I’m a gardening expert- 4 essential September jobs you must do now to ensure your garden is vibrant & blooming in spring
A GARDENING expert has revealed four essential jobs you should do this September to guarantee a vibrant and blooming garden in spring.
Although summer may be over, there is still plenty to be done in the garden, to get things ready for the year ahead.
Steven Walley, patio and paving expert from London Stone, said: “As we move into autumn, now is a great time to make the most of the last of the dry, warm weather and complete any gardening jobs.
“This will help to keep your garden looking great while being low-maintenance over the colder months.”
Lawn Care
By September many of our lawns will be looking worse for wear, and are in need of a bit of TLC.
Steven recommended raking the grass to get rid of any debris, and also mowing the lawn and aerating it.
He said: “This will help the lawn withstand drought or waterlogging better.
“Most lawns can recover well from summer without any feeding, but if your lawn is in need of some extra TLC, use a feed specifically formulated for autumnal application, as this will encourage root growth throughout the winter.”
Weeding
Another key job that gardening fans should tackle this month is weeding.
Steven said: “Any weeds should be extracted in the autumn months, as this is when many common weeds start to produce seeds.
“If treated now, these weeds can’t re-seed, helping to reduce the amount of weeds that crop up in spring.
“To remove weeds in your patio paving, pull the weed out by the root – rather than removing the leafy part – as this will ensure an effective removal.
“The colder months aren’t the peak season for weed growth, but it’s still important to stay on top of prevention.
“Stay on top of sweeping your patio to prevent seeds from settling, to reduce weed growth.”
Plant New Bulbs
Steven revealed that autumn is the best season to plant bulbs, to ensure that your garden is looking vibrant and colourful in spring.
Daffodils, tulips and hyacinths are just some of the bulbs you can plant this autumn.
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.
Steven added: “Daffodils should be planted at the end of September, but tulips shouldn’t be planted until November.
“When you are planting your bulbs, make sure to dig deep enough.
“Around two times the depth of the bulb itself is recommended to ensure good drainage.
“Don’t forget to pick a spot that is guaranteed to get sunshine too.”
Bring plants indoors
In order to protect potted plants Steven explained that now is a good time to bring them inside, or put them in a sheltered area, to protect them from the cold winter weather.
He added: “The best thing to do is make sure all plants and flowers have been pruned with all dead leaves and branches removed, this will help keep them flowering for longer.
“Keep plants happy over the winter months by reducing your watering schedule, just make sure your plant’s don’t get too dry.”
Fabulous will pay for your exclusive stories. Just email: fabulousdigital@the-sun.co.uk and pop EXCLUSIVE in the subject line.