As summer comes to a close, the founder of GardeningExpress, Chris Bonnett, shares his top tips for preparing the garden for autumn. His advice includes disease prevention, preparing for a winter harvest, and planting bulbs ready for spring blooms. Getting ahead now will keep everything looking tidy and healthy through the colder months, and give your plants the best possible start when spring arrives and the garden begins to bloom again.
As the days grow damper, plant diseases can take hold more easily, so a thorough pruning and deadheading is a simple but important step to help prevent problems from spreading. While the peak of the gardening season may be drawing to a close, there are still plenty of things you can plant now. Hardy winter vegetables are a great option, allowing you to enjoy fresh, homegrown produce as the season goes on.
It’s also the perfect time to get bulbs into the ground, whether you’re planning ahead for spring flowers or planting autumn-blooming varieties that will bring colour to the garden now.
Making a ‘bulb lasagne’ by planting various bulbs at different depths depending on when they bloom is a great way to keep the garden blooming across the seasons.
Looking after the lawn is just as important at this time of year, clearing away fallen leaves and debris allows more light and air to reach the grass which also helps to prevent disease before the darker days set in.
Top tips for preparing the garden for autumn
1. Apply mulch
Mulch helps to retain valuable moisture in the soil—especially important after the long, dry summer we’ve had. By applying a generous layer now, you’ll also help to insulate plant roots from the cold as temperatures begin to drop. It’s a simple step that offers benefits like reducing water loss, suppressing weeds, and giving your garden a warm blanket as we head into winter.
2. Prune and deadhead
Now’s the time to prune and deadhead, giving your plants a tidy-up and helping them prepare for strong, healthy growth next season before winter sets in. Removing spent flowers and cutting back dead or damaged growth not only keeps things looking neat but also helps prevent disease and encourages healthier regrowth come spring.
3. Plant bulbs for spring
Now is the perfect time to plant bulbs before winter sets in, so they’re ready to bloom in spring, while some varieties like autumn crocus and nerines will flower this season. You can plant bulbs directly in the ground or in pots, and for a longer-lasting display, try a ‘bulb lasagne’ by layering earlier flowering varieties near the top and later ones like tulips deeper down to enjoy continuous colour through the seasons.
4. Sow autumn seeds
Hardy vegetables that tolerate a drop in temperature are ideal to plant now, ready for harvesting from late autumn through winter. Vegetables including kale, carrots, spinach, and certain varieties of lettuce are excellent choices.
5. Disease prevention
As the weather becomes damper and temperatures stay mild, conditions become ideal for plant diseases to develop, so clearing away any struggling or diseased plants can help prevent their spread. Ensure plants have good air circulation and that debris is cleared away to prevent disease from taking hold.
6. Autumn lawn care
It’s important to clear away leaves and twigs from your lawn before autumn arrives to keep diseases and fungi at bay. Regular raking not only removes debris but also freshens the soil by improving air flow and allowing more light to reach the grass. Scarifying helps to eliminate pesky moss and thatch, while aerating loosens compacted soil so your lawn can breathe and grow stronger throughout the colder months.
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