Autumn Gardening Jobs

Autumn is often a busy season, with temperatures starting to drop many of us will start preparing our gardens for the winter weather ahead. So here is a handy little checklist to get your garden ready for these cooler seasons.

Time to roll up those sleeves and get down to business!

Our Essential gardening checklist for Autumn

  1. Give your flowers and borders some TLC and replenish your soil
  2. Start on a project such as making a leaf mould bin, building a log pile, moving a shed or digging an area of soil over ready for winter
  3. Operation clean up; sweep patios, clean decking, guttering and pipes. Give the garden tools a good scrub and organise the shed
  4. Clear weeds from driveways, gravel and paths
  5. Feed our little feathered friends

Flowers and Borders

Now is one of the best times of year to plant new rose and shrubs into beds and borders to help to improve their shape. In fact, why not choose plenty of evergreen shrub varieties to add interest all year round. Tidy those borders, removing any poorly placed or tender plants such as Begonias, Dahlias, and Cannas, drying them out to store over winter before the first frosts gets its chance to bite!

Once the borders are neat and tidy, try spreading a thick layer of either compost or bark chips across the area. Don’t worry too much about digging in as the worms will generally do the hard work for you.

You can pick up some of decorative mulch for this. High quality mulch helps conserve water and provides excellent thermal insulation for plant roots, or if you have a few additions to your garden, you can try some Tree & Shrub Planting & Potting Mix to get your new plants off to the best possible start.

Making a Leaf Mould Bin

Make life easier for yourself, rather than going to all the effort of bagging leaves, why not create a leaf bin which you can use year after year? The leaves will eventually rot down to a leaf mould which can then be used for soil improvement or mulching for shrubs.

Depending on the amount of leaves you are regularly raking, you can customize the bin to be as little or as large as you might personally require.

Firstly shape some weed-smothering membrane in a square shape lining the base of your leaf bin, this will stop roots and weeds from muscling in and destroying your leaf mould.

Next step is to hammer four solid wooden fencing stakes into the ground around your lining.

After your posts are in place, wrap some coated or galvanised chicken wire around your frame fixing it together with some sturdy wire to keep it from coming undone during those harsh winter storms.

Finally, fill your bin, it may be worthwhile to give your bin a stir every few months to merge any still, dry leaves into the damper part at the center of the bin.

Operation Clean Up

Typically most of the Autumn mess can simply be raked and brushed away, but for those tougher stains and mould we would recommend taking a look at our garden cleaning section to pick up the best suiting items to have your garden and patio glowing. This time saving option will remove grime such as green algae and mould within a few days, giving you all the time to tackle those remaining chores.

Clear weeds from driveways, gravel and paths

Gravel paths and driveways add a rustic sense of style to any home. However, weeds can very easily be a problem here, spoiling that look despite all your hard work and money. Options such as hand weeding while definitely effective, can be very time consuming while digging out weeds can sometimes lead to damage and often the weed will reappear again anyway.

For fast action with considerably less effort we’d recommend any number of weedkillers available online and instore. They kill perennial and tough weeds from Brambles to Japanese Knotweed, Dandelions to Thistles. Our high quality range will easily kill weeds right down to the root, ensuring that pesky weed is finally gone for good!

Of course the tidying doesn’t just end at the door. Pop inside and give your tools a good clean and the garden shed a tidy. This will help ensure that you get the most longevity out of all your equipment although with our premium Kent & Stowe range, longevity and durabilty is unlikely to ever be a concern.

Feed our Feathered Friends

If you aren’t already feeding the birds in your garden, now is a great time to start. Consider putting up a couple of bird feeders around your garden to help out wild birds during the colder months. Birds can lose up to 10% of their weight overnight during very cold temperatures, so really they need all the help they can get and besides that, it will bring a little life to your garden during those more still winter months.

For hassle free bird feeding take your pick from our wide range of bird feeders, many pre-filled and ready to use, suitable for hanging on a tree or placing at a dining station.

Of course we cannot forget the highlight of the month, Halloween on the 31st!

While the kids are busy Trick or Treating spare a thought for the small animals that could do with a treat before they go into hibernation. Many small animals that survive by feeding on bugs, worms and other invertebrates often struggle this time of year as it becomes difficult for them to find insects and other small creatures. So make sure not forget them while completing your Autumn Gardening Jobs.