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 Calls to Bayer Garden’s advice line are being dominated by gardeners looking for a way to tackle the infestation of blackfly that is threatening their bean crops.
Conditions for aphids (blackflies, greenflies and whiteflies) have been perfect this season. The weather has been fine, dry and warm and so conditions have been ideal for high levels of aphids, particularly blackfly on bean plants.
 Explaining the problem, Bayer Garden’s consumer advisor, Anita Dent, has said the number of calls has escalated in recent weeks as the infestation is beginning to threaten crops. “The blackfly is attacking all types of beans including runner, dwarf and French. Callers are looking for a way to safely tackle the infestation without affecting their ability to consume the crops. The solution is to use a contact insecticide; the beans can be harvested seven days after application, which is important since regular picking will prolong the harvest period.”
Sprayday Greenfly Killer, which was previously only available to professional growers, is one such solution. It kills and protects for up to four weeks against attacks by blackfly, greenfly, whitefly, beetles and many other pests. It is suitable for use on a wide range of outdoor fruit and vegetable crops.
“Many people have winter brassica crops and sprouts in the ground for later in the year and once again they are being affected by whitefly and the cabbage white caterpillars,” continued Anita. “As a contact insecticide Sprayday Greenfly Killer is a good solution for this problem too, being particularly effective with caterpillars where little else can be used – with a harvest interval of seven days. It’s advisable to use an insecticide at the first sign of the pests.”
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| Issue No.115 |
7th August 2010 |
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| The Recycle Works Newsletter – Welcome to Sylvia’s Briefs! |
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Creatures great and small……….
 Froglets and young pheasants abound in our countryside at the moment. Kim has not allowed herself to mow her, now long, grass for fear of injuring the tiny frogs. We mow ours in the belief that they leap from the mower into the bushes. Now that we have seen good rain and sunshine every plant and everybody has grown to such an extent and although the weather is not particularly good today everything looks happy. Frogs and Hedgehogs will all be looking for shelter for the winter soon and putting something in place now will familiarise them with a place to go. It is a good time to locate Frogitats and Hogitats when you are tidying up the garden after the summer holidays.
Waspinatorsare selling so fast! We have a big smile at the frequency of the orders! All those wasps are planning for a bumper fruit harvest and they could be right. We have thinned the tree fruit and propped up the branches and still the harvest is very plentiful.
 Berry Pickers are very popular as the wild harvest ripens in the hedges. A pair of Gauntlet Glovesand a Berry Picker, large or small will make the job a doddle. That reminds me! Have you seen the quality Fruit Picker and the Potato Harvest Scoop new to our website? We just love the hessian Spud Storage Bags in packs of twos. They really look great and strong for keeping the spud harvest in good fettle until you can eat them all. Yum, makes me think of butter and chives, or a little soured cream and mint…
Customer response to last week’s hint:
‘Hello, Another tip, but for smelly feet. When you soak your feet in a bowl add a generous dollop of antibacterial handwash. Does the trick every time.’
It will soon be Rugby, Football and smelly socks season! Wills has only just returned from a rugby tour. The seasons and sports meld into one another these days so it is not just the weather patterns.
“Hello Sylvia, Six beautifully wrapped parcels arrived an hour ago, and the kind delivery man lifted them to my rear patio. Being on crutches I am unable to unpack them, so signed “not examined”—but I am sure they will be OK. I was not even able to extract an Order Number for you, but hope you recognise the order. My gardener comes on Friday, and will enjoy assembling them. Thank you for your fast, friendly and efficient service.”
 Oh and another little hint, charcoal left overs can be crunched up added to the garden and vegetable patch to improve texture and add carbon to the soil. If you do not have enough wood for the winter try charring the logs in one of our POPE Charcoal Kilns. When the wood is charred it will go further, last longer on the fire and it will burn hotter. Fuel could be expensive this winter, especially if it as cold as last year.
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News Brief - Tips To Help You This Week
Water Butt Cleaner
 Keep the water in your Water Butt fresh by adding a few drops of Pond Magic or some EM Ceramic Beads to the Water Butt.
Seasonal foods in August
Vegetables that need more heat to mature are now ready, including tomatoes, aubergines, and courgettes. Fruit at its best this month includes raspberries and blackberries, with cobnuts providing the season’s first fresh nuts. Find out more in ‘Seasonal Food’ at Friends of the Earth.
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New Product Brief - Gutter Mate
 Water Diverter, gutter saver and drain pipe filter all in one,Gutter Mate. This is a new addition to our range at a very timely moment. We love this product because it keeps the leaves out of the gutters and out of the soak away too.
The Gutter Mate delivers the leaves to head height in a small collector ready to throw them all onto the Compost Bin. We recommend that you fit one on your downpipe before the leaves start to be a problem in a few weeks time. You can easily replace your old Rain Diverter if you think this one is better for you.
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Brief Offer Of The Week
 It’s not too late for a Raised Bed Starter Kit for Autumn sown winter Vegetables. We will add 3 FREE Packs of winter Vegetable seeds to any of the basic Beginners (Starter) Raised Bed Kits ordered before 15th August.
Sylvia & The Recycle Works team x
Would you like to visit our website? If so, just click here and we’ll take you there!
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It seems that our Affiliate Scheme has gone down a treat and each week more and more of our readers are joining the scheme to not only help promote The Recycle Works but also to make some extra passive income by simply promoting our wonderful range of products.
We’d be delighted if you’d like to join us and to do so, simply click on the image and register your details. We’ll then be in touch as soon as we can!
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The Recycle Works | Unit 1 | Bee Mill | Ribchester | Preston | PR3 3XJ | United Kingdom
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 Hydrangea has been nominated as the Plant of the Month for August by the HTA’s PlantforLife campaign.
Hydrangeas have large blooms that bring flamboyant colour to the garden in late summer and autumn. They are easy to grow, dependable and improve with age. Use them in big, bold groups in the border, or even try them in large containers.
HTA’s David Gilchrist comments “Hydrangeas are deciduous and can be either treated as large shrubs or small trees. They are grown for their beautifully domed or flattened flowers which appear from late summer for about a month.
The flowers normally consist of a mass of fertile flowers surrounded by infertile flowers which give the hydrangea its large flower heads. Hydrangeas are recommended for the amateur and the experienced gardener alike.”
Nominated and agreed upon by HTA member growers and retailers, the HTA’s Plant of the Month campaign highlights the plants that are widely available and looking especially good in garden centres each month. Different varieties are recommended together with simple planting and care hints and tips.
Visit www.plantforlife.info for more information
 More on Hydrangea:
Mop head hydrangeas (with rounded heads of large flowers) come from Japan where the native species with lace cap flowers (flattened heads of large flowers) have been grown for hundreds of years. When these plants reached the west in the eighteenth century they caused a sensation, initially treated as tender and grown indoors. There are now many, many varieties to choose from.
Soils for Colour
With Hydrangeas, the soil type determines the colour. Acid soils for example produce blue flowers. To create blue flowers on a chalky soil, use a blueing compound composed of aluminium sulphate. This can be purchased at your local garden centre. However, the results won’t compare with plants growing in a naturally acid soil.
Alternatively, you could grow a compact variety such as ‘Blue Bird’ in a large container filled with ericeous compost and supplement its liquid feed with a blueing compound.
Site and Watering
Hydrangeas are true survivors and can be often seen flowering in overgrown and neglected gardens. Mop heads and Lace Caps prefer dappled shade against a north or west facing wall. If it is too bright they are likely to scorch. Their leafy shoots need plenty of moisture during the summer, apply a mulch of well-rotted compost to drier soils to help lock in moisture and promote decent sized flowers. Plants also need to be sheltered from cold winds which can scorch new foliage during the spring.
Pruning
Pruning isn’t essential but can be done each spring as new shoots appear. With established plants, just remove one third of the older, less productive stems and cut back old flowering stems to a strong pair of buds.
Leave old flower heads on over winter to provide frost protection for new growth. The brown papery domes look great when covered with hoar frost.
Left unpruned Hydrangeas will continue to bloom but the size of the flower heads will be reduced by the overcrowded stems. Hydrangea paniculata types need to be cut back completely each spring.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Unique’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’
H. arborescens ‘Anabelle’
H.villosa
H. quercifolia (oak leaved hygrangea)
H. seemannii one form of climbing hydrangea
H. ‘Blue Bird’
H. ‘Grayswood’
H. macrophylla ‘Altona’ (Pink)
H. macro. ‘Blue Wave’ (Blue)
H. anomala ‘Petiolaris’ (another climbing type)
 Now that the weather has warmed up and the growing season is taking off, gardeners want to see their flowers burst into life and their fruit and vegetables mature. The time has come to feed your plants and what better way than to use Phostrogen All Purpose Plant Food, the recognized and much loved old favourite.
 Feeding is more than just fostering well balanced growth. It’s also about making sure a plant is strong enough to resist potential challenges, explained Bayer Garden product manager, Laura Varey. “The news has reported low water levels in many reservoirs around the country and so we may soon be facing drought conditions. If plants are going to survive these conditions it’s important they are healthy to begin with, so timely feeding is vital.”
Most gardeners want an easy to use solution which makes Phostrogen ideal. It’s perfectly designed formula contains plenty of potash and phosphorous so plants do not produce excessive soft green growth at the expense of flowers and fruit. Phostrogen is suitable for flowers, fruit and vegetables, indoors and out, in beds, pots, containers or baskets. No matter what plants you feed, it will always give gardeners great results.
“It’s also important to know when and how to feed,” continued Varey. “Ideally you should feed your plants once a week by simply dissolving the Phostrogen in a watering can and watering your plants as normal. But if they are looking a little limp or unhealthy, don’t feed them. Water them first and only feed once the plants have picked up. Stick to these simple rules and use an all purpose soluble food like Phostrogen, and you should have beautiful results throughout the season.”
For more advice and help, call Bayer Garden’s consumer advisory line on 0845 345 4100.
 The RHS is a one stop shop this Christmas with gift ideas to suit every garden lover and to fit every budget.
Here are some green-fingered present ideas for the gardeners in your life:
RHS Gift Membership
A Christmas gift you can enjoy all year round. RHS gift membership includes free RHS Garden visits to share with a family guest, a member’s monthly magazine to inspire, and personal gardening advice to solve any problem in the garden. Plus, gift membership comes packaged with additional gardening treats including seeds and vouchers so there is something special to unwrap on the day. All proceeds go towards supporting the charitable work of the RHS.
RRP £49. To purchase, visit www.rhs.org.uk/gift, call 0845 130 4646 or buy direct from any of the four RHS gardens.
RHS Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers
The RHS Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers is an expert guide to planning your dream garden. Over 8,000 easy-to-find plants and thousands of photographs will give you all the guidance you need. Each variety is photographed and the “how to” section tells you all you need to know about cultivation, pruning and care. Plus, use the special plant selector to help find the perfect plants to grow in every possible situation and condition, from sunless walls to sandy soil.
This is an indispensable addition to any gardener’s bookshelf that will be referred to time and time again.
Published by DK. RRP £35, from www.rhs.org.uk/shopping or available in bookshops.
Tickets to RHS flower shows
A guaranteed gardening treat. The RHS brings spring bulbs to Cardiff, cutting edge design to Chelsea, a feast of fruit and veg to Hampton Court Palace and high summer colour to Tatton Park, and with shopping galore in these magnificent settings, even the gardener who has everything will find something they love.
If you want to spoil someone special, you can also treat them to a midsummer evening of entertainment, fireworks and horticulture at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show Exclusive Preview Evening. Enjoy a champagne picnic on the Long Water and explore the show at its very best.
For full details, visit www.rhs.org.uk/flowershows
RHS Prints
The RHS’s unique collections of botanical art and contemporary garden photography have been made available as high quality prints and canvasses. Prints are available in a range of sizes and frames.
Prices start from £15, visit www.rhsprints.co.uk
Plants, candles, soaps, stationery, journals, jewellery….
The RHS has a huge range of plants and products, to suit every gardener, and they’re available online so you needn’t even leave the house when searching for those perfect stocking fillers and gifts. Visit www.rhs.org.uk/shopping.
If you’ve done your shopping, but want to get into the Christmas spirit, there’s a host of festive activities at the RHS gardens and partner gardens this December, from Christmas Winter Walks to wreath making and Santa’s Grotto. Visit www.rhs.org.uk/rhseventfinder to find out what’s on in your area.
 Peas and beans are a major feature of the newly launched 2011 retail seed offer from Mr. Fothergill’s, with a brand new Pea and Bean Extra Collection which is made up of 36 varieties which have all been selected for their excellence and distinctive flavour. Ten of these are exclusive to Mr. Fothergill’s and with the exception of the Broad Bean Red Epicure, all are the result of modern breeding with the added benefits of vigour, high yields, ease of harvest and reliability in British conditions. For example, all 10 runner beans are British-bred. The collection, which offers vegetable gardeners added choice, gives retailers the opportunity for additional sales from a stand-alone range.
Mr Fothergill’s 2011 offer introduces 74 new varieties of vegetable and flower seeds, of which 28 are exclusive to the company. Exclusive flowers include Aster Palette Mixed, a strong blend of single flowers which are ideal for cutting and Phlox Moody Blues which is perfect for bringing a cool touch to containers and bedding schemes.
Building on the success of the Vegetable Explorer range which is made up of more unusual and unique varieties, Mr Fothergill’s has added 15 more varieties to bring the collection to 78 and is holding the recommended retail price of every variety at £1.49. Once again this stand-alone collection encourages additional sales, especially from more adventurous gardeners who are prepared to grow something a little different and experience something new.
With such a wide range of varieties on offer, Mr Fothergill’s is making life easier for those customers new to gardening by offering Hot Spot Stands – conveniently sized displays which are ideal for positioning select ranges of seed away from the main offer for extra linked sales or specific themes. The single-sided stands have 42 hooks and bear the message “Seeds to Sow Now”. Wildlife Garden, Popular Vegetables and Herbs are just three of the eight highlights.
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| Issue No.111 |
24th July 2010 |
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| The Recycle Works Newsletter – Welcome to Sylvia’s Briefs! |
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Hello again!
Altogether it has not really been a newsworthy week. We are busy in the office. It is a time of change and optimism, and planning for the future. Martin is coming over today so it means lunch. It seems strange these days to have anything but a snack for lunch on a working day! However it will be an opportunity to go down by the river in this wonderful sunshine.
 We have had our fair share of sunshine then our fair share of rain. I have to say that I enjoy this weather better than a bit of this and a bit of that every day. Slugs and snails are having their moment. We plan to ruin this for them by putting out the Slug Gone to frustrate them from getting at our salads and winter vegetables before we do.
Grass and hedges are all growing like mad and returning home from a fabulous holiday is so often tempered by a remark implying that the garden has turned into a jungle. And usually it has! So, composting time is here again. We have recently launched a beginner’s range of Composting Kits However you do not have to be a beginner they just go into a smaller space and will be adequate for a smaller garden. It’s also the time when Shredders come out of the Shed for the hedge clippings. I have been amazed at the number of enquiries for Pope Charcoal Kilns both large and domestic.
 We are planting our New Potatoes for Christmas and the Autumn Vegetable Seeds in ready for planting. We suggest that you plant the potatoes in a Smithy Tub or Planting Bag that can be brought inside if the frosts come.
Everyone is in holiday mood. Kim and family are driving through Europe to Switzerland. She is so aware of the money they will save on air fares and her carbon footprint is glowing with pride! Just to remind us, she left a picture of her idyllic destination on her screen saver, and yes, it looks absolutely fabulous.
So if you are going on holiday we wish that it will be your dream holiday. We will be thinking of you and we will be waiting here with a great supply of Compost Bins on your return home.
Love Your Environment!
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News Brief - Tips To Help You This Week
Grass Stains
When we were kids we collected a lot of grass stains. They got onto our white socks and tennis shoes! The stains were everywhere and got onto all our sports clothes and woollies too. My mother used to dissolve the stains quickly with glycerine before washing them. It was a bit like scratching the car nowadays. One got rid of the evidence as quickly as possible and said nothing!
Brushing your teeth
You can waste up to 4.5 litres of water if you leave the tap running while brushing your teeth – instead, use a glass of water for rinsing, or short bursts from the tap, and you’ll only need a fraction of this amount.
Thank you FoE who contributed this hint.
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Product Brief – New Product Launch – Mini Raised Bed Kits
 Our new Mini Raised Beds are perfect for children and of course grown ups too who want their own vegetable plot. Available in three sizes and an additional module option too, these Mini Raised Beds are perfect for smaller spaces and for GYO beginners with prices starting at just £10.25.
Compost is not included, but you will probably require one bag of our Vegetable Compost for the Starter, two for the Standard and three for the Deep and don’t forget that we can deliver compost direct to your door so you won’t even have to leave home!
Made from the same FSC wood as our other Raised Beds, each module measures 60 x 60x15cm deep.
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Brief Offer Of The Week
Twin Wooden Compost Bin Complete Starter Set
Why not purchase a complete Starter Set including our ever popular Twin Wooden FSC Compost Bin and save 20% of RRP when purchasing all these items together. Available for only £215.53 (normal RRP £269.41) – Quote ‘TWINSTARTER’ at checkout to claim your discount.
 Twin Compost Bin Starter Set includes:
1 x Twin Wooden Compost Bin
2 x Wooden Lids
2 x Compost Duvets
1 x Bottle of Compost Magic (500 ml)
1 x Compost Pitchfork
1 x Compost Thermometer
1 x Pair of Green Hands Leaf Collectors
Sylvia & The Recycle Works team x
Would you like to visit our website? If so, just click here and we’ll take you there!
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It seems that our Affiliate Scheme has gone down a treat and each week more and more of our readers are joining the scheme to not only help promote The Recycle Works but also to make some extra passive income by simply promoting our wonderful range of products.
We’d be delighted if you’d like to join us and to do so, simply click on the image and register your details. We’ll then be in touch as soon as we can!
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The Recycle Works | Unit 1 | Bee Mill | Ribchester | Preston | PR3 3XJ | United Kingdom
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 With a blazing summer on the cards and more and more people staying at home for their holidays, making sure gardens look great all summer long has never been more important.
Sadly, a warm summer can also bring out the pests and diseases to plague and pestilence proportions. And plants suffering from problems will never perform to their full potential, look dreadful and spoil the whole garden. But help is at hand thanks to the Scotts Clear range – superb, easy-to-use products to stop pests and diseases on ornamental plants.
 BugClear Ultra and BugClear Ultra Gun! kill pests on contact and also work systemically, getting inside the plant’s sap stream to kill pests such as aphids and whitefly, as well as more difficult pests like mealy bugs and scale insects – even those hiding away under leaves. The systemic action ensures protection of the whole plant for several weeks.
 BugClear Ultra Vine Weevil Killer is the answer for killing this destructive pest on plants growing in containers. The systemic drench controls vine weevil in pots, hanging baskets and other containers. It works in the roots and compost to protect the whole plant for up to two months and also kills whitefly, aphids, scale insects and mealy bug.
BugClear Ultra for Pots are push-in spikes, containing the same systemic insecticide, that kill all major ornamental insect pests and protect for two to three months plus fertiliser to help plants recover from attack.
RoseClear for Bugs is specially formulated for roses, but it is ideal for controlling pests on all other ornamental plants too. RoseClear 4 Gun! is a convenient ready-to-use hand sprayer that contains natural active ingredients to control bugs and reduce powdery mildew.
Slugging it out
  The UK’s number one garden pests are slugs and snails, chomping their way through plants throughout the garden. Slug pellets are an effective method of control and SlugClear! Advanced Pellets provide perfect control. They are a highly efficient bait that protect plants from slugs and snails. Their revolutionary patented technology uses 50% less chemical than traditional slug pellets.
SlugClear is a very efficient liquid concentrate that kills slugs and snails above and below ground. It protects decorative plants while remaining invisible to pets and other wildlife.
Disastrous diseases
When control and protection from diseases is the priority there are two Clear solutions.
 FungusClear Ultra is a systemic disease fighter that gives internal protection and control of blackspot, powdery mildew and rust. It is recommended for use on all ornamental plants. The systemic action gives protection to new growth and can protect for up to three months. FungusClear 2 Gun! is a convenient ready-to-use version.
For organic gardeners, there’s Nature’s Answer Natural Fungus & Bug Killer – a combined insecticide and fungicide for use on all ornamental plants. It reduces powdery mildew and gives control of greenfly, whitefly, red spider mite, mealy bug and thrips.
Put a Stop! to ants
Ants have a keen sense of smell and can smell food cooking on a barbecue from a long   way away. So, as soon as the barbie comes out, ants won’t be far behind. Where ants are a nuisance there’s only one answer – the Home Defence Ant Stop! range – Scotts’ number one selling brand for crawling insects.
Home Defence Ant Stop! Gun kills ants on contact and gives long-lasting protection against their return. Home Defence Ant Stop! Powder kills ants as well as wasps and earwigs.
Home Defence Ant Stop! Bait Station is a ready-to-use ant trap that contains an attractive bait and powerful ant killer that destroys ants and their nests. It is effective for up to three months.
Home Defence Ant Stop! Granules and Home Defence Ant Stop! Singles kill ants and their entire nest with one application They are versatile and easy to use. Both products contain a new active ingredient, spinosad, which is exclusive to Scotts Miracle-Gro and is widely accepted as a ‘next generation’ insecticide approved for organic use. Spinosad kills by contact and ingestion and also forms a long-lasting barrier against future attack.
Always read the label before use. Use pesticides safely.
 Watering specialist Hozelock has introduced a semi-professional range of metal hose and tap fittings for gardeners who want a heavy duty, damage-resistant irrigation system.
Pro Metal tap connectors, a double male connector and a double ended hose repair connector with anti-kink hose tail on both ends are now available in heavy duty precision milled nickel plated brass which is extremely durable. Thanks to a triple locking system, the connection to the tap is guaranteed secure up to 10 bar – which is ten times more pressure than the water companies are required by statute to deliver to a residential property.
And for the all-important connection of the hose end to a watering tool such as a spray gun or long-reach lance, there are now Pro Metal variants of Hozelock’s new-style anti-kink connector with flexible hose tail. Both the standard connector and the water-conserving Aqua Stop version have a scratch-resistant zinc die cast sleeve to give unprecedented strength and durability. They will remain intact and leak proof if dropped or trodden on.
Hozelock’s new Pro Metal double male hose connector with yellow soft bumper ring (left) alongside the new Pro Metal hose connector with scratch-resistant zinc die-cast sleeve and anti-kink flexible hose tail.
BELOW: The new Hozelock Pro Metal 1” tap connector (left) alongside the water-saving Aqua Stop version of the new Pro Metal hose connector.
Soft-touch, textured side pads make the new hose connectors easy to grip, even when wet, so attaching and detaching guns and other accessories is quick and easy.
This is only one of the ways in which the new heavy duty connectors are enhanced by the use of sophisticated engineering plastics. Inset into each of the new Pro Metal fittings is a raised soft “bumper ring” which protects greenhouses and cars from accidental damage while also providing a comfortable contact point when handling the fittings in cold weather.
And the internal mechanism of the two hose end connectors, including the claw teeth, is moulded from acetyl plastic which gives the best possible grip on a hosepipe and hence the most secure connection between hose and watering tool, whatever the water pressure or ambient temperature.
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• The new Hozelock Pro Metal hose connector makes a secure connection to the new Pro Metal tap connector; • Fitting the new Pro Metal tap connector to an outside tap; • The new Pro Metal double male connector enables two hose connectors to be joined; • The new Pro Metal hose repair connector joins two lengths of hose securely.
Guaranteed for three years, the new Pro Metal range is available from most garden centres and DIY superstores (find local stockists at www.hozelock.com/store-locator.html) at prices ranging from £4.49 to £6.49 inc VAT. For further information call the Hozelock Helpline on 0121 313 1122 or visit the company’s website at www.hozelock.com where there is extensive advice on choosing and using watering systems wisely.
Another new semi-professional metal watering tool from Hozelock is the 60m Metal Cart with rustproof zinc coated steel drum. Fully assembled – including a new “metallic” 30m multipurpose hose in a coordinated silver and yellow stripe – this £59.99 garden workhorse will withstand heavy use in the toughest of environments. A version without hose is also available at £39.99.
Look out too for a new £39.99 Pro Metal Aquastorm version of the popular Hozelock oscillating sprinkler with a nickel plated brass inlet.
 As the country starts to think about sunnier days, B&Q sales figures show that the deck still rules supreme in British gardens. When planning their ideal garden Brits are still choosing to turn part or all of their gardens from grassy lawn to wooden deck board. But now a new introduction means that British homes can have both; those that think that caring for the perfect lawn is just a pain in the grass will be snapping up the new hybrid LawnBored.
This new hybrid grassy deck is perfect for those who still want to look out over a green space, but not worry about the time taken for lawn maintenance. The boards comprise a wooden decking frame with artificial grass imbedded within the slats to give the best of both worlds. With the world cup just around the corner, the Grassedeck is expected to feature at many football themed parties this summer, with sales up a massive 700 per cent since the beginning of this year and more than a fifth up compared to last year.
 B&Q research shows that 13 per cent of British gardens have a deck and this year B&Q expects to sell more decking than ever before. The retailer has ordered over 3.5 million deck boards, its biggest investment ever, which is enough 2.4 metre boards to stretch London to Rustenburg, South Africa, where is where the England team is due to play its first World Cup match in June.Fans will also be able to lay their deck for less, as B&Q’s best value deck board is only £1.98. DIY experts advise that a deck can be installed in the average garden in a weekend. Over Easter weekend 2009, the retailer sold over 140 boards a minute as the nation’s DIYers took advantage of the long weekend to transform their gardens and get ready for summer entertaining and this year over half a million boards were sold.
David Hanratty, B&Q’s buyer of timber and joinery said; “Decks have become a summer staple for British gardens, and their popularity looks set to continue. With a greater variety of materials available, decks can go way beyond simple wooden platforms to incorporate multiple levels, built-in seating, even a pool if you have the space.
“Grass effect decking provides a softer surface to traditional decking, and can complement other areas of your garden. It is ideal for children’s play areas and small gardens and we’re expecting football fans will jump at the chance to create their own all-weather playing surface to practice bending it like Beckham this summer.”
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