There is also an important safety aspect for keeping your garden decking surface clean, as it will prevent the surface from becoming slippery.

Cleaning and maintaining hardwood decking isn't hard and will ensure that the structure will remain in great condition for years to come despite the elements. In fact, provided care and maintenance is preserved, hardwood decking could easily exceed 30 years.

How To Clean Hardwood Decking:

Cleaning your deck isn't very complicated and does not have to cost much as most of the tools you'll need are probably scattered around the house. Our four cleaning steps below are meant to ensure that the decking comes out clean and that you do not damage the wood in the cleaning process. You should also ensure that the cleaning is done in the dry so that the wood has time to naturally dry.

1. Start by making sure that the decking surface is free of any clutter and garden furniture. Place these far away from the deck so that the spray from the cleaning solutions or chemicals used (optional) will not penetrate them. Pay close attention to ensuring that you not drag any piece of furniture on the deck as you might damage the wood or it's oiled coating. Therefore you should consider getting a helping hand for this step, especially if you have to move tables and chairs.

2. Perform a basic cleaning of the deck by using a stiff broom and a pressure washer if you have one. Give the deck a thorough brush followed by jet wash using a pressure washer 'wash brush' which nowadays comes as an extension with most pressure washers. This step will help get rid of dirt and debris which has accumulated over the winter months. Do not use an industrial grade pressure washer (above 1500 psi/100 bar) as it might damage the wood. Pressure washers which are used as multi-purpose home and car cleaners will work just fine. If you don't have one, use normal water jet from your garden hose.

3. Now that the deck is free from any clutter and dirt you can focus on cleaning the wood using a dedicated cleaning product or soda crystals. To use the cleaning product, follow its instruction and be sure to pick one which works with your species of wood (teak, ipe, iroko etc). If you are unsure, then purchase a chemical agent which is multipurpose for any decking wood species, these are widely available from B&Q and Home Base for around £5. To use soda crystals, simply spray warm water over the decked surface and sprinkle soda crystals. Leave the decking for a few hours and once dry brush using a stiff broom. Stage three is the reason why the cleaning should be done in the summer when the decking has time to dry.

4. To finish the cleaning process simply rinse the deck area completely to remove any trace of the cleaning solutions and chemical agents. Allow the deck 3 to 4 hours to dry completely before placing the furniture and other items back on.

On-going Care and Maintenance:

There is a lot of common sense when on-going maintenance is concerned. From time to time or when needed give the deck a thorough brush, quickly clean up spills to avoid stains and refrain from dragging heavy objects around. On top of regular cleaning, some wood species which do not boasts natural oils might require the occasional top up. Contact your supplier for further details on this issue.

Enjoy the summer and your garden.

Tips by the team at hardwood decking sellers wood and beyond which offers a wide range of quality hardwood products and friendly advice by phone or email.

• Take the stress out of Garden mess - After a long cold winter many of us will have neglected our patio and decking and chances are it won’t be ready for those many barbeques and summer parties. So how do you turn a sorry state into a paradise which you won’t be embarrassed to invite your guests to?Tweet ...
• Propagating Plants for your Garden - Buying new plants for your garden is one of life’s little pleasures and can be extremely satisfying but often expensive. Equally as satisfying and an awfully lot cheaper is propagating your own plants. There are several methods available; softwood cuttings, semi-ripe cuttings, hardwood cuttings, root cuttings, leaf cuttings, division, layering and seed.Tweet ...
• How to cope with a Flooded Garden - I can’t imagine what it must be like to live through the floods and, even worse, to be flooded year after year. During these times sorting out the house is obviously a priority but it must be heartbreaking to find your garden destroyed each year.Tweet ...

Summer is well on its way. But is your garden prepared for the season ahead?

After a long cold winter many of us will have neglected our patio and decking and chances are it won’t be ready for those many barbeques and summer parties. So how do you turn a sorry state into a paradise which you won’t be embarrassed to invite your guests to?

Jenny Powell knows a thing or two about a tidy home and garden and can turn any neglected patch into a wonderland. With a bit of elbow grease and some creative ideas you too can have a garden to be proud of.

But if the idea of a few hours of sweeping leaves you in a cold sweat, panic not, there is an easier solution! Pressure washers easily blast off moss and dirt and take just seconds to turn your grimy garden into a glorious garden. Thankfully Kärcher provides the answer. Their Pressure Washer is the essential cleaning product for all of that dirty garden furniture and mucky paths and patios.

Once your garden is gleaming, pots, scented candles and new plants can help bring a new lease of life. So roll up your sleeves and get stuck in.

In the following video, Jenny shares her top tips for a perfect plot.

http://www.linkto.tv/iframe/show/uuid/9VaFw0o2fPs

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• How should I clean my garden decking? - Cleaning and maintaining hardwood decking isn’t hard and will ensure that the structure will remain in great condition for years to come despite the elements. In fact, provided care and maintenance is preserved, hardwood decking could easily exceed 30 years.Tweet ...
• Propagating Plants for your Garden - Buying new plants for your garden is one of life’s little pleasures and can be extremely satisfying but often expensive. Equally as satisfying and an awfully lot cheaper is propagating your own plants. There are several methods available; softwood cuttings, semi-ripe cuttings, hardwood cuttings, root cuttings, leaf cuttings, division, layering and seed.Tweet ...
• How to cope with a Flooded Garden - I can’t imagine what it must be like to live through the floods and, even worse, to be flooded year after year. During these times sorting out the house is obviously a priority but it must be heartbreaking to find your garden destroyed each year.Tweet ...

I can't imagine what it must be like to live through the floods and, even worse, to be flooded year after year. During these times sorting out the house is obviously a priority but it must be heartbreaking to find your garden destroyed each year.

This website not only deals with gardens which have actually flooded but also for gardens which are damp or have heavy moisture-retaining clay.

When a garden gets very wet or is continually damp it is very difficult to grow all of the plants you'd like to but luckily there are lots of plants that thrive in damp and flooded situations.

The Flooded Garden provides free guidance and access to more detailed information on how to ensure that you can still have a beautiful and manageable garden.

Take a look today and prepare yourself for the next flood.

• How should I clean my garden decking? - Cleaning and maintaining hardwood decking isn’t hard and will ensure that the structure will remain in great condition for years to come despite the elements. In fact, provided care and maintenance is preserved, hardwood decking could easily exceed 30 years.Tweet ...
• Propagating Plants for your Garden - Buying new plants for your garden is one of life’s little pleasures and can be extremely satisfying but often expensive. Equally as satisfying and an awfully lot cheaper is propagating your own plants. There are several methods available; softwood cuttings, semi-ripe cuttings, hardwood cuttings, root cuttings, leaf cuttings, division, layering and seed.Tweet ...
• Take the stress out of Garden mess - After a long cold winter many of us will have neglected our patio and decking and chances are it won’t be ready for those many barbeques and summer parties. So how do you turn a sorry state into a paradise which you won’t be embarrassed to invite your guests to?Tweet ...

Softwood Cuttings

These cuttings are taken from this year's young growth between April and June. Choose a young side shoot and cut below a node about 5-10cm from the tip. Remove the bottom leaves and immerse in a fungicide solution to avoid fungal infections and dip the base in rooting powder. Place a few cuttings in a pot of 50:50 sand and compost and place the pot in a heated greenhouse or propagator or on a windowsill enclosed in a polythene bag. Keep the compost moist. Once you begin to see new growth, pot individually into 10cm pots. Before planting out in the garden get them used to cooler temperatures by placing them outside during the day or move to a cool greenhouse.

Semi-ripe Cutting

These cuttings are taken from this year's ripe growth between June and August. The base of the shoot should have started to turn brown. Cut just below a node about 10-15cm from the tip or pull the shoot off with some of the woody tissue (heel) attached. Remove the bottom leaves and immerse in a fungicide solution to avoid fungal infections and dip the base in rooting powder. Place a few cuttings in a pot of 50:50 sand and compost and place the pot in a heated greenhouse or propagator or on a windowsill enclosed in a polythene bag. Keep the compost moist. Once you begin to see new growth, pot individually into 10cm pots. Before planting out in the garden get them used to cooler temperatures by placing them outside during the day or move to a cool greenhouse.

Hardwood Cuttings

These cuttings are taken from this year's woody growth between September and November. Cut a length just below and above a node about 15-30cm long. Remove the leaves and dip the base in rooting powder. Place a few in a pot of 50:50 sand and compost and place the pot in a cold frame or in the ground in an open, sheltered, sunny position. Ensure the soil is well drained. The cuttings should be rooted by the following Autumn.

Root Cuttings

These cutting should be taken between September and November. Expose the roots of shrubs or lift herbaceous plants and select a young root near the crown of the plant. Cut a length 5cm long with a straight cut at the top and a diagonal cut at the base. Immerse in fungicide and insert in a pot of compost so the top is level with the top of the compost. Cover with 0.5cm compost. Fine roots should be laid on the top of the compost and covered lightly. Place in a cold greenhouse or cold frame and keep the compost moist. The cuttings should have rooted by the following spring when they can be potted on.

Leaf Cuttings

There are three methods of taking leaf cuttings. The first involves taking a whole leaf including the stalk (petiole). Dip the stalk in tooting powder and insert in a pot of 50:50 sand and compost so the stalk is buried. Place in a propagator at 18-21 degrees C or enclose in a polythene bag and stand on a warm windowsill. When growth appears at the base of the leaf lift and pot on. The second method is to take a whole leaf and cut halfway through the main vein on the back of the leaf. Place the leaf, cut side down, on the top of the compost. Place grit on top of the leaf to keep it in contact with the compost. Place in a propagator at 18-21 degrees C or enclose in a polythene bag and stand on a warm windowsill. New growth will appear at the cuts. The third method is mainly used on long leaves. Cut the leaf into 5cm sections and dip the bottom edge in rooting powder. Insert the leaf vertically into the compost to about half it's length. Place in a propagator at 18-21 degrees C or enclose in a polythene bag and stand on a warm windowsill. New growth will form at the base.

Division

Division involves dividing a plant into two or more plants and should be carried out on most perennials every 3-5 years to maintain their vigor. Divide in late autumn or early spring. Lift the plant taking care not to damage the roots and shake off the soil. Using a knife or spade cut the plant into three or four similar sized pieces and plant out each new section as soon as possible, adding compost and a general fertiliser.

Layering

Layering works well on woody plants and involves growing a new plant while it is still attached to the parent plant. It is best carried out between late spring and autumn. Find a stem which is flexible enough to bend to the ground. Make a cut about 5cm long through a node and apply rooting powder. Where the node touches the ground dig a small hole in the soil and add compost. Bury the stem 10cm deep at the node and peg down to secure. Tie the end of the stem to a support. Roots should develop within 18 months at which point it can be removed from the parent plant and planted in its own spot.

Seeds

There are several advantages and disadvantage to propagating by seed.

• Advantages: Large volume of seeds readily available, Cheap, Simple, Vast choice of varieties, Can be stored for a length of time
• Disadvantages: Not all seeds come true to type, Some plants have lost the ability to produce seed, Some plants take a long time to mature and flower

Most people will buy their seeds from a garden centre or specialist seeds man and just follow the directions on the packet. However it is very easy to collect seed from your own garden and also completely free. Some plants will seed themselves, usually where you don't want them. Once they have seeded just thin them out and/or transplant to another part of your garden. You could also pot them on and give them to friends and family. If you do use your own seed you must remember that most do not come true to type so will not necessarily resemble the plant they came from. You must collect the seed when it is ripe; store pods in a warm, dry place until they split. Once you have the seed label them and keep in a dry, dark, well ventilated area at between 1 and 5 degrees C.

Seeds have six requirement in order to germinate:

1. Seeds have little water which is why they stay dormant for so long
2. The temperature required to germinate vary by seed but generally heat helps
3. Oxygen is required for respiration Food Food is supplied within the seed. If planted too deeply the food with be exhausted before it is able to photosynthesise
4. Some seeds require light to germinate
5. Some seeds have chemical inhibitors which need to diminish before germination is possible
6. Some seeds are difficult to germinate and a number of techniques have been developed to overcome these difficulties:
   1. Soaking seed in warm water for 12-24 hours will soften the coating and help it absorb water and remove chemical inhibitors
   2. Scarification: Nick large seeds with a knife or rub smaller seeds with sandpaper. This weakens the coating and allows water to enter
   3. Stratification: Some seeds require a period of cold before they can germinate. Place the seeds in a 50:50 mixture of moist sand and compost and place in the fridge for 4-12 weeks

Hardy Annuals can be sown outside in March or April when the soil has started to warm up. Biennials and Perennials can be sown later in May or June. Sow directly where you want them to flower/fruit or sow in seedbeds and transplant later. The soil should be raked to break up the soil and to remove any stones. Firm the soil with the back of the rake and apply a general fertiliser. If the area is dry, water well and allow to drain. This should be carried out 3-4 weeks in advance of sowing to allow weeds germinate. Weed the area well then sow the seed thinly in drills 5-15mm deep. Cover lightly with soil. Ensure the soil is kept moist and weed free. When the seedlings appear thin them out to around 10cm apart, carry out a final thinning to 15-20cm depending on the size of the final plant.

Other seeds can be sown in a greenhouse, a propagator or on a window sill. Ideally use a compost formulated specifically for growing seed. Fill a seed tray to the top with compost and gently firm, wet the compost and allow to dry. Scatter the seed thinly on the surface of the compost and cover lightly with compost. Cover with a sheet of glass or place in a propagator at a temperature of 18-21 degrees C. Do not allow the compost to dry out. Once the seedlings begin to show remove the cover/glass and move to where they can get maximum light but not in direct sunlight. When the seedlings develop their first proper leaves prick them out into individual pots being careful not to damage the roots. Never handle seedlings by their stems.

If the seeds are to go outside they need should be first moved to a closed cold frame to get them used to the change in temperature. After a few days they can be left in an open cold frame or stood outside during the day. They can be planted out into well prepared ground once all risk of frost has passed.

• How should I clean my garden decking? - Cleaning and maintaining hardwood decking isn’t hard and will ensure that the structure will remain in great condition for years to come despite the elements. In fact, provided care and maintenance is preserved, hardwood decking could easily exceed 30 years.Tweet ...
• Take the stress out of Garden mess - After a long cold winter many of us will have neglected our patio and decking and chances are it won’t be ready for those many barbeques and summer parties. So how do you turn a sorry state into a paradise which you won’t be embarrassed to invite your guests to?Tweet ...
• How to cope with a Flooded Garden - I can’t imagine what it must be like to live through the floods and, even worse, to be flooded year after year. During these times sorting out the house is obviously a priority but it must be heartbreaking to find your garden destroyed each year.Tweet ...