UK Gardeners Urged To Never Do These 8 DIY Garden Tasks

Gardening tools.These long, sunny days really bring out the productivity in us gardeners, right? Suddenly, the wrecks of winter are a delightful task and not an insurmountable mountain.Getting the garden in ship-shape is what weekends are for, and weeding? What a delight, how lucky we are to do it.However, while we are caught up in these waves of productivity, one garden expert warns that we shouldn’t rush to do every job ourselves and in fact, some jobs are definitely best left to the pros.James Lewis, a gardener with MyBuilder.com, says: “Most of us are capable of mowing a lawn or pruning plants, but certain garden jobs require a knowledgeable and experienced pair of hands to get it right. Cutting corners and DIY-ing garden tasks can often be a false economy at best, with jobs needing correcting or redoing when it’s not good enough.“But at its worst, badly done garden DIY can result in you injuring yourself, or those who use your garden.”The garden tasks you should leave to the professionalsLaying patio slabsLaying slabs for your patio may seem easy, but Lewis warns that even just one incorrectly laid slab can lead to several problems down the line.“From small but irritating issues such as weed growth, to uneven edges causing a trip hazard for you and your visitors, this is a job best left to experts. Badly laid slabs will cause your patio to shift over time, and will almost certainly need to be redone, so it’s not only a safety issue, but a false economy too.”Eek.Pruning treesNow that winter is over, your trees will need some attention to remove any dead branches and foliage, to ensure they start to grow healthily in time for summer.“While this may seem like a straightforward job, it’s actually one that requires a great deal of skill and experience”, urges Lewis.“Over-pruning your trees can stress them and put them at risk of disease and pest-infestation, and cutting too close to the trunk or main branch will leave your tree exposed to potential decay.“On top of this, should any stray branch cause damage to someone else’s home or garden. you will be liable for any costs and likely will not be covered by your home insurance.”In this economy? No thank you. Removing a tree stumpDigging out and removing a tree stump is physically demanding and time-consuming, and without the necessary specialist equipment, it could take days of your time.“Removal of a tree stump could easily lead to injury due to the back-breaking nature of the work - so give yourself a break and hire a professional”, advises Lewis.Removing a treeIf you’re considering the monumental task of removing a tree entirely, there are many things you need to consider, says Lewis.“Firstly, this task requires knowledge as to whether you need permission from the local council before you remove a tree. If you do - and permission has not been sought - you could face a significant fine.“The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes it an offence to intentionally kill or injure protected species, destroy any protected shelter, or destroy any protected plants. Beyond this, cutting down trees really can be a dangerous job and failure to do it properly could cause severe injury or even death.”Soaking and drainageIf yours was one of the many gardens *blessed* with flooding during that miserable weather, or if you’re planning on laying a patio, chances are that you need drainage work in your garden.“This is undoubtedly a specialist job,” says Lewis, “as doing it wrong could cause damage to your neighbour’s garden, and referring to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, homeowners have a duty to manage their drainage in a way that won’t cause damage to other homeowners.”“French drains” (inserting a pipe underground to help excess water divert away from your home and into the street, a ditch or a sewer) are a popular choice, but require a great deal of expertise.”FencingSpring is a great time to repair and treat your fence after the rigours of winter.“While it is possible to erect your own fencing, there are several reasons why it’s a bad idea”, warns Lewis.“Firstly, certain heights of fencing can require planning permission, and you could be forced to take it down should you fall foul of this rule. Secondly, if you place the posts too far apart or they aren’t secure enough, it’s likely that the fence will not be sturdy enough to withstand extreme weather.“This could result in having to replace and repair it again very quickly, costing more time and money, as well as presenting a danger should it fall on any guests or pets.”YIKES.Creating a pondWhile you may be tempted to live the cottagecore dream by building a pond in your back garden, there’s quite a lot that goes into it and getting it wrong could be disastrous.Lewis advises: “Your pond should be in some level of shade to reduce algae levels, and be on a flat, level ground.“You may also need help from an electrician if your pond needs a pump or filter, and water and electrics do not mix! Finally, ponds can present a big danger to guests, so a professional can provide advice on sensible positioning and safety measures that can be taken.”Cutting a hedgeLewis warns that the tools required to trim a hedge can easily cause injuries in the wrong hands.“Hedge trimmers and secateurs are two of the tools most likely to cause garden-related injuries. Also, working on large hedges will require ladders to do a thorough job, and ladders plus power tools are a dangerous combination without a professional.”You don’t need to tell me twice. Related...UK Gardeners Urged Not To Throw Out Common Food Waste ItemUK Gardeners Urged To Check Drains Before It's Too LateUK Gardeners Urged To Avoid 'Deadly' Rhubarb Mistake

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