Looking after your garden in autumn

Get your garden ready for the colder, wetter weather and also get ahead for spring next year

The hours of daylight are getting shorter and the temperature is dropping, so many of us are spending less time in our gardens. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing for you to do.

In fact, autumn can be a great time to take a look at your outdoor space. You can start planning any changes (like new decking or stonework), plant for next year and even start a compost heap (as autumn is a time where the most garden waste is generated).

Here are some ways you can prepare your garden for the colder, wetter weather and also get ahead for spring next year.

Cutting back and covering up

An end-of-summer cutback of any hedge or tree growth can be a great bit of forward planning. Although growth can slow in the colder weather, it means that plants will be far less wild come early spring when you are getting back into the garden.

Perennial plants will also need cut back and covered or repotted and put them somewhere they can avoid the frost over winter. Make sure to regularly check them and get rid of any that are starting to show signs of rot before it affects all of the plants you’ve stored.

And, once you’ve removed your plants from their beds, it can be an ideal time to give the soil a clear-out of any weeds and dying plants before heaping on the fertiliser. And don’t worry about mixing it in – the worms will do that for you!

Planning and planting

Autumn can be the perfect time to introduce some new flowers and plants. The soil will still retain some of the summer heat but, with the increased rainfall we see between September and December, the ground will be nice and moist.

Trees and shrubs do well if planted at this time of year, as can bare root roses.

If you have any springflowering bulbs – get them in the ground! If you want the end of winter to be marked with a beautiful burst of colour in your flowerbeds, you need to get planting now.

It’s also a good time to stock the vegetable patch with onions, garlic and spring onions so that you can harvest them next summer for barbecues, salads and more.

Tidying up

If you have pots, planters or garden furniture you don’t want to expose to the cold, wet and windy Scottish autumn and winter, now’s the time to start looking to put them away or cover them up.

There’s still time to order and build (or have built) a shed or storage area in the garden to house the patio furniture and everything that needs protected until spring.

Security

The extra hours of darkness over autumn and winter are, unfortunately, when many thefts from garages and sheds occur. That’s why making sure you have security equipment (alarms or motion sensor-activated lighting) can help keep your property safe.