How To Prep Your Garden For Autumn And Winter

September has come sailing in, and whilst we’ve had a few gloriously sunny days, we all know Winter is Coming.

September is a crucial month for gardeners in the UK, with longer nights, cold, wet weather and winter frosts on their way. The best way to ensure your garden survives the winter is by preparing it early. Get ahead of the game with our top tips for preparing your garden for autumn and winter.

Dig Up Those Annuals

We know they look beautiful in the summer; quick and easy to grow, annual flowers are the perfect way to add a glorious rainbow of colour to any UK garden. It may feel a bit sad to uproot these now; however, they rarely make it through the colder months and can take nutrients from your other plants. Dig them up and throw them on the compost pile.

Prep Those Perennials

Unlike your annuals, these perennials are here to stay, but they will still need some preparation. Remove all deadheads, trim any dead leaves and tidy the plants up. Ideally, trim these plants all the way back to the soil level. This will help them survive the winter and regrow and flower again in the spring and summer.

Weed Out Those Weeds

The bane of most gardeners’ lives, weeds are hard to keep under control. If you don’t get rid of them before the beginning of winter – they could easily take over your garden, and you’ll have a substantial de-weeding job when the spring comes. You can consider using weed killers, but make sure to consider their effect on your other plants and the environment.

Fertilise Your Lawn

All plants and lawns can benefit from the nutrients available in a good quality fertiliser. Plants generally get this through their roots, but you can help the situation by adding fertiliser to your lawn before the harsher temps set in.

Cover Any Ponds

Of course, if you are fortunate enough to have a huge water feature in your garden, then covering it may not be possible. You’ll need to try and get out a few times in the winter to get out the leaves and other debris that falls in. If you have a manageable pond, covering it with a net will stop falling leaves from contaminating the water. If you live in an icy area, try to prevent the whole pond from freezing in the winter; this will give wildlife a fighting chance to survive the winter.

Protect Saplings and Plants

It can be easy to think of trees as hardy; however, young trees will need plenty of protection while they’re growing. Grab some tree-guarding bandages and wrap up the sapling’s trunks. Plants will benefit from a layer of compost and mulch. This will protect the roots and provide them with additional nutrients through the colder months.

Cover Your Garden Furniture

Invest in good quality covers for your garden furniture; store any cushions away and cover the furniture for the winter. You are unlikely to use it much, so it won’t be a hassle to uncover it if you do.

Store Tools Away

It would be best if you always were putting tools away. However, it’s even more critical in the winter when the cold, wet weather means the likelihood of rust is significantly increased. You don’t want to get to spring and have to buy all new tools.

You may not be looking forward to the end of summer, no more beach days and the tan slowly fading. However, with an adequately winterised garden, you can wait for the spring months knowing your garden will be there to greet you when the sun finally returns.