Autumn Garden Clean Up

Now that autumn has arrived, it’s time to do a bit of tidying up and maintenance to get your garden in the best shape it can be for winter and beyond. Below we share our top autumn gardening tasks.

Pruning

Prune away dead or broken branches on woody shrubs and trees before the worst of the winter weather hits. You don’t need to prune everything in the garden though. Leaving plants with seeds and berries adds some interest and colour to the garden, as well as providing a feast for birds and insects.

Mulching

Add 5 – 8cm of mulch to garden beds taking care not to pile the mulch against the base of the plant. This will help maintain moisture in the soil and protect roots over winter. It also helps stop those pesky weeds from breaking through!

Flower garden

Remove and discard any diseased foliage from perennials and shrubs. Be sure to mark any perennials that go dormant over winter so you can remember their location come spring. If you’re wanting to plant spring bulbs, now is the time. Follow bulb packet planting directions but be sure to get them in the soil before it gets too cold. Finally, don’t forget to weed! Removing weeds now will prevent them from going to seed and coming back in full force next spring.

Vegetable garden

Remove and discard any edibles that have gone to seed, are showing signs of disease or have died. Be sure to get rid of all their roots too! Make a note of where you had tomatoes and potatoes planted so you can rotate planting locations next season. Plant green crops (such as lupin or mustard seed) to add nutrients to the soil and deter weeds.

Garden shed

Give your tools a good clean and store them in a dry location. Empty soil from any pots that are no longer in use and store in a protected area.

Compost

Gather fallen leaves from around the garden and start a compost pile. Over time you will start to create rich compost called leaf mould which is a wonderful source of nutrients. Check out our guide to composting