The eight golden rules to protect your garden and keep flowers thriving this autumn, expert shares the tips and tricks to get your garden ready for the cold season
The leaves turning yellow, orange, brown and fruits like blackberries and apples are ripening earlier than usual which is showing signs of autumn coming sooner than expected.
Here is how to get your garden prepped for the new season as it is not too late. Flower expert, Alex Biggart at 123 Flowers shares eight golden tips to revive worn plants and protect your garden to make sure your flowers are kept thriving till summer.
Rule one: Give your soil mulch – compost, bark or manure
Soil is often tired and worn out from scorching heat and therefore the flowers are too. When the rain arrives, it is advised to spread a thick layer of organic mulch – compost, bark or well-rotted manure across the borders of your garden and in plant pots.
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This allows for moisture to be locked in, roots fed, and late flowering plants to grow and appear.
Rule two: Do not give up on late flowering plants
Plants like dahlias, asters and rudbeckias are affected greatly by the summer heat, but with proper care they can flower well into autumn. To do this, feed them with a liquid fertiliser every few weeks to maintain vibrant flowers and help them recover from the heat.
Rule three: Leave seed heads for wildlife and autumn beauty
Leaving seed heads on echinacea, sedum or grasses allows for your garden to have structure throughout autumn. This also provides essential food and shelter for birds, bees and other insects.
Pollinators help fertilise flowers, fruits and vegetables for the next season. Make sure for plants like echinacea; deadhead them in late summer to push a final flush of flowers, then leave the remaining seed heads for autumn wildlife.
Rule four: Stay ahead of pests
Pest activity increases in early autumn and stressed flowers are first on the hit list. Slugs, snails and leatherjackets are attracted to heat-stressed plants, and can quickly damage the roots, leaves and stems if not acted on quickly.
Check under pots, clear debris and apply nematodes to control soil-dwelling pests. This will save a lot of headaches later on in the season.
Rule five: Plant bulbs now for a spring flower show
Get planting now as this is the best season to get ready for spring. Patch up any tired parts of the lawn before the cold winter frost creeps in.
Sowing seed while the soil is still warm helps roots to be established swiftly, outcompete weeds and recover from the summer heat. This will ensure your garden is strong and healthy for the next year when it comes.
Rule six: Turn fallen leaves into flower fuel
Don’t throw away fallen leaves, put them in a pot or a perforated bin. Over the next year they will break down into nutrient-rich leaf mould. This will improve soil structure, lock in moisture, and boosts aeration and is a lot better than shop-bought composts. Leaves are falling earlier this year so you can get a head-start on this free hack.
Rule seven: Refresh borders and water deeply
Autumn is the right time to give borders a little makeover as the soil is still warm enough for roots to settle. Separate perennials, like heleniums and geraniums, to double your plants and introduce hardy late performers like rudbeckias, asters and ornamental grasses to maintain colour and keep movement alive.
Autumn rain is not enough for plants to thrive, in dry soils light showers barely reach roots. A deep soak once a week helps shrubs, trees and perennials establish strong roots before the winter frost.
Rule eight: Choose the right flowers and keep your garden colourful throughout autumn
For early autumn: hardy late flowers like asters, rudbeckias, salvias and chrysanthemums thrive in the lingering warmth. Then when the deep autumn arrives, plants good for the cool season: cyclamen, pansies, violas, heucheras, and winter-flowering hellebores.
They can handle shorter days and colder nights, this keeps borders, pots and window boxes bright even into winter. Follow these great hacks to keep your autumn garden thriving well into the next spring.
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