Gardening in Autumn with Longacres Garden Centre
Mulch garden beds and borders
Looking after your plants during the colder months is essential to ensure they grow strong and healthy through the following seasons.
The name ‘mulch’ is given to a thick layer of loose material, often comprised of wood chippings, manure or straw, that is added on top of bare soil to protect the ground below. By adding a layer of mulch on your soil and around plants, it helps to insulate the ground and lock in moisture, protecting delicate root systems.
Not only does mulch help with plant health, but it also helps to supress weeds and give an overall neater appearance to your garden beds and borders.
Spring flowering bulbs
Planting spring flowering bulbs throughout autumn is a sure fire way to be greeted by colourful blooms when spring rolls around. Bulbs are available in a wide range of plant varieties and in all colours imaginable, meaning there will always be something to suit your taste.
Bulbs are very versatile, and can be planted throughout lawns, garden beds, borders, plant pots or even hanging baskets.
Bulbs are easy to plant by simply digging a hole two to three times deeper than the height of the bulb itself. All you have to do then is pop the bulb into the hole, pointy end up, and fill with soil. To make it easier for yourself, try using a bulb planter that will do all the work for you!
To find out more about choosing the right bulbs and how to plant them, take a look at our guide.
General tidying and maintenance
As leaves are now falling from trees at a rapid rate, keeping your garden clear of them seems to be a never ending task. While it may seem like a lengthy process, clearing fallen leaves from your lawn and garden beds is guaranteed way to make your garden look well kept.
A good quality rake can go a long way to making leaf clear up a quick task, as well as handy leaf grabbers and waste bags to dispose of the litter. If you want to go that step further (or have a large area to clear) you could opt for a leaf blower to speed things up.
Feeding your lawn is essential during autumn to maintain its condition once the cold winter months arrive. There are many varieties of autumn lawn feed available depending on your lawn type and different areas to be covered. Lawn feeds are great for helping your grass recover from the hot temperatures during summer, and provide extra nutrients for growth and resilience when frosts begin.
Lift tender plants
Some varieties of plants, such as herbaceous perennials, are more tender than others you may have around the garden. When left in the ground during winter frosts and snow, their delicate root systems may not survive. To ensure your plant makes it to the following summer, it is best to lift them out of the ground for storage.
Geraniums, dahlias, cannas, tuberous begonias and gladioli are the most important plants to lift during before the winter months.
When lifting plants, you want to make sure the foliage has died back and stems are trimmed to approximately 2 inches from the base. Use a garden fork to loosen the soil around the plant, taking care not to bruise or damage the roots. Once the root system is loose, carefully lift the plant from the soil.
Make sure to shake free any loose soil remaining on the roots and use a brush for any stubborn areas. Cannas are best when stored submerged in trays of moist sand or vermiculite with the crown of the plant just above the surface. For dahlias and begonias, these are best kept in trays of sand with only the old stalk exposed. When storing your lifted plants, ensure you keep them in a cool but frost free place, such as a greenhouse, garage or conservatory.
