control weeds in your lawn, landscaping in Bundaberg

When your lawn seems to be  overtaken with weeds and seem to making no headway at all. An alternative to weedicide especially with Mullumbimby couch, clovers etc is to apply Dolomite to the area.. 40 Kg to 100m2 seems to work well. The soil has been fertilised time and again to keep it looking green, now its so acid it wont respond. The Dolomite will help correct the ph and make the soil more alkaline and suitable for turf grasses than weeds. When the lawn is solid weeds, sparse and unloved its often because its too acid. After application like you are feeding the chooks lightly water in to prevent it blowing away and you’ll quickly see the different. Do not reapply fertiliser for 4-6 weeks to let the dolomite do its work, then you may also get a better result from your selective weedicides. As always if you need any advise call the Lifestyle Solutions centre 78 Mt Perry road  and we’ll be glad to help you or if time is precious we can provide the complete solution for you…with ongoing landscape maintenance programs… Take care !

selective weedicide in your lawns, landscaping Bundaberg

After all the rain you will find the weeds come back quicker than any lawn, which makes it an ideal time to knock them over. Larger vigerous foliage will always absorb weedicides more readily. Kamba M is a favourite of ours, although its best to be applied in the 3-4 leaf stage, so dont let the weeds get to advanced. Always read the directions carefully before use. Remember to apply the weedicide 5-7 days after mowing, then leave for another 5-7 days before mowing again. I have found application in the warmer part of the day ensures a good takeup. You may find weeds that have matured more quickly might need some spotting with Roundup “MAX” …its rain fast in 2 hours which is good these days, and really sticks well without any further wetter and spreader… again read directions carefully to suit the weeds you are chasing. A wick wiper to apply Roundup is also a great idea as it only requires 10-20% coverage to kill the weeds selectively when spotting is all that’s required..  Some pre emergent weedicides can be mixed with roundup to know over the regrowth of  germinating weeds both in the lawn and Gardens.. Diuron flowable is a good product …You are welcome to call my office at Lifestyle Solutions Centre 78 Mt Perry road for any advise you need or our maintenance team can take care of the work for you… from a simple makeover to long term landscaping maintenance..

Lawn Grubs!

The weather has been incredible all over the state and the humid + stormy weather make ideal conditions for lawn grubs to flourish. I have not heard of any preventative actions you can take to the little munchers, so it’s best to keep an eagle eye out for the tell tale signs.

Your biggest problem is showers coming so regularly, so it’s almost impossible for any insecticide to dry before the next shower arrives.

See my earlier post on lawn grubs for full details: here

If you don’t want to or just don’t have time to read it, feel free to call the team at LSC for help.

Contact Details

Landscape Restoration and Maintenance, Landscaping Bundaberg

So who saw the flood waters around the IGA in north Bundy… amazing, hey ! water everywhere and unfortunately as the floods receded the flow washed away much of the mulch on the Landscape around the IGA carpark gardens. The team spent almost 2 days removing rubbish and slime from the drains, the bitumen, the garden and now it’s looking so much better. Doesn’t even smell that much now, or maybe we are just used to it now. Do you know some of the plants were uprooted and others just couldn’t handle being submerged and croaked it…never mind it’s all good now, you wouldn’t know the difference… & after just a few days the weeds had started sprouting all over the place after dropping weed seed everywhere.

I must confess we  were surprised to see the river flush again yesterday  up 1.4m I believe and with the thought of 150-300mm over the weekend and the ground saturated, one can only imagine how quickly the waters would return… lets hope not anyway..

Berajondo earthmoving workshop and Admin  Offices.

Over in Handbury street the scouring was much worse where the torrents of water completely washed the soil form the roots in the gardens near the Offices after being inundated with 500mm of flood waters. Sal and Laura take a lot of pride in how their business presents and it was sad to see such damage.

Our task was to replant the plants that were still there, replace the soil that’s been washed away, then re-mulch and fertilise the gardens. It was funny I as walking around  with Laura & Sal looking at the work that was required  on a slope beside the sheds and stood on a solid bank of silt and it was just like putting on snow skies, nothing I could do until I hit the bottom…and  Sal had a similar experience mowing the bank on the ride-on  leaving the ride-on at the bottom to snig out with the 4B and a long rope.

The gardens will recover, some also showing signs if despair after being covered with water for a few days, but I do believe they will come back and maybe the silt will act as topdressing and it will recover also.

Lets hope all the businesses can recover as well as with out small business no-one will have a job and so it goes on.. Good luck to everyone best wishes from everyone at Lifestyle Solutions Centre in North Bundy. It’s very difficult doing anything in our line of business in these conditions. After years of skinny rainfalls I never thought I’d be looking for the sun to dry the country. So many of the farmers are hurting with no crops to harvest and no chance of planting another. Its going to be tough in the coming months but if we all support Local business we will all thrive again.. Good Luck

After all is said and done be aware the water will have deposited and spread weed seed everywhere and you will need to watch this carefully of your gardens will be smothered in days ..not weeks… DAYS. with this weather everything will take off and the weeds will always be first to grow..you may like to grab some of the council mulch to help smother them to give yourself a break.. of give the office a call if you need a hand..

by Peter Moller at Lifestyle Solutions centre North Bundaberg..

Pool maintenance after rain, Bundaberg

Following up on a recent post about how your pool can quickly deteriorate after heavy rain I found this article form our friends at Bio-Guard and thought you may be interested. Of course if it all gets out of control we are happy to advise or come and get the pool back in Balance… so please have a read its great information you should remember as the La Nina seems like its here for a while.

Technical Information Bulletin
Flooded Pool
The purpose of this bulletin is to provide a method to remove the potential contaminants from affected pools.
Heavy rains and floods are currently overwhelming large parts of Queensland and flood warnings continue to be issued to prepare residents for more rain.
If a pool has been susceptible to heavy rainfall, it is likely to have gained much dirty water and is now full of mud and other debris from gardens and other various contaminants.
Although a dirty, clouded and flooded pool is a huge inconvenience, the pool can be used soon after if it is treated promptly after the weather subsides. The following procedure is recommended to rectify flooded pools.
Step 1…
Check the pump, filter and other mechanical parts of the pool system for damage. If there is any damaged equipment, see the applicable manufacturer for instructions or replacement parts

Step 2.

Remove all debris from the pool. The water has probably brought in leaves and other debris from the surrounding areas. They will add large amounts of organic matter to the water, which in turn will cause issues with algae and chlorine residual. The sooner rubbish is removed from the pool; the sooner clean-up can begin.
Step 3.

Use Power FlocTM to drop the clay and dust that has clouded up the pool to the bottom. Remember that overdosing Power Floc will not make the job work faster. Please consult a BioGuard® dealer for any issues
Step 4.

Vacuum the debris formed from the Power Floc to waste.
Step 5.

Turn on and leave on the pump/filter till water balance has been achieved.
From now, much of the debris should have been removed from the water. Although still cloudy, the filter is the easiest way to clean up the water.
Step 6.

Test for metals and treat accordingly. The pool water may look a lot clearer than the start, but there may be many dissolved particles within the pool that came in with the dirt and clay. If there is a residual of metals (copper/iron) it can cause permanent staining, especially when chlorine is added back to the pool. If metals are discovered in the pool, use a treatment of Pool MagnetTM to keep the metals in solution, and then add the filter aid Quick ClearTM to remove the metals from the water. Always recheck for metals after the initial treatment.
Test 7.

Test for chlorine demand and treat accordingly. The flood water has washed an incredible amount of organic and inorganic material into the pool. Although most of it has been cleared out, there are still large amounts dissolved within the water. These particles can cause a huge drain on the chlorine added to the water to keep it healthy. If the pool owner has access to an Accu-DemandTM 30 testing station, it can be used to determine the exact amount of chlorine needed to add to oxidise all of these particles. If access to an Accu-Demand 30 is not available, multiple large doses of chlorine may be required to be able to hold a chlorine residual.The best starting point is to add shock doses as per the label instructions of Burn Out Extreme® until a chlorine residual can be held at 3 ppm. If there is difficulty in holding the residual for long, then double the dose until it can be held.
Step 8.

Treat pool with Algaecide. The chorine is what makes the pool healthy to swim in but as the chlorine is working at oxidising, the pool needs to be protected from algae. Follow the label dose of MSATM 2 or PolyGardTM for the treatment of a heavy infestation. This defends the pool from algae whilst the chlorine is working at oxidising and killing bacteria. Once a good chlorine residual has been achieved, go back to a maintenance dose of algaecide.
Step 9.

Manage chlorine residual with Optimiser®. The most important part of bringing a pool back to its former glory is to get proper chlorine residual. Optimiser gives the water a huge advantage by making the chemicals in the water more efficient and preventing algae from growing. As algae grows, it uses up the chlorine in the water; the only solution is to add more chlorine. This can be a vicious cycle. The added benefit of using Optimiser is that it also conditions the water, making the water much gentler on hair and skin.
Step 10.

Use a clarifier. At the same time as Step 9, a clarifier can be added to the water. PolysheenTM or Super Clear Clarifying TabsTM are perfect for this scenario. By now the water should be holding a chlorine residual, so that the filter can be utilised to collect dead algae and other oxidised organic waste.
Step 11.

Manage the water balance. The water should be tested again by a BioGuard Approved Retailer. The chemicals just added to recover the pool will have had an effect on the water balance. This is because the pool had just been flushed with new (dirty) water. The water needs to be balanced again as it is the most important step to keeping the pool healthy, sparkling, clean and inviting.
Step 12.

Use a clarifier one last time when the water is balanced. Although the water may look beautiful and fresh, the addition of one last clarifier — Polysheen or Super Clear Clarifying Tabs — will really bring the sparkle back into the water.
The above information is supplied by BioLab Australia Pty Ltd / Chemtura New Zealand Ltd and represents its best interpretation of available technical information at the time of preparation. The sole purpose is to supply factual information to our customers. It is not to be taken out of context or used as support for any other claim not made herein.

see http://www.bioguard.com for full details…

remember if it all becomes to much give us a Call and we will give you help or advise to get the pool back sparkling in no time.. 4155 5500 Lifestyle solutions Centre, 78 Mt Perry Road Nth Bundaberg…

Pool Maintenance after Flood, Bundaberg

Now the water is starting to recede and dry up around the place it is a good time to get in and bring your pool back to perfect swimming levels.

If you can keep your pool looking good you have much less problems to bring it back from green. First example you need to check the chlorine and ph levels if the pool looks ok. Also look at the output meter or lights on your chlorinator. If the reading is high this means your salt is reasonably good. If it is low you need more salt. With all the wet weather around there is currently a local shortfall in salt supplies. I have attached a link from ch 10 news about the salt and choices.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR9Eej-BSX4&feature=channel

If your pool has gone green already you need to give your pool a big dose of chlorine and a dose of flock to settle the dead algae out. Looks pretty average but not that hard to overcome.

Severe crop of Algae in pool

 

If you have had flood waters over your pool it is a whole different kettle of fish. Depending on the amount of silt in your pool as to what needs to happen. Some you can treat much like the badly green pool and at the other end of the scale you will need to empty it out, clean the pool & refill.

Normally You will not need to empty though.

Any specialised advice for your particular pool please phone our office at Lifestyle Solutions Centre Bundaberg, for a technician to call & advise or remedy the situation on 4155 5500 or email on contactus@lifestylesolutions.net.au

Landscape Drainage/soakage, Bundaberg Landscaping

Today I’d like to talk about Drainage issues around your home., both stormwater drainage from field grate and Soakage trenches.

The last few months have been very wet here in bundaberg, with many residents finding out where water ponds and creates a sloppy mess, as the rain continues and is predicted to do, for the next few months.

Avoid following issues at all cost.

Never,  connect a drainage system to a roof water system as the head pressure of the roof water will push this water out onto the ground and flood the area you are trying to drain. If avoiding this option is not possible, there are a few things you can do that will assist in preventing the backflow of water from roof water onto your property. (only as a last resort)

1/  Connect the field grate as far as possible from the stormwater line as water will always exit via the easiest point of relief.

2/ when connecting into the stormwater use a “Y ” junction to assist in preventing the relief onto the lawn or area near the grate.

3/ where you require to change directions with the drain, avoid using a 90 degree elbow, instead use 2 x 45 degree elbows so as not to create unnecessary restriction of flow that will often make the water backup.

4/ Use a laser level, spirit level or Dumpy level to create slight fall or at least to avoid up and down in the drains that can trap water again forcing the water to back up again.

When backfilling under the stormwater lines always use sand  to ensure there is no settling of the lines after the work is complete. Fill to the top of the drains then flood with a garden hose to ensure there are no voids under the drains. When selecting the size of the field grate always consider the likelihood of the quantity and size of any foliage that could potentially block the inlet. What I am saying is, avoid the use of fine easthetically pleasing grates that look pretty but will not handle any slight blockage by even tiny leaves.

In areas where you are installing slotted drain coil to catch soakage rather than groundwater, use a geotextile fabric (filter cloth) say 1m wide to lay in the trench and evenly up both sides, place an even amount before placing the drian coil, say 50mm. Place the drain coil, then ensure the coil is centrailised in the trench by placing drainage gravel around the drain coil. Level off the top of the gravel then fold across the grass the top of the filter cloth. Finally you can cover with soil and grass if necessary.

In areas where the drain coil need to be close to the surface you can just leave the filter gravel open to the surface without covering. This should only occur if it can be guaranteed that there is no likelyhood of siltation from the top. This system can be used on the edge of strip grates, paths and patios where the area falls doreictly to the collection point. When installing any soakage drains you must ensure the drain coil falls consistently to the point of relief.

I trust this helps you with some of the issues you may face, so you can avoid the pitfalls aften overlooked when installing such drainage.

Please contact the Lifestyle Solutions centre at 78 Mt Perry Road, North Bundaberg or call 4155 5500 should you require any assistance or advise your the challenge you may be facing.

by Peter Moller.

After the rain at christmas 2010..Lifestyle solutions Centre Bundaberg

Really glad this was from the heavy rain we had, and not flood water from the Burnett… This flood is going to effect everyone in the community even if you didn’t get flooded out, just as Dion Taylor, President of chamber of Commerce said in recent Facebook comment.

Looking towards Landmark, Mt Perry Road North Bundaberg

Looking back to Lifestyle Solutions centre, Nth Bundaberg