Again, summer draws to a close before it seems to have started with the nights getting longer and the mornings carrying that distinct chill indicative of the changing of seasons. Slowly, the leaves begin a spectral shift rightwards and we find ourselves staring ahead into an inevitable downwards spiral of temperatures and an overall deterioration of atmospheric conditions with great trepidation, tinged with a hint of sorrow. Or at least we would be, if it wasn’t for the shining light of Primrose’s Autumn Gardening Essentials List penetrating through that inter-seasonal gloom bringing with it hope; hope of better days, promises of better gardens.
All drama aside, it’s time for a change of tactics and like any great tactician we must utilise all resources available to us fully to optimise our time in the field. Autumn brings with it its own challenges with plenty of preparation to be carried out in time for winter but equally an opportunity to create a garden that looks great throughout the colder months and ultimately all year round. So here is the Primrose list of essentials to help you to make the most of these autumn months:
Garden Track
I’ll start with this because it’s something you should consider before cracking on with work in the garden this autumn. Garden track can protect your lawn from all the activity taking place as you work in the garden, guarding against boots, barrows and just about anything else from churning up the ground as the weather gets wetter. This is the first step in lawn care preventing the ground from compacting and turning to mud.
Leaf Blower
The build-up of leaves can be often be underestimated and considered merely a nuisance. Of course
they are a
nuisance often leading to slippery paths and general untidiness but they can also cause more lasting damage, especially to your lawn. A covering of leaves can starve the grass of light whilst encouraging disease so it’s best to stay on top of this. Besides, they make great compost, so why let them go to waste? Depending on the size of your garden a rake may suffice but for larger gardens a leaf blower can be a shrewd investment making light work of an otherwise monotonous task.
Compost Bin
This brings me nicely to my next item as leaves provide an essential ingredient for compost providing good balance to supplement your other green waste. At this time of year there should be plenty of green waste building up too as you chop back and tidy your garden for winter making it an ideal time to fill that compost heap. A good quality composter will help retain heat over the winter speeding up the decomposition process and require only a bit of aeration from time to time. Compost bins are also a great way to help divert your kitchen waste from landfill and so are a must have for the environmentally conscious gardener.
Mulching
Basically a protective covering for your garden, mulching is key during the winter protecting from frost to which less hardy plants are especially susceptible to during the first few cold months. This is perfect for giving borders a cleaner finish and also provides the added benefit of improving the soil and can be home-made from a well-mixed garden compost combined with a bit of green waste. 2-4 inches should do the trick and to give those less hardy plants a bit of extra protection you can cover with straw or bark which provides a great looking finish.
Hand Warmer
Give yourself that bit of extra comfort whilst out in the garden this autumn with a hand warmer. Good for morale and dexterity it fits nicely in your pockets so you can keep those digits warm as the weather gets cold. The Warmawear™ hand warmer boasts platinum-catalyst flameless technology which ensures easy lighting and long-lasting, comfortable temperatures of between 42-50°C. It’s easy to use, simply add the fuel, light, replace the protective lid and place in the soft bag for up to 12 hours of warmth at your fingertips.
These items should get you started but stay tuned to the Primrose Blog as over the next couple of months we’ll have plenty more tips and how-to guides to ensure you make the most out of autumn this year!
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Alex worked in the Primrose marketing team, mainly on online marketing.
As a psychology graduate it is ironic that he understands plants better than people but a benefit for the purpose of writing this blog.
An enthusiastic gardener, all he needs now is a garden and he’ll be on the path to greatness. Alex’s special talents include superior planter knowledge and the ability to put a gardening twist on any current affairs story.