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If you’re a keen gardener, then spring is sure to be your favourite time of year. Spending time planting seeds and seedlings, watching them grow and making your garden into a wonderful extension of your home for the summer months is a great way to spend your spare time and you can work towards creating something worthwhile. However, come autumn, you’re probably apprehensive as to what the winter will bring and what this will mean for the outdoor space which you have spent so much time on over the year.
Preparing your garden for the autumn months is just as, if not more, important than your springtime prep, as this will determine your plant’s health and garden condition come the following spring. So, here are 4 easy ways that you can prepare your garden for autumn.
Autumn Clean
We’ve all heard of the term “spring-clean”, but clearing out your garden for the autumn months is equally as important! If you have a greenhouse, then clearing this out should be at the top of your list. Remove everything from the inside, sweep out the debris and disinfect all of the paths and staging areas. Be sure not to forget wiping down the inside of the glass. It is important that you use a hot solution, made up of garden disinfectant in order to prevent unwanted pests and infections. Following a clean, air out your greenhouse for a day or two to make sure it is thoroughly dry.
As for the rest of your garden, clear out any weeds, rake the grass and deadhead any flowers which need it. If you want to ensure that you have vibrant flower displays next spring, you should also tidy up your borders.
Care For Your Gardening Tools
It’s easy to forget about your trusty trowel and fork once the weather turns colder, but caring for your gardening tools all year round is important. Before you retire your lawnmower to the back of your shed or garage until next year, it’s worth checking it over to make sure that it is in perfect working condition for when you come to need it next year. If they need it, sharpen your tools and give them a thorough clean. This can prevent your tools from rusting and protect wooden handles from going mouldy and splitting. You can protect the wood with linseed oil, which should last a few months.
Tidy Away Garden Furniture
Your garden furniture takes a huge hit in the autumn and winter months, thanks to rain and frost. You have likely spent a lot of time choosing your garden furniture, so you will obviously want it to last for as long as you can make it. Wooden garden furniture is prone to splitting and growing mould over the autumn and winter months, so you should protect it with covers, wax and oil where appropriate.
Conservatory furniture can often be a cause for concern in autumn, due to the varying temperatures that often happen within a conservatory. Due to the drop in temperature during the autumn months, some people find that this can cause issues with their conservatory furniture as it can become brittle and, depending on the humidity in your conservatory, can affect the soft furnishings. However, keeping an eye on the temperature in your conservatory and maintaining a regular setting of warmth will protect your furniture.
Plant Evergreens
Evergreens provide points of structure and interest in your garden during the autumn months and long into the cold, dark days of winter. If you are unhappy with the look of your garden in these seasons, then evergreen plants can often be enough to freshen up and add life back into your garden. If you have gaps in your borders, then plants such as daphne and sarcococca provide glossy green leaves, even in the darkest days of winter.
If you still spend time in and around your garden during autumn and winter, then fatsia and camellias are much more elegant and provide scent, which is what so many people often miss during these seasons.
Guest Contributor: Natalie Wilson
