There is always something left to do in the garden, especially now when the summer is gone. The beginning of autumn is the perfect time to do finishing touches that will make your garden ready for winter as well as to prepare it for next spring. In addition to that, it is a great opportunity to rearrange the garden and to do some landscaping so that when the spring comes, your garden blooms in new colors and fresh look. Here are a few tips that can help you to prepare your garden for upcoming seasons.
Clean up the garden
Go through the garden and look for all dead plants. Remove them along with the leaves and any plant debris. Clean everything by pulling the roots and old stems and make sure there are no signs of disease. Shred the leaves and pile them up to speed the process of creating a leaf mold. A leaf compost is a great way to feed the ground with organic matter.
Tidy the borders
Since the ground is still warm, it is the perfect time to dig up the annuals and to replant the beds with autumn and winter bedding. Also, use the opportunity to move some plants to a better spot or to make space among overcrowded perennials. Replant them or place them in a compost heap. Faded perennials cut up to few centimeters above the ground and cover it with the layer of compost or rotted manure.
Take care of the lawn
Remove old grass clippings and moss, improve the drainage and cover it with lawn feed. Lawns demand a lot of work and water over the year, so maybe now is the time to consider cutting back on the size of the lawn. Planting on the sides of the lawn as well as placing pathways, benches or a gazebo will downsize the lawn and improve the look. There are plenty of great landscape design ideas that can work well on your new lawn.
Empty the compost bin
It is a perfect time to use last year’s compost since the autumn works around the garden will provide new compost material. Don’t save it and be generous when spreading it around because the soil will need as many nutrients as possible to start fresh in the springtime.
Include some evergreens
Planting evergreens is always a good move since they give shape to the garden and look fabulous throughout a whole year. Autumn is the ideal time for planting evergreens because the soil is still warm, but not too much to dehydrate the plants. Plant them strategically in the borders to fill the gaps and to establish some structure in your garden.
Protect tender plants from the frost
Take care of the plants that cannot survive the frost. Depending on the weather conditions in your area, you can cut the stems and cover them with a mulch blanket, assuming that the winters are mild. If the temperatures are really low, you should remove them carefully from the soil, place them in a tray with dry compost and store them in a cool place. Preserve the plants so that you could replant them again in the spring.
Take care of water features
Since cold months are ahead, make sure to close and drain water features if possible. If not, cover the pond with a net to avoid water full of decomposing leaves since it can cause an accumulation of filth in the water as well as a blockage on filter pumps.
Store and maintain garden tools
Right before you put away your garden equipment for a winter sleep, make sure that everything will be in good shape and ready to use early in the spring. Service the lawn mower, wash and sharpen your tool and make sure to oil the metal parts to avoid rust.
Conclusion
Having a garden means that outdoor work is never really done. Gardens can be dormant over the winter, but a simple glance at thriving evergreen can be a sight for sore eyes during those cold months. A little effort and clever work at the beginning of the fall can bring many delights later on.
Author: Hannah Thomas
