The Autumn Garden

The Autumn Garden with Hire A Tradesman

Just because summer’s officially over, it doesn’t mean you should stop enjoying your outdoor spaces.

By knowing the best way to prepare your autumn garden, the benefits can be huge. If you’re putting your property on the market, you can help maximise your home’s sales potential. If you’re staying put, it’s about creating a great space to get the most from the cool weather days ahead.

Let’s start with the lawn.

In many homes, it’s the first link with the world beyond the fenceline – something that makes a definite first impression.

As autumn settles in, wet weather follows. Aerating your lawn gives the roots of a chance to breathe more easily – ensuring drainage of excess moisture. If you don’t have a proper aerator, a garden fork does the job but make sure the holes are deep enough (between 3-12 centimetres deep) and across the entire lawn surface. By making it easier for the lawn to absorb water and nutrients, the lawn becomes stronger and more resistant to pest attacks (and the worms love the helping hand).

As cooler weather slows down lawn growth, it’s a great time to consider changing your lawn maintenance cycle. What might have needed mowing every two weeks can often be reduced to three weeks during autumn and winter. But don’t just send your gardener on a week’s leave (or put your feet up if you still labour over the job yourself) – use that spare lawn-mowing time wisely on all the other autumn gardening jobs that need attention.

Falling leaves might look lovely for a while but when mixed with rain, those same leaves can be dangerous – creating slippery spots on pathways and lawns that could cause trouble, especially for young children and the elderly. Regular raking is recommended – especially on entry paths. The decomposition of some leaf litter can cause negative changes to the soil that affects other plants. Composting is recommended before distributing on the garden beds. A great gardener will give the best advice and weekend talkback radio has info-packed gardening programs if you’re keen to learn yourself. Why not ring in and ask a question?

Autumn is a great time to fertilise the entire garden and for those inevitable bald patches of lawn, use of commercial lawn repair products (usually containing mix of fertiliser, seeds and wetting agents) can work wonders if applied correctly.

Powdery mildew and black spot strike plants hard in the cooler, damp conditions and, left untreated, can spread quickly. Many commercial fungicides claim a ‘green’ solution – great news for avoiding chemicals.

Many plants, including roses, benefit from autumn pruning and removing deadwood but as a general rule, never cut more than one-third of the plant. The result is stimulated growth and greater production of flowers/fruit. Cut down herbaceous perennials at the end of the flowering cycle. To avoid the spread of disease, be sure to dip your secateurs in disinfectant as you switch from plant to plant.

Autumn gardens can be stunning if cared for properly. Now it’s time to sit back and enjoy the change of the colours, knowing that great garden care now will mean fabulous results when spring blooms return.

Hire A Tradesman is offering a limited number of franchises for sale. For expressions of interest call 1300 79 HIRE (4473) or email: info@hireatradesman.com.au

Disclaimer: The advice given is for general interest only. Anyone undertaking renovation, building or maintenance work should consult the relevant professionals. Hire A Tradesman takes no responsibility for work carried out on the sole advice of this column