Hello again, I hope you’ve been well! This time, I have a few ideas to kick off autumn.
Autumn is the time of year to do some garden-keeping. Cut back faded summer growth, clean up plant debris and clean paths. Once your borders are tidy, you can lay a generous layer of compost on – you won’t need to worry about digging it in, me and my friends will do that for you.
Before the frost comes in, lift some of the more tender plant species like rhizomes or tubers out and store them in dry compost trays. Make sure to clean the soil from them before putting them into the trays. Only the top of crown of these should be visible above the compost trays. Leave the trays somewhere cool and dry over the winter, for replanting in spring.
If you’ve not already done so, mow and aerate your lawn while the ground is still relatively dry and soft. If you’ve never aerated your lawn, just take a garden fork and poke holes into the ground about every 10cm.
Whether you are sowing, laying new turf or wanting to repair worn out patches, September provides the best conditions. The soil is not too wet or dry and the soil id warm enough to promote root growth.
If it is a worn area or small patch of grass that needs replacing, rake away any weeds and moss, and scatter grass seed over the area. Water it well and keep it damp, the seed should begin to germinate in several days. But do not mow it for at least a month.
If it is a larger area that requires new turf to be laid, loosen the soil first and cut a piece of turf to fit, make sure that the edges are butted tightly to the existing grass. Again, it should not be mowed or walked on until its roots have established.
Speaking of mowing the lawn, before a lot of the garden tools get left in the shed over the winter, it’s worth giving them all a good clean. Cleaning the tools will help them to stay in good condition and not rust, ready to be used well in the spring.
Finally, you can also start planting Spring bulbs that you can enjoy next year. The bulbs you should get in first are the Daffodils, plant them at a depth of three times their own depth. Planting them too shallow is one of the main reasons why daffodils do not develop. Other spring bulbs you can plant include Crocus, Hyacinths, and Bluebells, plus many more.
Willie the Worm