I’m a gardening expert & you must do 5 jobs in the next week -winter strengthens weeds but damages your favourite plants
A GARDENING expert has revealed five essential jobs that need to be done before October first.
With the arrival of autumn and colder temperatures, it is important to protect your garden from the harsher weather conditions to come.
Gardening expert Kevin Gess, from Prestige Lawns, shared a list of jobs that green-fingered Brits should tick off their lists in the next week.
Protect Delicate Plants
Protect delicate plants
Kevin explained that some plants can get damaged in the winter, by things like, wind, rain and frost.
He revealed that any plant that is not native to the UK is at risk of damage.
To protect these plants, move perennials such as cannas, dahlias and fuchsias into a green house.
If moving these plants isn’t possible, you can wrap them in materials such as straw or hessian, to help insulate them.
Houseplants should all be brought inside, and you should add mulch to the root areas of conifers, tender shrubs, perennials and the surface of the soil to prevent the ground from freezing over.
Weeding
Kevin explained that weeds will keep growing strongly in colder temperatures.
He said: “Be vigilant and remove them when you see them.
“Where possible, dig them out instead of pulling them as you’re more likely to get them out with the roots.”
Rake Your Lawn
Kevin said that it is important to regularly rake your lawn in autumn.
He explained: “This is to prevent fallen leaves from blocking light and air getting to your grass, making your lawn more prone to disease.”
Mow Your Lawn
Kevin said that now is that perfect time to give your lawn one last cut before the winter.
However, he warned that you should avoid mowing the lawn in frosty weather, as it will become susceptible to damage.
September gardening jobs
With September starting, so does autumn, and The Sun's Gardening Editor Veronica Lorraine has a few tasks to keep you busy as the summer sun winds down.
1. Starting thinking about Spring bulbs
Its early bulb time! As well as the more traditional daffodils, crocuses, alliums and bluebells, try snake-head fratillaries for something slightly different.
2. Remember the bees
Make sure you’re still looking after the bees with autumn flowering pollinators – like sedums, honeysuckle and asters.
3. Dig and enjoy your potatoes
Maincrop potatoes are ready to dig up – make sure you get them all so they don’t get slug damage.
4. Change your lawn mowing schedule
Raise the height of your lawn mower and start to reduce the amount of mowing you do. GIve it an autumn feed, especially if you didn’t get round to it in Summer and start to rake to remove thatch.
5. Plant out new perennials while the soil is still warm.
6. Take salvia cuttings
It’s as easy as cutting a shoot tip above a node and chucking it in a glass of water to see if it sprouts roots. Especially with tender Salvias which wont survive the winter.
7. Keep camelias well watered to make sure that buds form next year.
8. Keep on deadheading and watering your hanging baskets
They should keep going until the first frosts.
9. Get pumpkins Halloween ready
Remove any leaves shading pumpkins to make sure they’ll be ready for halloween – and make sure you keep watering them, they’re very thirsty.
10. Check on your pond
Net your pond to stop it filling with fallen leaves when the trees start to drop.
Prune Roses
Kevin revealed that if you give your roses attention now, they will have the best chance of coming back healthy in the springtime.
He said: “The most effective way to do this is to remove any dead, shrivelled flower heads, remove any leaves showing signs of black spot, rust or mildew and prune out dead stems.
“It’s also worth thinking about whether you need to move rose bushes that aren’t in a good position or plant new ones so they can get established by Spring.”
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