Autumn Gardening Jobs
Whilst early Autumn is generally the time for bringing in the last of the fruit harvest, or perhaps preparing the root vegetables for storage. There are many other jobs around the garden that need attended to once the jam and pickles have been made!
Pruning fruit trees and bushes are best done in the late August, otherwise left until the first buds of spring and the last of the winter frosts. Many people I know prune trees
over winter, but this is not such good practice as the hard frosts can damage the fresh cut on the plant and leave it vulnerable to infection or insect attack.
Root vegetables such as parsnips or carrots can effectively be left in the ground providing the temperature does not drop much below 23F (-5c). In fact parsnips in particular taste sweeter after they have had a touch of frost on them. To protect your roots from deep frost conditions, cover them with a 6 inch layer of straw or fallen leaves.
If you are subjected to windy conditions then you can lay some chicken mesh over this to hold them down. In the springtime the straw and leaves can be dug into the ground to add excellent fiber to the soil.
A Root Cellar is of course ideal when it comes to storing away fresh vegetables and fruit such as pears and apples for use over the winter. However even an old trash bin burried into the ground and covered over with straw, can keep your roots healthy for months at a time. Just be sure you leave some space for ventilation – this will stop ‘sweating’ and keep the roots fresh. Check out this post for more information on root cellars.
Ponds should have a football thrown in to float freely. This will leave a valuable air space should the pond freeze over (after you remove it). This will help over-wintering frogs and toads, as well as the fish stock to breath. Smashing the frozen surface with a heavy hammer will only serve to concuss the fish and the other aquatics.
Clearing away the old vegetable debris from the growing areas such as Raised Beds or containers, means that you will have plenty material to add to your composting bins.
This is a good time to turn over and aerate the compost to ensure even decomposition. This is also the time to take indoors unglazed clay pots, as they are likely to crack with the first hard frost of winter.
Tools and equipment should be cleaned with an oily rag before storing away or hanging up in the garden shed. This is also an ideal time to get repairs to shovel handles etc done.
Electrical equipment should be given the ‘once over’ to make sure there are no cuts or electrical wire exposed. Check particularly around the plug where the cable enters, as this is a likely place for the plastic coating to split and expose the user to a nasty shock!
Rake, vacum or blow away the fallen leaves from the lawn, as if left it will result in bald patches in the grass. The raked-up leaves can be used for mulching over your roots, or over your bulb area to protect the young shoots from frost when they poke through in the winter.
Fallen leaves blown under hedging can also make a great winter hibernation habitat for the hedgehog – the gardeners best friend in the battle against slug control. Definately an arrangement you want to encourage!
Fences and gates usually need repaired about this time, as does the greenhouse or other outbuildings which have been neglected over the growing season. Unfortunately I do not do repairs well when my fingers are frozen solid, so I tend to wait for the first sunny, not-to-cold day!
Look out the seed trays and check the seed stock for the coming season. Winter is a time for planning ahead to next spring, so get out the gardening magazines and get inspired – Springtime is just around the corner – especially if you get to work on a Hot Bed Garden for growing early vegetables.
Talking about seed trays – remember to feed the birds over the cold winter months. This will not only make you feel good 🙂 but also provide you with a resident stock of insect-eaters come the spring!
Growing need not come to a complete standstill over the winter months. Consider growing salad crops such as leafy lettuce or radishes in a polytunnel or cold-frame.
Growing Cover crops
Also consider winterizing your Raised Garden Beds by planting cover crops such as clover, peas, radish, red clover or buckwheat. By growing cover crops you will not only ‘lock in’ the soil nutrients and prevent them being diluted in the winter rains – you will also add extra nutrients by digging over the cover crops in the Spring.
A protective layer of fleece or a hessian sack put over them during night-time will help and encourage growth – just remember to remove it in the morning to let the light to the plants.
Check out this page for information on growing super-early veggies in a hot bed system that incorporates cold frames, polytunnels, and raised beds – all together or seperately!
