green fingers - it depends on the type of weedkiller you use. You'd need a 'selective' weedkiller designed for lawns, that only killed the weeds and not the grass. But, seeing as you've landed on my blog and not another's, can I persuade you to not use weedkiller?
Some weedkillers can damage the soil, kill worms or harm frogs. They don't have a lasting effect on weeds, unless you get to them before they set seed. If you can, it's far better to combine regular mowing with removing the weeds by hand. The mowing will weaken the plants and prevent them from seeding around.
Many lawn weeds, like selfheal, clover and bird's foot trefoil are very beautiful and great for bees and butterflies. Are your lawn weeds so bad??
Thank goodness you are so diligent , Kate, as I was so tempted to persuade green fingers to turn her lawn into a wild flower meadow! I can eulogise over them as i have seen so many beautiful ones and, really green fingers, in many modern gardeners eyes the "perfect" garden has no lawn but lots of biodiversity, including lots of native flowers.
green fingers/happymarion - great news! I visited the garden of a very eminent gardener the other week and he makes a feature of lawn weeds by leaving a strip unmown for around six weeks. It's a beautiful mini-meadow of self heal, clover and trefoil. I wish I had these growing in my lawn. Instead I have huge thistles, which attack me and prevent me from visiting one part of the garden. I may as well let them flower for the bees now, but I'll be digging out any more seedlings. They are lethal! Kate
Oh,dear, yes, Kate - thistles! I've just been chased indoors by the heavy rain and am trying to forget my nettle tingles. I do suffer for my butterflies but they are worth it. I love mini meadows in gardens. They can bring dull gardens to life. Even if the gardens all seem to grow the same plants because of millions being "factory" produced or friends sharing, they are quite different when nature has a hand. The Lady thistle is very pretty and good for the bees and not quite so lethal, Kate. And it has a lovely name- Sillybum marianum.
I have had a field mouse living in a terracotta nest box that has been on the side of my house for several years. I put bird food on a windowsill that is close to the box to feed my blackbirds and robins and have taken photos of the mouse feeding there. It uses a climbing hydrangea petiolaris as its staircase to access the nest box. I will be getting the stepladder out soon as I clean the box each year so I'm not sure what I might find there. It has been very entertaining watching its antics.
We have a family of mice living in our garden but I don't know one mouse type from another. They are really sweet and we love watching them picking up the droppings from the bird feeders. It is one of the added bonuses you get from gardening - welcoming wildlife ino the space you create.
I had a big influx of aphid on our poppies,roses and runner beans for about 6 weeks.I am glad to say we have had a swarm of 7 spot ladybirds and hover flies which have just about destroyed the aphid so who needs insectisides. Peter
Have just read comments regarding rats and other vermin being controlled by electrical repellants! Dont waste your money- they are useless. Once caught 43 mice in our garage using a trap when there was a repellant device not more than 6ins away. Rats are vermin- call the rat catcher-they soon will take over your garden.
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Some weedkillers can damage the soil, kill worms or harm frogs. They don't have a lasting effect on weeds, unless you get to them before they set seed. If you can, it's far better to combine regular mowing with removing the weeds by hand. The mowing will weaken the plants and prevent them from seeding around.
Many lawn weeds, like selfheal, clover and bird's foot trefoil are very beautiful and great for bees and butterflies. Are your lawn weeds so bad??
Kate
so thank you.
Peter
Rats are vermin- call the rat catcher-they soon will take over your garden.