HAVE you noticed the warmer, softer light of autumn? As the sun sits lower in the sky, its golden glow ushers in a dramatic shift of colour in your garden, highlighting the deep, rich tones of the foliage. It’s a season to truly enjoy your garden’s unique beauty as it shifts gear from the chaotic growth of summer into a phase of textured, mature calm. Enhanced by falling leaves and late-blooming flowers, now is the perfect time to get busy, undertaking key seasonal tasks to ensure your autumn garden thrives and is prepared for the onset of winter.
Below is an essential autumn garden checklist, a simple yet timely reminder to ensure your garden thrives through and post the colder months.
Clear the garden:
- Remove old plants, weeds, and anything diseased to keep pests away.
Feed the soil:
- Add compost, manure, or soil conditioner to refresh your garden beds.
Plant new things:
- Veggies like broccoli, kale, lettuce, spinach and garlic
- Spring bulbs such as daffodils, tulips and freesias
- Divide perennials and plant new shrubs or trees
Tidy and prune:
- Cut back perennials to around 15 cm
- Prune trees and shrubs, removing dead or unhealthy branches
- Deadhead any spent flowers
Look after the lawn:
- Rake fallen leaves and add them to your compost
- Spread 5–7 cm of mulch to keep soil happy
- Water new plants regularly, easing off as the weather cools
Care for tools:
- Clean, sharpen and oil your tools; drain and store hoses.
Protect tender plants:
- Use frost cloths or move pots to sheltered spots.
Handy extras:
- Divide big perennials to make new plants
- Save leaves to make lovely, rich leaf mulch
- Watch for lingering pests like snails or slugs
