Autumn gardening - jobs you should be doing now

Whilst summer is definitely over, a gardeners work is never done - and there are plenty of things you could be doing right now to help prepare for next year.

In this post, we take a look at some gardening jobs you can be doing throughout the Autumn months.

Harvesting

Although your main crop of vegetables should be in by now, there are still plenty of fantastic things to harvest in Autumn.

Root veg, tomatoes, courgettes, pumpkins, apples and pears should all be ready now, and after the warm summer weve had, you may even be lucky enough to have a few late strawberries! Youll need to get these harvested before the first frost, when you can start to look at harvesting the first sprouts of the season.

Cleaning and clearing

Autumn is a great time for cleaning and clearing in the garden, so that its effectively prepared for the next growing season.

One of the first things that comes to mind when you think of autumn is leaves, and for many gardeners, they can be a big problem. Have a look back at last months post ˜Dont Leaf it Too Late, which explains about the dangers leaves can pose to your lawn, and will help you to choose the right tools to clear them up quickly and easily.

If youve got a pond, try to keep it as free from leaves as possible, and cut back all the dead and dying foliage from the waters edge to prevent it from ruining the water quality and poisoning your pond-life.

Weeding your garden paths now wont just make them look nicer, it will also help to keep them cleaner and safer to walk on through the wetter months. Its also now time to clear your summer bedding plants, and to deadhead your roses to prolong the bloom into the late autumn.

Finally, turn your compost heap to help improve air circulation and ensure that youve got a plentiful supply come spring.

Preparing and Planting

Many plants wont survive a winter outside, so make sure you move all your tender plants into a greenhouse, conservatory or cold frame before the first frost. You might also want to consider investing in a greenhouse heater for extra protection and year round growing.

Theres lots of planting to be done, from hardy radishes, winter salads and next years rhubarb, to all your herbaceous perennials. Your spring bulbs are also ready to go in, along with any new trees or shrubs, which will need to establish themselves before winter sets in.

You may also want to take cuttings of your fruit bushes and trees for next year, and start off your sweet peas in pots under cover for an early spring bloom.

Prepare your lawn for winter with a weed, seed and scarify, which will help prevent moss and other weeds from taking over whilst the grass is dormant. Autumn is also a good time for laying turf, and it will bed in nicely ready for a first cut in spring.

How we can help

At Keen Gardener, youll find everything you need to complete a full range of autumn gardening jobs, from seeds and tools, right across to lawn care, greenhouse accessories and compost “ all at great prices.