As summer turns to autumn, you’ll want to consider the necessary steps to prepare your garden for the seasonal changes ahead.
In this guide, we’ll explore the best ways to prepare your garden for autumn from X to Y. Let’s dive in!
1. Repair Your Lawn
For starters, you’ll want to freshen up your lawn to ensure it’s prepared for the seasonal changes in the weeks and months ahead, with autumn and winter ahead.
Steps worth taking to repair your lawn at summer’s end include:
- Apply a suitable autumn lawn fertiliser
- Rake out dead grass *
- Weed and reseed areas of your lawn where this is required
- Plant up a border in your garden ^
- Employ a mechanical aerator or a garden fork to poke holes in your garden soil to support water penetration, root growth, and air circulation.
*You may need to initially rake out thatch (dead grass and debris).
^Alternatively, you can do up an existing border.
2. Thorough Clean of Your Garden
You’ll want to clean your garden thoroughly and its various features to prepare it for autumn, especially if you intend to use it plenty (e.g., having friends over for a few drinks on a deck).
Firstly, be sure to clean/remove debris from throughout your garden. Secondly, you’ll want to prune and trim shrubs, trees, and plants that have become overgrown.
Beyond that, you should consider composting plant debris you’ve collected, applying mulch to garden beds (if the right time for it), cleaning water features, cleaning your decking, and more.
3. Plant New Bare-root Plants
You may also be interested in planting bare-root plants, including perennial plants, in the autumn and winter. This is because it is considered more economical to plant during these seasons.
4. Remove Annual Weeds
As mentioned, you can remove annual weeds just before autumn. You’ll want to remove weed flowering annual weeds (e.g., chickweed) to prevent escalating weeding issues in the months ahead.
5. What Else to Consider?
Beyond the points already raised, here are some additional ways to get your garden ready for autumn:
- Tie in climbers
- Clean and cover any garden furniture you have (you may want to keep them stored away at night even through the summer to limit the damage – after all, the weather can fall at almost any time in the UK!)
- Stake trees
- Thoroughly clean your greenhouse (if you have one)
- Consider using suitable lawn repair products while following the manufacturer’s instructions to a T *
- Clean and fill bird feeders if timely do so
- Clean garden tools and store them correctly to limit the risk of rusting
*If you’re unsure what the right product is to use and if it’s appropriate for your garden (and the specific area of your garden), you can always consult with a landscaper or professional gardener for advice.
6. Cost of Hiring a Professional Landscaper
Landscaping prices can vary widely depending on a range of factors, including the price of labour, with landscapers charging different regions throughout the UK.
With that said, the national average is about £20 per hour. Landscapers often charge by the hour but may charge per square metre.
When looking for the right landscaper, obtaining quotes from three professionals/companies is best before deciding. This way, you can weigh up several options before making a decision.
When choosing between three professionals/companies, consider their pricing, experience, online reviews/ratings (if available), and how well you get on with them.