Autumn Garden Preparation
Autumn is one of the most important seasons in the gardening calendar. The work you do now — planting, protecting, improving — will determine how well your garden performs next year.
Planting
Autumn is the best time to plant trees, shrubs, hedging and bare-root roses. The soil is still warm from summer, which encourages root establishment before winter. Spring bulbs — tulips, alliums, narcissi, crocus and hyacinths — should be planted from September to November. Tulips are best left until October to reduce the risk of tulip fire disease.
Cutting Back and Clearing
Cut back herbaceous perennials as they die down, but leave some seedheads standing for birds and beneficial insects. Remove annual bedding and spent vegetable crops. Rake up fallen leaves promptly — they can harbour pests and diseases and will smother lawns if left. Pile them in a wire cage to make leaf mould, which is an excellent soil conditioner.
Protecting Tender Plants
Lift and store tender tubers — dahlias, cannas, begonias and gladioli — before the first hard frost. Allow them to dry, then store in a cool, frost-free place in dry compost or sand. Protect borderline-hardy plants in situ with horticultural fleece, straw or a thick mulch of bark or compost over the root zone.
Soil Improvement
Autumn is the ideal time to improve your soil. Dig in well-rotted manure or garden compost on vegetable beds and borders. On heavy clay soils, leave the surface rough after digging — frost action will break down the clods over winter. Apply a thick mulch to borders to protect soil structure and suppress weeds.
Lawn Care
Scarify and aerate the lawn in early autumn while the soil is still warm enough for recovery. Apply an autumn lawn feed (low nitrogen, high potassium and phosphorus). Oversow any bare patches with a suitable grass seed mix. Raise the mowing height slightly and reduce mowing frequency as growth slows.