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No, not that kind of deck. Today’s post is about the importance of keeping your mower deck clean with a little bit of guidance on how to do it.&nbsp; If you use your mower frequently you may end up with grass stuck to your mower deck which can cause problems with your mower in much the same way as a <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/it-s-in-the-bag" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/it-s-in-the-bag">mower bag</a> covered in old clippings can. Preventing corrosion and less than adequate mower performance is easy to do if you clean the deck after each use. Yes, this is a tedious task but doing it can save you a lot of time and money. There are sprays that can help reduce the instance of rusting, but removing soggy clippings is best as a first line of prevention.&nbsp; If your problem clippings are really caked on you may have to physically take them off, just remember to remove the spark plug cable first to avoid inadvertently starting the engine.That’s all for today, see you tomorrow for a post about making your own meadow.&nbsp;

Hit the Deck

There's more to hydrangeas than meets the eye. This old garden favourite can be used in surprising ways to beautify your garden and flower arrangements. In today's post we're going to give you some ideas of different varieties of hydrangeas you may want to purchase and look at some uses for hydrangeas.First up we’ll cover some types of hydrangeas that might interest you. Hydrangea Macrophylla ‘Glam Rock’s form is that of a typical mophead hydrangea, but its kaleidoscopic colour will give your garden a modern look. Another gorgeous hydrangea is ‘Runaway Bride’, with delicate flowers that resemble white butterflies. If you like strawberries and cream you will be a fan of the last hydrangea we’ll look at, Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’. The conical flowers of ‘Vanille Fraise’ switch from white to pink gradually meaning that for part of the season each flower will be a mix of pink and white.Now for some uses for hydrangeas. As mentioned in a <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/the-right-hedge" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/the-right-hedge">previous post</a> you can make well-established hydrangeas into a colourful hedge and even add them to a flower arrangement for a smart table centre piece. You may even want to dry some of your hydrangeas if you have a lot of them for more rustic looking flower arrangements.&nbsp;

The Wonder of Hydrangeas

Cup of coffee with smoke and coffee beans on old wooden background

In a previous Gardens and Mowers Minute, <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/a-friendly-foe" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/a-friendly-foe">A Friendly Foe</a>, we noted that coffee grounds are great at keeping slugs away, but coffee has other uses in the garden.&nbsp;One of the main things to know about coffee is that it contains goodies like nitrogen, phosphorus, and magnesium that work wonders for the health of your plants. These qualities make coffee a perfect fertiliser. You can mix your coffee grounds into a mulch mix, steep them in cool water to give to plants that need it a little extra help, and add them to compost. The only thing you must be careful with are seedlings, coffee can stunt their growth so it’s not advisable to use it on them.&nbsp;But remember when using coffee in you garden, don’t overdo it. And caffeine isn’t good for cats and dogs, so if you have a pet you may want to avoid using coffee as a fertiliser.&nbsp;

Proper Coffee

Keeping your mower bag clean improves the quality of your cut when you cut your lawn, and reduces the strain on your mower's engine. What's even better is that keeping your mower bag clean is nice and easy to do.&nbsp;To prevent future buildup of debris, empty your mower bag of clippings as soon as you have finished using it. For harder to shove portions of clippings use a stiff brush to get rid of them. Every once in a while you may need to use plain soapy water (anything harsher than this could damage the bag) and a sponge to give the bag a good clean, and leave it to dry. Just remember to remove the mower bag, and check it for damage before cleaning it with your soapy water solution.And that's all you need to know to keep your mower bag in great condtion. Take a look at these other mower care related Gardens and Mowers Minutes: <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/caps-on" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/caps-on">Caps On</a> <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/stabiliser-is-essential" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/stabiliser-is-essential">Stabiliser is Essential </a> <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/not-on-the-cutting-edge" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/blog/not-on-the-cutting-edge">Not On the Cutting Edge</a>And if you're in the Midlands and need your mower repairing or servicing go to our <a data-mce-href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/professional-lawn-mower-repairs" href="https://gardensandlawnmowersbyclive.com/professional-lawn-mower-repairs">Machinery Repairs and Maintenance</a> page.

It's in the Bag

In 2021, a rose the colour of fresh butter was named after a gardener. Plants being named for gardeners is of course not unusual, but the gardener this rose was named after, John Ystumllyn, was quite unique in his time because he was one of the first recorded black people in Wales.&nbsp;From inauspicious beginnings as an enslaved person, he rose to become an expert plantsman, gardener and florist. He spoke English and Welsh, married a local girl, had a family, and died in comfort in 1786 as the owner of a cottage gifted to him by his employers for his dilligence.&nbsp;It wasn't always easy for him though. While John didn't face an enormous amount of predjudice, he lost his position as gardener at the Ystumllyn estate (the place he gained his surname from) because he got married without the permission of his employers. In time, however, all was forgiven and his position at Ystumllyn was restored.&nbsp;In most places that sell them, you can get your own 'John Ystumllyn' rose for around £30.00. That's a small price to pay for an attractive rose that commemorates such an interesting person. That's all for today's minute, and hwyl am y tro!

Ystumllyn

Slugs can make your hostas look as if a hole punch has been taken to them, but slug resistant varieties of hosta are available. We’ll only cover three types of slug resistant hosta today, but there are so many out there, so keep your eyes peeled.Variegated hostas add interest to any area that needs brightening up and there are some delightful slug resistant ones. One such type is the ‘Firn Line’ variety. ‘Firn Line’ has leaves with a lovely brushstroke of white around a central almost verdigris coloured streak.The next hosta variety is quite popular so you may have heard about it before; it’s ‘Sum and Substance’. The size and habit of growth of ‘Sum and Substance’ as well as its golden green leaves make it perfect for filling in empty border space. It is one of the most slug resistant varieties of hosta too because of the thickness and waxiness of its leaves.The last variety we’ll look at is ‘Neptune’. ‘Neptune’ is slightly less resistant to slugs than some other varieties but it’s still quite resistant. The leaves of the ‘Neptune’ variety have a scalloped edge, and the plant produces purple flowers in summertime, a gift in any garden.

Gardens and Mowers by Clive

The Gardens and Mowers Minute

Hit the Deck

The Wonder of Hydrangeas

Proper Coffee

It's in the Bag

Ystumllyn

Slug Resistant Hostas