Autumn is a time for prudence in the garden...

WITH summer now a distant memory, the arrival of autumn brings its own set of tasks for the gardener to be conscious of. This is generally a time when maintenance and sorting the finer detail is a priority before the onset of winter.

A good place to start is with thinning and cutting trees and pruning hedging. Depending on the scale, height and proximity of the job in question, now is a good time to trim overhanging branches before the storms arrive. Overhanging trees and branches are not only a nuisance because of the green, mossy residue they leave on roofs, walls etc., but they’re also dangerous when a storm brews as they can cause damage to property if felled erratically by high winds.

Autumn is a great time to get out with the cutters as the trees are bare, which means it’s easier for you to see what you’re doing. Having good tools is half the battle with this job, so be sure to source the best cutters and chainsaws you can. The same is true of hedging. Now that the August 31 deadline is well past, cut all hedging back. This is a time to do this job before the hard frosts arrive. Leaving it until a frosty period will only result in burning the tips of the hedging which can set back growth come spring.

Autumn also means excess leaves on driveways, pathways and lawns. Sweeping leaves in autumn can be a bit like trying to empty the ocean using a basin!

Winds will usually undo all your effort. A good quality leaf blower is ideal for this task. Strewn leaves can also be dangerous on pathways when rain soaked. By keeping them on the move, so to speak, with a blower you will greatly minimise this risk. So be prudent and start pruning this autumn.