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Gardening Checklist – Jobs to Do in Autumn

The liveliest part of your garden’s year might be winding down, but there is still plenty to be done in order to ensure that it both survives and thrives through to the beginning of next year. Sloane and Sons Garden Benches have put together a basic list of everything you need to do to keep your garden happy this Autumn and Winter. The tips will help ensure your outdoor areas are healthy and happy when the days eventually start to get longer and warmer again.

1. Tidying

Pots and Containers

As collateral from the action the garden has probably seen throughout the Summer, it is likely that there are all manner of pots, boxes and containers around the place. Autumn is a great time to retrieve, clean and tidy them away. They can often be overlooked when the garden is in full bloom but can leave your garden looking a little messy when there is less plant life around to cover it up!

Gardening Equipment

When you return to full gardening capacity in the Spring, you will likely want to return to a tidy and ordered shed or storage unit. Again, the action of the Summer has probably rendered wherever you keep your gardening equipment a little cluttered, so give the place a good sort out. Whilst your at it, it might be a good idea to give all of your garden tools a deep clean.

2. Removals

Perennials

These plants always need to be kept in check. It is easy to forget about them as they continue to produce, year after year, without too much maintenance being needed. Autumn is the perfect time to prune them; tidy your borders! If your perennials are getting too overgrown you might also want to consider dividing them up and relocating some of them elsewhere in the garden (what gaps will Winter open up?)

Dead Plants

Otherwise known as ‘annuals’. This refers to any plant that will not last the winter, nor regrow when the Spring comes back around. These need to be removed entirely and designated to the compost heap! Whist you’re at it, you should replace these new gaps with any compost you currently have on the go to ensure that the soil is revitalised.

Weeds

Some weeds are very hardy and can stunt the growth of plants in the Spring. Weeds and moss should be removed from turf in order for it to settle and establish itself for a healthy and fruitful resurgence at the other end of the year.

3. Edibles

Harvesting

If any over your summer crops are still lingering in your beds, it’s time to harvest them. Also, if you have any apple trees, harvesting early fruit is essential to make sure that they bear larger and more plentiful fruit throughout the season. Any large root vegetables such as marrows and squash should be left in the sun for a few days to harden up before a permanent storage solution is found for them.

Planting

Any Winter gestating crops should now be planted. This is another really good place to use up the last of your Summer compost heap. Spinach, beans, potatoes and onions can be planted now to enjoy in the late Winter and early Spring. Vegetables such as garlic, onions and peas can be planted now to ensure a Spring or Summer harvest.

4. Thinking Ahead

Repairs

If your equipment or any of your garden structures are damaged or broken then get them fixed now, before the hard frosts start to form. Any compromise to your equipment will be exacerbated by the colder weather. The constant freezing and thawing of water in and on this equipment, and the constant expansion and compression of metal as it changes temperature will put a lot of strain on weak structures. So, if your mower is a bit dodgy, your trellises beginning to rust or your shed falling apart, get them seen to now to avoid them being completely useless by the Spring!

Pre-Spring Planting

Ensure that your garden welcomes you with a boom of blooms when the weather turns warm by pre-planting early blooming flowers in your garden. The beds from which you have removed dead annuals and recomposed; these are the locations to use! Roses, shrubs and trees are the best perennials to install at this time (they need less watering if planted within this period). Lilies, iris’ and are brilliant bulbs to plant for an early Spring bloom.

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