For many of us, preparing for autumn means looking forward to colder days spent curling up with a warm blanket and a hot chocolate, and generally leaning into a slower way of life. However, before you head indoors, make sure you’ve first run through your list of essential garden jobs before the new season. Come spring, you’ll be grateful you did.
If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve put together this list of top tips to help you out.
Starting From the Ground Up
Get the Lawn Mower Out
Grass grows more slowly over the winter months, but it won’t stop completely. With the amount of rain we get in the UK during this time, waterlogging will make mowing a challenge even before the winter frost sets in, so be on the lookout for a dry day to tick this job off the list.
Get Rid of Worm Casts
While worms themselves can be good for your garden soil, doing a lot of the legwork for you, the small piles of earth they leave behind on the lawn can be a real bane. Chances are, you’ll start to notice these worm casts appearing from around September onwards. If left alone as the weather gets wetter, they can make a real mess of your lawn. To get rid of them, you can use a besom or stiff broom, but be sure to choose a dry day to avoid turning the casts into mud.
Keep It Clean
Feed Your Lawn
For stronger, healthier grass come springtime, now is the perfect time to feed your lawn with autumn lawn food, as this will help strengthen your grass during the colder and wet weather.
Clean Up Your Vegetable Garden
If you haven’t already, make sure any leftover crops are removed and all weeds are cleared.
Bring Vulnerable Plants Inside
If you have any plants that need that little bit of extra TLC, bring them indoors to keep them safe from frost. Don’t forget to check the compost carefully for insects and snails first before bringing them into your home!
Clear Debris
Whether it’s fallen fruit around a tree or foliage from roses, it’s time to remove it. In doing so, you’ll discourage disease from spreading and ensure that sunlight is getting through to your grass and plants.
Clean Your Tools
Giving your tools a good clean now will keep them in good condition and make your job easier in the new year. The same goes for sheds and greenhouses; don’t forget to give the glass of your greenhouse a clean, that layer of leaf mulch could be making a real difference to the amount of sunlight reaching the plants inside.
Planning Ahead
Plant Bulbs
Spring might seem like an age away right now, but really, it’ll be here before you know it. With this in mind, plant spring-flowering bulbs now; September is the best time to get planting, but any time in autumn is also fine if you missed the boat.
Rehydrate
It’s easy to forget to keep your garden watered once the hot summer sun has cooled, but if the weather is still dry, your lawn and plants may well be thirsty - particularly those which are growing in containers. Keeping them nicely hydrated now will help them to withstand the extremes of winter weather.
Store Garden Furniture
This might be a bit of an obvious tip, but you’d be surprised at how many homeowners neglect this step until it’s too late. Left vulnerable to the elements, sun umbrellas can become discoloured, wooden dining sets will rot and barbecues begin to rust, so it’s important to keep them sheltered. If you’re struggling with a lack of garden storage, you can purchase protective covers - they’re relatively cheap and a worthy investment.
Pay Attention to Your Pond
If you have a garden pond, remove any overgrown plants or weeds, and skim off fallen leaves. You could also consider putting a net over the pond to keep the water free of leaves throughout the season.
Maintenance Time
Repair Fences
It’s easy to focus on the garden itself while at the same time neglecting its boundary. Instead, prepare for autumn’s blustery winds by taking stock of your fencing. Pay special attention to the fence posts - if you catch any potential issues early enough, a simple fence post repair kit can save you lots of time and effort having to replace an entire panel after an autumn or winter storm.
Get Unclogging
Increased volumes of rain, along with fallen leaves, can be a recipe for clogged gutters and drains. To avoid this, make a point of removing any build ups of debris to avoid trouble down the line.
Replenish Bird Feeders
When autumn comes, our winged friends will find that natural food sources are more difficult to come by. To help them out, give them a ready supply and they’ll be sure to drop by, bringing life and colour into your garden well into the winter months.
Why Choose Gardening Hire?
If you haven’t got all of the tools you need for autumnal preparation, you might be daunted by the prospect of a costly investment. However, instead of buying all new gardening equipment, there are many reasons why you should go through a reputable landscaping equipment hire company instead.
Cost Savings
If, like most of us, you’re a fairly intermittent gardener, then really it doesn’t make much sense to drop a bunch of money on gardening equipment, as it’ll only really be a worthwhile investment if you use it on a regular basis. As such, landscaping tool hire is a far more cost effective solution compared to buying everything brand new.
More Flexibility
If you choose to use gardening hire services as and when you need them, you can pick the ideal tools for each unique project. For example, if you need a specialised tool like a hedge cutter or shredder, hiring allows you to enjoy the benefits of quality equipment on a temporary basis. Buying it outright might mean that you feel the need to use it, even if it isn’t quite what you need.
No Need for Storage
A lot of gardening equipment is large and will take up space when stored in a garage or shed. Renting your equipment means that there’s no need to waste precious storage space, as the equipment is sent back once you’re finished with it.
Quality Equipment and Expert Guidance
A reliable gardening hire company will supply high-quality, robust equipment by leading manufacturers. Plus, if you’re unsure about what equipment you actually need, you can trust the experts at your hire company to guide you in the right direction.
Looking for Landscaping Equipment Hire in Gloucester?
From rotavator to mower hire, Rocket Rentals provides a broad range of landscaping equipment hire solutions to help you get your project finished. All of our equipment is routinely quality checked and available at highly competitive prices. Our expert team can also provide guidance on which gardening equipment to hire if you’re stuck. Please get in touch for more information.
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