I’m a Gardening Expert – Five Things You Can Do Now to Prepare for Fall
AUTUMN is just around the corner and that means there are a few gardening chores you shouldn’t put off.
While you’re still clinging to summer, it might be time to think about how you’ll store your furniture and when the best time is to do some weeding before the colder months set in.
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Experts at online home furnishings store Wayfair have put together the ultimate guide on how to prepare your home and garden for the colder months.
These are the five things you should pay attention to when next a few weeks…
Daniela Venturini, Art Director and Trend Forecaster at Wayfair UK, says:
1. Remove weeds and dirt
With summer coming to an end, now is the perfect time to take advantage of the last rays of sunshine and start maintaining your garden for the autumn and winter.
One of the easiest ways to do this is to remove weeds and dead or dying plants from your garden.
Weeding your garden now will not only make your garden look nicer in the fall, but it will also make it much easier to maintain your garden next fall. spring.
2. Clean garden furniture before autumn arrives
Whether it’s garden sets, cushion covers or barbecues, cleaning and storing your garden furniture properly during the autumn and winter will not only keep it looking like new for next summer, but will also extend its lifespan.
Garden furniture, such as cushions, often suffer from water stains during the summer months.
If you don’t clean them properly before storing them, mold and mildew can develop, making your garden furniture look dull by the summer.
So make sure your garden furniture is thoroughly cleaned and stored away in the fall. This way your garden will be in top condition for a summer full of fun parties next year.
How to clean your garden furniture
Cleaning your garden furniture and decorations is a relatively simple task. It requires household items that are already in your cupboards.
According to garden expert Daniela Venturini of Wayfair, you’ll need the following:
What you need:
- A soft brush
- A bucket of warm water
- Mild detergent or dishwashing liquid
- White vinegar
- A clean, damp microfiber cloth
- A clean, dry towel
- Free your furniture from excess dirt
Before cleaning your garden furniture, make sure that the surfaces are free of any excess dirt and debris from your garden. If possible, remove any covers from garden cushions, as this will make cleaning a lot easier.
- Clean furniture with warm soapy water
Add a few drops of mild laundry detergent or dish soap to a bucket of warm water to make your cleaning solution. For tougher stains, such as stubborn water spots or mold, apply undiluted white vinegar to the stains and let it sit in the sun for about an hour.
3. Use a soft brush to rub away stains
Using a soft brush, gently rub your cleaning solution onto your garden furniture in small circular motions. After scrubbing, take a clean, damp microfiber cloth and make sure all detergent and soap residue is removed from your garden furniture.
After cleaning, take a clean towel and remove most of the moisture from your garden furniture. Then let it dry in the sun.
3. Put away garden furniture
Once your garden furniture is clean and dry, store it in a sheltered area, protected from the elements.
Sheds and outdoor storage containers are some of the best storage solutions for your garden furniture because of the protection they provide from the elements. weather.
4. Bring potted plants indoors
As summer draws to a close, temperatures begin to drop and nights grow longer, it’s time to move your favourite potted plants, which have been the focal point of your garden all summer, to a sheltered spot.
Plants can be sensitive to cold just like us. They therefore need to be protected from the cold when the temperature drops. This can be done indoors, in a greenhouse or in a cold frame.
5. Clean the gutters
Cleaning your gutters before fall is a good way to minimize the risk of clogs during the colder months.
Blockages in your gutters can be damaging to the foundation of your property. A blocked gutter can lead to flooding and leaks, which can be extremely dangerous, especially during frost.
Looking for gardening jobs to do in September? Garden editor Veronica Lorraine has a list for you.
Garden work in September
As September begins, so does autumn. Veronica Lorraine, gardening editor at The Sun, has a few jobs to keep you busy as the summer sun fades.
1. Start thinking about spring bulbs
It’s early bulb season! As well as the more traditional daffodils, crocuses, alliums and bluebells, try snake-head fragillaries for something a little different.
2. Think of the bees
Be sure to continue to feed the bees with fall-flowering pollinators such as stonecrop, honeysuckle and asters.
3. Dig and enjoy your potatoes
The potatoes from the main crop are ready to be harvested. Make sure you harvest them all so they are not damaged by slugs.
4. Change your lawn mowing schedule
Raise the height of your lawn mower and start reducing the amount of mowing you do. Fertilize it in the fall, especially if you didn’t get around to it over the summer, and start raking to remove thatch.
5. Plant new perennials while the soil is still warm.
6. Take cuttings of salvia
It is as easy as cutting a shoot tip above a node and throwing it in a glass of water to see if roots develop. Especially with delicate Salvias that do not survive the winter.
7. Give camellias enough water so that buds will form again next year.
8. Keep removing faded flowers and watering your hanging baskets
They must continue until the first frost.
9. Make pumpkins Halloween-ready
Remove any leaves that are covering the pumpkins so they are ready for Halloween. Also make sure to water them regularly as they are very thirsty.
10. Check your pond
Cover your pond with a net to prevent it from filling up with fallen leaves when the trees start to fall.
