Spring is the perfect time to start on long overdue gardening projects. Mowing your lawn and getting a leaf blower to clean out the garden are some of the most obvious tasks, but maybe it’s time to deal with that spot of compacted dirt where grass never grows. With the weather improving and plants starting to grow new leaves and stems, it might also be the right time to trim the hedges. 

In this article we’ll explore a variety of gardening projects and the equipment required. We’ll also provide some helpful insight into these tasks, to help you achieve professional-grade results. Remember that at Tool Chest Hire we provide gardening and landscaping equipment hire services for commercial and residential users, and we are always on hand to share advice on getting the most out of our gardening equipment.

Mowing your lawn:

This is the time of year when grass starts to grow new roots and leaves. By mowing frequently you could inhibit upward growth and stimulate sideways growth of grass plants, making the lawn denser and prettier than your neighbour’s. At Tool Chest Hire we have petrol and electric mowers with bags that gather the clippings. 

What to do with the clippings?

Clippings have a variety of applications. They are great for compost, and can also be left on the lawn, but this decision depends on various factors. Long grass is scarce in nutrients and is better disposed of or used for compost. If the grass is cut frequently, however, the new leaves will be high in nitrogen and other nutrients. These clippings can be used for compost or can be left on the lawn to be recycled. 

Cleaning leaves, dead grass and thatch:

Leaf blowers are great for clearing out leaves, dead grass or other debris from your lawn. Nevertheless, over time grass will shed leaves, and dead material will inevitably gather at the base of grass plants. Old roots will also die off and, combined with dead leaves, will create a thick layer of thatch preventing nutrients from entering the soil. Foot traffic over the lawn will also compact the earth. A simple rake and an aerator will do the work here. Scraping the lawn will get rid of the dead grass and maybe some of the thatch. An aerator can be used to puncture the ground, creating perforations for nutrients and water to penetrate the thatch layer and reach the roots.

Decompacting soil where grass never grows:

Occasionally a lawn will have bald spots. This could be due to a variety of factors, however it is likely that this soil is compacted and roots simply cannot penetrate it. Working the soil with a shovel and hoe is one possible solution, but if the area is big, a Camon rear rotovator will do all the hard work. With sharp rotating tines, this machine will tear up hard soil and break up roots creating the right surface for new plants. This is useful, not just for planting new grass, but for general gardening purposes such as planting vegetables or decorative plants.

Laying or replacing lawn:

In landscaping projects where the layout of the landscape is going to be changed, it may be necessary to remove the lawn for replanting elsewhere. It may also be necessary to temporarily remove it to maintain its integrity if heavy machinery is going to be used. At Tool Chest Hire we stock turf cutters from leading brand Camon, which are ideal for this task. A turf cutter allows you to remove a section of lawn from below the root level, meaning it can be replanted. A turf cutter is a compact machine mounted on wheels which uses a blade to reach below root level and cut a long section of turf. This turf can subsequently be rolled and planted elsewhere. It is important that the soil in which this grass is to be planted is well prepared and decompacted to allow for root growth.

Trimming tall hedges:

Trimming a tall hedge can be carried out either by using an access platform and a standard hedge trimmer, or by using a long reach hedge trimmer. This is essentially a hedge trimmer with a long, lightweight shaft. If you choose to use a scaffold, a normal hedge trimmer is the preferred option. At Tool Chest Hire we stock both electric and petrol hedge trimmers such as the STIHL HS45 petrol trimmer or the electric 240v MAKITA UH5580. 

Why Choose Tool Chest Hire for Gardening Equipment Hire?

Based in Hammersmith, Tool Chest Hire offers a range of gardening and landscaping equipment, tools and machines available for hire at competitive prices. Feel free to look through our inventory, or get in touch with us on 020 8748 7912. Our friendly team is always happy to take your call.