Top 6 jobs to do now to make sure your garden is ready for the change in season

As we head towards the end of August and final throws of summer, our gardens will be enjoying one last flourish before the cooler weather comes along. Whilst it’s important to take the time to relax and enjoy your outdoor space whilst you can, it can be equally as prudent to get ahead in the garden!

Make your life easier as we head into the autumn season, and follow our top tips for getting your garden Autumn-ready;

It’s time to prune your summer-flowering shrubs, such as hydrangeas and spirea, and dead-head your perennials –it’ll keep plants healthier and stronger in the long run, and will encourage continued flowering into autumn. Consider also dividing your fading perennials, such as Hostas and Rudbekias, and relocating them to keep roots strong and fill gaps in your borders for next season.

Now is the perfect time to think about the plants you’ll want blooming next season; make sure to plant any new trees or shrubs well before the first frosts to give them chance to establish, collect seeds from garden plants and even plant spring-flowering seeds such as Calendula, Cornflowers and Forget-Me-Nots for colour from May, and get your autumn-planting bulb order in now – by the time September and October come around, many bulbs sell out, so order your tulips, hyacinths and other early-flowering bulbs ready for planting.

The summer season takes its toll on all aspects of your garden, one of which is easily forgotten – your soil! It dries out, loses nutrients and your mulch washes away. Add a little organic fertiliser for a last-minute boost before the season is out, and add a fresh layer of mulch to make sure your borders are looked after well into autumn and winter.

Fancy a new project ahead of autumn? Why not try your hand at building a cold frame to protect your plants against frosts and extend your season, which you can then re-use in the springtime. If you don’t have spare glass and wood laying around, and you don’t want to invest in a pre-made cold frame, use burlap and other fabrics to help cover and insulate your plants.

There’s plenty to be done in the allotment in August, readying yourself for Autumn. Clear space in your veg patch by harvesting crops such as carrots, runner beans, beetroot, and courgettes, and cutting back your summer fruit plants such as strawberries to protect them during the cooler months. There are a number of crops your can be sowing now for harvesting in autumn too, such as lettuce, spring onions and radishes.

Finally, it’s important to consider the visitors to your garden! Whilst deadheading is tempting, why not leave a few flowers to go to seed to provide food for visiting birds. Certain varieties of roses also make excellent sources of food for birds when hips are formed. Now is also a crucial time for hedgehogs looking to fatten up ahead of hibernation, so pop down some food and water for them too.

Head on over to our social channels to keep up with the latest goings on in the Irrigatia team’s own gardens!