The need... FOR SEED
Now’s the time to restore order to your beds – but don’t forget seed heads provide food for birds
Our gardens start to go downhill rapidly in autumn, but it’s easy to restore some order by carrying out a few key jobs. From tidying borders to perking up lawns, and from fixing wooden structures to tackling overgrown vegetable patches, here are six ways to make an immediate difference to the appearance of your outdoor space.
Overhaul beds and borders
Don’t prune everything. Sea holly, herbaceous sedum, helenium, rudbeckia and several others have robust seed heads, providing sculptural interest and food for hungry birds. Restore order to displays by cutting back herbaceous perennials that have finished flowering. Apart from looking unsightly, dying foliage can encourage fungal diseases and provide a winter hiding place for pests, while tall, spent stems can weaken the crown of plants when battered by wind. Finish by mulching the surface with a 3in layer of garden compost or composted bark, using a rake to distribute evenly.
Improve your lawn
Summer drought, along with general wear and tear, can take its toll on lawns. Start by removing thatch, a layer of dead plant material that forms above the soil.
It’s easy to shift with a spring-tined rake using a technique known as scarifying. Due to heavy use, certain parts of the lawn are likely to be compacted. Improve drainage by plunging a fork into the ground and wiggle it about. Repeat every 4in across the problem area and then brush some ready-made top dressing (a mixture of loam and sand) into the holes. Finish by applying an autumn lawn fertiliser to encourage strong roots and healthy leaves.
Tidy ponds
Keep ponds, pools and other water features in great shape by cutting back marginal plants to within 6in of the water line, thinning out submerged oxygenating plants and snipping off dying lily pads. Falling leaves from trees and shrubs will pollute water, clog filters and result in a layer of sludge forming on the bottom.
Stop them blowing in over the next few months by constructing a low fence around the perimeter using fine netting attached to canes spaced 2ft apart.
Give shrubs a trim
Without care, deciduous shrubs will lose their attractive appearance. To keep them in good shape, prune once leaves drop. After removing damaged growth and wispy shoots, trim back wayward branches and remove some older stems to improve air and light flow.
Gangly buddleias, roses, hydrangeas and lavatera are prone to wind rock, where relentless buffeting leads to a gap opening up around the stem and the soil. Prevent damage by reducing their height, cutting stems back by a third. Avoid pruning evergreen hedges as this may stimulate the development of soft, sappy growth that’s vulnerable to frost.
Repair garden structures
To increase the lifespan of things like arches, pergolas and raised beds, treat with oil, varnish or paint. Repair broken slats on fences, change damaged gravel boards and strengthen deteriorating posts with concrete or metal spurs. Ensure valuable equipment in sheds isn’t damaged by dripping water by patching holes in roofing felt and replacing decaying fascia boards.
Sort out the veg patch
As soon as harvesting is over, pull up the remains of summer crops, chop up and add to the compost heap. Once beds are clear of plants, dismantle bamboo cane support structures. Give canes a wipe to remove soil and then stash in a dry place. Tug up weeds and cover large, bare patches of soil with a landscape fabric to prevent weed seeds germinating.