With September coming to a close, a gardening expert has shared key jobs that can still be completed in order to keep your plants and garden healthy year-round
September is about to end but it doesn’t mean it’s too late to get started on these important gardening jobs.
As we come further into autumn and the weather cools down, many of us start to spend more time indoors. However, this doesn’t mean you should neglect your garden or plants. According to a garden expert, there are plenty of tasks that still need to be completed before the winter frost sets in.
Adam Kirtland posted to his TikTok channel @viewfromthepottingbench, explaining the top jobs that gardeners should get started on in September. “Make sure to wash out and fill up bird feeders now for the season ahead,” he said. “With autumn and winter in mind you want to provide fat and high protein for birds.”
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He also said that it’s the “ideal time” to clean out your greenhouses and cold frames, especially if they are filled with old pots and random bits of rubbish. “You’re going to want this space for protecting plants and seeds over winter,” he advised.
He adds that, though it’s tempting to put it off, it’s also a good idea to give your glasshouse windows a clean as it will maximise the amount of light coming through over autumn and winter.
It’s also a great time to divide plants, according to Adam. This is particularly true of hardy perennials like geraniums. All you need is a spade and fork.
He recommends starting off by getting your fork right in at the base of the plant and then loosening it from the ground. He adds: “It may need a bit of welly to get it out”.
Once the plant is removed from the ground, you then part the foliage in the middle. Simply push your spade down through the middle of the plant and push to break it apart.
At this point, Adam says you should have two plants instead of one. He says to put one plant back in the original hole and you can then plant the other somewhere else in your garden.
Another job he recommends getting started on in autumn is planting spring bulbs. “You’ll have seen in garden centres and supermarkets that spring bulbs are now available to buy,” he says. “This month you can start getting your daffodils in.” However, he cautions not to plant tulips just yet.
When it comes to planting bulbs, he recommends using a bulb planter to create holes in the soil. He says that you should ideally plant daffodils with their bulbs pointing up.
However, he adds: “They’re really, really resilient. Just bung them in the hole and they’ll sort themselves out.”