He’s a magnificent broadcaster, gifted gardener, brilliant author and all-round horticultural visionary. This month, Alan Titchmarsh talks about the incoming colder weather, with the recommendation to embrace Autumn Gardening!
Last month we spoke about tidying up the falling autumn leaves as the weather begins to cool down, and getting your garden ready for autumn, it will. Sure enough, as the days grow shorter and the air turns crisper, it is tempting to retreat indoors and lament the passing of summer.
However, the changing season has its own charm and opportunities for your garden, so with that in mind, here’s how you can embrace those admittedly colder conditions and make the most of what autumn and the ensuing winter have to offer.
First off, it’s a brilliant time to plant evergreen shrubs. The soil is still warm enough to help them establish roots before the harsher winter weather arrives. These hardy plants will provide your garden with much-needed structure and greenery, no matter how bleak it gets, ensuring a vibrant view in the colder months.
Next, don’t forget to protect your tender plants because as the frosts become more likely, it’s crucial to shield those vulnerable vegetables and susceptible shrubberies from the cold. A bit of preparation now will ensure they survive and thrive when spring rolls around again, making your garden ready for the year ahead.
For those of us with heavy clay soil, now is the time to get stuck into garden maintenance. Clear out any annuals and old vegetable plants and give your borders a good dig over before the winter rains arrive, because once the soil gets too wet, it becomes tricky to work with.
Finally, we’ve touched on this before, but make good use of your garden waste to tip the balance in favor of healthy soil. Start a compost heap with a mix of about 30% green matter – grass clippings and kitchen scraps – and 70% brown material, such as fallen leaves and straw. This balanced blend will break down over the coming months, giving you rich compost to nourish your garden by May, ensuring it’s ready for the next year.
Ultimately, it’s all too easy to feel a bit down about the lack of sunshine and warmth, yet every season brings its own beauty and opportunities to take advantage of. Wrap up warm, get outside and take in the changing landscape.
Remember, autumn is a season of spectacular colours – one that will treat you to vibrant displays of reds, oranges and yellows. The combination of sunny days and cool nights enhances these hues, and a step into the garden that seem vibrant, walk in the local park or stroll around the countryside can be incredibly uplifting.
So rather than let the rain, wind and overcast skies get you down, embrace them… they won’t be here forever, and every year brings a new perspective.
