8 Autumn Jobs to get Your Garden Winter Ready
As temperatures begin to drop and the days get shorter, autumn is the ideal time to start preparing your garden for the winter months.
A little work now can help protect plants, lawns and wildlife during colder weather while getting your garden ready for a healthy start next spring.
From clearing fallen leaves and caring for your lawn to planting spring bulbs, here are eight autumn garden jobs to tackle before winter arrives.
1. Feed the birds
As the weather gets colder, help support the wild birds visiting your garden by providing a reliable source of food.
Peanuts are a popular food for many wild birds, but you can also offer other suitable foods to add variety and attract different species. As peanuts aren’t suitable for every type of bird, providing wild bird seed is a simple way to cater for a wider range of garden visitors.
Don’t forget fresh water, particularly during frosty weather when natural water sources may be harder for birds to access.
You can also provide a more natural food source by planting shrubs that produce berries, giving birds additional food and shelter through autumn and winter
2. Recycle fallen leaves
What should you do with fallen leaves in autumn?
Rather than burning them, collect healthy fallen leaves and add them to your composter or compost heap, where they can break down naturally and eventually contribute valuable organic material to the garden.
Regular leaf collection is particularly important on lawns and around drains and gutters during autumn.
Take particular care with leaves beneath rose bushes. If the leaves show signs of disease, dispose of them rather than adding them to your compost heap to help avoid carrying problems into the following growing season.
3. Move tender summer plants indoors
Before the first cold spells arrive, move tender plants into a greenhouse or another suitable protected area.
Try to resist cutting back all the plants you’re leaving outdoors. In some cases, dead foliage can offer the plant additional protection during colder weather.
If any of your houseplants have spent the summer outdoors, now is also the time to bring them back inside and settle them into their winter positions.
During winter, indoor plants generally need careful watering, good indirect light and protection from cold draughts and heaters.
4. Give your lawn some Autumn TLC
Autumn lawn care can make a real difference to how your grass copes with the wetter, colder months ahead.
As growth slows, give the lawn its final cuts when conditions allow. Continue removing fallen leaves regularly rather than allowing a thick layer to build up on the grass.
Good drainage is particularly important during wet weather. Poor drainage can contribute to moss and other lawn problems.
Raking leaves frequently will also keep the lawn clearer and reduce the risk of grass being covered for long periods.
5. Tidy, cut back and prune
Autumn is a useful time for a general garden tidy-up. Cut back perennials that have died down where appropriate and remove unwanted dead material.
Roses can be tidied as flowering finishes, while lavender can be pruned without cutting back hard into old woody growth.
If your hedges still need tidying, give them a gentle trim rather than carrying out severe pruning late in the season.
For gardeners deciding what type of hedge to plant, evergreen varieties can provide year-round screening and winter shelter, while deciduous hedges provide seasonal interest and wildlife habitat.
6. Plant fruit and vegetables for next year
Autumn isn’t only about putting the garden to bed. It’s also an opportunity to start planning for next year’s harvest.
Plant suitable onion sets, shallots and garlic so they can begin establishing before the coldest winter weather arrives.
Autumn is also traditionally a good time to plant many fruit trees and fruit bushes. The soil retains some warmth from summer and Ireland’s typically wetter autumn conditions can help newly planted specimens establish.
Choose an appropriate position and give new plants sufficient space to reach their mature size. Good soil preparation and careful early establishment are important for the long-term health of newly planted trees.
7. Harvest pumpkins, apples, pears and nuts
Autumn is harvesting time for many garden favourites, including pumpkins, apples, pears and nuts.
Produce that you’re planning to keep should be stored carefully over winter.
Avoid storing damaged or fallen fruit alongside sound fruit, as deterioration can spread.
Check stored fruit regularly and remove anything that has become soft or started to rot.
For more advice on harvesting and storing apples, see our Picking Apples guide.
8. Plant spring-flowering bulbs
When should you plant spring-flowering bulbs?
Autumn is the perfect time to get many spring bulbs into the ground, giving them time to establish before delivering a colourful display next year.
For an informal, natural-looking display, plant bulbs in loose groups instead of perfectly straight rows. A bulb planter can make the job quicker and easier, particularly when you’re planting larger quantities. Containers are another option for spring displays. For Irish weather, frost-resistant pots and good drainage are particularly important when growing plants in containers.
Top tip: make your vegetable garden more wildlife-friendly
If you have a vegetable garden, position a bird table or feeder nearby. Visiting garden birds may also feed on some of the insects and other small garden pests around your crops.
Creating a garden with food, water and shelter for wildlife can encourage greater biodiversity while making your outdoor space more welcoming to birds and other beneficial wildlife.
Get Your Garden Ready for Winter
Ticking off your autumn garden jobs now can help protect your plants, lawn and outdoor space through the colder months and give your garden a great start next spring.
From wild bird food and garden tools to spring-flowering bulbs and seasonal gardening essentials, find everything you need to get your garden winter-ready at Tirlán CountryLife.
