Latest news with #KnowHow
Scottish Sun
23-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
Everyday £3 household product can be used to fertilise your garden's grass this summer – it also works in flowerbeds
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IF your lawn is looking a little a dry and sparse after the recent sunny spell, don't fret. A simple trick can help to transform your grass ahead of summer, and it works on flowerbeds too. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 A simple trick can help to transform your lawn ahead of the summer (stock image) Credit: Getty The experts at Gardening Know How recommend sprinkling this budget-friendly buy across your lawn for the perfect green look. According to the pros, it can help to fertilise the soil, increasing seed germination, nutrient absorption, growth, and general health of your lawns and plants. And the secret ingredient is Epsom Salt, which you can pick up for just £3 from Asda. It is also known as magnesium sulfate, which proves to be an important component in chlorophyll. Magnesium deficiency is common in light, sandy, or acidic soil, so if this applies to your garden, it may be worth picking up. Tell-tale signs include yellowing or patchiness across your lawn. And there are a variety of ways you can apply this DIY hack to your garden. You can create a homemade fertiliser by dissolving one tablespoon of Epsom salts in about four litres of water before applying it to the lawn. Or you can opt to dissolve a small amount of Epsom salts in water and spray it on your lawn to ensure thorough coverage Lawn spreaders can also be utilised to apply the salt solution to your grass. The four easy steps to get your tired lawn lush for summer & you don't need to worry about pigeons ruining it either And if your grass is particularly struggling, you can sprinkle the salt solution across your lawn, aiming for about two pounds of Epsom salt per 1,000 square feet. According to experts, now is the best time to take action as spring and early summer is the time when grass actively grows. As well as ensuring green grass and a lush thicker lawn, this trick also helps to improve root growth. Since magnesium contributes to stronger root systems, this allows the grass to withstand weather and stress better. Making it an ideal step for the unpredictable British weather. Home Bargains has a budget-friendly buy that helps your knees while tending to your flower beds. The budget retailer is also selling a budget buy guaranteed to brighten up your space. Another garden light from the store is described as having a "cute" twist. And shoppers can also pick up a £9.99 novelty decor buy that adds character to flowerbeds. A £7 gardening gadget is also available from Home Bargains and is guaranteed to transform your lawn.
Daily Record
05-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Warning to those who have rhubarb growing in their gardens
Rhubarb is a popular ingredient for sweet dishes, but gardeners have been warned about this popular vegetable With spring well in to full swing, gardens are once again bursting into life, with flowers, fruits and vegetables all flourishing. If you're lucky enough to have a rhubarb plant in your garden, it should be ripe for picking, as most varieties can be harvested from late April until early June. This vegetable - often mistaken for a fruit - is a beloved ingredient in sweet dishes such as crumbles, pies, fools and jams, or simply savoured stewed with a generous dollop of custard or cream. The tasty snack can even be enjoyed raw, simply dipped in sweet sugar. However, gardeners should exercise caution before indulging in their homegrown rhubarb, as only part of the plant is safe to eat. The long, reddish stalks of the rhubarb plant are perfectly safe to consume, although they are quite tart and are usually cooked with sugar to enhance their sweetness. However, the leaves of the plant should be avoided as they are toxic and can cause some unpleasant symptoms if eaten. Rhubarb leaves contain high levels of oxalic acid, a naturally occurring compound that is harmful to both humans and animals, so it's crucial to remove and discard these before cooking or eating the stalks. This acid is present in many plants, but rhubarb leaves have an especially high concentration, making them poisonous. Consumption of these leaves can lead to vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, kidney problems, reports the Express. Healthline has issued a warning regarding rhubarb leaves, stating: "Rhubarb leaves are considered inedible due to their high concentration of oxalic acid. In fact, both the stalks and leaves contain oxalic acid, but the leaves have a much higher content. "Oxalic acid is a natural substance found in many plants, including leafy greens, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and cocoa." The health information site further explains the risks associated with excessive consumption: "Too much oxalate in the body can lead to a condition known as hyperoxaluria, which is when excess oxalate is excreted in the urine. "This can also lead to an accumulation of calcium oxalate crystals in the organs. In the kidneys, this can lead to the formation of kidney stones and eventually kidney failure." Healthline details the symptoms of mild and severe poisoning from rhubarb leaves, saying: "Symptoms of mild rhubarb leaf poisoning include vomiting and diarrhea that resolve within a few hours. More serious oxalate toxicity causes sore throat, difficulty swallowing, nausea, vomiting (sometimes including blood), diarrhoea, and abdominal pain. Very serious symptoms include kidney failure, numbness, muscle twitches, and cramps." Despite the dangers of consuming rhubarb leaves, they can still be put to good use. Gardening Know How says: " Composting rhubarb leaves is perfectly safe. Although the leaves contain significant oxalic acid, the acid is broken down and diluted fairly quickly during the decomposition process." They also add that even if compost piles were solely composed of rhubarb waste, the end product would be just as beneficial: It added: "In fact, even if your entire compost pile was made up of rhubarb leaves and stalks, the resulting compost will be much akin to any other compost. "Of course, initially, prior to the microbial action of composting, rhubarb leaves in compost piles would still be toxic, so keep the pets and kids out."
