Don’t you just love autumn? The weather is in between hot and too cold – you don’t have to sweat nor layer up too much. But would your plants love autumn, too?
Here are autumn gardening tips to ensure that your plants remain healthy and gorgeous.
What You Need to Know About Autumn Gardening
Autumn is just gorgeous, don’t you think?
And I’m not just talking about the Pumpkin Spice Latte available in Starbucks and other coffee shops, or the pumpkin spice-flavored everything that crops up during autumn.
The leaves turn to orange and they fall…
Hence, the name fall
When it comes to plants, more often, the best time for them will be the summer when the sun is at its best. Most plants crave the sun.
Winter is the worst because daytime is shorter, so you would have to do something extra to make sure the plants live.
Spring and autumn are in between.
However
Autumn is in the colder part of the spectrum, so you still need to take extra care of the plants when you garden in the autumn.
Sometimes
It’s not always your choice to garden in the autumn; it’s just that you have plants and you want them to continue flourishing even during the fall.
You know what’s so special during autumn? Aside from trees glowing orange, plants and flowers just shine more brightly.
What would that be?
The sun is generally lower in the sky during autumn. This makes it shine a better light on plants.
Now let’s find out what you should do differently with your garden in autumn.
Autumn Gardening Tips
Seeing those lively plants and colorful flowers make you wish that it’s autumn all year round.
Here are some important tips when you are gardening during the fall.
1. Clear the leaves
You know that autumn is really about falling leaves. You have to clear out the leaves so they won’t cover up the grass and any of your plants.
When leaves cover the grass, it won’t be able to enjoy the nutrients provided by the sun. Or when the sprinkler is turned on, the grass won’t be able to totally enjoy the benefits of water.
How about on plants?
If you don’t clear the leaves, they might be covering the soil. The soil also needs the sun because it helps in the process of distributing nutrients to the plants.
Don’t throw the leaves
You can put them in the compost bin. There are so many benefits of the compost bin for your plants.
So, if you have a garden, it’s best to have a compost pit or bin as well.
2. Prune, trim and cut
Autumn is actually the best time to prune and trim plants and hedges. Since the leaves are going to fall anyway, it’s best to just cut off the branches.
Even if the leaves are still attached to the branches, it’s still best to prune and trim.
Why?
It’s always great to keep plants and hedges compact. It looks better and neater that way.
Pruning also allows for better growth. When you cut off part of the plant, a new and better one grows.
In some cases
You cut parts of the plants that you can then plant to grow another.
This leads us to the next tip…
3. Grow new plants from cuttings
Okay, not all plants can be grown through cuttings. This is something you have to research or figure out.
You may ask the gardening experts.
Here’s what you do
Generally, you cut branches that are 10 centimeters long or so. You will have to remove the leaves in the lower part of the branch.
You may then dip the bottom into a hormone powder.
What is a hormone powder?
These are synthetic products that allow the plants to mirror natural root growth in plants.
Powder is probably the most popular form but this product also comes in gel.
The goal is to help the cuttings grow roots.
The next step
Put the cutting in a small pot that contains a potting mix.
4. Feed the lawn & plants
Yes! Grass is just like people. They need food and nutrients too.
Autumn is the best time to do that.
Here’s the reason:
As the weather grows colder, the grass will slow down it’s growth. However, the roots will continue to grow under the soil.
What do you feed the lawn?
- Nitrogen
- Phosphorous
- Potassium
These nutrients will allow the grass to develop a strong root system while having a lush and green grass.
As for the plants:
You can feed them slow-release fertilizer to keep them healthy and vibrant all the time.
5. Mulch
Autumn is also the best time to prepare your garden and start gardening.
Mulch is a good protection for the soil as it helps retain moisture. Autumn is also a good time to apply or replace the mulch.
Note:
We’re not saying that it should be the only time to do some mulching, but it certainly is a great time.
When you mulch in the fall, you are essentially insulating the ground, protecting it from the colder weather.
How is this important?
When the soil is warm, the earthworms and microbes are more active within the soil. They will improve the soil throughout the colder season.
In the same manner, the mulch will also insulate the roots of the plants, allowing them to grow stronger.
When you mulch in the fall
You can actually skip mulching in the spring.
Plus, the weather is more agreeable for you to work. Mulching is quite taxing.
Mulching when the weather is a big warm like in spring will serve up some sweat.
Look:
The above tips are mostly for when you already have plants. Those are basically the maintenance tips.
Now, what do you do when you are still starting out?
6. Plant spring flowers
Autumn is the best time to plant flowers that are expected to be in bloom in the spring. If you want a wonderful and colorful display of spring flowers, plant them in autumn.
It would be best to plant spring flowers in pots.
Why?
Because after autumn, you are going to contend with winter. If flowers are in pots, you can easily transfer them to a greenhouse or a warmer part of the garden.
When it’s spring, you can also easily transfer the flowers in an area where they can be seen.
Yep! You need to show them off!
What’s the point of having beautiful flowers and not showing them off?
Here are some of the best spring flowering bulbs you can plant in autumn?
- Allium
- Anemone
- Bluebell
- Crocus
- Daffodil
- Freesia
- Hyacinth
- Lily of the valley
- Snakes head fritillary
- Tulip
7. Plant new plants
As earlier mentioned, it’s great to do heavy tasks during autumn. You won’t sweat as much during the summer and there is no heat to suck up your energy.
By this time, the soil is also a bit moist, which is perfect for planting.
The main advantage:
You are giving the new plants to start growing before they will be introduced to hot weather.
By the time summer arrives, the plants at least have already reached some height.
Make sure that you have a healthy soil to grow your plants.
You know what fruit plant to grow?
Citrus is one of the best trees to grow in the backyard. Not only that, it is actually quite easy to maintain.
It’s also best to plant citrus in autumn.
Other plants to grow in autumn:
- Beans
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Carrots
- Lettuce
Summary
People who don’t really garden might think that summer is the only time to do so. That’s not entirely accurate. Gardening is about knowledge and the kind of plants you want to grow.
Autumn is actually a good time to garden. Why? Because gardening is quite physical. If you do it under the hot sun, you will sweat a lot and your energy will be drained. You can either start planting in autumn to see the flowers and fruits in the spring or you can do some maintenance work in the garden.
When you do autumn gardening, though, you have to abide by some intelligent recommendations to ensure that your plants are healthy. Here are seven autumn gardening tips for you.
You Might Also Like
One of the above tips talks about mulching. You know what you can use as mulch? Wood chips are among the best. Know more about wood chips as mulch.
Aside from mulch, you also need organic nutrients for the plants, which you can get from a compost. Here is a guide to building a compost bin from scratch. It is the perfect way to transform waste into something useful.
Mulching leaves is the best form of weed suppressant. You need a leaf mulcher for this. Here are some of the best leaf mulchers in the market.
Useful Resources
- Your Essential Checklist for Autumn Gardening – Better Homes and Gardens
- 7 Things to Work On in Your Garden this Autumn – Good Living
- 30 Gorgeous Flowers for the Perfect Home Garden – Good Housekeeping
