Eating out doors with family or friends has been increasing in popularity on a yearly basis, although very dependant on the weather. The introduction of Gas barbecues has meant that the slightest break in the weather is now an opprtunity. For me and for many others though the only real way to barbecue is on a Charcoal Barbecue.

Part of the appeal of a Charcoal BBQ are the smells that are produced from not only the charcoal BBQ but from the food cooking and sizzling away, sometimes for a bit too long becoming a part of the charcoal burning on the BBQ.

Finding the best place to have your Charcoal Barbecue positioned is always a good idea. Things to look for in a good charcoal BBQ spot are:

No over hanging hazards like trees, washing lines, buildings.

Not too close to any building.

Flat level ground.

Good access or exit in case of a problem.

Somewhere that you can preferably exclude pet’s from.

You will need to think about your hungry guests when choosing the best place to set up your charcoal BBQ. So work out how much space you will need and then make a concious decission on whether to go for a Portable BBQor a built in charcoal barbecue. The best way is to weigh up the pro’s and cons and work out which will best suit your needs.

The Portable BBQ is the more popular choice as they can be wheeled away and stored in a shed or garage. Unlike a static charcoal BBQ, which has to be left to bear the brunt of the unpredictable british weather.

OK, so you’ve decide on the type of charcoal BBQ, you’ve pick your spot to set up, next you can start to look for the actual barbecue itself.

Safety is also of great importance after all it is a fire that you are playing with. The re-inforced foil used in portable BBQ’s is very thin and can often be quite dangerous, the bottoms have been know to give way which can obviousy be very dangerous in itself. So it is best to select a robust charcoal BBQ that will not only last longer but offer safety to keep those BBQ parties going without any injuries.

Try and keep your feet on the ground though and buy a Charcoal BBQ that is the right size for your requirements and not too big. In the vast majority of cases such a buying charcoal BBQ decision will be regretted at a later date.

Now, although health and safety has already been mentioned it is the most important thing of all, just make sure the kids and pets are out of harms way, then crack open a nice cold beer and enjoy you charcoal BBQ.

The condition of your garden topsoil will probably be one of the most critical indicators in how well your garden looks. Your plants use this topsoil to get all the nutrients they require to prosper. In the following paragraphs we are going to look at some things to consider as well as some ways that we can certainly help out both our gardens topsoil and the plants that we want to grow inside it. To assist you to easily get that great looking garden that you want.

Just about the most important things to watch for within your Garden Topsoil is the moisture levels is of paramount importance. Too much and it will be too boggy. Meaning your plants will be far too wet around the roots. Too little and the topsoil will be way too dry to sustain your plants needs. Not enough moisture held in the soil is a sign that the water is draining through it way too quickly. If you have either of these issues, all is not lost, there are many things that can be done to optimise the the quality of the topsoil.

To ensure the water drains easily and to stop the soil clumping, try digging in fine gravel or sand to your garden topsoil. Horse Manure or well rotted compost will also benefit your soil.

Whilst these may be the cheapest way to improve your drainage, they are by no means the easiest, buying high quality garden Topsoil in the first place will reduce the need to do this, but obviously that comes at a premium. Other ways would be to introduce large amounts of well rotted manure or compost which will not only add a lot of nutrition for your plants to feed off but will also help with moisture retention.

If your garden is not well maintained you will face the bain of every gardners life, weeds. They seem to grow quicker than you can control them. If this is the case then the best thing to do for your garden and your sanity is after weeding the area cover it in a good natural Mulch. This will help by blocking out the light so the weeds won’t grow again, as it rots down it puts nutrition back in to the soil meaning that your gardens topsoil remains in excellent condition.

Bad topsoil can also affect you grass as well as your plants. Out of sight out of mind springs to mind when talking about the condition of the topsoil underneath your grass. But inevitably poor topsoil will affect the quality of your lawn. Heavy moss or puddles forming can be signs that there are drainage problems. The best way to solve that is to aerate the lawn add a small amount of sand and a good quality natural turf dressing.

Your lawn going discoloured before anyone else’s in hot weather is a sure sign that your soil in too free draining and needs your attention. Although Lawns should be more on the drier side they don’t want to be too dry.