Salty water is a pet-friendly weed killer for use on hard surfaces. However, too much salt is bad for the ground as it persists and can stop plants from growing for several years. My issue with salt is; it isn’t selective, and soil contamination will affect all plants. If you must use it, I’ve found that if you mix one part salt to five parts water and apply directly to the leaves of the weeds, you should get good results. It would be best if you didn’t use salt regularly, but it’s okay as a one-off (i.e. once a year) treatment of weeds on hard surfaces, provided you don’t allow excess salt to run off the leaves of the weeds. Also see our wildlife gardeningsection for more biodiversity tips, and find out more about No Mow Mayfrom the campaign organiser, wildflower charity Plantlife.

Be aware that artificial fertilisers take a lot of energy to manufacture and may have detrimental effects on the environment, so only apply if required and use the minimum amount to keep your grass in good shape – see our guide to using fertilisersand our guide to organic gardeningNew lawns, on the other hand, need watering regularly if rain is in short supply, until well established. But take care not to over water, as this may result in shallow rooting and poor establishment.Watering every seven to 10 days is normally sufficient, or less if the weather is damp. Make sure the water reaches a depth of 10cm (4in) after each watering. Still, although not essential, feeding will give your lawn a boost, especially if you want a lush, dense, all-grass lawn. When applying lawn feed: Once your grass starts to grow in spring, you can begin regular mowing – this helps to keep the lawn growing strongly and deters weed growth. Water thoroughly after application. Keep the lawn well watered for at least 2 weeks to help grass seed germination Apply the fertiliser evenly across the lawn, ideally in cool, moist conditions when rain is expected, or lightly water it in afterwards

SafeLawn Natural All In One Lawn Feed nourishes lawns making them greener and stronger. It will feed your lawn all year round whilst also preventing weeds and moss too. Q. The product has quite an odour, is it safe for my children and pets to use the lawn after application? Daniel has worked with various chemicals and pesticides over the last 18 years, and he’s also a responsible dog owner. There is much confusion about how these devices work. Contrary to what many consumers think, they aren’t designed to burn the weeds to a crisp or vaporise them but instead to kill them with a short blast of scorching air. The dead weeds then naturally breakdown and decompose over the next week or so. By Spreader: Apply 35g/sq.m over the marked area with a suitable spreader. See more spreader settings.During my testing, I found that all it took is a 5-second blast, and the weeds wilted and then dies off within a week. He previously worked as a project manager and has experience in managing teams of tradespeople and landscape gardeners on both small and medium sized projects. It honks! No kidding, this product is smelly, and it needs watering in; otherwise, your whole garden will smell.