How to maintain your garden during Autumn – Autumn is here, which means falling temperatures, shorter days, more rain, and even a touch of frost in the air. While this can be a beautiful time of the year in the UK, the changing conditions can be challenging for gardeners. These changes signal a shift from growth to preparing for dormancy, so this post will show you how to maintain your garden during the autumn months ahead of winter.
Lawn & Ground Care
First, you want to make sure that you take care of your lawn. Autumn can create a few challenges, including fallen leaves that can smother the lawn and create fungal risk, water logging and drainage in heavy rain, and soil compaction in colder temperatures. This is why tasks such as raking leaves, aeration, overfeeding bare patches, and applying autumn feed while the soil is still warm is key.
Perennials, Shrubs, & Pruning
Next, you want to move on to your perennials and shrubs with autumn pruning. First, remove spent growth and divide any congested clumps to prevent overcrowding. Tender plants and spring-flowering shrubs usually fare better when pruning is left til spring, but hardy hedges and shrubs should be pruned before the first frost arrives. Make sure that you are using the right techniques for healthy regrowth and to reduce the risk of disease.
Protection, Mulching, & Winter Defence
This is also the time when you want to protect your vulnerable plants before the winter conditions arrive. Apply mulch or leaf mould to insulate roots and use a fleece, cloche, or protective wrap on any tender shrubs. Stakes or netting can also be used to protect crops from pests and wind damage. Make sure that you keep an eye on covered plants to ensure ventilation to prevent a buildup of moisture and prevent fungal issues.
Planting, Seeding, & Planning Ahead
You should also be thinking ahead to next year and planting for spring. Bulbs, hardy winter annuals, and shrubs can survive when they are planted in autumn. You can also collect seeds, plan layouts, and order stock for next year. Autumn is also the ideal time to map out your crop rotation for next year, ensuring soil nutrients remain balanced; this is particularly important if you plan to grow root vegetables, as potato seeds, once sprouted and planted in fresh ground, will benefit from nutrient-rich soil that hasn’t previously supported heavy feeders like brassicas.
Hopefully, the advice in this post will be useful and help you maintain your garden in the autumn months. This can be a challenging time of the year for gardeners because there are a few key tasks you will need to perform to keep your garden healthy throughout the autumn and winter months. With some preparation now, you will be in a strong position once temperatures start to climb again.
