Essential garden jobs to tackle now it’s autumn
Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a newbie, these 10 tips will help you end your season well and prepare for the next.
Autumn is here, and with it comes a whole new set of tasks for the March garden. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a newbie, these 10 tips will help you end your season strongly and prepare for the next.
1. Trim and tidy
Trim hedges so the new growth hardens before winter. Tidying up hedges and giving them a trim will help to encourage new growth, which will become hardy before the winter season hits, and new growth could be damaged.
2. Give a pre-winter boost
Feed plants, giving them that boost before the cold weather arrives: It’s important to give your plants some love as lots of good growing can still be done during autumn. Store-bought or homemade, there are many types of fertilisers for various reasons and seasons; if it’s all too overwhelming, a good seaweed tonic or compost tea should do the trick.
3. Weed and mulch
Weed and mulch around winter crops like brassicas and alliums; check for pests while you’re at it, especially caterpillars and aphids, which can ruin a healthy plant in a matter of days. Weeding and mulching around your winter crops will help to keep them healthy, not competing with the weeds and will help with not letting their roots get too hot and dry, which in brassicas can lead to plants bolting and putting out flowers before you get a chance to have a harvest.
4. Start cover crops
Make sure your garden beds are not left bare in winter; if you can cover crop, I highly recommend it to give back to the soil.Cover crops are a great way to protect the soil over the winter and feed the soil in the spring. They help to fix nitrogen and improve soil structure, making your garden healthier and more productive.
5. Deal with garden waste
Composting is a great way to recycle your garden waste. Now is when a lot of plant materials are being removed from the garden; make the most of them to create your own organic compost. It’s important you don’t add anything diseased or weeds with seeds to the compost pile, as this can spread disease and weeds in your garden.
6. Save for the future
Save seeds; depending on the variety, it might be true to seed, or you may create your own hybrid or mutant vege, but nothing is stopping you from saving your favourite seeds to try.
Saving seeds is a great way to save money and, sometimes, grow your own unique plants. Make sure seed heads are dry before harvesting into brown paper bags, then ensure the seed is dry before you store. The future you will appreciate the current you writing the seed type and date on the packet now.
7. It’s time for winter greens
Sow winter-hardy greens like miners lettuce, mizuna, chard, bok choy, kale, spinach, broccoli, cabbage and other brassicas.
Sowing winter-hardy greens is a great way to keep your garden productive throughout the winter months. These greens can withstand cold temperatures, making them perfect for the winter season.
8. Protect seedlings
Protect seedlings with insect netting from white butterflies. White butterflies love to lay their eggs on your brassicas, leading to caterpillar infestations. Protecting your seedlings with insect netting is important to prevent this.
9. Make your own preserves
It’s a gardener’s dream to have your own fruits and vegetables on hand until next season. Canning, freezing and dehydration are great ways to start. Jams, relish, soups, sauces, the list goes on and on. Always ensure good preserving practices for food safety.
10. Take pictures and write notes
The number of gardeners, myself included, I've spoken to over the years who say they will remember what they planted and where, only to forget the following week.
Or who admire how well something grew in a certain spot this season and think they must remember to replant there the next season, then forget when that season rolls around.
Taking pictures and writing notes is a great way to keep track of what you’ve planted and where. It’s also a great way to learn from your successes and failures, making you a better gardener in the long run.
These 10 tips will help you make the most of your March garden. Whether you want to grow your own veggies, save money or just enjoy the beauty of nature, these tips will help you achieve your goals.