Autumn Jobs
Autumn is in full swing now and I always find that this time of year is great for getting jobs in the garden done and getting everything in ship shape before winter arrives. For gardeners autumn is often spring cleaning time in the garden as it is really the best time of year to give the garden a good tidy up as everything begins to fade away after summer. And often summer is so busy spent caring for plants that you overlook the general tidying up and maintenance jobs that should be done.
In CountryLife it seems like many of the gardeners that have come in over the past few weeks have these kind of jobs on their brains. They are stocking up on the tools that they need to get their gardens spruced up with.
Invest in your Garden Tools
Whenever I get asked about garden tools , I always say it is like buying anything else. If you buy cheaper tools you will end up replacing it sooner than if you had spent a bit more money on a sturdier tool. I always advise people to invest in their garden tools as they will last longer and you will do better work with them.
One of the most practical tools to have in your arsenal at this time of year is a good secateurs. They will be the most versatile tool that you will use when you are tidying up flowerbeds and cutting back herbaceous plants that have begun to fade.
It is a good time to get right into flowerbeds and cut back everything that you can and to also get any shrubs or hedges back in shape if they have got a bit out of control during the summer months.
3 top tips for tidying up your garden
1. Cut back any roses that have not already been cut back
In the autumn I like to cut my roses back by about 1/3. This will allow you to re-shape the rose if it has grown too much in the last year and you can also get rid of any dead wood from your roses at the same time. With climbing roses or climbing plants in general now is also a good time to make sure they are firmly secured to the wall or trellis. As winds start to pick up over the next few weeks you want make sure everything is safely secured so nothing get damaged.
2. Eradicate any weeds that are lingering in the garden
I always like to do a clean sweep of the garden to get rid of any weeds before the frost comes and the ground gets too wet to work. Taking care of weeds now will make sure you have a nice clean canvas to work with come spring. In my eyes there is nothing worse than going out in spring to plant seeds or start growing and being faced with weeds everywhere.
3. By now summer bedding plants will have faded and can be gotten rid of now
Whenever I am clearing out containers which had bedding plants in them I like to get rid of all the compost and give the pot a quick wash. This helps to stop any diseases being carried over from the old plants and gives your plants the best chance to grow well. Even if I am not refilling the pots straight away I like to give the pots a good clean and then at least they can be stored away until spring when they will be used again.
Get in Touch!
If you need any help with any question you may have about autumn garden jobs, talk to any of our horticulturists in store. We’d love to help. It’s always very helpful to bring in some photos of your garden to help us visualise the space you are working with.
SHOP PRODUCTS
All products mentioned in the above blog can be bought on countrylife.ie or in you local CountryLife branch. To find your nearest store click here.
