After yet another searing summer, it’s now the season where we greet cooler evenings and begin to get ready for the cold winter. Your grass will be relieved as summers can be lengthy and challenging. But with winter comes its own set of challenges. So here are our tips on how to care for your lawn in autumn, before it goes dormant in winter.
Need Help Preparing Your Garden for Autumn? Call Jim’s Mowing on 0800 454 654 or book online.
Many gardeners prefer working during autumn. For one, the soil is warmer, which makes planting favourable. And second, and probably more importantly, the weather is just right — not too cool nor too warm.
If you wish to take advantage of these conditions, here are some helpful tips.
Mulching and composting
If you have not begun mulching your garden, you are missing out on some few crucial benefits like the increased moisture retention of the soil and fewer weeds. Mulches can also improve soil quality by providing much-needed nutrients.
As the trees begin to shed their leaves during autumn, you now have more materials for your garden compost. Apart from fallen leaves, you can use kitchen scraps and lawn clippings to add to your compost heap.
Applying fertilisers
Experts recommend applying fertilisers on lawns twice a year. Autumn is one of the best times to do that as the nutrients you provide can fortify the grass against harsh winter conditions and make it ready for the following season.
Pruning plants and trees
From time to time, trees need to be pruned for two important reasons. First, pruning helps improve the health of the trees. Second, this task improves the overall appearance of the trees and facilitates the growth of new branches.
Perennials like daisy bushes, buddleias, and salvias can also benefit from pruning, making these plants beautiful and ready by summer time. Pruning plants is relatively simple. All you need to do is to remove dead matter, including old flowers. If there are diseased parts, you will need to remove these, but be careful not to put these in your compost bin.
Adding fruit trees to your garden
If you have been thinking of adding a few fruit trees on your property, autumn is the best time to do that. Planting trees in autumn will give these ample time to grow and develop right before summer sets in.
Just remember to space trees, other plants and structures a good distance apart.
Planting bulbs
Bulbs can add a dash of colour to spring gardens but most of the hard work is done during autumn. Planting the bulbs during autumn gives the plants enough time and room to grow and once spring rolls in, the bulbs are ready to flourish.
Dealing with pests
Consider adding dill to your garden as this herb can repel pests like the Cabbage White Butterfly. Dill can protect veggies like cabbages, broccoli, and cauliflower. Pennyroyal, on the other hand, can help repel mosquitoes.
If you need help preparing your garden for Autumn, call Jim’s Mowing on 0800 454 654 now. For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.
Use Your very own Autumn Gardening Task Checklist or Call Jim’s Mowing on 0800 454 654 or book online!
The autumn season often seems like the most leisurely period of the year, especially with its mellowed fruitfulness. But it’s actually quite a hectic time, particularly for property owners that maintain a lawn or garden. There are so many tasks to stay on top of – leaves need to be raked, perennials need to be tidied up, and it’s a must to keep an eye out for diseased branches and leave.
All these tasks for autumn gardening can be quite overwhelming. Before tackling them, it’s good to work out an “attack plan.” This will streamline the process and ascertain that you’re able to cover everything in a much easier manner.
For your attack plan, one of the things you need to prepare is a checklist. Having a list will allow you to group tasks together properly so you can create a schedule that’s thoroughly efficient.
To help you streamline your autumn gardening, here are the tasks that your autumn gardening checklist should include:
Tidy all the beds.
Mow the lawn.
Check the pH level of your lawn.
Spread organic fertiliser and compost.
Plant perennials and bulbs.
Save seeds.
Clean gardening containers and tools.
If you need help completing your Autumn Gardening Task Checklist just call on 0800 454 654! For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.
