How To Prepare Your Garden For Autumn/Winter

With Summer’s end on the horizon, it’s now important for homeowners to start preparing their property for the colder seasons in order to ensure it is protected from the damage of frost, flooding and damaging winds. It’s particularly crucial to concentrate on the space outdoors, so the garden is able to thrive in time for Spring again. Here are some easy ways to prepare your garden in time for Autumn and Winter:

Tidy surroundings

Clearing debris, removing unwanted matter and cutting back perennial plants to soil level is no easy task, so get started on that as soon as you can – here’s a brilliant post on how to get rid of moss in lawn. If you’ve got a deck in your garden, consider covering it in a tarp before the colder months arrive – it won’t look good, but it’ll protect the deck from the worst of weather. For those with driveways and pathways, consider disinfecting these to prevent pests and fungal infection. For some added protection during Winter, consider switching to high quality gravel from a reputable seller, such as Stones 4 Gardens, rather than repaving it, as not only is it cheaper but it’s also easier to maintain. Furthermore, if you have a pond in your garden, spread a fine meshed net across it securely to catch falling leaves, which can otherwise cause pond water to turn foul and clog up filters on pumps. Don’t forget to sort out your plant pots and give empty ones a good clean with a flowerpot brush – broken or cracked pots can be used as crocks come Spring.

Encourage nature

The various living organisms existing within your garden are all essential for its wellbeing which is why you should also support them throughout the seasons of Autumn and Winter. Therefore, top up bird feeders with plenty of nuts and seeds consistently as well as provide fresh water in your space outside. If you’re feeling a little more dedicated, you could hang up a cosy bird house for nesting birds or create a bug hotel in a sheltered spot to help insects live to see another year. You can also start to plant bulbs, such as tulips, daffodils or bluebells, for the springtime – not only will this give you something to look forward to but it’ll help your overall wellbeing as research suggests it can reduce the likelihood of cardiovascular disease, obesity and mental distress.

Maintain equipment

Let’s be honest, garden tools go through a lot! However, by keeping them in good condition you can continue to use them for many years to come and easily use them if needed during the colder weather. Before Autumn officially begins, use the evenings to clean and oil wooden handles as well as file edges and sharpen blades. Remember to avoid using petroleum products as this can then be introduced to the soil in your garden when the tools are used. Also, ensure all your tools are dried thoroughly to avoid rust or corrosion. To further protect the metal surface of your gardening tools, condition them in sand mixed with boiled linseed oil. If you discover some rust on any of your equipment, soak them overnight in a 1:1 mixture of vinegar and water, followed by scrubbing them with steel wool, rinsing them with water and then drying thoroughly with a subsequent rub of boiled linseed oil to the affected areas.

Whilst there may be many other tasks on your list to prepare your garden for both Autumn and Winter, the ones listed here are the crucial ones to ensure the damage done by upcoming weather conditions is kept to a minimum!

Until next time.