5 Essential Tips for Preparing Your Garden for Autumn
As the warmth of summer (what little we had of it) gives way to the cool breeze of autumn, it’s time to transition your garden, ready for the new season. The team of landscapers here at Landscape Machine, have a few tips that will come in handy, to get your garden ready for the change of season.
1. Harvest Fruit and Veg
If you’ve been green thumbed enough to grow any fruit or veg throughout summer, it’s time to harvest before autumn arrives. Whether it’s tomatoes and chillies or leeks and cucumbers, you need to pick and store before the temperatures drop too much.
2. Open The Greenhouse
If you have any tropical or less hardy plants, the end of summer is time for them to move. Shrubs such as banana trees, any cacti, or citrus trees should be overwintered in a greenhouse, to protect them from frost. Or, if you don’t have a greenhouse, maybe a sunny spot inside will do! More hardy plants can be wrapped in bubble wrap or covered in cloches outside, before the first frost arrives. If you want to know more about protecting plants through winter, just speak with our landscapers.
3. Protect and Mulch Herbs
Shield your herb garden from frost by mulching the soil with bark, straw, or pine needles. A 3-inch layer of mulch safeguards roots, prevents soil erosion, and insulates against temperature fluctuations. Cover more delicate herbs like lemon verbena with horticultural fleece to ensure their survival during the colder months.
4. Prune and Shape
Late autumn is the perfect time to prune. Remove dead, damaged, or diseased branches, shaping the plants for improved airflow and sunlight penetration in the colder months. Prune fruit-bearing branches to increase yields next year. Secure summer raspberry plants by cutting down this year’s branches and training new growth for the upcoming season.
5. Say Hi to Bugs and Birds
The colder months are tough on birds and insects too. Food sources are fewer and frost can reduce water sources too. Encourage visits from birds with suet balls, next boxes and bird baths*.
* Top tip: a ping pong ball in your birdbath will prevent the water from freezing over, ensuring there is movement in the water all night long.
Embrace Autumn with Landscape Machine
With these expert tips, your garden will effortlessly transition into the autumnal splendor. However, if you would rather leave it to the professionals, Landscape Machine can offer a range of solutions to enhance your outdoor space, from practical maintenance to creative landscaping. Just get in touch to find out more.
