Top 10 Autumn Gardening Jobs
Autumn is a picturesque season in the UK, with an abundance of warm colours and fresh air. Landscapes can look beautiful during this time, but this is often due to the unique gardening tasks required by the season that get them there.
Proper upkeep and preparation during autumn are crucial to keep your garden thriving and visually appealing as we transition into the chilly months as well as to facilitate a vibrant re-emergence next spring.
As the kids go back to school and daylight hours dwindle, it’s time to dust off your gardening tools one more time and help ready your landscape for the end of the year.
TM Landscapes & Garden Design is a trusted landscaping company in Hampshire and its surroundings. Our expertise and enthusiasm for landscaping allow us to share the most essential autumn gardening jobs to start now so you can give your garden the best chance this season.
Essential Autumn Gardening Jobs 2024
The change of season is the perfect opportunity to refresh your garden and step up your maintenance game.
As daylight hours continue to shorten, trees begin shedding their leaves, and temperatures start to drop, now is the ideal time to dive into these autumn gardening jobs to give your landscape an upper hand come next spring:
1. Tidy Up Fallen Leaves
Tools Needed: Rake, leaf blower, compost bin.
One of the most obvious, but still essential, autumn gardening tasks is dealing with fallen leaves.
During this season, your garden will soon be blanketed in leaves shed by neighbouring trees and shrubs. While this can create a picturesque sight, it’s essential to remove these fallen leaves promptly as they can lead to various landscape problems.
Leaves can choke your lawn and lure pests, posing a risk to the remainder of your garden. That’s why one of the central autumn gardening tasks is to diligently clear any fallen leaves and continue this practice as autumn advances.
Using a rake or leaf blower, gather all the leaves into heaps, making them easy to remove. Once you’ve collected the leaves, you may choose to convert them into compost for future use or use them immediately as mulch for your flower beds to sustain the rest of your garden during this season.
2. Lawn Maintenance
Tools Needed: Garden fork or aerator, autumn lawn fertiliser, grass seeds
Autumn is the perfect opportunity to revive your lawn before winter descends. Your lawn requires special care during this season to prepare it for the harsh temperatures and ensure it will be lush once more come spring.
Aerate
Aerating is a key component of autumn lawn care. By creating small holes in the lawn using a garden fork or an aerator, you allow air, water, and nutrients to reach the roots, keeping your lawn healthy as the colder temperatures arrive.
Fertilise
After aerating the lawn, it’s easier to make sure every blade of grass absorbs the required nutrients to help it survive during the chilliest times of the year.
For these autumn gardening jobs, apply a potassium-rich, autumn-specific fertiliser to the whole lawn. This type of fertiliser increases the grass’s resilience and resistance to disease during low temperatures.
Overseed
Overseeding your lawn during autumn is an excellent way to repair any bare spots that may have developed over the summer, ensuring a full, vibrant lawn next year.
Overseed thin or bare patches with grass seeds and make sure the area is well watered and undisturbed for as long as possible to promote new grass growth.
3. Prune Shrubs and Trees
Tools Needed: Pruning shears, loppers, saw.
Pruning your shrubs and trees is another one of the most vital autumn gardening jobs you can do right now and will give your garden the best chance come spring. Pruning can be done on your own using pruning shears, loppers, and saws, depending on the trees you’re dealing with.
However, for particularly large or overgrown trees you may need to hire professional landscapers to help with seasonal pruning.
With sharp tools, carefully remove dead, diseased, or damaged branches. When removing branches, you should ensure you are making a neat, clean cut as close to the trunk as possible for optimal health.
Proper pruning not only maintains the form of your shrubs and trees throughout autumn and winter but also stimulates healthy growth. Incorporating this into your autumn gardening jobs helps to prepare your trees and shrubs for their winter dormancy.
4. Plant Spring Bulbs
Tools Needed: Trowel, bulb planter, compost.
Autumn is the prime time to lay the groundwork for a vibrant spring garden which is why planting is one of the most essential autumn gardening jobs to get started on right now.
Spring bulbs, such as daffodils, tulips, and crocuses, can be planted during the autumn to guarantee a bright and bustling garden with the arrival of warm weather next year.
While planting, it’s important to choose a well-drained spot. Dig holes that are three times the depth of the bulb, plant it, and then cover it with soil after placing it pointy side up. Lightly water the bulb throughout the season to ensure it will be healthy enough to bloom in spring.
5. Mulching
Tools Needed: Wood chips, straw, compost
Mulching is another crucial autumn gardening job, as it shields your plants and soil during the winter months to help them maintain nutrients and moisture when they need it the most.
Organic mulch, such as wood chips, straw, and compost are the easiest and most affordable choices, making them suitable for all landscapes. Once you have chosen the best mulch for your landscape, disperse it around perennials, trees, and shrubs to insulate the roots and retain soil moisture throughout the season.
When mulching, especially with organic materials, take care to avoid piling it against plant stems as this could lead to rot.
6. Clean and Store Garden Tools
Tools Needed: Wire brush, blade sharpener, shed or similar dry storage space
Proper maintenance of your gardening tools will enhance their longevity and performance, making it one of the most crucial autumn gardening jobs to undertake this season.
Cleanliness and maintenance are key to preserving the lifespan of your gardening tools, and now is the perfect time to tidy them up before the spring season kicks off.
Clean all your garden tools with water and a wire brush before storing them. Also, sharpen any blades and oil moving parts to make sure they’re in prime condition for their winter storage.
Once cleaned and cared for, securely store your gardening tools in a dry, sheltered place, like a garden shed.
7. Spruce Up Flower Beds
Tools Needed: Gardening gloves, hand fork, compost bin
Your flower beds may have been the centrepiece of your garden all summer long, but now the seasons are changing it is likely they need some TLC. This is why another essential autumn gardening job is to tidy up your flower beds and get them ready for next season.
Start by removing spent annuals and weeds. This can be done by hand or with small gardening forks to prevent disturbing the soil, and any spent flowers can be added to the compost bin.
Overgrown perennials can be dug up, divided, and replanted into flower beds for improved growth and plant health management next spring.
8. Safeguard Delicate Plants
Tools Needed: Fleece or burlap wraps, cold frames
Once temperatures start to fall, some delicate plants may need extra protection to survive the winter. In such cases, relocating potted plants indoors or to a sheltered spot can benefit overall landscape health.
Sensitive plants that need to remain outside can be wrapped in fleece or burlap, and cloches or cold frames can be employed for additional protection when most needed.
9. Get the Greenhouse Ready
Tools Needed: Glass cleaner, plant pots and trays
If you own a greenhouse, it’s time to prepare it for winter.
Dedicate some time this season to autumn gardening jobs such as cleaning the glass of your greenhouse to maximise light, checking heaters and ventilation, and organising pots, trays, and tools. These jobs will help in setting your greenhouse plants up for survival during the coldest months of the year.
10. Planning and Preparing for Spring
Tools Needed: Gardening calendar or diary, seeds, creativity
Finally, you can leverage the calm of autumn to get a jump start on the forthcoming seasons.
Use this time to reflect on your gardening experiences this year – both the victories and the obstacles, as this will inform better decisions for your landscape next year.
As things begin to wind down and more time is spent indoors with the onset of autumn and winter, you can start planning your planting schedule for the upcoming year. Once your plan is ready, you can start ordering seeds and plants to secure a smooth gardening journey in the new year.
Conclusion
Accomplishing these autumn gardening tasks will not only help keep your garden aesthetically pleasing as we enter the coldest months of the year but also lay the foundation for a robust landscape in the spring.
At TM Landscapes & Garden Design, our passion lies in assisting you in maintaining a gorgeous garden all year round. Our expert team is always ready to present professional advice and services customised to your needs.
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For professional landscaping services, contact us today to schedule a consultation. Experience the splendour of each season by working with our professional team today.