Autumn is a fantastic time for gardeners to prepare for the coming year. The cooler weather and softer ground make it an ideal season to work on tasks that will ensure a flourishing garden when spring arrives.
In this post, we will cover key autumn gardening jobs, including essential autumn lawn care tips, planting bulbs, mulching, and preparing your garden for winter. Plus, we’ll highlight some sustainable products from Heritage Products to help you on your way.
Mulching in Autumn
Mulching is one of the most effective ways to protect your plants and improve your soil during autumn. A thick layer of mulch helps suppress weeds, conserve moisture, improve soil structure, and protect roots from frost. The National Trust recommends applying mulch 50-80mm deep, while ensuring it doesn’t touch the stems of your plants. This advice is essential as too much mulch against stems can cause them to rot or become weak.
Popular mulch materials include garden compost, wood chippings, and leaf mould. Heritage Products' natural mulch options, such as their wood chips or bark chips, are perfect for this job. They not only protect your plants but also add a decorative touch to your flower beds. Mulching in autumn is also a good practice for your soil health, particularly for empty flower and vegetable beds, keeping them protected through the winter. Existing flower beds can benefit from mulching too, provided that it doesn’t come into contact with stems.
Bonus Tip: Making Your Own Leaf Mould
Another way to improve your garden’s soil health is by making leaf mould. As the leaves start to fall, collect them and pile them into wire cages, or tie them in strong bags with air holes. Over time, they’ll break down into a fantastic mulch compound for your plants. This is a cost-effective and eco-friendly way to enrich your garden soil for next year.
Planting Bulbs in Autumn
Autumn is the prime time for planting spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils, tulips, and crocuses. We recommend planting daffodils and hyacinths by the end of September while the soil is still warm, and tulips in October and November. This gives the bulbs ample time to establish strong roots before winter. If you’ve missed these ideal times, they are still worth planting, ideally before the ground starts to freeze. This avoids wasting bulbs that may still grow during this time.
For those with larger lawns, consider planting crocus bulbs in drifts for a vibrant splash of colour come early spring. If space is limited, you can pack bulbs densely into containers using peat-free compost for a striking potted display. Heritage Products’ premium topsoil is an ideal choice for those who want a blend of organic matter and a silty sand subsoil.
When planting bulbs, using a bulb planter makes the job easier and ensures that your bulbs are planted at the correct depth.
Autumn Lawn Care Tips
As your lawn winds down for the year, it’s important to give it some attention before winter sets in. Start by raking up fallen leaves, which can otherwise smother the grass, or, if you have a lot of leaves, you can use a battery-powered leaf blower for a quicker job. Clearing leaves also allows more light to reach the grass, helping it to stay healthy. Add fallen leaves to your compost heap or garden waste bin if you have one to keep them out of landfill.
Once the leaves are cleared, consider aerating your lawn to relieve compaction. Aeration encourages better water, air, and nutrient penetration, ensuring strong root growth. Heritage Products’ lawn and turf topsoil or even sharp sand are perfect for applying after aeration. Topsoil can add nutrients back into the soil, while sharp sand can keep any aeration holes open.
If your lawn has any bare patches, autumn is a good time to reseed. The cooler temperatures and increased moisture help grass seeds germinate quickly. Applying a layer of from Heritage Products will help the new seeds take root, giving you a thicker, healthier lawn next year.
Preparing the Garden for Winter
Autumn is also the time to tidy up your garden and prepare it for the colder months. Start by pruning dead or diseased plants and removing any weeds that may have taken hold. You can also lift and divide perennials that have formed large clumps, such as geraniums or asters, and replant them around your garden. This not only keeps the plants healthy but also fills other areas of your garden at no extra cost.
Protecting the garden beds is key, particularly if they’ll be empty over winter. Suggest mulching or covering beds with cardboard or woollen carpet to prevent weeds and protect the soil. It’s also a good idea to cover tender plants with horticultural fleece to shield them from frost.
For improving soil quality, add a layer of compost or woody mulches to your garden beds, giving your plants a rich, nourishing foundation for next year.
Planting Sensory Shrubs and Pollinator-Friendly Flowers
Autumn isn’t just about tidying and mulching; it’s also a great time to plan for wildlife and biodiversity. Consider planting trees and shrubs that offer beauty in the colder months, such as viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’ or Christmas box (Sarcococca hookeriana). These hardy shrubs can be planted in autumn and offer wonderful winter blooms.
If you’re looking to attract pollinators, consider planting flowers such as rudbeckia, asters, or Japanese anemones. These late bloomers offer a feast for bees and butterflies and help maintain a thriving ecosystem in your garden. You can find these plants in garden centres year-round, but autumn is an ideal time to plant them to enjoy a colourful display next year.
Explore High-Quality Eco-Friendly Gardening Products
Autumn is a season of preparation and planting, with plenty to do to ensure your garden stays healthy and beautiful throughout the year. Whether you’re mulching to protect your soil, planting bulbs for spring, or preparing your lawn for winter, Heritage Products has a range of sustainable, eco-friendly gardening supplies to help.
Additionally, in preparation for winter, it would also be worth stocking up on kiln dried logs if you have a wood burner or open fire.
Get your garden in tip-top shape this autumn and look forward to a vibrant, thriving outdoor space next year.
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