How to Prep Your Garden for Autumn: A Beginner’s Guide

As the summer draws to a close and the first hints of crisp autumn air make their way into our gardens, it’s time to start thinking about how to prepare your outdoor space for the golden season. Whether you’re a first-time homeowner or just venturing into the world of gardening, this simple beginner’s guide will help you get your patch ready for autumn in no time.

Step 1: Tidy the Summer Beds

Start by removing any spent summer plants like petunias, marigolds, or zinnias that are past their prime. You’re looking for brown leaf, droopy flowers or dead grass and stalks here. Optional bonus - compost any disease-free plant debris to recycle the nutrients back into your soil.

Autumn garden border bed

Step 2: Shield Your Sensitive Plants

Some plants are more sensitive to the cold than others. Consider bringing tender perennials indoors or into a greenhouse to protect them from the chill.

Step 3: Harvest Time

If you’ve grown vegetables or fruit, now is the time to reap the rewards of your hard work. Harvest apples, pumpkins, and other autumn crops, and cook up a storm.

Step 4: Prep Your Soil

It’s a good time to take advantage of the cooler temperatures to improve your soil. Add organic matter like compost or well-rotted manure to enhance its nutrient content and structure.

Step 5: Plant Autumn Veggies

Did you know that there are vegetables you can plant in the autumn for a spring harvest? Consider planting onions, garlic, and shallots, which will be ready to harvest next year.

Step 6: Pruning and Trimming

Trim back any overgrown bushes, shrubs, or trees to maintain a neat appearance. But be sure to leave some areas a bit wilder to provide habitats for wildlife.

Step 7: Lawncare 101

Give your lawn some love by raking up fallen leaves to prevent fungal diseases and brown spots. You might also want to overseed any sparse areas to encourage lush growth in the spring.

Step 8: Plan Ahead

As your garden winds down for the winter, start thinking about your plans for next year. Make a note of what worked well this year and what didn’t, and start dreaming up new plans for your garden’s layout and plant choices.

As a newbie or experienced gardener, embracing the changing seasons can be a wholly rewarding experience. Autumn marks both a calm closure of the summer, but opens the door to a new season, a time to put the groundwork into your garden for a fruitful year ahead. Sleeves rolled, grab your gardening tools, and get ready to autumn-proof your garden, one step at a time.

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