10 autumn garden jobs to do before winter
A little work in autumn sets your garden up for a great spring. Here are the jobs that matter most.
Autumn is one of the busiest and most rewarding times in the garden. These ten jobs make a real difference next year.
In the borders
- Plant spring bulbs: daffodils and crocus now, tulips in late autumn.
- Divide perennials: split congested clumps of perennials like hostas and asters to make new plants for free.
- Leave some seed heads standing: they feed birds and shelter insects over winter.
In the vegetable patch
- Clear spent crops and add healthy material to the compost.
- Sow green manures or cover bare soil with mulch to protect it.
- Plant garlic and overwintering onions for an early summer harvest.
Lawns and leaves
- Collect fallen leaves and pile them in a wire cage or bin bags to make leaf mould.
- Give the lawn its autumn care: scarify, spike and overseed.
Protect and prepare
- Move tender plants like pelargoniums and citrus indoors before the first frost.
- Clean pots, tools and the greenhouse to reduce pests and diseases next year.
