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SOUTH FREEPORT Chad Strater gently turned the tiller throttle and the 14-foot fiberglass workboat glided silently away from the dock, accelerating to roughly 9 miles per hour. The only sounds coming from the boat on a calm August morning werethe rush of the hull pushing through the water and a moderate hum.

As Strater steeredupriver in Harraseeket Harbor, he passed two men headed out to a mooring in a small skiff. On the skiffs transom was an old-school, two-stroke engine. Its a durable design, but one that pollutes the air and can leave a quarter of its gasoline-oil mixture in the water. The motor made a loud thump-thump-thump sound as they went by.

There it was, for a moment: the past and future of motor boating, coming and going on the coast of Maine.

Strater is co-owner of The Boat Yard in Yarmouth. He has been testing a 10-kilowatt Torqeedo electric motor and battery system on various small workboats. He and his business partner, Nick Planson, are analyzing the best applications for range, speed and utility, aided by grants from the private Island Institute and the publicly funded Maine Technology Institute.

This would very easily get lobstermen out and back to their boats, Strater said of the small battery-powered skiff.

Electric boats today are much like electric cars were a decade ago. They seem unfamiliar, unreliable, impractical and unaffordable. But some of the forces speeding the transition to zero-emission battery transportation on land worsening climate impacts, improving technologies and investors stepping up to bring promising ideas into production are beginning to form on the water.

The trend could be of special interest to Mainers.The states jagged coastline covers 3,400 miles. More than 6,000 lakes and ponds dot its woodlands.

Maine has more than 126,000 registered motor boats. They belong to lobstermen, sea farmers, marina workers, harbor masters and recreational boaters. Roughly 40percent of these boats are under 16 feet long, according to Maines Inland Fisheries and Wildlife department; more than half are from 16 to 26 feet.

While its true that modern four-stroke and direct injection marine engines are much cleaner than their ancestors, they still burn petroleum and contribute to climate change. Thats why theres a move to switch out the worst offenders for electric models. And because more than half the states registered boats have engines rated at 50 horsepower or less, these smaller craft with outboard engines are prime candidates for the next generation of marine propulsion.

ADVOCATES: CHEAPER OVER TIME

The transition may come first to Maines working waterfronts. Commercial boaters keep regular schedules. They need gear they can count on. If battery-powered boating can work for them, the thinking goes, it can serve the weekend cruiser and angler.

To test this notion, the Island Institute, the Rockland-based coastal community development organization, is offering grants up to $4,000 to help put electric outboards on 100 working skiffs by 2025. Its also helping install solar charging stations on docks and wharves. Just as with electric cars, people need to see the technology working. And they have to feel comfortable that the infrastructures in place to keep them moving on the water.

We hope over the next year to have some of these boats out there being seen, along with chargers, said Sam Belknap, the Island Institutes senior community development officer.

The Island Institute currently is helping marine interests, including The Boat Yard, track and monitor how workboats are being used every day. The data will aid in matching up the best electric motors and boats for the tasks at hand.

For instance: Strater and Planson are testing a 10-kilowatt outboard developed by Torqeedo, the German maker of marine electric engine and battery systems. The motor retails for under $10,000. It develops a thrust comparable to a new 20-horsepower gasoline motor, which costs $4,000 or so.

The Torqeedo gets its juice from a pair of 5,000-watt-hour lithium batteries. Each one costs $5,000. A basic $900 plug-in charger that tops up the system in less than 10 hours rounds out the package. A faster charger is available, too.

This example underscores the reality that an electric boat, just like an electric car, will cost more upfront. Thats true of most any new and evolving technology.

But advocates note that electric motors are cheaper to maintain over time than internal combustion engines. Fuel costs also will be lower, even more so than with electric cars. Marine gas and diesel tend to be $1 or more per gallon more expensive dockside than fuel at the average gas station.

The testing will help answer a question on the mind of every boater thinking about going electric: whats the run-time? Getting stranded at sea or in the middle of a lake is a mariners nightmare. Running at nearly 5 mph, the Torqeedo is rated at six hours. Run time drops to one hour, however, at a top speed of 16 mph.

Another variable is the boat itself. Strater and Planson have been testing the motor on an open 24-foot Carolina Skiff, which has a spacious deck well-suited for aquaculture gear. Next theyre evaluating the performance on an 18-foot Lund aluminum skiff, a fishing and harbor boat made popular by the fleet of the Maine Island Trail Association.

Run information is displayed in real time with an on-board computer built into the tiller. A digital gauge shows how much capacity remains in the batteries, the estimated range, how fast the boat is going and how much electricity its using.

Heading up the Harraseeket with three people aboard, Strater was able to bring the skiff onto plane and cruise along at 9 mph. Weight matters in a boat this size, and range would improve with fewer passengers.

One person and dog works well, Strater joked.

IM CONVINCED ITS THE SOLUTION

Down the coast on the Saco River in Biddeford, Sean Tarpey and his son, Matt, have been dabbling in battery-powered boats for years at Rumerys Boat Yard. Theyve rented and sold a low-powered Canadian-made model, then a Polish-built boat and engine package. Theyve evaluated Torqeedos offering and also have been working with the Island Institute to gather usage data.

Most recently, theyve become excited about a Rhode Island start-up, Flux Marine. The company is building electric motor and boat packages that the Tarpeys think will be best-suited for Maine waters. Both the Tarpeys and The Boat Yard owners have gone to Rhode Island to test the Flux products. They each are considering becoming dealers next year.

It was the most impressive motor Ive seen, Matt Tarpey said. Im convinced its the solution to electrifying the working waterfront.

Flux Marine announced in April it had raised $15.5 million from investors, which it said would be used in part to expand manufacturing. The company has begun taking orders for outboards in sizes equivalent to 15, 40 and 70 horsepower. Depending on the modular battery system chosen, prices range from $3,500 to $40,000.

The company also is developing packages for inflatable and dual-console watercraft that are optimized for battery propulsion. Prices start at $35,000 for the inflatable, with a range of 40 miles, and reach $100,000 for the dual console, which has a 75-mile range estimate.

The end game, Tarpey said, is to make sure we design these boats to go along with the motors, so the battery cost is as low as possible.

That integrated design is starting to happen, with a big player making news. Last November, General Motors invested $150 million to acquire a 25 percent stake in Seattle-based Pure Watercraft. Pure recently started taking orders for a futuristic-looking 25-foot pontoon boat. GM is using its battery technology in the boat, and the global automotive giant said the partnership complements its vision of expanding zero-emissions mobility to a new era of boating.

AND THEN THERES THE AUK

Pontoon boats are popular recreational watercraft geared to lakes and rivers. But in South Freeports harbor, a different take on battery-powered pleasure boating is on display this one with classic lines and set up for coastal cruising.

Alex Abbott was pulling up to a float recently where a man was sitting, taking in the harbor view.

Is that battery powered? the man asked, noticing the lack of motor noise.

People ask that question all the time, Abbott said.

Abbott is the proud owner of a Point Comfort 23, a Maine-built interpretation of a Chesapeake Bay workboat optimized for electric propulsion. The two-year-old vessel, named AUK, is a custom-made, $85,000 watercraft. Its not a prototype for mass-market electric boating, but it does show how thoughtful design and components can work together to create a pleasing, zero-emission experience on the water.

A 10-kilowatt Torqeedo outboard hangs from the transom. Three batteries, each rated at 5,000 watt-hours, store power. Overhead on the T-top sit four solar-electric panels. Each is rated at 116 watts. They can generate enough power over the course of a sunny summer day to charge the batteries. The batteries also can be charged dockside with plug-in shore power.

I thought about it for quite some time, said Abbott, who also owns a sailboat. My goal was to have a lightweight boat, made of wood, made in Maine, with an electric propulsion system.

Abbott has trailered the boat, which is light enough to be pulled by his Volkswagen Golf wagon, as far away as Cape Cod. From his slip, he cruises Casco Bay, down to Portland and out to Jewell Island. The boat is designed for a top speed of 16 mph, although Abbott said he tends to run around 7 mph. The boat came with two batteries. He added a third, allowing AUK to cover between 20 and 50 miles, depending on speed and sea state.

For boaters considering electric, Abbott has some advice: Slow down. Enjoy the quiet. Dont expect the same speed and range as a gas-powered vessel.

Embracing electric boating may take an attitude adjustment. Pick up a recreational boating magazine today and theres likely a $1 million day boat on the cover. Its not unusual to see a 40-foot-long hull and a trio of 350-horsepower engines. They can suck down 40 gallons of petrol an hour at 35 mph.

Americans are addicted to speed, and speed takes a lot of power, said Doug Hylan, who designed AUK at Hylan & Brown Boatbuilders in Brooklin.

Speed is harder to maintain in an electric boat than in a car. A car rolls on tires. It takes a smaller amount of energy to keep it moving. Water is denser than air and it takes more energy to keep pushing a boat through the water.

Battery-powered boats can generate quick bursts of speed, however, thanks to the torque of an electric motor. Flux Marine says its 70 horsepower equivalent outboard has the acceleration power of a 115-horsepower unit.

But in Hylans view, breakthroughs for recreational boating will hinge on more affordable and powerful batteries that can take fishermen offshore and let cruisers zoom around.

I think were in the early, Tesla stages, he said, making a car analogy. Its people with a fair amount of money who want to make a difference or be a pioneer in a field thats not truly mature yet.

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Electric boats poised to make waves on Maine coast - Press Herald

On average,handymenhourly rates range from $40 to over $100. For small jobs, a handyman might have a minimum charge of$60-$100. However, how much you pay will ultimately depend on where you liveand the complexity of the job.

"The value in what I do is that if you are a CPA and you want to hang something on the wall, do you know what that wall structure is designed of? What youre putting on the wall? If that wall can support that? Do you know whats in the wall?

If you want to hang a TV and you want the wires to run inside, do you know the steps involved to do that? Its not just grab some tape, slap it up on the wall and ta-da, there it is.

The people that are involved have a knowledge of how things are done. I have a knowledge of how its supposed to be done.

If its not in your wheelhouse, dont do it. Youd be better off to contact and hire somebody to do it. Youll be more satisfied in the end. Without you having to worry did I do it right, or have to pay for it twice.

Im Lance Johnson, Im a handyman, and you can find me on Thumbtack."

Excerpt from:
2022 Handyman Hourly Rates | Service Price List & Tips to Save - Thumbtack

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Home Cleaning Services - Global Market Trajectory & Analytics" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Global Home Cleaning Services Market to Reach US$10 Billion by the Year 2026

Consumer demand for residential cleaning services is increasing at a significant rate owing to the growing number of households with dual-incomes. Such a high growth in demand is increasing the number of professional residential cleaners in the marketplace. Being a pressing health concern, allergies remain one the primary drivers behind rising demand for home cleaning services.

This factor is also playing an important role in increasing the uptake of natural, green cleaning solutions on the expense of traditional products that are based on chemicals known to aggravate allergies. In the recent years, a large number of companies offering home cleaning services have started embracing green cleaning solutions to help people with allergies.

The industry's growth is also augmented by notable expansion of the healthcare sector and the rising geriatric population. Seniors who need assistance with daily routine and healthcare needs are unable to clean their homes. These elderly people often rely on providers of cleaning services for their homes. The phenomenal growth exhibited by the home cleaning services industry can also be credited to continuous expansion of the commercial real-estate sector. The need for consistent care and cleaning for commercial properties is presenting massive business opportunities for cleaning service providers.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Home Cleaning Services estimated at US$7.5 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$10 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 9.6% over the analysis period.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $1.6 Billion in 2022, While China is Forecast to Reach $1.4 Billion by 2026

The Home Cleaning Services market in the U.S. is estimated at US$1.6 Billion in the year 2022. The country currently accounts for a 22.3% share in the global market. China, the world's second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$1.4 Billion in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 13% through the analysis period.

Select Competitors (Total 158 Featured):

Key Topics Covered:

I. METHODOLOGY

II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. MARKET OVERVIEW

2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS

3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS

4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE

III. MARKET ANALYSIS

IV. COMPETITION

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/pmn396

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Home Cleaning Services Global Market Report 2022: Persistent Hygiene Threats and Risks at Homes Raise the Importance of Cleaning Services -...

The federal government is launching a full and thorough investigation into the case of aVeterans Affairs Canada (VAC) employee discussing medical assistance in dying (MAiD)with a veteran.

In a statement provided to Global News on Friday afternoon, a spokesperson for Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay said that the minister has directed his Deputy Minister to undertake a full and thorough investigation into this matter.

MacAulay is also ordering that, all front line staff at Veterans Affairs Canada are given formal training, direction, and advice on how to approach issues around MAiD, the statement added.

The investigation and training come after Global News first reported on Aug. 16 that a Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) employee had discussed medically-assisted dying with a veteran, a case that veterans advocates said made clear the stark stakes of the ongoing struggle for veterans to access supports.

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Sources told Global News a VAC service agent brought up MAiD unprompted in a conversation with the combat veteran, who was seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and a traumatic brain injury.

Global News is not identifying the veteran who was seeking treatment due to privacy concerns but has spoken directly with the individual, who says the service agent brought up MAiD repeatedly and even after the veteran asked the service agent to stop.

The veteran said he felt pressured as a result.

He also said that the service agent told him in the call about having helped another veteran access resources for medical assistance in dying through Veterans Affairs Canada, including support for that persons children who were struggling with the impending death.

The veteran told Global News that service agent told him that the other veteran went through with a medically-assisted death, and that it had been someone who was determined to end his life.

Better than blowing his brains out all over the wall or driving his car into something, the veteran says the service agent told him when describing that separate case.

Veterans Affairs Canada said earlier this week it was looking into the matter.

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The department and its staff do not have the ability to provide the resources for an assisted death, but veterans advocates have raised serious concerns about the impact of even raising the subject.

Its kind of like planting a seed, said Debbie Lowther, executive director ofVETS Canada, a charity that helps veterans in crisis.

If we have a veteran whos already struggling with their mental health and maybe they are contemplating suicide this is an opportunity thats been presented to them.

For some, the thought of taking their own life and having a loved one find their body may have been a deterrent to going through with suicidal thoughts, she explained.

But presenting the option to have a medically-assisted death instead, Lowther said, could have very, very damaging consequences.

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Bruce Moncur, founder of the Afghanistan Veterans Association of Canada, raised similar concerns.

If that veteran was close to the edge, that might have been the hair that broke the camels back, he said in an interview. Its so cavalier with somebodys life.

Moncur fought in Afghanistan as a reservist and sustained a traumatic brain injury after being shot in the head while deployed. He said learning of the service agent bringing up medical assistance in dying to a veteran left him feeling shock, outrage, anger.

My understanding [is] this staff is still on the payroll and still working at their job, which is unacceptable to me. I just cannot understand how this person can still be trusted, he said.

Im wondering, is this my case manager? Is this somebody that I have trying to look after me?

Moncur, whose partner is NDP MP Niki Ashton, also criticized MacAulays performance in the job.

He said he sits on the Service Excellence Advisory Group, which advises the minister, and tried to call an emergency meeting about the matter.

They denied my request, Moncur said. They said that we were going to have a meeting in September anyway, so might as well just wait until then.

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Global News sent a list of detailed questions about the specifics of the allegations made by the veteran to officials at Veterans Affairs Canada. In response, the department stated they do not record phone conversations between veterans and staff in order to protect privacy.

The department said it could not corroborate the allegations made by the veteran that the service agent had described helping a separate veteran access medical assistance in dying, or about the veterans claim that the agent told the separate veteran that MAiD was better than blowing his brains out.

The veteran who spoke with Global News has said he filed multiple complaints about the service agent since July 21, 2022.

When the Veteran client called VAC to share what happened on the call, we immediately took action to address the situation and apologized to the client, a spokesperson for Veterans Affairs Canada said.

As directed by the Minister of Veterans Affairs, the Deputy Minister will oversee a thorough internal investigation into this matter and take any appropriate administrative actions necessary to ensure this situation doesnt happen again.

In addition, all VAC frontline staff will be provided training as a reminder of the expectations and the available programs and services offered by the Department to support the health and well-being of Veterans.

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Under Canadian law, medically-assisted death can only be discussed between a primary care provider like a physician or psychiatrist and their patient.

2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Original post:
Ottawa orders full and thorough probe into veteran assisted dying discussion - Global News

By Lauren Berg (August 16, 2022, 6:55 PM EDT) -- A marketing and analytics company has sued the Federal Trade Commission in Idaho federal court over the agency's threat to challenge the company's sale of consumer geolocation data, which could be used to track people to sensitive places, like therapists' offices and reproductive health care clinics.

Kochava Inc. recently received a proposed complaint from the FTC taking issue with the Idaho-based company's alleged sale of time-stamped geolocation data from consumers' mobile devices, but Kochava denies that its customers can identify individuals or track their specific location from the services it provides, according to the complaint filed Friday.

Kochava denies that its...

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TikToker Azure MacCannell (@livecomposed) shared some of the surprising objects around your home that might need to be cleaned.

MacCannell is a TikToker and mom who shares cleaning and organization tips. In a viral video that has racked up more than 7 million views, MacCannell shows that thoroughly cleaning your home requires more than simply sweeping floors and scrubbing windows. Hard-to-reach places like refrigerator coils and faucet screens need love, too!

The video begins with a shot of MacCannells refrigerator. Here are some things that might need cleaning, she writes in a caption. Then she shows off just how dusty the back of her refrigerator is. The coils on the refrigerator are coated in a thick layer of gray dust, which begins to disappear as she moves a vacuum cleaner back and forth across the coils.

Cleaning your refrigerator coils, she explains, wont just get rid of dust. It will also save you so much money by prolonging the life of your refrigerator.

Next up, MacCannell shows how to clean the space under your toilet seat. She unscrews the lid from a toilet seat and removes it, showing where grime has built up around the seats hinges. Using a disinfecting wipe, she carefully scrubs the grime off of the hinges until the toilet is sparkling clean!

Clean this and your bathroom will smell much better, she writes in a caption.

Finally, MacCannell shows how to clean the screen on your sinks faucet. She unscrews the screen, then drops it in a cup of cleaning fluid. Then she uses disinfecting wipes to wipe down the rest of the faucet.

Youll notice a difference in water pressure, she claims, showing off her now-sparkling sink as the video ends.

Viewers were surprised and horrified by the idea that their homes could be dirty without even realizing it.

I want these things clean, but Im too scared to look at how bad they are to actually clean them since Ive never done it before, one TikToker wrote.

I already have so much that I need to clean. I dont need extra, another overwhelmed viewer commented.

Me scrollin pretending I never saw this, joked another TikToker.

Cleaning hard-to-reach places might seem overwhelming, but MacCannell also makes it look extremely satisfying.

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TikToker shares surprising places around your house that need cleaning: Pretending I never saw this - In The Know

TNT sports sideline reporter Allie LaForce and MLB free agent pitcher Joe Smith had more than half a million dollars to celebrate during their HelpCureHD fundraiser at Minute Maid Parks Union Station. The former Houston Astros reliever and his wife are due to have their first child in November. And therein lies the story of this momentous fundraiser.

Smiths mother suffered and eventually lost her life, before her time, from debilitating Huntingtons disease or HD. The disease has a 50 percent genetic propensity of being passed on to the next generation. This inspired the Smiths to found HelpCureHD. This sporty couple have long been dedicated to saving their future children and the children of others from such a fate.

The first-ever HelpCureHD fundraiser was held at Tootsies in 2018 and subsequent events in Houston were also chaired by LaForce and Smith. Although Cleveland, Ohio, is their home, the couple has enjoyed exceptional support in their efforts from Houston and by the works of Houston-based Dr. Erin Furr-Stimming, a neurologist with clinical expertise is evaluating and treating patients with Huntingtons disease, and Dr. Dottie Roach, a specialist in fertility.

The Minute Maid Park evening raised a record $525,000, happy news for LaForce and Smith for whom the foundations mission is their mission. The funds are earmarked for research into a cure for Huntingtons disease and for grants to cover the costs of PGD-IVF (pre-implantation genetic diagnosis and in vitro fertilization) services that aid couples who have the possibility of passing HD to future generations. To date, 18 Huntingtons disease-free babies have been born through the foundation with seven more families, including the Smiths, pregnant with HD-free babies.

Astros joining in support of the cause were team owner Jim Crane and wife Whitney, right fielder Kyle Tucker, closerRyan Pressly and his wife Kat, former Astro (and current Oakland A)Tony Kemp, Astros senior vice president executive operations Jared Crane and his wife Adrienne, Astros sidelines reporter Julia Morales, and Astros vet and MLB Hall of FamerJeff Bagwell and his wife Rachel.

LaForce and Smith will also be conducting fundraisers for the national HelpCureHD organization in California, in Florida and in their shared home state of Ohio.

PC Seen: Marla and Matt Hurley, Jo and Jim Furr, Chris Stimming, Julie Chen, Amanda Boffone, Jessica Roupe, Dana Barton and Robert Clay, Jen and David Grisby, Iris Shaftel, Iraida and Danny Brown, Dean Putterman, Elizabeth and John Elder, and Dr. Sherri Levin.

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TNT's Allie LaForce and Husband Joe Smith Find Houston Still Has a Giant Heart Astros Hit a Home Run For Former Teammate - PaperCity Magazine

Seeding grass is a useful technique for getting a healthy lawn. Lawn aeration is an essential part of lawn health as well. Combine the two and youll get a combination that works together to produce a lawn that will be the envy of the neighborhood.

When soil becomes compacted, the lawn struggles to take in oxygen, water, and critical nutrients needed to grow properly. A well-aerated lawn, on the other hand, gives fresh seeds a better chance to absorb nutrients and develop stronger roots. In the same way that farmer plows and turns over a field every year, your lawn needs to have the soil conditions enhanced through aeration.

Contact your local Lawn Doctor to learn about how your lawn could benefit from combining lawn seeding with lawn aeration services. Lawn Doctor offers core aeration, which when coupled with seeding can multiply the effectiveness of lawn maintenance and let your grass grow thicker and greener than ever.

See the article here:
Power Seeding for Lawn Grass | Lawn Doctor

Scotts Turf Builder Triple Action Built For Seeding is formulated to help grow new grass and control against weeds while feeding and strengthening grass. Now you don't have to choose how to best care for your lawnyou can maximize growth with one application. Jump start grass seed development so it establishes quicker and thicker, whether you are starting a fresh new lawn or reseeding an existing lawn. Protect your lawn against annoying and bothersome crabgrass, dandelions and other pesky weeds for up to 6 weeks without harming your new grass. It also feeds and strengthens your new grass to protect it against heat and drought.

For best results to grow grass fast apply with Scotts spreader to dry lawn, then water to activate. Works with most grasses including Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, perennial ryegrass and centipedegrass. One 17.2-lb. bag covers up to 4,000 sq. ft. New weeds will sprout white or turn white and quickly die. This product does not contain grass seed, and it will not kill existing weeds.

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Scotts Turf Builder Triple Action Built For Seeding | Scotts

We're often asked "Can I sow wildflower seed onto grass?" Generally customers have an existing lawn or pasture which they want to enhance. The short answer is it may well not work.

You'll more often than not have a better chance of establishing a wildflower meadow area if you start from scratch. On the other hand sometimes - if the lawn has been converted from old pasture, for example - people are amazed by the wildflowers which appear if they just leave it unmown over the summer.

It's not ALWAYS impossible to successfully oversow if you take that route, but that depends on several things.

If you have fertile soil, over time grasses or - if not managed - pernicious weeds - will overwhelm the wildflowers you are trying to establish. Even if you start with bare earth it's a problem, so if the grass is already there it's doubly difficult. It's not that wildflowers don't like fertile soils; they just don't respond to higher nutrient levels in the same way that grass or plants like dock or nettle will do.

If you're not sure how fertile your soil is - or whether it's alkaline or acidic - you can get a soil test done.

Grass is so successful because it grows fast and has a tendency to thatch, blocking out any competition. Some grasses are particularly thuggish. Particular favourites of lawn mixes are cultivars of Lolium perenne, Perennial rye grass.

Photo: Wildlife Trusts

If you're looking at a sea of these kind ofspikeletsin summer, then forget converting your lawn to a wildflower meadow! No amount of careful preparation or parasitic plants (see below) is going to work, I'm afraid. You may have some initial success, but within a couple of years you'll be looking at a lot of ryegrass again. There are other aggressive coarser grasses too, but PRG is the main offender as cultivars are always an important constituent of lawn or grazing mixes.

On the other hand, when you have a careful look at your grass you may be pleasantly surprised. People often find that they have a range of wildflowers they haven't noticed, or which just haven't had a chance to get going. Following the advice below will help them do so.

So, you have a promising site with what looks like fine grasses. What do you do to prepare it for overseeding with a wildflower seed mix?

You need to really beat up the existing grass, to the extent that you can see up to 50% earth. You need to do this through a combination of scarifying and cutting. To break up the thatch of the existing grass, first cut it. Then use a chain harrow to larger sites, or for a garden a scarifier, spring rake or hand cultivator. Once you've done that, cut it again - really short. If you're lucky enough to have livestock, do the cutting with them!

You're trying to create gaps large enough for the slow germinating and growing wildflowers to establish before they're overwhelmed by faster growing grass. You may even feel you need to clear small patches completely to give them as good a chance as possible.

If you then decide to add some wildflower seed, source it from a reputable supplierand always check that not only does it include appropriate native species, but that the seed originates in the UK. "Wildflowers" can apparently mean different things to different suppliers! They need to be recently harvested and stored properly too. Although a wildflower only seed mix will cost a lot more than a meadow mix (i.e. including grasses) you won't need much of it; reckon on something around 1g per square metre.

If you're sowing in late summer - autumn (the optimal time), then it's helpful if your mix includes Yellow Rattle, Rhinanthus minor. If it doesn't, then it's probably worth buying a little to add. If sowing in spring, add it the following September ayway as the seed has limited viability.

You could at this point - particularly if you have a small area - decide it's all too much and pop some plug plants in instead. They're more expensive and you'll get less diversity, but they're definitely an option. Reckon on 5 per square metre, so a single one of these trays will cover 25 square metres.

...is simple. The seeding rate is so low - reckon on around 1g per square metre - that you'll need to mix your seed mix with some peat free compost or sand to make sure you don't run out of expensive ammunition half way through sowing. The ratio of inert carrier to seed doesn't matter.

If you're seeding a large area, mark it out into squares with canes. If you have a square 5mX5m you know you will need around 25g of seed for that area.

Scatter evenly across the area you want to seed. Do two passes if you can, one left to right and the other front to back.

Once seeded, if its practical, give the area a light role to make sure the seed is in good contact with the earth.

If you can bear it, keep the newly seeded area cut for 6 months after seeding, to around 3cm. This will help keep the grass from overwhelming the seedling wildflowers. The exception to this is if your wildflower seed included cornfield annuals like poppies, in which case let them flower before cutting.

This regime will also help control weeds, but if you see plants like dock appearing then have them out!

Success!

Originally posted here:
Sowing Wildflower Seed Onto Grass | Habitat Aid