Autumn Clear-up
W
ell here we are in October already with the clocks about to change and the shorter days definitely with us. All in all it’s been a pretty good summer and the start of Autumn has been fairly warm and in the main still surprisingly dry. It’s time to start slowly battening down the hatches across the garden and getting ready for the Winter and also to look forward to Spring. Rather than a spring clean, an autumn clear-up throughout the garden will pay dividends, both in keeping the garden healthy and making it look tidy through the months ahead, when there may be less opportunity to get out into the garden. I always think it pays to be fairly ruthless when it comes to clearing out. Get rid of any old rubbish that is
clogging up corners of the garden and the same goes for the beds. If there are plants which really haven’t performed or are in the wrong place, then don’t be afraid to move them or get rid of them. A good tidy up through the beds will pay dividends as well. Once again dig out plants that are no longer worth keeping and give the surface of the soil a good rake through to remove dead leaves. This will help keep diseases down. It’s also a good time to start getting some extra compost forked into the beds, or for an easier option, simply rake the compost across the top of the beds. You’ll be amazed how much of it gets pulled down into the soil by your friendly garden worms. Carry out autumn pruning on shrubs that need it. Don’t be afraid to prune back hard. Most plants will respond well and put on better growth next year. Make sure you remove all the waste you generate from the beds. Once the beds are clear it will leave you with a much better idea of what new planting you can fit into the bed. It’s also a good time for many shrubs to be divided. That simply means that plants that have overgrown into clumps, can be lifted and slit into smaller plants by using a sharp spade. It allows the original plant to grow better and you suddenly have two plants for the price of one. In fact, it’s a good trick you can use with many plants that you buy in garden centres. Always keep your eyes out for ones that can be easily divided, then you really will buy one and get one free! Put the plants back into the beds with plenty of compost and water, and it’s surprising how effective the major surgery can be in producing much better results next year On the subject of a good clear out, give the greenhouse and the shed a good clean out now. This is especially important with the greenhouse. Once emptied give all the surfaces a good wash down. It only needs a wash with hot water and soap and it will transform the place. Not only will it let more light in, but it Is remarkably effective at killing off many of the diseases that lurk around over winter. If the work in the shed and the greenhouse are done now, it means you will have a clear and tidy space to work in the colder wetter months. As always in the garden, it’s about enjoying what you have now, but looking head to make life easy and keeping the garden in a state where you can enjoy it in the future. It never ends, but then again we would get bored if it did! ark Oakley M Any Garden Limited
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