LUSH LAWN

Give Your Lawn Some Tlc

I’m sure we all wish for a soft, spongy, lush green lawn –but summer can take it’s toll on our grass and leave us with the absolute opposite! Autumn is here, and this is the best time to sow a brand new lawn or give an existing lawn some TLC to get it into top shape. Sowing in autumn gives your lawn a chance to harden o and establish before winter, the soil is still warm, and the weeds haven’t taken hold (like they can do in spring). Here’s a few points to keep in mind when sowing a new lawn, or replenishing an existing one:

OVER˜SEEDING

There’s a trick called ‘Overseeding’ that can renovate a worn out lawn without replacing it completely. Autumn is an ideal time. Before sowing prepare the ground so the seed can make good contact with the soil. Mow the lawn short and remove debris and weeds. Use a hard steel rake to remove thatch and create shallow grooves in the soil. Sprinkle over some Tui Lawn Preparation Mix, then scatter the seed and gently water in.

Feeding

Take care when feeding new lawns and in the beginning it’s recommended you only use something gentle, such as a soil conditioner or seaweed tonic. This helps to encourage a strong root system. Strong roots hold water better and will help your lawn thrive. For established lawn you should fertilise twice a year with a product such as Kings Lawn Fertiliser – once in the autumn months to protect it in the winter and once in spring to help boost the growth and carry you through the summer months.

CHOOSING THE SEED:

• Before you come and see us to buy your lawn seed there’s a few notes you should make. How big is the area? What kind of seed is going to suit your lifestyle?

• Most lawn seed brands contain a mix of grass types. Some grow slowly which will require less mowing. Some are tougher for high tra˛ c areas, some for hot, some for shady.

SOWING THE SEED:

• Sow on a ÿ ne day, preferably when rain showers are forecast. Wear gloves and wash hands after use.

PREPARE THE GROUND:

• Doing this before sowing the seed can make the world of di˜ erence. Spray the existing lawn with Grosafe Knockdown (this is the same as Roundup but we have it at a far better price). It takes up to two weeks for the old grass and weeds to die completely. If you can, waiting another two weeks to allow any weed seeds to germinate and then spraying again will give you a nice clean slate.

• You then need to dig or cultivate the ground to about 15cm. If you’re doing a large area then a rotary hoe, and a roller, will make the job much easier.

• Apply a 25-30mm layer of Tui Lawn Preparation Mix to the area. This will provide lawn seed with a base of essential nutrients and fertiliser.Create a level and compact area for your lawn by raking, rolling and ÿ lling in where needed. Give the ground a thorough water before sowing.

• For even distribution measure the area to be done and divide it into two lots. Scatter half in a north-south direction, the other half at right angles, in an east-west direction.

• Depending on seed used, germination should take 1-2 weeks.

• It’s crucial to keep a newly sown lawn damp. Water regularly using a mist spray.

• Avoid over watering as this can lead to “damping-o˜ disease”, which can kill the tiny grass seedlings.

Irrigation

• The right amount of water is crucial to the success of a new lawn. Overwatering can lead to a disease called damping o˜ . Damping o˜ is a problem where several di˜ erent fungus cause emerging

WHAT SEED SHOULD YOU SOW?

Quality matters when it comes to sowing lawn seed (any seed in fact), so you can be sure it will be free of weeds; have a higher, and faster, germination rate with good moisture content. We recommend either Tui or Burnet’s seed for best results.

Tui Lawn Force Superstrike Seed features a unique treatment which encourages fast germination (you should see results in as little as 7 days) but is then slow growing for less mowing. This treatment also protects the seed from common fungal diseases during establishment, reduces bird theft and includes an additive to minimise dust. 750g covers 30m2.

Spring Bulbs

We have received more but be quick– the last order ˝ ew out the door

ONGOING CARE: grass shoots to collapse; turn thread like and wilt; turn a green/gray/brown colour and roots will not establish.

• You need to be careful what you do with a new lawn in regards to feeding so take care.

• A soil conditioner or seaweed tonic is beneÿ cial in the beginning as it encourages a strong root system, which will help your plants to thrive.

• If you have clay soil then mix up some Gypsum Clay Breaker in a watering can and apply to your lawn before you fertilise. This will break down the soil and allow the water to get in (plus many more beneÿ ts).

• Before mowing, wait until it has grown to at least 5cm so the root system has had time to develop.

• Use sharp blades and set your mower to the highest level, gradually lowering over the next three months until you reach the optimum height of 2.5cm-3cm.

• We recommend using a water timer and gentle sprinkler or misting irrigation system for newly establishing lawns.

Flowering Hedges

Camellias are a great choice for year round beauty

Potted Fruit Trees

Grow A Comfy Lawn

Some di˜ erent types include:

ALL SEASONS: Used in stadiums around NZ; includes winter-active seed varieties to ensure it grows even in cooler temperatures

EASYCARE: A blend of ryegrass and turf fescue, for a lush, green lawn, suited to medium-high use areas.

HOT & DRY: A blend of tall fescue, ÿ ne turf ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass for a drought tolerant lawn suitable for medium-high use areas.

SHADY PLACES: A blend of tall fescue and ÿ ne turf fescues for a deep green lawn that will thrive in less sunlight (such as under trees) and require less mowing.

We will closed all day on April 25 for ANZAC Day

Burnet’s Lawn Seed is also coated, establishes quickly, withstands vigorous wear & tear & is easy to maintain. 1kg covers 30m2 and some types include:

LEISURE LAWN SEED is suitable for sunny or dappled shaded areas & is a good choice for an all round family lawn. Contains 80% ÿ ne rye, 20% ÿ ne fescue

HARDWEARING LAWN SEED is 75% perennial rye, 20% ÿ ne fescue & 5% browntop and is a good choice for a tough general lawn

TALL FESCUE contains 100% American Tall Fescue seed and has superior drought, heat & disease resistance and grows into a thick lawn, tough lawn.

KEEP

IT

Quality products = Quality results

40L Tui Lawn Prep Mix 2 for $32

The 2023 Wairarapa Balloon Festival brought a blaze of colour to the region’s skies over Easter weekend – as well as thousands of spectators. Whether it was at the headline Night Glow event at Clareville Showgrounds, an early morning test ˜ ight above Carterton, or balloons just passing overhead, Wairarapa locals had plenty of opportunities for eye-catching photography.

We’ll open with a lyric from pop-punk band My Chemical Romance: “Teenagers scare the living s*** out of me.”

As a journalist, I meet a lot of young people – and I’ll usually arrive at our interviews with knots in my stomach. It’s like I’m back at school myself – perpetually afraid of landing on the “uncool” heap, risking censure from my more socially astute peers.

And yet, I leave the interview feeling uplifted. Of all the people I’ve conversed with, teens are some of the most articulate, socially aware and creative. They’re organising climate justice protests, campaigning to rid supply chains of modern slavery, and spending their own money on books for sick children. They’re directing their own plays, and writing and shooting their own films. They’re dedicating hours to their craft: Whether that’s handling dogs [page 1] or appearing in musicals [page 4].

If you were to read some other newspaper stories, you’d find a very different picture of young adulthood. You’d find teenagers who, at best, barely look up from their phones, and are easily led astray by Instagram trends. At worst, ramming cars into jewelry stores, and can only be rehabilitated by a stint in the army. Plenty for older generations to be afraid of. Any positive coverage is usually reserved for the rare “superstars”: The aspiring All Blacks and young pop idols.

Surely, between the hoodie-clad hooligans and Billie Eilish, there’s a middle ground?

Negative media representations of young people are hardly uncommon. Research from Oxford University, studying media coverage from the 1960s onwards, found depictions of young people have been highly contradictory: Teenagers are either instigators of violence and are thus a danger to society; or vulnerable and helpless, and needing adult protection.

A 2004 UK study found 1 in 3 youth-related articles were based around youth crime – and young people themselves were quoted in only 8 per cent of these reports. Academics refer to this phenomenon as “the adult gaze”: Young people’s stories told through an adult filter and the teenage voice is practically invisible. Has the Western media evolved since then? Perhaps not. In 2020, an Australian study found 50 percent of 16 to 35-years-old believed they were misrepresented in news reports. One particular stereotype that persisted was vapidity, exacerbated by reality TV and influencer culture. In fact, when asked what they cared about most, the top three answers young Australians gave were mental health, the environment, and gender equality.

I don’t deny there are significant [and newsworthy] issues facing young people. I don’t deny young people can make poor decisions — there are scientific reasons for that.

But still, teenagers are human — and therefore multifaceted. Some teenagers are involved in ram raids every weekend. Others do their homework, get on with their families, do regular volunteer work, and are leaders in their school communities.

And we know negative stereotypes have real world consequences. Studies have correlated stereotyping with increased self-doubt, reduced focus, and higher levels of academic anxiety among teens. When stereotypes are internalised by the wider community, young people become vulnerable to alienation and discrimination.

This is where the