Our 7 Autumn tips to prepare your garden for Winter

With a change in season comes a change in the colours in your garden.  There is also a fair amount that needs doing to keep it at its best for viewings and getting ready for Spring.  We have come up with a few hints and tips to get your garden through the cooler months.

1.  Tidy the greenhouse - this is both an inside and outside job as you will have a whole year of dust, pollen and rain to get off the glass.  Normal washing up liquid will do the job on the glass along with a good sweep of the flooring.  You may also want to use a mild disinfectant on the inside surfaces but make sure you ventilate the greenhouse for a couple of days.  Use this opportunity to fix or replace any broken glass.

2.  Clean out the pots - any pots that are going to be standing empty over winter can also be cleaned and stacked away for spring.  Do not throw any broken ones as they can be used for drainage.

3.  Tidy and turn over the borders - the annuals can be dug up and composted and the perennials cut back.  With the ground still warm and soft, it can also be a time to move plants or thin out overcrowded borders.

4.  Revive the lawn - after a summer of being played and BBQ’ed on, the lawn may be looking a bit tired in places.  After what will be one of the last cuts of the season, rake out any old grass cuttings and remove any moss.  In areas of high usage, the soil can be compacted so aerate with a garden fork.

5.  Clear out compost - with falling leaving and all the digging out and cutting back you will be doing, you will have lots to put on the compost.  But before you do, use up whatever is left, give the container a clean and then add this season’s garden waste.

6.  Cover ponds - ideally with netting as any garden material falling in the water will start to decompose which can turn the water foul and block any filters or pumps.

7.  Maintain tools - before everything gets put back in the shed, make sure any tools with blades have been sharpened.  The ‘digging’ tools can be washed, dried and treated with oil to prevent any metal rusting.

Whilst traditionally gardens are at their best in the spring and summer, taking the time to tidy and cut back in the autumn shows any potential buyer how easy it is to maintain and enjoy your garden all year round.