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Tidying Your Garden in Autumn: A Comprehensive Guide
Autumn is the perfect time to give your garden a thorough tidy-up before the cold weather sets in. By taking the time to do a few simple tasks now, you can ensure that your garden will look its best throughout the winter and be ready to burst into life again in the spring.
Borders and Beds
- Remove dying leaves and collapsed stems from herbaceous perennials, either by pulling them by hand or cutting them at the base with secateurs.
- Leave any stems with attractive seedheads for birds to enjoy.
- Remove weeds, then spread compost or well-rotted manure over the soil to insulate plant roots.
Lawn Care
- Mow your lawn for the final time, setting the mower blades higher than usual to leave the grass slightly longer over winter.
- Cut the edges of your lawn with an edging tool or knife to redefine their lines.
Autumn Leaves
- Gather fallen leaves and use them to make leaf mould, a great soil improver.
- Remove leaves from your lawn, paths, and borders to prevent them from smothering grass and plants.
Plant Supports
- Cut down annual climbers in borders and climbing beans in vegetable plots.
- Remove dead stems and foliage from plant supports.
- Wash off any soil from canes and other removable wooden supports and treat them with preservative before storing them indoors over winter.
Repairs and Maintenance
- Repair any damage to raised beds, sheds, and compost bins.
- Paint them with wood preservative to protect them from the elements.
- Replace any rotting fence posts to prevent them from being blown down in winter storms.
- Ensure shed roofs don’t leak and replace any broken panes or faulty vents in greenhouses.
Wildlife
- Take down bird boxes and empty them. Wash them out with hot water before putting them back up.
- Clean out bird feeders and bird baths and regularly refill them.
Pond Care
- Scoop out leaves that have blown into your pond before they sink and start to rot.
- Cut back the foliage of marginal pond plants that have died down.
- Remove pond pumps and fountains that are no longer in use. Wash them out thoroughly and store them over winter.
Additional Tips
- Compost spent plants from the vegetable plot, unless they are diseased.
- Sow a green manure to improve the soil.
- Clear away old crops before they start to rot and become a haven for pests and diseases.
- Put away plant supports to prevent them from being damaged by the weather.
- Make repairs to your garden structures to ensure they are ready for winter.
- Clean out bird boxes, feeders, and baths to keep them hygienic for wildlife.
- Take care of your pond by removing leaves and cutting back dead foliage.
