Is Your Garden Ready for Winter?
- Chair
- Oct 23
- 4 min read
The shorter days and cooler temperatures signal that the peak growing season has come to an end and how is the time to prepare your garden for the winter months ahead. Bright days can be misleading so keep an eye on the weather forecast as temperatures can dip quite dramatically overnight. Here are some tips to help your garden get ready for autumn and winter.
1. Tidy up
Tidy up does not mean cut everything back! Please leave attractive seedheads, some wood piles and plenty of spaces for insects and other wildlife to hibernate, feed and shelter over the colder months. Many of these seedheads provide vital food for birds during these lean months and I really enjoy seeing the birds bounce off the verbena heads throughout the day. Concentrate on removing debris such as fallen leaves, grasses that have collapsed, dead plants and anything that could cause disease. Also keep paths and walkways clear and clean to avoid tripping or slipping in wet conditions. Also remove leaves from lawns and borders to allow for regeneration.
2. Feed Your Soil
Autumn is a good time to apply a layer of well-rotted organic mulch to your beds and borders, especially in your kitchen garden. Mulch helps to improve your soil’s nutrients, retain moisture, regulate soil temperature and suppress weed growth. Don’t worry about digging it in – just apply on top and let the earthworms and frost do the job for you.
3. Pruning / Cutting Back
Trim back any dead or overgrown branches from trees and shrubs, which will encourage healthy growth and prevent disease. You can also start cutting back select perennials to tidy up the garden and prepare for new growth in the spring. I tend to cut back those perennials that are prone to collapsing in strong winds or heavy frost and those that don’t have attractive seed heads or support wildlife. Don’t forget to pull up any annual weeds in your borders as you don’t want them to set seed and continue to spread.
4. Protect Tender Plants
Find suitable shelter such as a greenhouse, shed or covered area for your tender plants before the first frost hits. Some may be fine in a sheltered position, while others will need horticultural fleece or cloths wrapped or draped over them. If you leave pots outside during the winter make sure they are placed up on pot feet to ensure good drainage and consider wrapping the pots with horticultural fleece for protection.
5. Planting bulbs
October and November are ideal for planting spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils, crocus and tulips. Most bulbs should be planted 2-3 times the size of the bulb itself – if in doubt read the instructions supplied with the bulbs. Bulbs can be planted in the grass and borders to naturalise or alternatively in pots if you have limited space (or have issues with animals digging up bulbs). See https://www.crocus.co.uk/features/advice/when-to-plant-spring-bulbs/ for further advice.
6. Refreshing your Borders
October or even early November is a great time to divide overcrowded perennial plants or any plants that have outgrown their allotted space. Divisions can be potted up or transplanted to more suitable locations. Now is also a good time to plant any new herbaceous plants in beds and borders. Choose a dry day if possible so you are not compressing the soil in your borders too much. Feed the plants if required and water in well.
7. Lawns, Hedges, Shrubs and Trees
Autumn is also a good time to lay a new lawn and plant new hedges, trees and shrubs. Lawncare also includes raking out dead grass and thatch, applying an autumn lawn fertiliser, weeding and reseeding any bare patches. When planting new hedges, trees and shrubs make sure you prepare the ground well, loosen the soil in the hole/trench, apply feed such as blood, fish and bone and water in well. Any new trees should be suitably staked to avoid wind rock during the winter months. Remember bare root plants are readily available at this time of year and can represent really good value.
8. Clean Greenhouse, Shed and Tools
It is vital that you clean your greenhouse at the end of the season once the tomato, cucumber, aubergine and pepper plants have been removed. Inevitably unwanted pests will have found their way into your greenhouse, and you want to avoid having them overwinter there. Use a stiff brush to get into every nook and cranny possible. I tend to use a mix of white vinegar, washing up liquid and water to clean the glass and frames. It takes time but you will be rewarded for your efforts! Clean glass boosts light levels, clearing gutters ensures water flows well and hopefully you start off the spring growing season with less nasties! Clean your pots, shovels, seed trays and anything else that has been used in the garden. Clean, sharpen and oil your secateurs and pruning equipment. Remember to disinfect everything to avoid spreading any bacteria or diseases to other plants or trees. Once you’ve finished grass cutting for the season also consider having your mower serviced.
9. Sow Seeds
Autumn is also a good time to sow! If you are lucky enough to have a greenhouse or sunny windowsill you can still grow winter salads and herbs to continue picking throughout the winter months. Now is also a good time to sow sweet peas and broad beans. These are best sown in deep root trainers to avoid root disturbance and give them plenty of space to grow over the next few months. Hardy annuals can also be sown now to ensure an early crop of strong and healthy plants. I find places like Chiltern Seeds and Vital Seeds have an unusual and lovely selection of seeds with great guidance on what you should be sowing now.
10. Feed the Birds
Start filling bird feeders to encourage winter birds into your garden. Make sure you leave some seed heads on your perennials for the birds as well. Don’t forget to keep bird baths clean and topped up as well.
For more information on Autumn Jobs see the following:
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