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With the weather set to be chilly next week, this is the perfect time to give your garden an autumnal makeover.
For those of you looking to save money but still transform your space, this is next The week is the ideal temperature to get your hands dirty and do some gardening.
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To help you know where to start, turn to the garden and landscape architecture experts at Dino terrace have revealed the easy, quick and budget-friendly gardening jobs you can do.
Maintenance of the shed
To get your shed ready for the fall and winter, there are a number of maintenance tasks you need to carry out.
Not only will it make your shed look great, but painting your shed can also help protect it from the colder months as it will be more resistant to the elements.
If you’re feeling really handy, you can check your shed roof for holes and cracks and repair them yourself.
Additionally, apply a wood treatment to add an extra layer of protection.
To prevent your shed from rotting and decaying, keep the gutters clear of leaves. This will allow water to drain away from your shed and prevent flooding.
If you don’t feel like getting your hands dirty, you can also take the time to clean out your shed and declutter. This will make it easier to find things, avoid buying duplicate tools, and free up space.
The first step is to clear everything out and start with a clean slate, before grouping items into terms of ‘keep’ and ‘throw away’.
Once you have done this, make a plan for the layout so that you can find items more easily in the future, and then put all the necessary items back.
Focus on the vegetables
September is a great time to prepare the soil if you want to sow or lay turf. It is also a great time to plant vegetables and fruit in the soil.
Early to mid-September is the ideal temperature to provide lettuce with an optimal growing environment (16-18°C).
For best results, keep the soil moist and cool, but not too wet.
If you plant chives in September, they will also have time to benefit from the summer sun, which is necessary for germination.
It’s also the perfect time to transplant your well-established strawberry plants into new beds and finish pruning your fruit trees to encourage fruit set for the following season.
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Lawn maintenance
Autumn is the perfect time to start maintaining your lawn again. Make sure you set the cutting height to 4 cm so that the grass is ready for winter.
If you don’t have a lawn mower, you can also do this by hand. While you are rejuvenating your lawn, it is also a great opportunity to scarify, aerate, patch and reseed your lawn.
To repair spots, simply take a rake and some lawn seed and begin removing all weeds and dead grass.
Once it is clear, rake it flat and add some compost to make your soil look and feel healthy before spreading an even layer of seeds over the soil. Rake it in gently and then press it down lightly with your feet.
In the UK, if it doesn’t look like it’s going to rain any time soon, you can gently spray the soil with a hose, being careful not to push the seeds out of the soil.
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Wash your patio
Take advantage of the cool but dry weather by taking the time to inspect your patio for signs of wear, damage or potential problems.
Check for areas where the planks are loose or uneven and look for signs of rot, mold or mildew.
It is important that you address these issues promptly to prevent them from getting worse and to maintain the integrity of your deck over time.
After you have inspected your deck, it is time to give it a good cleaning. To start, use a broom to push any leaves or debris aside so that you have a clean surface to work on.
Then use lukewarm water and gently scrub the surface with a soft brush. Rinse thoroughly or mop away excess water for a faster solution.
For stubborn stains caused by grease and oil If you get any dirt spilled from your grill, consider buying a special spray or cleaner. With a little scrubbing, the stains will disappear like snow in the sun.
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.
Go weeding
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To keep your garden in top condition, it’s time to remove those pesky weeds.
You can easily remove weeds by cutting them with scissors.
If you prefer, you can also dig out the weeds and roots with your hands.
After you’ve weeded your garden, take 15 minutes every few days to keep it from becoming a mess again.
Also make sure to prune vines and plants annually by cutting them back and removing dead stems.
Have fun planting!
Hi, I’m Veronica Lorraine, The Sun’s new gardening editor.
It is a great honor to continue the newspaper’s proud tradition of horticultural reporting.
As a professional gardener and journalist with 18 years’ experience at The Sun, I know our readers are passionate about looking after their outdoor spaces.
That’s why I bring you the latest news, tips, tutorials, competitions, Q&As and seasonal advice every week.
It doesn’t matter how or where you garden.
Have fun planting!
