Pricepoint Gardening
Pricepoint Gardening are based in Herefordshire, and provide comprehensive garden and grounds maintenance solutions, plus professional advice and information on how to take care of your lawns, plants and more.
From planting schemes to turfing, we can help you create your perfect garden paradise and help keep it immaculate throughout the year. Contact us today for more details.
General Specification
Grass Area Maintenance
Routine grass cutting operations within the normal growing season shall be carried out from mid March to early November. Grass cutting will only take place when the weather and surface conditions are conducive to grass cutting operations. Prior to grass cutting we shall collect and remove all stones, litter and debris from the area to be cut.
Grass shall be cut to a minimum height of 20mm to avoid scalping the sward and to a maximum height of 40mm to ensure the required aesthetic appearance is achieved. We shall ensure that the grass edges adjacent to the kerbs, hardstanding areas, ditches and the like are left in a neat and tidy condition. Grass shall be cut as close as possible to and around all obstructions. Where grass clippings are not required to be collected we shall ensure they are evenly distributed over the cut area and grass clippings shall be swept from adjacent footpaths, roads and other areas as such grass area is completed.
Ornamental fine lawn areas shall be cut to a high standard using a cylinder/rotary type grass cutting machine and all grass clippings shall be boxed off and removed. Areas of banks and sloping ground which is unsuitable for large grass cutting equipment, these shall be cut using an approved rotary hover mower or strimmer. Rough grass areas which are cut on a low frequency and where a high quality finish not required these shall be cut with an appropriate flail grass cutting machine or similar.
Half mooning of the beds and paths shall be carried out on one occasion per year and this will be carried out in the winter period. The turf edge will be cut back to form a clean edge and to prevent encroachment over paths, paved areas and beds.
Bed Maintenance
Beds shall be hoed and hand-weeded throughout the year and all perennial weed shall be forked out and together with the litter and debris shall be removed. Shrub bed will be kept clear of weeds thorough chemical control without forking over to reduce damage to plants. Grass edges to beds and borders shall be cut regularly from April to October using long handled shears.
During late December after the final leaf fall, beds and borders shall be forked over removing weeds. The tilth shall be broken down regularly to give “freshen up appearance” and all litter removed.
Pruning of all shrubs shall be carried out at a time and in a manner most appropriate for each species and shall be conducive to each plants growth, habit and function to ensure proper development to maturity. Pruning shall be carried out to stimulate new vegetative growth and flower/fruit production, forming and shaping of shrubs to control the size of the shrub in relation to surrounding plants and features.
Roses shall be pruned during March using secateurs and lopping shears. Suckers shall be exposed at their point of origin by removing the soil and shall be cut off at the point using secateurs. Roses shall throughout the summer period be regularly dead-headed. Followed by a light autumn prune.
Tree Maintenance
We would be responsible for the maintenance of immature and standard trees up to the first 1.80 cm. All maintenance shall be carried out in a manner conducive to the successful establishment of trees. Inspection of trees will take place to ensure the following;
- Tree ties are not causing an abrasion to the tree stem.
- If the tree tie is restricting growth the tie will be loosened.
- If the tree is too slack, it will be tightened.
- All stakes will be inspected for damage, decay or looseness.
If any of the above is discovered the necessary action is taken.
The removal of suckers from the tree bases shall be carried out on two occasions per year –mid summer and mid winter. Pruning will take place on trees to raise their crown to a height of 1.8m. On removing live wood all pruning wounds shall be made good to the branch ridge mark (branch collar). Then the removal of minor lateral branches back to major branches or the removal of entire branches to the point where it arises from the trunk. This will have the effect of creating a balanced shape.
All other major tree works will have to be raised as an addition cost to the contract.
Hedge cutting
Cutting shall be carried out in a manner to encourage and maintain a stable hedge, forming a uniform screen with the width at the base greater than the width at the top. Hedges are to be cut mechanically and or manually. These hedges will be cut on two occasions per year during the months of July and September. More formal hedge will be cut monthly.
Bulb Area Mowing
Grass and flower foliage will only be cut after mid June when flowing is complete and the foliage and leaves have died back. Cutting shall be carried out using a rotary mower and all litter, grass cuttings and dead flower foliage shall be removed. Following the initial cut at the end of June the area will be subject to the appropriate grass cutting regime.
Leaf Clearing
Leaf collection to bed areas will be carried out Prior to winter forking over.
Leaves will be cleared as required with particular attention being given to main entrances and disabled accesses.
Sweeping
Paths, car parks and other hard surfaces will be swept by hand or mechanical means using a Billy Goat or similar, to clear leaves, soilage and debris on completion of an operation or at the end of the visit. Where shrubs and hedges overhang the areas to be swept we will remove all materials gathering thereunder.
Chemical Application
We will take all necessary precautions under current and future legislation when storing, handling, using and disposing of pesticide and their containers. The following legislation is relevant and we will comply in all aspects with their requirements:-
- The Control of Pesticide Regulations 1986.
- The Food & Environmental Act 1985 and any Codes which may be issued under the Act.
- The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
- The Poisons Act 1972.
- The Poisonous Substances in Agriculture Regulations 1984.
- The Control of Pollution Act 1974.
Chemicals at all times will be stored in a chemical safe. Chemicals will only be applied by operatives who are properly trained and certified under the current regulations in force at the time when such work is done.
Pesticides will be applied in strict accordance with the manufacturers written instructions. Application rates shall not be exceeded. Within 5 working days of use of any pesticide we will submit to the client in writing such information as required under the relevant Code of Practice. We will avoid causing any damage to any plant material not required to be treated such as inadvertent damage through carelessness, spray drift, application of an incorrect chemical, an incorrect dosage or application during unsuitable weather conditions. Care will also be taken to ensure that harm to wildlife is prevented. Also the necessary steps must be taken to prevent any noxious or polluting matter to enter the water course (Rivers, Prevention of Pollution Act 1951 to 1961.).
During all works on site we will ensure that all chemical canisters and containers are removed from site immediately upon completion of any works. List of current chemicals that are used in the company and their usage will be supplied (if successful).
