Backyard Awards: Best Loved Lawn winner
Mark Elliott from Shirley in Christchurch has won the category of Best Loved Lawn for his lush green masterpiece. Congratulations, Mark!
We spoke with his about his process to keep his lawn beautiful and there may be some blades of advice for your own backyard.
Mark has a huge backyard so during Covid times, he decided to renovate the lawn and garden just for something to do. It’s turned into a passion.
His lawn is 100% rye grass - sourced from Prebble Seeds Turf World who supply many golf courses around New Zealand. In the summer he mows it every 2-3 days, sometimes daily, and waters the lawn with a deep soak of about an hour at a time, 2-3 times a week. He uses a granular slow release lawn fertiliser and other liquid fertilisers also.
Mark shares:
'I would say the secret to getting a good lawn is consistent mowing - at least twice a week. Maybe buy a bulk bag of slow release lawn fertiliser from a wholesaler. Keep the grass longer and just take the very top off the blade when you mow. It promotes growth, thickens it up and will really help with stopping weeds - oh, and water. Expect a water bill if you want a good lawn.'
The first photo below shows the 'Before' shot, 4 years ago. Give Mark a Like on this post if you think his lawn is pretty top notch!
What's your best cost-saving tip?
Just when we thought the cost of living couldn't climb any higher...it does. While things like fuel prices are out of our control, many of us are looking for small, practical ways to stretch our dollars a bit further. So let’s put our heads together!
Over the next little while, we’ll be sharing tips to help you save money — and we’d love to hear yours too. What’s working for you right now?
Here are a few ideas to get started:
🎉 Plan ahead for the year (birthdays, events, travel) to avoid surprise costs
🪙 Check out $2 shops for everyday items like stationery, baking paper, foil, and cling wrap - often much cheaper than the supermarket
🐖 Bring back the piggy bank and save your loose change
🔨 DIY where you can - like mowing the lawn instead of paying someone
💵 Set a daily budget before heading out and stick to it (cash can help!)
🧴 Stretch household products by diluting things like shampoo or dishwashing liquid
Got a tip that’s helping you save? Share it below, the tip might make a huge difference to someone else.
The Cost of Living: Meal Ideas 🍽️
Continuing our series on how to manage the rising cost of living, this week we’re diving into the kitchen. We want to know your "secret weapon" recipes.
Share below your go-to meals that are:
💰 Budget-friendly (won't break the bank)
🥞 Delicious and easy to whip up
🍜 Great for leftovers (dishes that stretch for several days)
Whether it’s a legendary 20-cent lentil soup or a clever way to dress up basic mince, please share your meal ideas in the comments below!
Product recalls across NZ
Quite a few products have been recalled recently and we want to make sure everything in your home is safe.
Check out the list below clicking on the blue text to learn more about why it was recalled.
Food Recalls:
⚠️Southern Sprouts Alfafa and Onion Sprouts (Possible risk of listeria)
⚠️Pams Onion Sprouts (Possible risk of listeria)
⚠️Raw C Coconut Water
⚠️Loco Love Chewy Caramel
⚠️Sun'Days Dubai Style Chocolate Mousse
⚠️Gilmours Original Corn Chips
⚠️Pak n Save Moorhouse in-store bread
⚠️Emborg Emmentaler Cheese (Possible risk of listeria)
⚠️Ghiotti Chorizo
⚠️Steinlager Ulta-Low Carb beer
Household item recalls:
⚠️Stainless Steel Drink Bottle - sold at Kmart
⚠️Captive Bolt Activators
⚠️Cloud Nine Hair Dryer
⚠️Toyworld Animal Bath Toys
⚠️Topdon Smart Programmable Battery Charger
⚠️Bicycles - Specialised Turbo Como SL
Check the New Zealand Transport Agency's handy vehicle recall list here.
I hope you weren't affected by these products. Stay safe, neighbours!
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