Autumn Garden To-Do List

Early autumn is the perfect time for gardeners to shift their focus to seasonal care, offering a window of opportunity to prepare your garden for the cooler months ahead. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, here are some essential tips to ensure your garden thrives this season.

Clear up Leaves: One of the main tasks of autumn gardening is managing fallen leaves. Leaving them untouched can suffocate your lawn and provide breeding grounds for pests and diseases. Invest in a reliable leaf blower to efficiently clear fallen leaves from your garden beds, pathways, and lawn. This not only keeps your garden looking tidy but also promotes healthy growth by allowing sunlight and air to reach the soil and plants.

Pruning and Trimming: Take advantage of the cooler weather to prune trees, shrubs, and hedges. Remove dead or diseased branches to promote healthy growth and shape plants to maintain their structure. Keep an eye out for any overgrown branches that may obstruct paths or structures. Pruning in autumn encourages plants to focus their energy on root development, preparing them for the dormant winter period. See our range of hedgetrimmers and pole saws.

Mulch for Protection: Mulching is an effective way to insulate the soil, regulate temperature, and retain moisture. Organic mulches such as shredded leaves, straw, or compost not only provide insulation but also enrich the soil as they decompose. Apply a layer of mulch around the base of plants, leaving a small space around the stem to prevent rot. Mulching also helps suppress weed growth, reducing the need for frequent maintenance during the cooler months. Use a garden cart to transport bulky materials like compost or mulch efficiently around your garden, saving time and effort.

Dethatch or Scarify: There’s a layer of dense, spongy thatch that spreads throughout lawns, made up of tightly interwoven stems, leaves, and roots. Left to get out of control and it can starve your lawn and encourage insects and diseases. Consider using a scarifier  to remove thatch and moss, allowing your lawn to breathe and absorb nutrients more effectively.

Aerate your Lawn: Aerating your lawn improves soil drainage and allows oxygen to reach the roots, promoting healthy growth. Push a garden fork down about 100mm into the soil and gently pull back on the handle to open up the hole. Do this to your whole lawn, or just the most compacted areas. Aerating will also encourage worms to do their thing, redistributing nutrients and increasing natural aeration.

Oversow: Spreading extra grass seed in early autumn, means it has all winter to establish, looking lush and full in the spring. For a more even distribution, a manual spreader is the way to go. If your lawn only needs a patch oversown here and there, hand spreading is sufficient.

Prepare for Frost: In many regions of New Zealand, frost can pose a threat to tender plants during autumn nights. Take preemptive measures to protect your plants by covering them with frost cloth or relocating potted plants indoors or to a sheltered area. Watering the garden earlier in the day can also help insulate plants and reduce the likelihood of frost damage.

Autumn is a time of transition and preparation in the garden. By following these essential tips for autumn garden care, you can ensure a beautiful and bountiful garden that thrives throughout the seasons!