How To Build A Garden Pond

A pond can give great life to a garden but can be costly to have installed. Today we’re going to show you how to make a garden pond with visual aids courtsy of the guys at instructables.

The steps are easy to follow but to begin you’ll need the following items;

• shovel
• trowel
• hose
• plank of wood
• spirit level
• pond liner
• sand/liner underlay/newspaper
• bricks

Step 1:

How To Build A Garden Pond

Get digging! Base the size of the hole on the amount of space you have available to you. Leave extra room at the sides so rocks can be put in.

Use the plank of wood and spirit level to determine how even the sides are and adjust if necessary. It’ll be near impossible to get it spot on the first time.

 

Step 2:

Building A Garden Pond

Take your liner, which you can get from any garden centre, and use it to cover the hole. Use bricks to hold down the liner and your hand or feet to press the liner snugly into the walls of the hole.

 

Step 3:

Building A Pond

When you’re happy with where the liner is placed fill the pond up half way with water and place bricks around the edges. Use this time to ensure you’re happy with the shape and size of the pond.

 

Step 4:

Making A Garden Pond

Once your completely happy with the overall look begin to fill in the dirt you gathered when digging the hole. If you want to put in a small pump or fountain then make sure you do this before you fill in the dirt.

Use cement to fill in any gaps between the bricks and leave to dry for 3-4 hours.

Step 5:

How To Build A Fish Pond

Find or buy some slate style rocks like the ones in the above image and you can give your pond a really nice finish.

What else? Sit back and enjoy. Hope you found this post useful.

 

 

How to Build a Garden Bench

How to Build a Garden Bench

Hey Guys,

For the next week we’re going to run posts on how to build different things for use in the garden or around the home. Today’s post will look at how to build a garden bench.

Garden benches can be dear to buy and while they look great a handmade bench will look one hundred times better. So, how to build a garden bench? Here’s our top tips on how to do the job from start to finish;

1. Pick where you want to put the bench and measure the space
2. Buy a plank of wood from a local timber provider and ask them to trim it to the desired size. It should be at least 2.5 inches thick
3. Go to your local tree trimming company or firewood supplier and get them to cut two sections from a log roughly 2.5 foot long
4. When getting the logs cut ensure they are cut so the angle at the top is straight to allow the plank to rest securely
5. Place the two stumps in your garden and the plank on top. For extra security you can drill some screws from the plank into the stumps.

It’s not going to look smooth and slick like one you’d buy in a shop but it’ll have a lot of character and look great in your garden.

Gardening in April

Gardening in April

It’s been a few days since we’ve covered anything other than the household tax Ireland but we hope those of you who read the posts found them helpful and informative.

Today we’re looking at gardening in April and what needs get done this week in order to help you on your way to a great garden for summer. If you weren’t out in the garden last week with the great weather we had then you missed out big time.

You should have already done some of the below but if your haven’t yet then it’s not too late to begin.

Tasks for gardening in April;

• Ensure you are mowing regularly – not every day or even week but every ten days at least
• Rake the lawn – try get rid of all the moss thats built up over the last few months
• Sow lawn seed if it’s required – it’ll need 2-3.5 months to grow depending on weather
• Trim the edges of the lawn and make borders where you see fit
• Prune rose bushes as soon as possible if you haven’t done so already

Gardening in April is highly enjoyable with the evenings getting longer and the weather that little bit better.

Creating an Organic Vegetable Garden

Creating an Organic Garden

“How do I create an organic vegetable garden?” Well it’s not instant and may take some time in order to perfect the required techniques. The real question you should be asking is “why am I creating an organic vegetable garden?”.

Organic gardening has stood the test of time as the healthiest method of growing vegetables. It results in the growth of natural, chemical free food. As well as that it’s a hobby!

Think of organic gardening as a lifestyle. The vegetables that end up on your table are grown chemical free so you don’t have to worry about your family consuming pesticides. Your healthy diet will coincide with you being out in the fresh air and getting regular exercise while tending to your crops.

But how do I start my organic garden?

The first step is sourcing seeds. Check out local garden centres or buy online and avail of a wider selection of seeds. If you are starting your organic garden from seeds it’s beneficial to start your seeds indoors as they have a higher chance of surviving.

Plant seeds where there’s good lighting and ensure you don’t go overboard on the watering.

How to Clean Gutters

March is the perfect time to clean the gutters with leaves and debris still easy to move while damp from the winter rain. Gutters move all the moisture that builds up on the roof away from your home and ensures water is transported into drains as opposed to straight off your roof.

How to Clean Gutters

Many people pay often extortionate amounts of money ranging from 100-199 euro because they don’t now how to clean gutters properly. If you’re wondering how to clean gutters in a safe and effective manner here are our top tips;

• Use a sturdy ladder and prop it against a solid wall. Avoid placing it up against a downspout or gutter which can break easily.
• Remove debris with a garden trowel or a designated gutter scoop.
•  Put debris in a bag that you can drop on the ground when full.
• To test for leaks run some water through the gutter with a hose in order to identify any areas that need repair.

Only clean the gutters when the ground is dry and there’s no threat of rain. Put safety first and take your time while at work. It’s recommended that you have someone at hand to hold the ladder and help you when needed.  Cleaning gutters can be physically demanding so keep this in mind before you consider trying it yourself.

 

 

 

 

Making a Compost Heap

Making a Compost Heap

 

Hey guys,

Todays post is about making a compost heap, how you go about it and what to use to make your compost heap. Why would someone want to make a compost heap? Well, for a number of reasons actually such as;

• Compost is cheap and easy to make
• Compost improves soil structure, texture and increases it’s water holding capacity.
• Compost is one of the best mulches you can find

If your asking yourself how do I make a compost heap it’s pretty simple. There are a number of things to use when making a compost heap such as;

• Greens and browns
• Grass and weeds
• Tough plant material/leaves/nettles
• Vegetable peelings
• Teabags
• Animal manure

When making a compost heap two things you really want to avoid are meat and dairy products. This is for the obvious reason that they will attract rats. You can buy a compost box to hold the compost in and keep things neat and tidy.

Another question that may arise when asking yourself how do I make compost is how to know when it’s ready. There are a number of ways you’ll know such as;

• The process can take from 6 weeks to 5 months depending how you nurture it
• When the compost turns a dark brown
• When there’s a strong earthy smell

So there you have it. A cheap and easy way to make compost in your own back garden. Get started and it’ll be ready well before the summer season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Make a Garden Look Great

We constantly see crazy ads online with pictures of before and after weight loss. Pictures of people that have made great transformations and have a completely new outlook on life. Well, were going to break the mould and have a before and after garden comparison post without the crazy gimmicks.

If your wondering how to make a garden look great and want to get cracking or simply need some motivation we’ve got just what you need. Spring gardening needs to begin now! It’s the second of March, the weekend is upon us and the sun’s out what more can you ask for?

Here’s some motivation to get your spring gardening under way.

How to make a garden

This is a simple transformation but look at the difference! Grass cut and tree trimmed and there you have it, simple. If you haven’t already get pruning and give your lawn it’s first cut of the year.

If the above hasn’t answered how to make a garden look great the next before and after image will. Look at the difference some simple flowers can make to a dull surrounding. While the granite separation would naturally be costly you could still reseed the grass and add a flower bed and have a great looking garden.

How to make a garden look great

 

Spring gardening is upon us folks and if you want to have a garden transformation that you can be proud of then get started now. Have a great weekend!

How to Grow Seeds Indoors

How to Grow Seeds Indoors

Gardening in February

Gardening in February

 

So as way of motivating yourself to get out back into the gardening in February why not use it as your “thing to take up” for Lent? Instead of giving something up why not do something that will benefit your body through exercise and your garden through hard work, dedication and perseverance. To get you started we’ve set out the following list titled “your gardening in February to do’s”;

 

• Wednesday 22nd –  Prune any deciduous trees with damaged or decaying parts and identify and remove any broken branches you find on the way.
• Thursday 23rd – Start thinking about what and where you’re going to plant. Order seeds early this month to take avail of seasonal discounts.
• Friday 24th – Clear garden paths of any weeds that have sprung up over the winter months.
• Saturday 25th – Clean and repair any garden tools you may have so they are ready for the coming weeks.
• Sunday 26th – If you haven’t already done so give your lawn its first cut of the year
• Monday 27th – Check the lawn for any moss that may have built up. Use a rake to remove it or purchase a product to do the hard work for you.
• Tuesday 28th – Get cracking on a compost heap and get into the habit of adding to it daily.
• Wednesday 30th – Start to shape out the lawn and plant borders to neaten up the edges and add some definition to your garden.

 

So there you have it an easy “to do” list for gardening in February. After a couple of weeks the garden will start to show shape and after a few months the hard work will be worth it and you can reap the rewards of your efforts. Happy pancake Tusday folks.

February Gardening

Surprisingly today has been another rain free day and with the evenings getting longer its an ideal time to focus on the lawn. Preparation is the key to keeping your grass healthy and easy to cut. Taking the plunge into early mowing ensures that you wont have to cut it down with much effort when the real growth begins.

February Gardening

The best way to go about doing this is to give it a cut now and another in three to four weeks depending on the level of growth. It can be hard to become motivated to get February gardening under way with it mainly being a month of preparation and pruning. The real benefit of beginning now is to avoid the hassle a late start can result in and to get back into the routine.

After the first cut of 2012 focus on securing any young trees against the spring gales we’ve having in order to avoid damage. The best thing to do is to just get out there and do it! Once the hot weather kicks in you’ll be delighted you did as you can reap the benefits of the early start.