Beerhunter

Has spring arrived for you yet?

Hard to believe that this time last year they were already talking droughts and hosepipe bans.

Hybrid tea roses

I wonder if Jan is referring to the difference in pronunciation on GW on Friday? Monty referred to them (correctly) as hyBRID T while the gardener at Hever Castle sounded like he was calling them hyBRED T.

Plastic sprayers.

Same problem as everyone else so I have bought the cheapest available and treat them as disposable. A few years ago I bought a gadget at a garden show which you screw onto any empty plastic drink bottle to convert it to a sprayer. This is easier to clean if it clogs because it all unscrews for washing although I have noticed that it doesn't seem to clog as often as a conventional sprayer. The pressure is generated by a pump action so maybe the extra pressure forces through any air locks ot gunk.

Gardeners World new season

More of the same I'm afraid, it seems like I've seen it all a million times and, to me, the format is getting tired. Maybe they could include some items of topical gardening news as well as the usual garden visits/design/practicals. 

Looking forward to Beechgrove which I've heard a lot about but have never seen. Not sure how relevant some of it will be to gardeners down here on the Kentish Riviera though.

BEST OPTION

Unless you have some way of sterilising the soil you are using as a base you risk importing all sorts of bugs and diseases if you make your own. Personally I stick to using shop bought compost for seeds and use garden compost as a soil conditioner. Most of the DIY barns and garden centres will have 3 for 2 or 3 for £10 deals to help keep costs down

Killing a lawn and starting again

Any glyphosate based weedkiller will kill all the existing growth without leaving any harmful residues. Your local garden centre or DIY barn is sure to have a selection.

The weedkiller will need warmer weather and for the plants to be actively growing in order to work so depending on where you live about another 4-6 weeks maybe? It will take about 2 weeks to work and might need another application but a good dig and removal of all remaining roots should take care of anything left.

By then it will be late April/early May which would be a good time to lay the new turf but make sure it is well watered through the summer.