Autumn is Coming: Here’s What You Should Be Doing in the Garden Now

It’s been a gloriously long, hot summer. However, now it’s almost over, it’s time to reluctantly put the sunloungers away and look towards cooler times and it’s time to start thinking about all the garden jobs we should be tackling in Autumn to prepare for Winter and next Spring.

Buy and plant spring bulbs

Spring might feel like it’s a long way off, but spring bulbs need lots of time in the ground to establish themselves before they are ready to flower once the weather starts to warm up after winter. Bulbs that begin to flower in early spring need at least 6 weeks in the ground before there’s any risk of frost. This can happen around the end of November, so early autumn is the deadline for bulb planting.

Pruning roses

Looking after your roses now will ensure their safe survival throughout the winter. A little work in September will mean you get a healthy, vigorous return of beautiful blooms next year. Give your roses a general tidy-up, deadhead any faded flowers to preserve energy and prune them. Remove any dead or damaged stems, or those that cross over. Cut down any tall stems that would be prone to weather damage. Now would be a good time to dig up and move roses, or plant new rose bushes.

Give your lawn a little TLC

Make your lawn hardy enough to withstand the coming winter by feeding it. Apply an autumn lawn feed that is rich in nutrients, particularly potassium. Apply the feed after scarifying and aerating your lawn, and don’t make the mistake of giving a summer lawn feed in September. Lawns need different nutrients for different seasons.

Cut back trees, shrubs and climbers

The plants that played the most notable starring roles in your summer borders are the ones that need to be cut back in the Autumn for a repeat performance next year. Cut back any dead stems and curtain top growth to provide maximum airflow. Lavender and rosemary should be cut back in Autumn as they won’t make it if you try to do it in Winter. Now is also the time to divide herbaceous perennials to encourage growth.

Start weatherproofing

Make sure you fix any loose panels now before the bad weather sets in. Check felting on garden sheds and summer houses. Cover your garden furniture and put away any unused items now to bring out again next Spring.

Begin any garden projects now

Get prepared for next Spring by completing your garden projects now. This means you can avoid working outdoors over Winter, which is always preferable. And it means as soon as the warm weather returns in spring, your garden is ready to use complete with all new features.

If you’re ready to start getting your new garden decking in place for next spring, find an official installer on our website to get the project underway before Winter arrives. Find a PRO Installer here.