Changing season means tidy- up time
Get your garden and tools ready for spring
Autumn is here and it’s time for gardeners to begin their seasonal tidy- up.
A time of year when the garden is being prepared for spring a few months down the line.
This is the time when everything is returned to the soil: leaves are falling, stems collapsing.
The earth is receptive now, drawing in energy while all above is going dormant.
Here is our step- by- step guide to what you should be doing to make sure your garden, greenhouse and tools are all set to face the new season. Greenhouse
To help reduce overwintering pests and diseases, remove the plants before sweeping out any plant debris.
Disinfect the greenhouse paths and staging and the inside of the glass too using a hot solution of garden disinfectant.
And ventilate your greenhouse well over the next couple of days to dry it thoroughly. Lawns
Autumn is the perfect time to revitalise your lawn.
Remove old grass clippings and moss using a spring tined rake and add it to the compost heap.
Improve drainage and aeration by making deep holes with the prongs of a garden fork every 10cm across the entire area. Compost bins
The autumn clear- up of borders and vegetable plots always generates a lot of plant material for the compost heap.
This is an ideal time to clear out last year’s compost and use it around the garden to make room in compost bins. Plants
Evergreens form the backbone of the garden, providing structure and year round interest, so the more evergreens in your garden, the better it will look.
With warm soil and cooler conditions, autumn is the perfect time to fill those gaps in your borders. Sarcococca and Daphne will bring glossy green leaves and fragrance.
Make sure that you lift those tender species such as begonias, dahlias, and cannas before the first frosts threaten.
Cut back the stems and gently lift the tubers/ rhizomes from the ground. Clean the soil from them and store them in trays of dry compost or sand keeping in a cool, frost free place over winter. Garden tools
Before you store your lawn mower at the back of the shed, it is well worth sending it for a service to ensure that it is in perfect condition for spring.