4 useful jobs to complete in your garden this autumn

The nights are quickly drawing in, and the temperature is dropping as we move through the end of summer into the beginning of autumn. And though the end of the growing season may be on the horizon, the end of garden maintenance certainly isn’t. Keeping on top of autumn garden maintenance is essential to ensure your garden and composite fencing remain in top condition throughout winter, ready to thrive and bloom again come springtime. To keep everything ticking over and make your life easier next year, here are four jobs that will help you stay on top of your garden this autumn.

Start your spring prep now

Growing season may be ending, but planting season is still going strong! Autumn is the perfect time to plant your springtime flowers. The weather may be shifting, but it’s still placid and palatable enough for bulb plating. The soil is the perfect temperature and density to start sowing your plants and crops for next year. This gives them plenty of time to grow their roots before the first frost – which will keep them safe underground as it gets colder. Some brilliant autumn bulbs include daffodils, allium, tulips and crocuses. For vegetables, carrots, spinach, kale, turnips, and radish are all great autumn-friendly planting options!

Protect your plants

While your fresh, new bulbs will be safe underground as winter comes and goes, many of your current garden inhabitants may not be, so it’s time to batten down the hatches in preparation. Keeping your plants happy and healthy in the winter will make it much easier to restore your garden to its former glory come spring. While there’s still plenty of moisture in the soil, it’s time to start laying down the mulch. Mulch is anything organic, like wood chippings, fallen leaves or compost, that you can use to protect the base of your plants and help them through the winter. Lay down a layer on your flower beds. This will help trap moisture and prevent pesky weeds from rearing their heads.

Any particularly cold-sensitive or tropical potted plants would be best moved into the warmth of a greenhouse or conservatory to keep them looking their best over winter. You can return them to the garden in spring. Use garden fleecing for the plants left outside, which you can pick up at most home and garden shops. Wrap them up in a couple of layers of plastic film, and it’ll help keep them warm when the frost sets in, almost like a jacket!

Rake the lawn

Nothing says autumn quite like the sight of a rake. As the leaves change colour and fall from the trees, it’s time to get out in the garden and keep on top of the lawn. As lovely as the golden leaves look when they fall, the novelty soon wears off when they turn to sludge. So, to make the best use of these nutrient-rich leaves, start raking them up and putting them into bags to use as mulch! You might think there’s no harm in letting the leaves build up on the lawn since no one is in the garden over winter. But over time, they will start smothering your grass, which can prevent growth in the springtime – and no one wants that!

Composite fence maintenance

Compared to the rest of the garden, your composite fencing generally requires very little maintenance. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few things you can do here and there to keep it looking its very best. So, as summer has ended, it’s time to give your fencing some TLC. If you’ve adorned your fencing with planters, decorations or even fairy lights, it might be wise to retire these for the year before the frigid weather and frost creep in.

After you’ve removed and put away any summer decor, it’s time to remove any debris that’s built up over the last few months from around and in the crevasses of your composite fence panels. This could be pulling weeds or removing the general build-up of leaves, dirt and twigs. Once everything has been cleared, scrub it well with water and soap. All that’s left to do as far as your fencing is concerned is to keep on top of removing the debris and keep it clean throughout the coming months, and your fence will look just as good come spring!

Our composite fencing is a great low-maintenance option that can keep your space looking its very best no matter the season! At North Valley Composites, we provide composite fencing in a variety of colours and shades, like Golden Oak, Driftwood, and Black Ash. If you need any help narrowing down your options, don’t hesitate to contact a member of our friendly team on 01282 677300, and we’ll be happy to see how we can assist!