Whilst we have had a relatively dry and mild Autumn, there is no doubt that winter is just around the corner waiting to catch us unexpectantly.
Although the really cold temperatures tend not to arrive until late December and early January we could get caught by a frost any time from now.

A little work now though, will ensure that your garden looks its best next year.

 

Once the first frost has cut down your Cannas and Dahlias lift them and store them in dry compost until the spring. You could try leaving them in the ground and mulching them with compost, straw or manure. Unless we have a very cold winter they will probably survive, but won`t reappear until mid to late May. Started off in pots in a greenhouse or a cool room in the house during February, they are a good foot high by this time.

 

Bring your containers close to the house wall so that they benefit from the heat given off from the house at night. The extra 2 or 3 degrees of heat could be the difference between a healthy plant and a frosted one.

Other tender plants can be fleeced when a frost is forecast. Try and keep the fleece off the leaves where possible or you might find it frozen to the plant in the morning.

 

If you live away from the coast then it would be wise to wrap tender exotics like bananas for the whole winter. With bananas, remove the leaves and make a chicken wire cage around the plant, cover this with several layers of fleece and drop a plant pot over the top. This serves to keep the rain out but can be removed on milder days to help any dampness evaporate. With palms you can tie the leaves together and wrap with fleece.

 

Palms and succulents such as Agaves and Aloes would also benefit from a dose of copper based fungicide. Diluted and sprayed over the plant it will help them cope with the combination of damp and cold that often attacks them over the winter.

 

Other jobs to do at this time of year include removing fallen leaves from the lawn and borders. If left on the lawn they tend to form a sodden mat. Not very healthy for your once beautiful lawn. The result is a patchy, mossy and tatty looking lawn in the spring. Invest in a leaf blower/vacuum – it almost makes the task of removing them enjoyable and can be poked among your plants to suck up all those leaves too.

If you`re thinking of putting down a new lawn, now is as good a time as any to do it. As long as your soil is not to wet, which will make it difficult to level it, and the forecast is not for too much frost it should be fine, but don`t expect it to grow too much until the spring.

 

Now is also a good time to plant or move your deciduous plants, and you still have time to split and move your perennials. Remember to re-plant the new bits on the outside of the clump and discard the old tired bit in the middle.

 

Lastly, why not plant a few Tulip bulbs to look forward to in Spring.