When it comes to paving, it’s not just about what kind of paver you choose but also what you decide to stabilize your path or patio with. If you don’t secure them properly, you’ll risk them cracking or shifting as the weather changes. There are a range of different ways to lay a paver, but there’s only one way to do it correctly.

Underlay

A perfect solution for a paving project at home. Bluestone dust is our recommended product when it comes to paving. It allows you to create a smooth and stable underlay for your project and can stand the test of time and weather. This helps avoid cracking and movement as the dust compacts together well.

Packing

This could be the most important part of your home project. If you don’t pack your sand properly, you’ll see your paving project start crashing down. You need to hammer down your sand to make sure it fills every crevice that might be underneath it. If you have a large area, hiring a packing machine from your local garden supplier will enable you to finish it off faster.

Laying

Take advantage of string lines and your perfectly packed sand. This will enable you to get into a routine when laying your pavers. Lay the corner and cut off pavers last, making sure you have the biggest area covered first. Once they are in place you can measure and cut to size the remaining tiles to fill the gaps.

More Sand

This time, the sand is important to fill the gaps between your laid pavers. This will stop those pesky weeds starting to show up while strengthening your paved area even more. There are a multitude of sands you can use, but we recommend you use a paver bond sand solution. Pairing this with water will solidify your pavers through the harshest summers and the wettest winters.

Here are just a few tips when it comes to laying your pavers. If you’re still looking for some more advice, don’t hesitate to drop into Kennedy’s Cranbourne, or give us a call so we can help your DIY project become a rousing success.

The landscaping industry is booming and very competitive. You need the right team on your side so that your landscaping business stands out. Your business will require a supplier. A good, reliable and knowledgeable supplier will be the difference between getting the right materials today or waiting weeks for it to arrive and then realising it’s the wrong product.

How do you choose the right supplier? Who do you go to for materials, products and advice? We’ve put together a few points to help you select the right supplier for your landscaping business.

Someone with experience

As a landscaping business in Melbourne, you want to make sure your supplier is going to be available to fill your orders promptly. Always choose someone who has a large client base and has been in business for some time. Kennedy’s Cranbourne, for example, has over 5 acres of landscaping products available to the local community and tradies, they have over 35 years experience and are the perfect example of a long-standing landscaping and garden supply business.

Someone with knowledge

Your supplier needs to be knowledgeable. You will rely on them for advice – a lot! Make sure you choose someone who has a good reputation in the community, someone with experience and someone who has been in business for a while.

Products for Every Project

The last thing you want to be doing is driving all over Melbourne and surrounding suburbs picking up different products. Select a supplier who has an extensive range of products and materials.

Look for a supplier, such as Kennedy’s Garden Supplies whose range covers sand, soil and driveway toppings right through to garden and building products.

Do you deliver?

Choose a supplier who is happy for you to come in and pick up your materials and one who also delivers. Select someone who also offers same-day delivery so that you are not wasting time waiting for materials to be delivered. Free delivery will also be a massive benefit to your bottom line!

The team at Kennedy’s Gardens Supplies are more than happy to help trades with advice and orders. We pride ourselves on having knowledgeable, friendly staff and stock a wide variety of products and materials, making us the perfect supplier for your landscaping business. Drop-in or call us to see how we can help you.

Water is one of the most important parts of a garden, but sometimes you might get caught up at work, or be heading away. If you fit this profile, a drip irrigation system might be for you. So here’s how you can install and utilize it.

Plan and Ask

Firstly, you need to plan out exactly where you want your system to flow. For example, some plants may require more water than others, so different valves, drippers and bubblers could be used on the same hose to facilitate the water usage. Once you’ve got your plan in place, head into your local garden supply center like Kennedy’s to gain some expert advice on the system you plan to install.

Nozzles

We touched on it above, but you need to research and have the right nozzles in place so your garden can flourish. If you place a high flow nozzle above a plant that doesn’t need much water, you’ll flood it. Speaking to your garden supply store here is key to having successful nozzle system in place.

Shut On and Off

Don’t forget to you need to install a shut off device. If you don’t, you may forget to turn the tap off and leave the water on for hours on end. These can be handy items to make your system fully automated. You can set timers to make sure the water is going later in the day when the sun isn’t as harsh on the soil.

Join Together

It will be more efficient for you if you’re able to join up your system. Have the system running off one timer and one tap. This means you’ll know exactly when and where your irrigation is on. This cuts down on maintenance and will enable you to keep an eye on any issues that could arise, without having to chase the problem through many pipes and systems in the garden.  

We talk a lot about how to care for your garden outside, but what about the plants you have to help decorate your home on the inside? There are a few factors that you should talk to your garden supplier about, so let’s take a look.

Get the balance right.  

Even if your plants are in a cool dry spot, they need water. Your plants roots will start to become damaged if they are sitting in dry soil. It’s tough to determine how much and it depends on where the plant is, but you need to watch over watering too. If your plant is sitting in water, it can actually kill your plant. It’s best to check the soil every second day by pushing your finger in down to the second knuckle. If the soil is still moist, your plant is watered enough.

Sunlight

Placing your plant in adequate sunlight will enable your plant to grow to its full potential, but placing it directly in the sun will hurt it. Find a well lit room and give your plant 12-14  hours of sunlight a day. If you are seeing your plant starting to struggle, move it to another room and see how it responds, but try and give it a chance to adapt to the area it’s in first.

10-10-10

House plants love fertilizer. Except it must be balanced. The first 10 stands for nitrogen, the next for phosphorus and the last for potassium. Pairing this fertilizer with potting soil will give your plant the best chance at absorbing the micro-nutrients they need to grow into strong established ones.

Pests

It’s important to keep your plants free from pests that could eat away at their roots or leaves. That half a cup of coffee or tea left by the plant, don’t tip it in! The sugars will attract flies to breed in the soil and eat away at your plants. If your plant has low acidic tolerance, this will actually kill your plant. Watch out for any other little critters that might be piggybacking on the leafs and get rid of them as soon as possible.

Now that summer is in full swing, you want to be able to enjoy the sunshine as much as possible. Your backyard might be fantastic, but you might be looking for a bigger space to enjoy. Here’s what you need to know when you decide to build a desk.

Planning

It’s probably the toughest part of the job. Do you want a natural looking deck, or are you fine with a synthetic deck? Is it going to be connected to the house or will it be on it’s own in the backyard? Think about your budget and also do your research. What wood can sustain your usage, as well as where you think the deck will suit and compliment your backyard.

Size

It’s important to scope out how big your deck should be. Depending on how big your backyard is might determine the size. Following the lines and proportions of your home will help you design your deck to make sure it fits in with the flow of your existing home and backyard.

Materials

When planning out your deck, you need to make sure you’re using the right materials. Talking to your local garden supplier about the type of weather your deck will see, the amount of people using it and how often it will be affected by weather. If your deck will be in the weather, it must be able to withstand the elements. If it’s undercover, you might be able to broaden your options.

Cleaning

Remember, you have to clean it. Nobody likes doing it, but it will prevent your deck from degrading quicker. A lick of varnish and a good clean at least each year, if not twice a year will help your deck stay vibrant throughout it’s lifetime. Prevention is better than a cure, so keeping your deck maintained will save you money later down the track.

With so many ways to compost in the gardening world, how do you know which one will suit you the best? Let’s take a look at a few composts and how to best use them in your garden, as well as what items you should steer clear of when putting together your compost pile.

Hot Compost

This is for the more serious gardener. If you want to create a longer term compost with a bit more effort, you need to start with a hot compost. This involves nitrogen, carbon, air and water which cooks the compost faster and breaks it down to microorganisms to feed your plants with nutrients.

Cold Compost

This compost consists of your everyday items you can find in the kitchen and garden. Egg shells, food scraps, grass clippings, newspaper and straw will break down together to give you a great little added extra boost to your gardens nutrients. Continue to water the compost to help it break down quicker.

Stir

It’s important that your compost gets as much oxygen as possible. Give it a turn every week or so, depending on the temperature. If it’s warmer, it will help it cook quicker, so turning it twice a week will help to enhance it’s microorganism count. This will also help it from developing a bad odour, if you smell this, it means the pile has been settled for too long.

What NOT to Compost

You might feel as if you can throw any sort of scrap on the compost pile, but some items will actually deter the critters you want in the garden. Items containing any oils, animal faeces, sawdust or meat. These will attract insects to your garden that will only damage them, so steer clear of these when composting at home.

When building up your garden, you want to be able to separate some areas from others. A retaining wall is the perfect solution for this. There are some important things you need to remember when building a wall that will outlast even the worst weather conditions.

Trench

It’s important that your wall has a solid base to build on. If the ground underneath is soft and unstable, the wall won’t be able to do its job. A trench will stop your wall from cracking or moving when it comes up against rain or wind. This should be the first step you take in the creation of your masterpiece.

Sleepers

A timber sleeper is a perfect material for a retaining wall in your garden. Inexpensive and relatively easy to put together. You’ll find these in our yard and they are readily available to use. Place vertical supports along where you want your wall to run and the sleepers can easily fit in snug and tight. You can then choose to paint or stain your wall for added effect.

Backfill

It’s important that you backfill behind the wall so the soil underneath stays compact and tight. Your wall will probably be load bearing, so you want to keep the soil behind as solid as possible. Make sure you fill with aggregate that is able to drain water as well, as it will pass through to your piping behind the wall to easily get rid of that excess water.

Drainage

Yes, you will still need to think about where that water will go. If you change the way it flows with your wall, it means it’s imperative you look at where you need to add some pipes to help it disappear. If you leave the water to run wherever, you risk it getting in behind the wall and softening the soil. This can lead to damage that has to be replaced.

Summer is here and it’s the time that your plants are most susceptible to the radiant heat that Australia brings. There are a few ways however you can keep your garden flourishing through the warmer months.

Watering

An inch a week is the norm when it starts to warm up. You need to make sure that the soil under the ground remains moist as that’s the key area. If that starts to dry up, your plants will start to wilt quickly. Don’t be afraid to water a little more than you would during the cooler months as you’ll see more evaporation during the hot summer.

Weeding

You need to keep on top of the weeds in your garden throughout the warm months. Your plants are fighting for all the nutrients they can get already and battling against weeds will only hinder them. Take the time to weed most weeks as this will give your plants the best chance at surviving. Topping the garden up with mulch as well will stop the weeds from making a comeback.

Inside Plants

You can’t forget about your inside plants as well! If they’re in direct sunlight next to a window, they may suffer from leaf burns. Make sure they’re adequately watered and kept in the cool. The sunlight can be more damaging through windows than outside. If you’re heading away also, maybe put them in the bath with a small amount of water, this will keep them nourished until you return.

When to Pick

If you have a veggie garden, it’s important to pick the produce early in the morning. Don’t let the harsh sun beat down on the veggies and hurt their quality. If you can, take them inside early. Don’t be afraid to use some fertilizers as well to keep them strong and healthy throughout the warmer months.

With so many options around to help fill out your garden or driveway, how do you choose what stone, gravel or pebble you should use in yours? It all depends on your situation, but there are certain places that each stone will suffice as a solution for you.

Driveways

There are many different stones or pebbles you can use to line your driveway with. It’s better to get a stronger more stable stone though, such as gravel, as it wont move and shuffle around as easily when you drive on it. It’ll lock together much better and be far more durable in the exposed weather.

Gardens

Again, there are plenty to choose from. If you’re looking for a low maintenance garden then filling it in with pebbles is the perfect fix. They’ll also work in styling your garden to match your home and tie it all in together. Choosing stones that will drain well is another area you need to think about. You don’t want water pooling because the stones don’t allow it to pass, so picking a pebble that allows water through is a must.

Waterfalls

Many gardens are starting to feature waterfalls more and picking the right stone to complement it needs some thought. We recommend a few different sizes as this will provide a nicer feel and look to the feature. This will also make it look more natural than a man made waterfall, showing the care and thought that has gone into it.

Paving

While paving doesn’t directly fall in the loose stone category, it still applies in your garden. Your pebble or stone choice will be dictated by what type of paving you go for, whether it’s granite or another type. Choosing a stone that will compliment the paving well will add style and value to your home almost straight away.

There are many ways in which you can maintain a backyard garden, but how do you maintain a natural garden without to many other items such as fake turf or heavily concreted areas? Let’s see how you can be environmentally friendly when it comes to keeping your garden full of life.

Insects

There are certain insects you want in your garden and ones you don’t. You want to try and attract insects like bees, ladybugs and butterflies. These insects give your garden a nice feel and keep the pollination of plants going. Try to get rid of mites, aphids and beetles which can slowly eat away at the growing garden. Plants such as lavender and geraniums will attract the insects you want buzzing around your backyard.

Composting

Composting is one of the best ways to naturally help your garden flourish. It can really help in enriching the soil and giving it the nutrients it needs to help your plants become strong and stable. Food scraps and other items can be used to compost your garden and give the soil that extra value.

Pesticide Free Protection

It’s important to steer clear of chemicals. There are products on the market that can do the same job, just without the risk on your pets or other insects you want to hang around in your garden. Mulch is a great way to drive those pests away from your garden, while fertilisers are also a fantastic deterrent while also giving your garden an extra boost of nutrients.

Plants

Planting a diverse amount of plants throughout your garden will help it naturally keep pests away. Lemongrass will help keep mosquitoes out of your backyard, especially if you have a water feature or pond which can attract them. Planting herbs can also help with keeping insects such as flies, slugs and snails away as they can start to eat up your precious plants.