As June and July give way to August and September, the nights start to draw in and temperatures drop, but there’s still time to get your garden ready for the last months of summer and into the autumn.
You’re likely to be using the garden – at least on the sunny days – so it’s the perfect opportunity to take a proper look around and spot any maintenance work that needs doing before the summer ends.
There are also a few things you can do to keep parts of your garden usable later in the year, so here are our top tips for doing just that.
1. Get organised
Organise your outdoor space now and it will be easier to keep it looking good and in usable condition through the darker, wetter autumn and winter months.
You might want to invest in some new bin space or storage – Wheelie Bin Solutions have metal 1100 litre wheelie bins that are great for both purposes.
Use them to throw away bulkier garden waste, especially if you have large amounts of grass clippings or trimmings from shrubs and hedges that you want to rot down so they’re easier to transport.
Alternatively, an 1100 litre wheelie bin makes an excellent storage option for garden tools and other items that live outdoors, with a secure and weather-resistant container and plenty of capacity inside.
2. Tidy up!
It’s easy in summer for the garden to end up strewn with kids’ toys, paddling pools, barbecue paraphernalia and all manner of other cast-off equipment, so take a day in the sun to tidy it up before the good weather goes away.
There’s good sense in doing this during the remaining weeks of summer. It can help keep the garden clear so you can enjoy it more while the summer lasts, and it also gives any grass that’s been covered by paddling pools a chance to get some sun and grow back.
3. Trim the hedge
You’re not allowed to trim a hedge if it will disturb a nesting site – so if you didn’t cut yours back in time in spring, you might have a job on your hands after the last of the birds has flown the nest.
The RSPB recommends leaving hedges alone from March right through until August, which makes late summer the first chance in six months to cut them back.
Late summer and early autumn are also the ideal times to trim holly, yew, beech and hawthorn hedges, again making sure there are no birds nesting in the branches first.
4. Clean the pond or hot tub
It’s a good idea to give the garden pond a thorough clean at the end of summer, as the longer hours of more direct sunlight may have promoted more growth of algae.
If your pond is well filtered, just check that the filter isn’t clogged with algae or other green growth, and get it cleared out ready for the colder season setting in.
Likewise, it might be time to clean out your hot tub after a summer of garden pool parties, and get it ready for some much-needed warming soaks this winter.
5. Plant bulbs for spring
Finally, look slightly further ahead as the autumn is the right time to plant bulbs for spring flowers, depending on what you’re planting.
The warmer soil conditions in late summer mean bulbs can start to grow and put down a strong root system.
Once the final frosts of winter are out of the way, you should be rewarded with more foliage and flowers earlier in the spring season from plants powered by those healthier roots.
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