We've had a pretty decent summer this year. But once autumn arrives, who knows what each day's weather will bring. There's a good chance we'll experience some unpredictable weather. And high winds and heavy rain can cause problems around your garden. Here are some tips to help you make sure your garden's ready for autumn, so you head into the harsher winter months with everything as you like it.
Make sure that any fencing or panels around your property are secure. If they're not and they break loose during high winds, it could cost you. You'll have to pay for a new fence or panel, repair anything else that the potentially free-flying panel hits and put up with reduced security while there's a hole in your fence. You should also think about painting your fence with a preservative coating, like creosote, to protect it (you're best to try and do this every two years).
Once it gets windy and the rain starts, you don't really want branches hitting you or damaging your property as they move around in the wind. If these are fairly light branches, then you might want to do this yourself. If you want to do it yourself, we've got all the tools you might need. Have a look here.
If they're more developed and mature, you might want to get a tree surgeon in.
If wind and rain are battering your shed, is it still waterproof? Have you given it a coat of creosote recently? If not, you might want to move anything that shouldn't get wet out of your shed until the springtime.
If you want to make sure you're not running around the neighbourhood looking for missing garden furniture, or even your trampoline, then make sure they're secure. Think about storing them indoors, or with a short-term storage company. Or move them to a sheltered area of your garden and cover and secure them. As obvious as it sounds, make sure you secure everything. Or that you're faster than the wind can move your furniture.
There's also a handy video on YouTube to help you secure your own trampoline.
Autumn is the perfect time to scarify your lawn. What's scarifying? It means removing moss, weeds and previous grass cuttings from around the base of your grass. It helps aerate the soil to promote healthy, uniformed growth. It's a very important way to look after your lawn. If you don't do it, your lawn will start to struggle. Light can't reach the roots of the grass and rainwater won't drain into the grass (or reach the roots). You can also end up with water sitting on the surface, making your lawn soggy, unattractive and unusable.
To make the job a lot easier, you can hire a scarifier from us.
When the ground's still firm, get your mower out and trim the lawn. And to give your lawn a real treat, aerate it too. They allow your grass to breathe and they improve drainage. To make it simple, you can hire an aerator from us.
Any plants that are susceptible to colder weather should be moved inside before the first frosts start.
Think about putting a bird feeder in your garden. It helps our little-feathered friends out and it helps your garden too. Plus, they're great to watch as they tuck in.
By making sure you do a few simple things before the weather really turns, you'll have fewer things to worry about. So, whatever you need to do, make sure you've got the right tools for the job. And get in touch if you have any questions - we'll be happy to help.