with considering reseeding or overseeding.

Sowing grass seed onto an existing lawn can help improve its density, health and overall look. We like a grass seed that is tough, fast growing and one that looks nice and green once grown.

Here's how to do it in steps so that it is most effective. You will need to check the instructions on your grass seed packet as each grass type may be a little different. This article covers the general steps we take when overseeding our lawn. 

As usual preparation is key. The best times of year to over sow a lawn are in Spring and in Autumn/Fall. You will need to stay off the lawn for a few weeks after sowing seed so timing is important. 

What You Will Need

• Grass seed appropriate to your lawns needs and use
• A Lawnmower
• A rake to rake the compost
• A fork or spikes to aerate the soil 
• Multipurpose compost 
• A garden sieve - to sieve the compost into a fine tilth
• Watering can or hosepipe, both with a fine gentle spray attachment. 

Steps to Overseed Your Lawn

Step One Mowing The Lawn

Mow your lawn but perhaps a little shorter that you usually do to about one to one and a half inches tall. This is done to make sure the seeds have better access and contact with the soil.

Step Two Raking The Lawn

It is important to rake the lawn removing all debris, bits of twigs, leaves and so forth. Take this opportunity to rake out any thatch as well. This is perhaps the most energetic step!

Step Three Aeration Of The Soil

This is the process of making small holes in the soil. It is helpful to do this every year for drainage regardless, but also for the purposes of seed sowing it helps the seeds get into the soil more easily. How you wish to do this really depends on your size of your lawn, the time you have available, how active you are and if you enjoy it. 

We have a small lawn so we just take it in turns to go over the whole lawn with a garden fork making holes at short intervals probably a foots length. It take us a couple of hours but is not too taxing. If your lawn is bigger you might want to hire a lawn aerator or hire someone to do it with machinery. 

Step Four Spreading The Grass Seed.

It is important to spread the seed as evenly as we can over the lawn. As we have a small lawn we just broadcast the seed, this means taking a small handful and casting the seed out over an area, then repeating. Again if your lawn is larger or you wish to ensure it is perfectly spread a broadcast spreader will do the job well. Check the seed packet you use for how much you need to use.

Step Five Topdressing 

I think this is worth doing for most lawns, which is to spread a thin layer of compost or topsoil over the seeds. This protects them from being blown away in the wind and from having too many eaten by birds. We usually use a garden sieve to gently sieve the compost over the seeds so we get a light even coverage. 

Step Six Watering The Lawn

It is important to water the lawn straightaway after seeding and top dressing. This is to moisten the soil and again to stop seeds flying everywhere in the wind.

It is important to keep the seeds at least damp for up to two weeks after sowing, until they germinate. I usually try to time garden grass reseeding for a day when rain is forecast for several days after. This saves me a big watering job and I like to think that rainwater is likely better at this stage. 

If watering myself it means I need to tread on the new seeded lawn so it is best to put planks down to step on so as not to damage any new delicate roots. Also you need to water lightly and evenly with a good rose gentle spray. Avoid a harsh jet of water as this will only serve to clump seeds together, waterlog the ground and may drown them. 

After about 2 weeks you can reduce the watering to two or three times a week, unless it rains for a few hours two to three days in a week. 

We generally do step four spreading the seed and step five topdressing and step six watering one after the other in rows then step backwards and repeat the three steps for the next row. We find this prevents us trampling all over the fresh seed on the lawn.

Step Seven Ongoing Grass Care

We need to keep off the grass as much as possible for about two to three weeks. This can be a little frustrating but it is important to give the seed a good chance at rooting.  Once the grass has germinated and grown to about three inches, we can reduce the frequency of watering. We just water every other day or every few days depending on the weather, but we make sure it is now a good drink at this stage, rather than a light spray. 

It is important not to think of mowing the new seeded lawn until the grass has grown to at least three inches. Depending on the lawn it can be good to buy a lawn fertiliser and use that according to instructions to keep the lawn in good condition through the year. 

Protect the seed from being eaten. While I love birds it is important to try at least to keep them off the seed, you can put up scarecrow like features of poles with pots on top but in our garden no matter what I do there are always mice and birds and especially wood pigeons who come down to eat some of my seeds! I am relaxed about it though and always think of the old adage.

"Four seeds in a row:

One for the mouse,

One for the crow,

One to rot,

And one to grow."

 Pennington Smart Seed Dense Shade Grass Mix Bag 7 lbCheck Price Annual RyeGrass Seed by Eretz - Willamette Valley, Oregon Grown. No fillers, No Weed or Other Crop Seeds (5lb)Check Price Jonathan Green (10320) Black Beauty Ultra Grass Seed - Cool Season Lawn Seed (1 lb)Check Price No-Till Winter Rye Seeds - 5 Lbs - Non-GMO Rye Grain Cover Crop Seeds by Mountain Valley Seed Company.Check Price

So reseeding or overseeding a lawn is quite a big undertaking. However it is not something most of us will need to do all that often. Once a year is generally advised but we often let it go to once every two or even three years. In between we simply address any bare patches that arise. Our lawn is however not an immaculate showpiece but somewhere we use and live on when outside. 

If you want or need a really beautiful immaculate lawn then once a year overseeding is advisable.  However often you reseed, the results are so worth it when you sit out on your lovely green, thick lawn in late Spring and summer and can enjoy it. 

A beautiful, healthy green lawn sets off all the flowers and plants beautifully and is a thing of joy!  

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Reviewing Overseeding A Lawn With Grass Seed by Raintree Annie.

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Reviewing The Benefits of Garden Mulch

 

Mulch is much under rated, but mulching the soil is one of the best tasks you can do for your garden. The beauty of our plants and flowers, the quality of our fruits and vegetables all starts with the quality of our soil. It is easy to buy all the lovely flowering plants and bulbs only to find that they cannot thrive in our soil. Many gardeners or potential gardeners then become disappointed. 

However, If we take care of the soil and keep it healthy and weed free, the rest comes naturally. Mulch offers a wide range of benefits to the garden in terms of the look and beauty of our gardens and if organic mulch, in practical benefits for the soil and the health and beauty of our plants. For both experienced gardeners and complete novices garden mulch can enhance and transform your garden. 

You Might Be Asking What is Mulch?

Mulch is simply a layer of material thickly applied to the surface of the soil usually applied to beds and borders in our gardens.

It can be organic, such as wood chips, bark, straw and mulch compost. Organic is best if you need to improve the quality of your soil. 

Mulch can also be inorganic, like gravel,  sheeting, and rubber. Inorganic mulch can serve a practical purpose of weed suppression like sheeting but not be very pleasing to look at, or it can be very pretty especially if you use pebbles or glass beads.

Each type of mulch serves different purposes and can be chosen based on the specific needs of your garden.

What Are The Benefits of Mulch?

Mulching For A  Beautiful Garden

I am always pleasantly surprised what a difference a little time spent mulching achieves to the look of the garden. The difference can be quite dramatic! Mulch always seems to make plants look so much better and the whole garden put together beautifully. We can also use different types of mulch to create specific areas of the garden whether you want a natural look or more formal approach for different areas. 

Reducing Weeding!

This is my number one reason for spending time mulching in Spring. Although it takes time to mulch it saves so much more time in weeding. A thick layer of mulch which blocks out sunlight can inhibit much of the weed seeding and growth.  This thankfully reduces the need for hand weeding. As I never use any chemical weed killer and am not a huge fan of endless hand weeding on my knees, it is essential for my garden. It is not a guarantee of no weeds, but as long as you use a thick enough layer of mulch, which is about two to four inches deep, it can cut down weeding quite a lot.   

Moisture And Temperature Regulation

Mulch helps keep moisture in the soil by reducing evaporation. This is particularly beneficial for the summer during hot, dry periods. If using mulch for this purpose a Spring mulching is most beneficial.  Mulch also acts like a blanket to keep the soil cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Our garden soil is heavy clay and it dries out and cracks in the summer and in winter becomes a hard, cold, wet block so these insulating properties are very important to our garden.

Mulching For A Healthy Soil

In gardening soil health and structure is where it all begins. Organic mulches always decompose or rot down over time. This adds important nutrients and  improves the structure and overall fertility of the soil. An improved and healthy soil promotes plants to have a healthy root development which is key to a healthy plant and good flowers, vegetables and fruit.

 Our heavy clay soil has nutrients but it is difficult for young plants roots to access via the heaviness of the clay. So it is very important to open up the structure of our soil so that plants can root more effectively. However if you have very light soil, sandy, stony or chalky soil, mulching can help to improve and add much needed nutrients and hold and firm up the structure of the soil. 

So mulching with organic matter ultimately helps all types of soil. It is a hugely positive task to do and reaps benefits no matter what your soil type. 

 

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Types of Garden Mulch.

There are two main types of Mulch, organic and inorganic. 

Organic Mulch

This includes materials like bark, well rotted manure, grass clippings, straw, cocoa mulch, wood chips, compost or prepared Mulch compost bags. These mulches rot down with time and enrich the soil with organic matter. Personally I prefer a mulch compost or bark. I have found straw attracts rodents which we do not want and grass clippings can look untidy and a bit messy in the main beds and borders. If you have a stables nearby they may give you or sell you their horse manure, however it will need to have time for it to rot down before you can apply it to the garden soil so you need an area to store it. A prepared mulch in bags is perhaps the easiest way to mulch. 

A word of warning if you have dogs, do not use cocoa mulch as it is toxic to dogs and very attractive to them.

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Inorganic Mulch

This includes materials like gravel, rubber mulch, glass beads, decorative pebbles, river rocks, weed suppressant membranes and plastic sheeting, even old carpet. These mulches do not decompose and will not add any nutrients to the soil. They are often used to suppress and control difficult perennial weeds but some such as gravel, pebbles and river rocks can also be used beautifully for decorative purposes. 

We have used gravel and pebbles in certain areas. River rocks and large decorative pebbles look really beautiful in the right setting and can enhance the plants around them. 

We don't use plastic sheeting generally across the garden as unless it is covered with another layer of organic mulch or pebbles it looks awful. Plus plastics can leach into the soil which is not great and I would certainly not use it on any area I wanted to plant vegetables, fruits or herbs to eat. It or weed suppressant membranes are however useful if you have an area that is riddled with difficult perennial weeds. We did use this successfully for an area of the garden that had a difficult invasive perennial weed. If using it for that purpose it is best to cover the area with weed suppressing membrane, plastic sheeting or an old carpet first, then cover that with a decorative mulch of pebbles or bark. 

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How to Apply Mulch To The Garden

Choose the type of mulch that suits your garden and how you would like it to look. Different area of your garden may need a different approach to mulch type. Some beds may be better with organic mulch where the soil needs improving or you want a natural look while other areas look better with pebbles for example. 

Preparation Of The Garden Is Key

It is best to pull out any annual and perennial weeds from the beds we are mulching. It is easy and tempting to think you can skip this rather boring and tedious step but it is so much better to start with a weed free and clean area before mulching. Otherwise you may well find especially perennial weeds do still come up through the mulch. 

Applying the Mulch

It is important to spread a thick layer of mulch about two to four inches deep on the borders and beds around your plants. I always do this by hand especially in an existing border so as not to damage any of the plants there. Do take care to leave a gap at the base of each plant free from any mulch to prevent any rotting and to allow rainwater to reach the plant roots. It is always better to spread a thick layer over a smaller area than a thin layer over a larger space. 

It is best to mulch after a period of rainfall so you then keep the moisture in the soil. If no rainfall is forecast and you want to mulch, it is advisable to soak the soil beforehand with a watering can or hose. I would advise to always wear a good strong pair of garden gloves when spreading mulch to protect you and so there is no contact with your skin. 

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Maintain the Mulch

There isn't really a lot of ongoing or regular maintenance, but we can add more organic mulch like bark or compost over time as it breaks down into the soil. Organic mulch requires a little more topping up and raking from time to time.

We tend to put it down once a year in spring, but ideally do it twice a year in Spring and again in Autumn/Fall especially if your soil is poor or impoverished. Spring mulching is great for weed suppression, locking moisture in the soil and improving soil structure. Autumn/Fall mulching can also be protective of plants when the frosts and cold weather comes.

For inorganic mulch, like gravel, stones or pebbles just add or rearrange if it needs readjusting or topping up. If you have laid inorganic mulch directly onto soil you may need to occasionally wash down with water and pick out any annual weeds that find their way into any gaps. If you do not want this task it is best to lay a layer of weed suppressing membrane underneath to minimise this further.  

So mulching is a very beneficial task to do every Spring and Autumn/Fall in our gardens. I find it an easy, rewarding task that beautifies the garden and has ample benefits for many months.

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Reviewing The Benefits of Garden Mulch by Raintree Annie

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