As colder months approach, it’s time to prepare your garden for the fall and winter! Starting early and strong will grant you exquisite results and will successfully preserve your garden till next spring.
Want to learn more about efficient fall prep? Keep on reading.
Efficient fall and winter preparation includes important garden clearance and maintenance tasks that will benefit you both in the long and short term. Long term, prepping your yard will help you retain the health of the soil and the plants, and will protect your garden from cold damage. Short term, it will get you ready to start a lush fall garden.
It’s so easy to transform your garden when you know what you are doing and why. All you need to succeed is to follow these simple steps, summarized by professional gardening experts:
An essential step of pre-fall clearance is clearing up the area of weeds and decayed plants. Use garden gloves when working with yard soil. Collect any organic debris, withered leaves, rotten fruit and dead branches you find around the yard. Then compost or dispose of them accordingly, along with the pulled out dead plants.
By removing diseased plants and spent greenery from your garden beds, you avoid further diseases and prevent pest invasions. After you are done with the clear-up, it’s time for manual weeding to stop the eventual spread of weeds in the area.
With the end of fall comes the winter frost. For that reason, better prepare for the colder months in advance. There are a few essential things you can do to protect your garden plants right before winter hits:
Starting cover crops is vital if you want to enrich the soil and keep it healthy during winter. They help with weed control and lessen the erosion effect on the top layer. Fall is the perfect time to plant cover crops, at least a month before the first frost is expected.
Pots and planters usually host small herbs and edibles that can be grown at home. If you have those kinds of potted plants in your garden, consider bringing them inside in winter. Sensitive plants are also not likely to survive harsh fall or winter. So it’s a good idea to temporarily transplant them indoors as well.
Lay a plastic cover on top of your compost to preserve it from the cold. The cover will protect the pile from snow and frost and keep it nutrient-rich. Last but not least, make sure to drain all water out of the watering and irrigation systems in your garden before the frost hits. Then shut those systems down to avoid cold damage.
When it comes to fall garden prep, you should pay special attention to the trees and shrubs in your backyard. With that in mind, always inspect your perennial plants and trees because they probably require pruning. And pruning is not a gardening task you want to skip.
Most greens are ready to prune at the beginning of fall, others after the frost. So check your plants’ labels or search for pruning guidance online. The signs a bush or tree needs pruning are excessive growth, damaged stems, leaves or branches, and plant discoloration. If you stumble upon spent or unhealthy growth, apparently it’s cutting time.
Seasonal garden tidying up is super important. After you have cleared away old crops, proceed with collecting fallen leaves and other debris from the garden bed and the borders. Mow the lawn, trim the edges and put away plant supports. Make all needed repairs before the colder season takes over.
Start by assessing the pH and nutrient composition of the soil. Buy a test kit and follow the instructions on the label. Match the results with the colour indicator key to determine the correct levels. Then amend with fertilizer accordingly to make the soil more acidic or alkaline.
Another important pre-fall task is loosening up the soil. Grab a rake or a garden hand tool to dig through the dirt chunks and de-compact the topsoil. That helps aerate the soil and make it more welcoming for new plants.
Last but not least, to make the most of your soil before fall, add fertilizer or organic compost into the soil mix. An evenly spread layer of 2-5 cm is enough to replenish the soil and enrich it with nutrients for the next group of crops.
Mulching enriches the soil, protects your garden and gives it a polished appearance. Covering crops with organic mulch results in less weeds and reduces the risks of diseases and pest infestation. So if you haven’t yet, add a thin layer of wood chips, pine needles, clippings or straw over your garden bed before fall and winter strike.
No matter what type of assistance you need in your garden, our Professional Gardening Services UK team is always ready to step up and take on the tasks for you. By entrusting our skilled professionals in West London with your autumn garden maintenance, we will save you lots of time and effort. And ensure the job gets done right, on time, and with the proper equipment.
Are you ready to prepare your garden for the Autumn and Winter seasons? Get a quote for our gardening services in West London now.
Meet Nikolay, a talented blog and content writer with years of experience creating engaging and informative content for a variety of industries.
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