Handyman Sydney

Home Improvement, Home Repair And Home Renovation

Repair a Lawn and Ways to Replant Grass

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A well-kept green lawn not only adds to the appearance of your home, it prevents soil erosion, does not transmit noise as do hard surfaces, and produces oxygen.

Because a lawn is a permanent feature of your home, it should be planned and planted with thought and care.

The stages in planting a lawn are:

  • soil preparation
  • grading
  • fertilising
  • planting
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Soil preparation should be done well ahead. Remove large stones, rubble and perennial weeds. Annual weeds can be dug into the soil. Leave the newly dug soil fallow for a few weeks, allowing weeds to come up so you can hoe them down. Adding animal manure to the soil will enrich clay or sandy soils.

Before planting, check that the soil has a balance of acidity and alkalinity. (pH) Soil testing kits are sold so you can pH test the soil. If soil is too acid, add lime if too alkaline, add gypsum. Check that the soil is crumbly enough by squeezing a ball in your hand. If too sandy or muddy, add peat moss to correct either problem.

Grading.

For good drainage, the lawn should slope gradually away from the house in all directions You can grade the area yourself, judging it by eye, or have it done for you. After grading, turn the hose on the area and look for any places where too much water collects.

Fertilising.

After grading and adjusting the soils pH, till it. The best tool for this is one of the rotary tillers which have converging blades to slice and chip the soil as you push it along. Then apply a suitable mixed fertiliser. Many brands are available which can be broadcast by hand or in a fertiliser spreader. Spread the fertiliser evenly and rake it welling ready for planting.

Planting.

When you decide on the kind of grass to plant, remember they will all need attention, but some kinds of grass need more care than others. Take into account the local climate, moisture and soil conditions and choose suitable seeds. Grass can also be planted by laying runners or planting squares of turf bought from a nursery.

Spread the seed either by hand or in a seed spreader, at the rate recommended by the supplier- don’t spread it so thickly that the seedlings choke each other as they come up.

After sowing, rake the area to partly bury the seeds. Generally, only very sandy soils will need rolling to set the seeds.

Feed with a suitable fertiliser and keep the soil moist after sowing. The top layer of soil should be kept damp at all times until the seedlings come up, when they can be watered each morning only.

The grass should be cut when it is 40-5Omm high to help spread the root system and make the grass thicken.

Mow each week until the lawn is sufficiently thick then mow as normal.

Maintaining the lawn.

Established lawns should be fertilised at least once a year with complete fertiliser. To keep the acidity of the soil in balance, apply lime or dolomite every second or third year, governed by regular soil testing.

Home made weed killer.

4 cups (1 Litre) of white vinegar
1/4 cup (50 mL) of table salt
2 tsp (10 mL) of your favorite dishwashing liquid.

Materials you’ll need:

  • Soil testing kit
  • Lime or gypsum
  • Peat moss
  • Suitable mixed fertiliser
  • Grass seeds
  • Sprinkler or hose system
  • Complete fertiliser

Tools you’ll need:

  • Spade and hoe or mattock Rake
  • Roller if required
  • Mower

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Safe Handling of Waste Disposal‎

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Garbage Cans.

Putting out the rubbish is nobody’s favorite job but at least it is being made easier with accessories such as a portable foldaway barrow designed to hold a full bin without stooping to lift it on. You just wheel it out effortlessly. Include the bin in weekly clean-ups by lining with plastic liner bags to keep it sanitary, and washing out once a week with hot detergent solution. The best tool for this is a long-handled sink or toilet brush with a teardrop shaped

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head for getting into corners. The bin should also have a lock-down lid to keep out stray dogs and cats.

Waste disposal units.

A garbage disposer is an electric grinding mechanism installed under the sink. You feed food scraps into it, turn on the water and electricity and it grinds the waste into tiny particles, which are flushed away down the drains (sewer or septic). Plumbing is straight-forward for a qualified plumber (it is probably not a do-it-yourself job). They can be fitted to most sinks, which have disposer-sized drains, but you must en­large the hole in an ordinary 50mm sink to take the disposer. Disposers can be used with septic tanks, provided any grease trap is bypassed first (a job for the plumber).

How to get out of a jam.

A jam in a disposer is usually caused when a metal object is accidentally dropped into it, causing the motor to switch off as a safety precaution.

To loosen the jam:
1. Ensure disposer is switched off.
2. Reach in and remove the object (there are no blades or knives in a disposer).
3. Insert a broom handle into the drain opening until it touches one of the raised projections on the shredding table. Pry one way then the other. If unsuccessful, call a serviceman. Some disposal units come with a special wrench and instructions for doing this job so check your owner’s manual first.
4. After the jam is freed, press the reset button and disposer is ready to work again.

Materials you’ll need:

• Garbage bin
• Plastic liner bags
• Owner’s manual

Tools you’ll need:

• Garbage trolley
• Long handled brush
• Disposer unit
• Plumber to install unit
• Broom handle or special wrench

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Aussie Lawn Mower Care Guide

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Once upon a time you couldn’t mow wet grass, or grass on slopes or under bushes. Now there are power mowers that do all these things with much less work than before.

When shopping for a power mower make sure it has the horsepower and cutting width for your needs without being larger and more powerful than you can really use. For example, a ride-on mower only comes into its own in a large area or in gardens where snow accumulates.

A self-propelled mower is one where the engine drives the mower and also the wheels so you only have to steer it. These are suitable for large areas and sloping gardens where pushing a mower uphill alone would be difficult.

Mulching mowers.

These mowers cut grass clippings so finely (around 6cm in length) that the particles decompose into humus or mulch, fertilising the lawn each time you mow. These mowers have multi-pitch blades, which, in effect, cut the grass once as usual, then suck the clippings upwards and cut them again while still airborne until the clippings which fall back are shredded to minute particles.

Reel mowers.

Although perhaps not as versatile as the rotary mowers, this type has blades which work in a scissor-like way, giving a very fine, bowling green, type of finish.

MOWER MAINTENANCE:

Sharp mower blades are essential for effective mowing. Nicks and cuts in the blade can often be seen where rocks and sticks have connected with the blade but these do not affect cutting ability. If the blade is not sharp, however, it mashes the grass instead of cutting, leaving a brownish tinge on the cut surface. To check the blade, first disconnect the spark plug lead and tape it out of the way to prevent accidental starting. Block the blade with a piece of wood and a G-clamp then remove it with a wrench, putting penetrating oil on the nut to loosen it. When the blade is free, file it smooth and balance the blade by filing extra off the heavy side, Rest the blade on a pencil to check it is in balance.

If the blade is too worn to be sharpened, replace it with the correct mower blade. While the blade is out, clean the mower housing underneath to remove caked-on clippings.

Spark plugs. Remove the spark plugs using a spark plug wrench and check the electrodes. If they are dirty, clean with a wire brush, and blow off all residue. If they are pitted or cracked, replace with the appropriate plugs. Set the gap on the plug using a gauge, to the gap specified in your owner’s manual. Replace the plug, clean and oil the threads then hand tighten the plug. Tighten with a wrench about a third of a turn Do not over tighten.

Oil.

As with your car, a 4-stroke mower requires clean oil to run smoothly. If the oil is dirty, drain it while hot and replace with a suitable motor mower oil. While you’re at it, lubricate moving parts on top of the mower through oiler points if provided, and spray with a spray lubricant onto throttle and cable. 2-stroke mowers run on an oil-petrol mix and do not have a separate oil sump.

Air filter.

Clean the air filter with warm water and household detergent then coat with light-weight oil and squeeze out the excess. Dry type filters can be vacuum cleaned. Air dry the filter, reassemble and put in new oil.

Electric mowers.

As well as the petrol driven type, there are electric mowers. These are quieter to run and create no fumes. The disadvantages are the limits created by the power cord, and the need for care in the direction you mow to avoid crossing the cord. On suitable sized lawns, they are the quickest and quietest way to mow.

Edgers.

Once you have mowed the bulk of the lawn you need a tool to trim the edges alongside paths and garden beds. A power edger can save a lot of work because it does not need any pushing or traction, so can be used on hard and soft surfaces. If you do not have a concrete or masonry mower strip dividing lawn from garden beds it is necessary to clip the edges each time you mow to prevent grass runners from invading the garden beds. Ideal for this is a power edger, which has no blades but uses a length of line like fishing line, whirling at high speed to cut the grass with a whipping motion. These are sold as complete units or as attachments for a power drill and the line can be replaced as necessary.

Materials you’ll need:

  • Block of wood
  • Penetrating oil
  • Lightweight motor oil
  • Spray lubricant

Tools you’ll need:

  • Power mower
  • Power edger
  • Sharpening file
  • C-clamp
  • Wire brush
  • Adjustable wrench
  • Vacuum cleaner if required
  • Spark plug wrench and socket
  • Spark plug gap-setting tool
  • Screwdriver

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A Handyman’s Guide to Prunning Plants, Trees

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Pruning trees is more than trimming overgrown plants. It is (or should be) an imitation of nature’s own practice of removing weak branches, thinning out limbs, which get in each others way, and removing overlong shoots. All this strengthens the tree and increases the production of foliage, flowers and fruit. All pruning equipment should be kept sharp, and should be suited to the job in hand. Too large or too small tools result in ragged cuts, which may damage the tree. There are three main types of pruning saw the hacksaw type which has interchangeable blades, the double-sided saw, and a single-sided hooked saw used for rough work. A pruning knife is handy for trimming. Heavy gloves are useful. There are also many power operated tools available which can reduce the amount of heavy work required.

Points to remember when pruning are:

  • Start pruning when the tree is still young. Keep in mind the character of the fully-grown tree when shaping a young tree.
  • Cut regularly, rather than heavily whenever you think of it. Too-heavy pruning can result in an unattrac­tive mop-head appearance caused by the rash of new growth.
  • Most pruning is done in autumn or winter. Newly transplanted trees should be pruned whatever the season, because their root system is greatly reduced by the move.
  • Cut as close to the base of the piece you are cutting as possible. To avoid tearing off part of the trunk when a branch fails away, make the first cut under the branch to about half-way through then cut from the top.
  • Large branches should be cut into pieces and lowered by rope down the tree. The failing branches are not only a danger to people underneath, they can damage the tree as they fall.
  • Trees such as the conifers produce enough sap to protect the cut surface. Other trees should have a dressing of tree paint applied to the cut edge.
  • For safety, do as much pruning as you can from the ground. If working from a ladder, ensure it is standing on solid ground. Do not try to reach too far out from the ladder. It is safer to climb down and move the ladder, pruning only the area within reach each time.

Materials you’ll need:

Tools you’ll need:

  • Sharpened pruning tools
  • Ladder

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Maintenance of Your Swimming Pool Tip and Instructions

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Keeping your pool sparkling clean calls for regular attention to filtration and the chemical balance of the water. The filter alone only removes particles suspended in the water, while the chemical treatment keeps bacteria and algae in check.

Filtration.

Basically, the filtration system consists of the skimmer box which continually skims off floating leaves and debris from the pool as it takes water to the filter, the filter and pump, the heart of the pool where the water is processed, and the return lines for returning clean water to the pool.

Various types of filter are available and most are satisfactory provided the flow rate is sufficient for cleaning the amount of water in your pool. The filter should also be easy to clean, called backwashing, and spare parts and service should be readily available.

Two important additional pieces of equipment are the leaf skimmer, a long handled tool for manually removing floating debris, and a vacuum cleaner which works somewhat like a carpet vacuum cleaner.

Some automatic pool cleaners are available which use water propulsion to move themselves in a random pattern across the floor and walls of the pool, cleaning as they go. These can be real work-savers.

Testing pH levels.

This tells you the balance between acid and alkali in the pool water. The pH scale is measured from zero (totally acidic) up to 14 (totally alkaline). A reading of 7 means the water is balanced between the two. The ideal pH level for a pool is between 7- 4 and 7- 6 which is just slightly alkaline.

To test this, use one of the test kits from your pool supplier- Most are used in a similar way. A sample of pool water is placed in a test tube and a few drops of testing chemical added. The resulting colour change is compared with a chart to give you the result of the test. The PH level should be tested once a week.

If the pH level is too low – to aside- it can be adjusted by adding bicarb of soda or soda ash. Both products should be used with care.

If the pH level is too high – too alkaline, add acid, available in dry or liquid form. Mix in a bucket of water and add to the deep end of the pool in small amounts until the desired reading is obtained Add acid as far away from the pool sides as possible to avoid etching the pool walls.

Chlorine.

To kill off bacteria and algae, chlorine is added to the water daily in summer, weekly in winter. Usually, the warmer the weather, the more chlorine is needed. Signs of algae mean too little chlorine is being used but too much will be unpleasant for swimmers. Chlorine is actually a gas but is sold for use in home pools as a white powder (calcium hypochlorite) or as a liquid (sodium hypochlorite).

The powder can be fed into the pool by hand or diluted in water. It is also sold compressed into tablet form, which can be used with an automatic chlorinator. The tablets dissolve at a predetermined rate as the chlorinator floats on the pool surface.

Some of the chlorine is destroyed as it works and some is affected by sunlight. The amount left is called chlorine residue. Only a small amount is needed to keep the pool clean and a test for it is included in the test kit. Chlorine should be added to the pool in the evening, and the test done in the morning to get an accurate reading.

Care with chemicals.

Always follow the instructions printed on the packages of pool chemicals. Store them in a clean, dry well ventilated place away from any flammable materials. Never stand containers of different chemicals on top of one another. Keep them well apart.

NEVER mix pool chemicals with one another. While they are safe to handle individually, an explosion can occur if they are mixed.

ONLY clean, dry non-metallic vessels free of any foreign matter whatsoever can be used for measuring. Fire of very great intensity can occur if the chemicals become contaminated.

When adding a liquid to a liquid, hold the chemical close to the water to avoid splashing. Add dry ingredients out of the wind.

ALWAYS ADD CHEMICALS TO WATER, NOT WATER TO CHEMICALS.

Always wash hands after handling chemicals Be sure you know the first aid to be given if someone accidentally swallows a chemical or spills same on the skin. Keep this on the chart near where chemicals are stored. Keep emergency phone.

Materials you’ll need:

  • Test kit (including pH and chlorine residue tests)
  • Soda ash or bicarb of soda
  • Pool acid
  • Chlorine
  • Clean, dry non-metallic containers for mixing chemicals
  • Clean, dry well ventilated storage place

Tools you’ll need:

  • Leaf skimmer
  • Vacuum cleaner

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