If you want a really good lawn next spring, September is, in my opinion, the best time of year to give it the attention it needs. Here in Ireland, our grass-growing season is a little different from warmer and drier countries. We generally have mild temperatures, plenty of rainfall and relatively cool conditions, which means grass can keep growing for much of the year. By September, the worst of the summer heat has usually passed, but the soil is still warm, and there is often enough moisture around to encourage strong new growth.

That combination makes September an ideal month for lawn renovation.

A lawn can look tired for a number of reasons. It might have become compacted from children, pets, garden furniture or simply years of use. You can also get a build-up of dead grass, moss and organic material at the surface, which stops water, air and nutrients getting down into the soil properly. Sometimes the lawn has just become thin and patchy over time. In other cases, the existing lawn may be beyond renovation and starting completely from scratch can give a much better result.

One of the first jobs I look at is scarifying. Scarifying removes the layer of dead grass, moss and thatch that builds up between the growing grass and the soil. A small amount of that material is perfectly natural, but too much can prevent the lawn from breathing properly. Scarifying opens the surface up and allows the grass that remains to grow more freely. It can make a lawn look quite rough immediately afterwards, but that is part of the process. The aim is to remove the old material and create the right conditions for fresh, healthy growth.

After scarifying, I believe aeration is just as important, particularly on lawns that get a lot of use. Over time, the soil can become compacted, especially in heavier Irish soils. When soil is compacted, there is less room for air, water and roots. Aerating the lawn creates small channels through the soil, helping oxygen and moisture reach the root zone and giving new roots somewhere to develop. A lawn with a healthy root system will always have a better chance of producing strong growth the following year.

Once the lawn has been opened up and aerated, September is also an excellent time for overseeding. This is where we introduce fresh grass seed into the existing lawn to thicken it up, improve its appearance and replace weaker or bare areas. The type of seed I use depends on the lawn and how it is going to be used. A family lawn that sees plenty of football, children and general foot traffic needs a tougher grass mix than a lawn that is mainly there for appearance.

For heavy-traffic areas, I favour hard-wearing grass varieties that can cope with regular use and recover well from wear. For a more ornamental lawn, where appearance is the priority, a finer grass mix can produce a much more refined finish. Choosing the right seed is important because there is no single grass seed that is perfect for every garden.

For lawns that are particularly poor, compacted, uneven or full of weeds and moss, overseeding isn’t always the answer. Sometimes the best option is to start again. A complete lawn renovation allows us to properly prepare the ground, improve the soil where necessary, establish a suitable grass seed mix and create a much better foundation for the years ahead. Starting from scratch can seem like a bigger job initially, but in the right circumstances it can be the most sensible way of achieving a quality lawn.

I’m also a believer in looking after the soil rather than simply trying to force the grass to grow. There are plenty of synthetic lawn feeds available, and they certainly have their place, but I like the idea of using natural products where possible. Seaweed-based feeds and other natural soil conditioners can be useful as part of a wider approach to improving the health of the soil. Seaweed contains a range of naturally occurring compounds and trace elements, and I find it can be a useful addition when we’re trying to establish healthy, resilient growth.

The important thing is not to think of lawn renovation as simply throwing down seed and hoping for the best. The seed is only one part of the process. Good soil, proper preparation, adequate moisture and the right grass variety all make a difference. If the roots are healthy and the soil is in good condition, you are giving the lawn the best possible chance of looking its best the following year.

Irish weather actually gives us a great opportunity to do this work. We don’t tend to have the extreme heat and prolonged dry spells that can make lawn renovation difficult during the summer. September gives us a good balance of warmth and moisture, while the grass still has time to establish itself before the colder winter weather arrives. It is one of those jobs where timing really does matter.

If your lawn is looking tired this summer, I wouldn’t wait until spring to do something about it. By then, you have missed one of the best opportunities to improve it. September is the month I’d be looking at for scarifying, aeration, overseeding or, where necessary, a complete lawn renovation.

Get the preparation right in September, give the soil and grass what they need, and you can go into next spring with a much healthier lawn that is ready for another season of growth.

If you’re considering renovating your lawn this September and would like some advice or would like to arrange a visit, you can contact Robertson’s Gardening Services on 089 605 7631.

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If you’ve stepped outside recently, you’ve probably noticed it: lawns all over Ireland have turned brown, brittle, and lifeless-looking. After one of the driest, hottest summers Ireland has seen in decades, it’s a question we’re being asked constantly right now — is my lawn dead, or will it come back?

The honest answer is: a bit of both. Here’s what’s actually happening under your feet, and what to do about it.

Dormant vs. dead — what’s the difference?

Most of the grass in Irish gardens is cool-season grass, and it’s built with a survival mechanism for exactly this kind of weather. When water becomes scarce, the grass plant stops putting energy into leaf growth and instead pulls back to protect its roots and crown — the base of the plant just below soil level. The leaves turn brown and stop growing, but the plant itself isn’t dead. It’s dormant, essentially playing dead until conditions improve.

The good news is that the majority of a drought-stressed lawn falls into this category. Once proper rain returns, dormant grass typically starts greening up again on its own.

That said, it’s realistic to expect that some of the lawn genuinely won’t come back. Thin, weaker areas, high-traffic patches, ground with poor soil underneath, or grass that was already under stress before the drought hit are more likely to have died outright rather than gone dormant. So don’t be surprised if, once the rain returns, you’re left with a lawn that’s part vigorous green regrowth and part bare, dead patches. That’s completely normal after a summer like this one — and it’s fixable.

Why the ground feels like concrete

One thing almost everyone notices is that the soil itself has gone rock hard. That’s not your imagination. Extended dry spells cause soil to shrink and compact, especially on lawns that were already a bit compacted to begin with (which, if you’ve had the same lawn for a few years, most are). Hard, dried-out soil is bad news for two reasons:

• It makes it much harder for whatever rain does fall to actually soak in — a lot of it will simply run off the surface instead of reaching the roots.
• Even once moisture does get in, compacted soil restricts root growth and starves the grass of air, which slows recovery.

This is exactly why simply waiting for rain isn’t enough on its own for a lot of lawns this year. The soil needs help letting water and air back in.

In ten years of working on lawns across Ireland, this is the part people underestimate most. Everyone focuses on the grass itself, but the soil is really what determines whether a lawn bounces back quickly or struggles on for months. A lawn sitting on soil that’s still hard and lifeless underneath will always lag behind one where the soil has been given a chance to recover properly — same grass, same rainfall, very different results.

One thing I’d genuinely recommend doing now, even before the rain arrives, is applying a seaweed feed to the lawn. Seaweed is one of the best things you can put down for soil health — it helps rebuild soil structure, improves the soil’s ability to hold onto moisture once rain does fall, and gives the microbial life in the soil a boost after months of being baked dry. Getting it down now, ahead of the recovery and reseeding phase, means the soil is in far better shape to actually make use of the rain when it comes, rather than just sitting there rock hard waiting for it.

What happens once it starts raining again

Recovery isn’t instant, so it’s worth setting expectations. Once meaningful, consistent rain returns:

• First week or two: the soil starts rehydrating and dormant grass begins to green up from the crown outward. You’ll usually see the first signs of life within 1–2 weeks of proper rainfall.
• 2–4 weeks in: growth resumes more visibly, and you’ll be able to see clearly which areas are recovering and which are staying bare or thin.
• By 4–6 weeks: you’ll have a much better picture of the true state of the lawn — what’s bounced back, and what’s genuinely dead and needs reseeding.

It’s tempting to rush in and start fixing things the moment you see a bit of rain, but jumping the gun before the lawn has had a real chance to recover means you risk reseeding areas that would have come back on their own, or working ground that’s still too dry underneath to give new seed a fair chance.

The fix: scarifying, aeration, and overseeding in September

Once the lawn has had time to show its true recovery, September is the ideal window to properly renovate it. This isn’t just general advice — in ten years of doing this work on lawns across Ireland, September renovations consistently give the best results we see all year, and it comes down to timing:

• Scarifying / removing thatch clears out the dead thatch, moss, and genuinely dead grass left behind by the drought, and opens the surface up so new seed can actually make contact with soil. This doesn’t need specialist machinery to do properly — a decent spring-tine rake and a bit of elbow grease will do the job on smaller lawns, it’s just more work than running a machine over it.
• Aeration deals directly with that rock-hard, compacted soil. Spiking or coring the lawn opens it back up so it can breathe — letting air and water down to the roots — and just as importantly, it lets any feed or nutrients you put down actually get below the surface instead of sitting on top doing nothing.
• Overseeding fills in the bare and thin patches with fresh grass seed, thickening the lawn back up and crowding out weeds before they get a foothold.

The reason September works so well is timing: the soil is still warm from summer, which is what grass seed needs to germinate reliably, while the weather has cooled and there’s typically more consistent rainfall to keep it watered without you having to do it yourself. Seed sown in September gets several weeks of steady root development before growth naturally slows for winter — so by spring, you’ve got a properly established, resilient lawn rather than a newly seeded one still finding its feet.

Frequently asked questions

How do I tell if my grass is dormant or actually dead? Give it a tug — dormant grass stays anchored because the roots are still alive, while dead grass pulls up loosely with no resistance. You can also check the crown at the base of the plant; if it’s still slightly white or cream inside rather than brittle and grey all the way through, it’s likely dormant. The most reliable test, though, is patience — water a small patch (or wait for rain) and watch for green shoots within a couple of weeks.

Should I water my lawn during the drought? If you can water deeply and consistently, it can help reduce the amount of grass that dies outright. But light, occasional watering does more harm than good — it encourages roots to stay near the surface where it’s driest, making the grass even more vulnerable. If you can’t commit to proper watering, it’s genuinely better to let the lawn go dormant naturally and focus on recovery once the rain returns.

Will my whole lawn need reseeding? Almost certainly not. Most lawns recover the majority of their coverage on their own once rain returns — reseeding is usually only needed for patches that stay bare after a few weeks of proper rainfall.

Is it too late to do anything now? Not at all. Right now is actually a good time to apply a seaweed feed to start improving the soil ahead of the recovery. Just hold off on scarifying, aerating, and reseeding until the ground has had proper rain and the lawn has shown what’s coming back on its own.

Why September and not now or spring? Soil sown now is still too dry and stressed to give seed a fair start. Spring soil is cold and often waterlogged, which slows germination and gives seed less time to establish before summer stress hits again. September gives you warm soil, more reliable rain, and several weeks of root development before winter — which is why it consistently produces the strongest results.

Can I scarify or aerate without hiring someone? Yes, on a smaller lawn a spring-tine rake for scarifying and a garden fork for aeration will get the job done — it’s just more physical work than using machinery. For larger lawns, or if you’d rather not spend a weekend doing it, it’s worth having it done professionally.

What to do now

For the moment, the best thing you can do is leave the lawn alone — don’t reseed yet, and hold off on any heavy work until you’ve had consistent rain and can see what’s actually recovered. A seaweed feed now is well worth doing in the meantime, to get the soil in the best possible shape ahead of the recovery. When rain does return, or if you’d rather have someone assess your lawn properly and plan the September renovation for you, get in touch and we’ll take a look.

Robertsons Gardening and Landscaping Call or WhatsApp: 089 605 7631

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Most hedges in Ireland need cutting once a year, and at Robertsons Gardening and Landscaping we do ours in September — after the growing season has settled down and outside the bird nesting window. The exception is if a hedge is causing a road safety hazard or a hazard to property (blocking a footpath, obstructing a driver’s sightline, or growing into a boundary, wall, or building), in which case we’ll cut it sooner regardless of time of year.

Fast-growing hedges like leylandii or privet may still need an additional cut earlier in the season to keep them under control, but September is our go-to for the main annual cut.

Got a hedge that needs sorting? Call or WhatsApp Robertsons Gardening and Landscaping on 0896057631.

Getting the timing right matters as much as the frequency. Cut at the wrong time and you can damage next season’s growth, encourage disease, or disturb nesting birds. It’s important to always check a hedge carefully for nesting birds before cutting — nesting season in Ireland generally runs from 1 March to 31 August, and disturbing an active nest is an offence. Even in September, we still check hedges over before cutting, since some birds nest later than expected.

Hedge Cutting Frequency by Type

Formal hedges (box, privet, beech) Benefit from a tidy-up mid-season as well as the main September cut, to keep clean, sharp lines. Skipping a cut lets them get leggy and harder to bring back into shape.

Informal or native hedges (hawthorn, blackthorn) Usually only need the one cut a year, done in September. These hedges are often best left alone for longer stretches to support wildlife and berries for birds over winter.

Fast-growing conifer hedges (leylandii, laurel) Can need an extra cut earlier in the growing season (roughly April to August) on top of the September cut, to stop them getting away from you. Left too long, these become a much bigger — and more expensive — job to bring back under control.

When Is the Best Time to Cut Hedges in Ireland?

Our general approach is September — late enough that nesting season is over, and it sets the hedge up neatly for autumn and winter. The main exception is any hedge that’s become a safety issue: overhanging a footpath or road, blocking visibility for drivers, or growing into a neighbouring property. In those cases we won’t wait until September — safety comes first.

Whatever time of year a hedge is cut, always check thoroughly for nesting birds first. It’s a legal requirement in Ireland and a step we never skip.

Signs Your Hedge Is Overdue a Cut

• It’s blocking light from windows or a path
• New growth is soft, straggly, or growing outward rather than staying dense
• You can see gaps or bare patches forming at the base
• It’s grown noticeably taller or wider than last year
• It’s encroaching on a footpath, road, or a neighbour’s property

Why Regular Hedge Cutting Matters

A hedge left too long doesn’t just look untidy — it gets harder and more expensive to restore. Overgrown hedges can:

• Block boundary lines and create disputes with neighbours
• Reduce light to gardens and ground-floor rooms
• Develop bare, woody patches that don’t regrow easily once cut back hard
• Become a bigger job, needing specialist equipment and more time
• Become a safety hazard on footpaths and roads

Staying on top of hedge cutting, at the right time, keeps the job manageable and the hedge healthy.

From My Own Experience

Over the years working on gardens across Dublin and Louth, one of the jobs I see most often — and the one that takes the most out of us — is bringing an overgrown hedge back under control.

It’s not something people always expect. A hedge that’s been left for a year or two doesn’t just look untidy; it becomes genuinely hard work to fix. What would normally be a quick, straightforward trim turns into hours of cutting back thick, woody growth, clearing away far more waste than usual, and sometimes having to cut a hedge back harder than we’d like just to get it back into shape. In some cases, a hedge that’s gone too long won’t fully recover, and bare patches are left behind that take a long time to fill back in.

From my own experience, the difference between a hedge that’s kept up regularly and one that’s been neglected is huge — both in how long the job takes us and in the result for the customer. A hedge that gets a proper cut once a year stays dense, healthy, and easy to manage. A hedge that’s left to grow unchecked ends up costing more time, more effort, and often more money to bring back.

That’s why I always encourage customers to stay on top of hedge maintenance rather than letting it build up. It’s a much easier job for us, and a much better outcome for you — and it also helps manage expectations, since a well-maintained hedge is a straightforward, predictable job, while an overgrown one can take longer and cost more than customers sometimes expect.

I’ll always be upfront about what a job involves before starting, so there are no surprises — and once the cutting’s done, we take away all the waste, so you’re not left with a pile of clippings to deal with.

Doing hedges is honestly one of my favourite parts of the job. There’s real satisfaction in it — a good hedge cut can completely transform how a garden looks and feels, often more than any other single job. With years of experience doing this across Dublin and Louth, I’ve learned how to get the shape and timing right for all kinds of hedges. Beyond cutting, I also plant new hedges for customers who are looking to add privacy, structure, or a boundary to their garden.

Don’t Forget to Feed Your Hedges

One thing I find gets overlooked constantly is hedge fertilization. People are usually good about cutting their hedge, but feeding it rarely crosses their mind — even though a hedge is drawing nutrients out of the same patch of soil year after year, just like any other plant in the garden.

In my opinion, hedges should be fertilized a couple of times a year to keep them healthy and growing well, and I like to place manure at the base of the hedge to feed it slowly over time. It’s a simple step that makes a real difference to how dense and healthy a hedge stays.

Why I Stick to September (With One Exception)

I know plenty of people cut their hedges earlier in the summer, but in my opinion September is the better call for most hedges. By then the main growing season has settled down, so the hedge holds its shape for longer, and it’s well clear of the nesting season too — I’d rather not be second-guessing whether a nest is still active.

The only time I’ll move away from that is when a hedge has become a genuine hazard — blocking a footpath, obscuring a driver’s view, or pushing into a boundary or a building. In those situations, waiting for September isn’t an option, and safety has to come first. Outside of that, though, September is where I get the best result for the customer.

My Take on Planting New Hedges

Planting is something I enjoy just as much as cutting. Where a hedge cut can transform a garden that already has one, planting a new hedge gives a garden something it didn’t have before — privacy, structure, a proper boundary. It’s satisfying to see it started well, because a hedge planted properly from the start is a lot easier to maintain for years afterward than one that’s gone in badly. It’s something I’d encourage any customer thinking about a new boundary or screening to consider, rather than defaulting straight to fencing.

Need Your Hedges Cut in Dublin or Louth?

Robertsons Gardening and Landscaping provides reliable hedge cutting, hedge planting, and garden maintenance across Dublin and Louth, timed to keep your hedges healthy and within the law — and we take away all the waste when we’re done. Get in touch on 0896057631 or via WhatsApp for a quote, or visit

The post How Often Should Hedges Be Cut in Ireland? appeared first on Robertsons.

There was a time when I had more strawberries growing in my garden than I honestly knew what to do with.

I had over 300 strawberry plants, and when they really got going, I could be picking several kilos of strawberries in a day.

And believe me, when you have that many strawberries coming at you, you quickly run out of people to give them to!

I gave plenty away to customers, friends and neighbours, but there were simply too many. So I started making jam, putting them on pancakes, eating them fresh from the garden and finding as many excuses as possible to use them.

That experience taught me something important about strawberry beds: if you get the growing conditions right, strawberries can be incredibly productive plants.

And one of the things I always believed made a huge difference in my own strawberry beds was something I had readily available because I live near the coast — seaweed.

My secret ingredient for strong strawberry plants

I used to grow my strawberries in a mixture of good compost and seaweed.

Living on the coast meant I could collect seaweed easily, and I found it incredibly useful when preparing the growing area.

For me, seaweed became the secret ingredient in producing strong, healthy strawberry plants and some fantastic berries.

I’m not saying that simply throwing seaweed onto the ground will magically produce enormous strawberries. Gardening doesn’t work quite that simply. But in my experience, combining good organic matter with seaweed helped me create the kind of rich, healthy growing environment that strawberries really seemed to enjoy.

And when you have hundreds of strawberry plants producing fruit, you notice what works.

The important thing is to think of seaweed as part of your soil-building approach rather than a replacement for good compost, drainage, watering and general plant care. Strawberries do best in fertile, well-drained soil, and organic matter is an important part of preparing a productive growing area.

If you are collecting seaweed yourself, remember that it is best to use it responsibly and sustainably, and avoid taking large quantities from sensitive coastal habitats.

How to plant strawberry beds

Whether you are planting ten strawberry plants or hoping to eventually have hundreds, the basic principles are the same.

The first thing I would look at is where you are going to put the strawberry bed.

Choose a sunny position

Strawberries love sunshine.

Choose the sunniest practical part of your garden, ideally somewhere that gets plenty of direct sunlight during the growing season.

Good sunlight helps the plants grow strongly and, importantly, helps the fruit ripen properly.

A strawberry bed also needs good drainage. Strawberries don’t appreciate sitting in waterlogged soil, so if your garden has heavy or poorly drained ground, a raised strawberry bed can be an excellent solution.

Raised beds can also make planting, weeding, feeding and harvesting much easier on the back.

Prepare the soil properly

This is where I would put most of your effort.

You can have the best strawberry plants in the world, but if you put them into poor, compacted or waterlogged ground, you are making life difficult for yourself from day one.

I would prepare the bed with plenty of good-quality organic matter and compost.

This is where my seaweed method comes in.

I used a mixture of compost and seaweed to create a rich growing medium for my strawberry plants. The goal is to build a soil that holds enough moisture while still draining well and giving the roots room to grow.

Teagasc recommends incorporating bulky organic compost when preparing ground for strawberries, while also stressing the importance of keeping strawberry crowns at or slightly above soil level.

Don’t plant strawberries too deeply

This is one of the mistakes I see people make.

When you plant a strawberry, you need to pay attention to the crown — the central part of the plant from which the leaves grow.

The crown should sit at approximately soil level, rather than being buried deeply.

If you bury the crown, you can create problems for the plant. At the same time, you don’t want the roots exposed.

Take your time when planting each strawberry and get that level right.

Give strawberry plants enough space

Don’t be tempted to cram hundreds of plants into a small space just because you want lots of strawberries.

Strawberries need room for their leaves, flowers and fruit, and overcrowding can make maintenance more difficult.

As a general guide, the RHS recommends around 35–40cm between strawberry plants, with rows approximately 75cm apart.

The exact spacing can vary depending on the variety and how you’re growing them, but the principle is simple:

Give your strawberry plants room to breathe.

Watering strawberry beds

Once your strawberries are planted, don’t forget about watering.

New plants need consistent moisture while their roots establish, and established plants need enough water during flowering and fruit development.

The trick is not to keep the soil permanently saturated.

Strawberries like moisture, but they don’t like sitting in wet conditions.

Water the soil around the plants rather than continually soaking the leaves and fruit.

And keep an especially close eye on them when the weather is dry and the plants are flowering or producing fruit.

Keep strawberries off wet soil

One of the problems with strawberries is that the fruit itself sits very close to the ground.

If ripe strawberries are resting on wet soil, they can become damaged and are more vulnerable to rotting.

There are several ways of dealing with this.

You can grow strawberries in raised beds, use suitable mulch or grow them in containers and strawberry planters.

The important thing is to avoid having ripe fruit sitting against constantly wet surfaces.

This is particularly important in an Irish garden, where wet weather can arrive just when your strawberries are at their best.

Teagasc specifically recommends avoiding situations where fruit is lying on wet surfaces because this can contribute to diseased fruit.

What about strawberry runners?

Now we come to one of my favourite things about growing strawberries.

The plants give you more plants for free.

Strawberries produce runners — long stems that grow out from the mother plant and develop new little strawberry plants.

When I had my big strawberry patch, I used these runners to produce new plants.

I would encourage healthy runners to root, allow the young plants to establish themselves and then separate them from the original plant.

I ended up with so many new strawberry plants that I used to give them away to my customers for free.

It’s one of the great things about growing strawberries: once you have a healthy stock of plants, you can gradually build your own strawberry bed without constantly buying new plants.

The RHS also recommends propagating strawberries from runners, allowing the young plant to root before severing it from the parent.

A word of warning about runners

There is a balance to be found.

If your main priority is producing as much fruit as possible, you don’t want your plants putting all their energy into producing runners.

For fruit production, remove unwanted runners.

If your goal is to create new strawberry plants, select strong runners and allow them to root.

That way you can decide whether your strawberry bed is going to produce fruit, new plants, or a bit of both.

Feeding strawberry plants

A productive strawberry bed needs feeding as well as watering.

This is another reason I liked using compost and seaweed when preparing my own strawberry beds.

Think about the soil first rather than trying to fix everything once the plants are struggling.

Good organic matter, healthy soil structure, appropriate watering and sensible feeding all work together.

And don’t forget that strawberries are hungry plants when they are producing a large crop.

If you have hundreds of plants like I did, the amount of growth and fruit they produce is remarkable.

You can literally watch the plants changing as the season progresses.

Protecting strawberries from birds and pests

There is one thing I learned very quickly:

You are not the only one who likes strawberries. Birds will happily find your strawberry bed, particularly when the fruit begins to ripen. If you have put all that effort into growing a crop, it makes sense to protect it.

A suitable fruit cage, netting or other appropriate protection can make a huge difference.

You should also keep an eye out for slugs, snails and other pests, particularly where fruit is touching damp ground.

Raised beds can help with drainage and accessibility, but they don’t remove every pest problem.

The best approach is to keep an eye on your plants regularly so that small problems don’t turn into big ones.

When should you plant strawberries in Ireland?

There are several opportunities to plant strawberries depending on the type of plants you’re using.

The RHS advises that strawberries can be planted in spring, late summer or early autumn, with August and September giving plants time to establish before fruiting the following year.

Bare-root runners and established plants can have different planting windows, so don’t assume there is only one day or one month when strawberries can go into the ground.

The important thing is to give your plants time to establish a good root system and to make sure the ground is properly prepared.

For Irish gardens, I always think about the conditions on the ground rather than blindly following a date on a calendar.

How long will a strawberry bed last?

A strawberry bed doesn’t have to be replaced every year.

However, strawberry plants don’t remain at peak productivity forever.

The RHS recommends replanting a strawberry bed after around three or four years to help avoid problems associated with disease build-up and declining performance.

This is another reason I like the idea of learning how to propagate runners.

Instead of suddenly discovering that your old strawberry bed has stopped performing, you can be producing replacement plants along the way.

That is exactly what I did.

My biggest strawberry-growing lesson

Looking back at the time when I had more than 300 strawberry plants, the biggest lesson for me was that preparation pays off.

I didn’t just stick strawberries into ordinary garden soil and hope for the best.

I concentrated on the growing medium.

I used compost and seaweed.

I propagated healthy plants from runners.

I gave the plants room.

I kept them watered.

I protected the fruit.

And I kept harvesting.

The result was a strawberry patch that produced so much fruit that I genuinely had trouble finding enough people to eat it!

There is something incredibly satisfying about walking into your garden and coming out with several kilos of strawberries that you have grown yourself.

And once you’ve tasted a properly ripe strawberry straight from your own garden, supermarket strawberries are never quite the same.

Want help planning your strawberry beds?

If you’re thinking about growing strawberries but aren’t sure where to start, you don’t have to figure everything out yourself.

Through Robertsons.ie, I can provide advice on planting techniques, preparing growing areas, raised beds, soil and compost, plant spacing, runners and general garden planning.

Every garden is different. Your soil, available space, aspect, drainage and the amount of time you have available will all affect the best way to approach your planting.

I offer gardening consultations where I can discuss your garden and give you practical advice on the best planting techniques for your particular situation.

If you would like advice about strawberry beds or other planting projects, get in touch on 089 605 7631.

You can also visit Robertsons.ie

And if you’re planning your first strawberry bed, my advice is simple:

Start with the soil, give your plants plenty of room, keep them healthy — and don’t be surprised when you end up with far more strawberries than you know what to do with!

The post Strawberry Beds: How I Grew 300+ Plants in Ireland appeared first on Robertsons.

If you’re wondering what to plant in August in Ireland, you’re not alone — this is one of the most common questions gardeners ask this time of year, and it catches a lot of people off guard. The bunting’s still up from the summer holidays, the tomatoes are only starting to properly ripen, and it feels far too early to be thinking about autumn. But if you want food coming out of the garden right through winter and into next spring, August is actually one of the most important sowing months of the year — even if it doesn’t feel like it.

Here’s what’s worth getting into the ground this month.

Spring cabbage

This is the big one for August. Spring cabbage sown now will sit through the winter and give you a fresh, tender crop in April and May, right when there’s not much else coming out of the veg patch. Varieties like ‘Durham Early’ or ‘Wintergreen’ do well here. Sow direct or in modules, and get the young plants out into their final spot by September.

Winter spinach and salad leaves

Spinach sown in August will keep cropping right through the darker months if you give it a sheltered spot or a bit of fleece protection. Rocket, mustard greens, mizuna and land cress are all quick to establish and will fill gaps in the beds where you’ve already lifted spuds or pulled the last of the broad beans. If you’ve got a polytunnel or a cold frame, even better — you’ll be picking leaves well into December.

Spring onions and onion sets for overwintering

Sow onion seed now, or plant an overwintering variety like Senshyu, and you’ll have a head start on next year’s crop. They’ll sit quietly over winter and bulk up fast once the days start lengthening again, giving you onions to harvest in June rather than August.

Kale, chard and oriental greens

Kale sown in August will see you through winter — it actually improves after a frost or two, which is more than can be said for most of us. Swiss chard is nearly as tough and keeps producing right up until the hard frosts arrive. Pak choi, mibuna and other oriental greens are quick growers too, so there’s still time for a last sowing before the light really starts to drop off.

Turnips and radishes

Both are fast enough to squeeze in one more sowing this month. Turnips sown now will give you small, tender roots by autumn rather than the woody ones you get from a spring sowing left too long. Radishes are even quicker — some varieties are ready in three to four weeks, so they’re a handy one to tuck into any bare patch of soil.

Other jobs for the garden this month

Knowing what to plant in August in Ireland is only half the picture — a few other jobs matter just as much:

• Keep netting brassicas, as cabbage white butterflies are still very active
• Feed tomatoes, courgettes and cucumbers with a high-potash liquid feed to help fruit swell and ripen
• Stay on top of watering during any dry spells, since crops are close to harvest and stress now shows up in the yield
• Sow a green manure like mustard or phacelia into any bed that’s gone empty, to protect and feed the soil until it’s needed again

And if the slugs have been giving you grief all summer (they usually have, this being Ireland), August is no time to ease off. Keep checking under leaves, especially on anything you’ve just transplanted.

Not sure what to plant in August in Ireland for your own garden?

If all of this sounds like a lot, you’re not alone — most people who come into us this time of year are juggling the same question: what’s actually worth planting now versus what’s a waste of a bag of seed this late in the season. That’s exactly the kind of thing we’re happy to talk through, whether you’re working with a full allotment or a couple of raised beds in a small back garden.

Pop Robertsons a call or message and we’ll help you. Give us a call on 0896057631 or Whatsapp us!

You can also have a look at everything else we do over on our homepage

Happy planting.

The post What to Plant in August in Ireland appeared first on Robertsons.

While it’s natural to worry when your once-lush lawn starts to lose its colour, the good news is that there are steps you can take now to minimise damage and help your garden recover more quickly when the rain eventually returns.

Water Smarter, Not Harder

If local water restrictions allow watering, the best approach is to water deeply but less frequently. Early morning or late evening watering reduces evaporation and allows moisture to penetrate deeper into the soil, encouraging stronger root growth.

Avoid giving your lawn a light sprinkle every day. Shallow watering encourages weak roots that struggle during prolonged dry spells.

Raise Your Mowing Height

One of the biggest mistakes people make during a drought is cutting their grass too short. Keeping your mower blades higher helps shade the soil, reduces moisture loss, and protects the grass roots from excessive heat.

If your lawn has already turned brown, don’t panic. In many cases, the grass is simply dormant and will recover once conditions improve.

Feed Your Lawn the Right Way

A healthy lawn is much better equipped to cope with drought stress. Professional lawn treatments strengthen root systems, improve nutrient uptake, and help grass recover more quickly after periods of extreme weather.

At this time of year, choosing the correct treatment is essential. Applying unsuitable fertilisers during drought conditions can do more harm than good, which is why professional advice makes all the difference.

Improve Soil Moisture Retention

One of the most effective long-term solutions is improving your soil’s ability to hold moisture. Compacted or poor-quality soils dry out rapidly, leaving grass and plants under constant stress.

Our specialist soil moisture retention treatments are designed to help the soil retain water for longer, reducing drought stress and improving the overall health of your lawn. Combined with our professional lawn treatment programmes, they provide lasting benefits well beyond the current dry spell.

Don’t Forget Your Garden

Lawns aren’t the only part of your outdoor space suffering. Trees, shrubs, flower beds, and newly planted hedges all need extra attention during prolonged dry weather.

Applying mulch around plants helps lock moisture into the soil while reducing evaporation and suppressing weeds that compete for valuable water.

Let the Experts Help

If your lawn is looking tired, patchy, or stressed after the recent dry weather, now is the perfect time to put a recovery plan in place.

We provide professional lawn treatments, soil moisture retention solutions, and expert lawn care advice tailored to Irish conditions. Whether you’re looking to protect your lawn during the drought or restore it afterwards, we’re here to help.

Call us today on 089 605 7631 for friendly advice or to arrange a lawn assessment. Together, we’ll keep your lawn healthier, greener, and better prepared for whatever the Irish weather brings next.

Why Choose Us?

• Professional lawn treatment programmes
• Soil moisture retention treatments
• Lawn recovery after drought
• Expert advice tailored to Irish lawns
• Friendly, reliable local service

If you’re searching for lawn treatments in Ireland, lawn care services, drought lawn recovery, or soil moisture retention treatments, we’d be delighted to help you achieve a healthier, greener lawn all year round.

The post Protect Your Lawn & Garden During Ireland’s Current Drought appeared first on Robertsons.

Every summer, Irish gardeners look forward to seeing their lawns flourish, flowers bloom, and vegetable patches produce a healthy harvest. However, prolonged periods of dry weather can put enormous pressure on Ireland’s water supply, leading to hosepipe bans across many parts of the country. While these restrictions may seem frustrating at first, they are essential for protecting drinking water supplies and ensuring there is enough water for everyone.

The good news is that a hosepipe ban doesn’t mean your garden has to suffer. With a few smart gardening techniques and water-saving habits, you can keep your plants healthy while doing your part to conserve one of our most precious natural resources.

What Is a Hosepipe Ban?

A hosepipe ban is a temporary restriction on the use of hoses and sprinklers for activities such as:

• Watering gardens and lawns
• Washing cars
• Cleaning patios and driveways
• Filling paddling pools or ornamental ponds

These restrictions are usually introduced when reservoirs, rivers, and groundwater levels fall significantly due to prolonged dry weather. Irish Water (Uisce Éireann) may introduce bans in specific regions where demand is exceeding supply.

The purpose isn’t to stop people enjoying their gardens—it is to ensure there is enough safe drinking water for homes, hospitals, schools, farms, and emergency services.

Why Water Conservation Matters

Ireland is often thought of as a rainy country, but that doesn’t mean we have unlimited drinking water.

The water coming from your tap must be collected, treated, stored, and distributed before it reaches your home. During hot weather, demand can increase by as much as 30–50%, especially when thousands of households begin watering lawns with hoses and automatic sprinklers.

A single garden hose can use over 1,000 litres of water in an hour, while a sprinkler can consume even more. In comparison, watering carefully with a watering can uses only a fraction of that amount.

Every litre saved helps protect water supplies for the entire community.

Will My Garden Die During a Hosepipe Ban?

Not at all.

Many established plants, shrubs, trees, and lawns are far tougher than most people realise.

Grass may turn brown during dry weather, but this is a natural survival mechanism. Once rainfall returns, healthy lawns usually recover within a few weeks without permanent damage.

The plants that need the most attention are:

• Newly planted trees
• Young hedges
• Freshly planted flowers
• Vegetable gardens
• Hanging baskets
• Pots and containers

These have smaller root systems and dry out much faster than established plants growing in the ground.

Water Your Garden at the Right Time

One of the biggest mistakes gardeners make is watering during the hottest part of the day.

When the sun is strongest, much of the water evaporates before it reaches the roots.

Instead, water:

• Early in the morning
• Late in the evening after the sun has gone down

This allows moisture to soak deeply into the soil where plants need it most.

Water the Roots—Not the Leaves

Plants absorb water through their roots, not their leaves.

Rather than spraying water over the entire plant, direct it towards the base of each plant.

Deep watering encourages roots to grow further into the soil, making plants much more drought-resistant.

Frequent shallow watering actually weakens plants by encouraging roots to stay close to the surface.

Mulch Is Your Garden’s Best Friend

Adding mulch around plants is one of the easiest and most effective ways to conserve water.

Mulch helps to:

• Reduce evaporation
• Keep soil cool
• Suppress weeds
• Improve soil health
• Reduce the need for watering

Suitable mulching materials include:

• Bark chips
• Compost
• Wood chippings
• Straw
• Leaf mould

A layer of 5–8cm around shrubs and flower beds can dramatically reduce water loss during hot weather.

Collect Rainwater Whenever Possible

Even during dry summers, Ireland often receives occasional showers.

Installing a water butt on your downpipe allows you to collect rainwater for later use.

Rainwater is actually better for many plants because it contains no chlorine and is naturally softer than treated tap water.

Even a single rainfall can fill a water butt and provide enough water for days.

Don’t Water the Lawn

One of the easiest ways to save water is simply to stop watering your lawn.

A healthy lawn can survive weeks of dry weather by going dormant.

Brown grass does not mean dead grass.

Once normal rainfall returns, most lawns recover naturally without any lasting damage.

Instead of watering, raise your mower blades slightly during dry weather. Longer grass shades the soil and reduces moisture loss.

Choose Drought-Tolerant Plants

If you’re planning a new garden or updating your borders, consider plants that naturally cope well with dry conditions.

Popular drought-resistant choices include:

• Lavender
• Hebe
• Rosemary
• Sedum
• Geraniums
• Salvia
• Echinacea

These plants require less watering while still providing fantastic colour throughout the growing season.

Reduce Weeds

Weeds compete with your plants for water.

Keeping flower beds weed-free means more moisture stays available for the plants you actually want to grow.

Regular hoeing and hand weeding can significantly reduce unnecessary water consumption.

Use Grey Water Carefully

Water from rinsing vegetables or waiting for the shower to warm up can sometimes be reused in the garden.

Avoid using water containing bleach, strong detergents, or harsh cleaning chemicals.

Simple household water can help keep ornamental plants alive during periods of drought.

Help Newly Planted Trees

Young trees are particularly vulnerable during hot weather.

Instead of watering little and often, give them a deep soak every few days using a watering can.

Water slowly so it reaches deep into the soil rather than running off the surface.

Tree watering bags can also be an excellent investment, releasing water gradually over several hours.

Check Your Soil

Healthy soil retains moisture far better than poor-quality ground.

Adding organic matter every year improves:

• Water retention
• Drainage
• Root growth
• Soil structure

Compost and well-rotted manure are excellent choices for improving garden soil naturally.

Professional Garden Maintenance During Water Restrictions

Professional gardeners and tree surgeons understand how to care for landscapes during periods of water shortage.

Services such as:

• Mulching
• Pruning
• Tree care
• Hedge maintenance
• Lawn renovation
• Soil improvement

can all help gardens remain healthy while reducing water demand.

Removing dead branches, thinning overcrowded plants, and improving airflow can also reduce plant stress during prolonged dry spells.

Every Drop Counts

A hosepipe ban is a reminder that clean drinking water is a valuable resource we should never take for granted.

By making small changes—watering wisely, collecting rainwater, using mulch, and choosing drought-tolerant plants—you can keep your garden looking its best while helping to protect Ireland’s water supply.

Most importantly, remember that a healthy garden is built over years, not days. A temporarily brown lawn or slower plant growth is a small price to pay for ensuring communities continue to have reliable access to clean drinking water.

With a little patience and a few water-saving techniques, your garden will bounce back when the rain inevitably returns. In the meantime, every litre you save helps safeguard Ireland’s water resources for your family, your neighbours, and future generations.

The post Hosepipe Ban in Ireland: How to Protect Your Garden During Water Restrictions appeared first on Robertsons.