Autumn gardening jobs and tasks
- Jet wash the Buxus ( Box ) plants. I mean to use a garden hose on a relatively warm and dry day to blast out all the dust and the cobwebs and dust in the plants. Apply the box caterpillar treatments and also the Box hormone traps just to see if we have a problem. https://www.littlefieldsfarm.com/vitax-buxus-moth-trap-1-trap?
- As we come into winter, we need to make some provision protecting the plants, especially the ferns with fleece in case we get a few hard days in the winter, particularly after Christmas.https://www.gardening-naturally.com/30g-fleece
- Feed all areas with a light dressing of Growmore fertiliser a handful over 4 square metres.
- The soil pH is a little bit high ( alkaline ) for acid loving plants so, around the acers and the rhododendron, we’re going to apply some iron sulphate to lower the soil pH around these plants and a top dressing of peat or garden compost
- In the hedges at the front, now is a good time to add some additional yew plants if we wish to thicken the base of the hedges up additional plants, such as hawthorn, yew, and hornbeam plants. Bare Root or root wrapped plants
https://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/
- The cherry tree at the front, as you look at the house against the drive, on the right hand side needs a feed with some Epsom salts, just to make sure that the cherry flowers fully in the spring Epsom salts contain magnesium.
- As we cut back the perennial plants phlox etc it will be useful to buy a marshal strip propagator, which is a simple device that just adds some bottom heat to the trays and if we get some Horticultural sand then as we cut back plants such as phlox, penstemon and hydrangeas although a lot of the hydrangeas will be left until the spring, We can take some cuttings and then they should root quite easily in the marshal strip propagator
- We need to apply a Doff patio treatment to the front area and also the side patio and possibly the rear patio, to prevent the build-up of likings and algae, which will prevent the patio from becoming slippery during the summer and spring months.
- https://www.doff.co.uk/product/super-concentrate-path-patio-decking-cleaner-2-5-litres/
- Once the leaves are falling off the path, we should cut back the parthenocissus tricuspidata which is the Virginia creeper on the front and side of the house. We need to cut back the Creeper from the windows and particularly and if possible cut back the Creeper from entering the drain pipes, or the drain gully on top of the roof.
- We need to review the compost heap situation and to possibly make a compost heap with some old building pallets ideally. We’d have a couple compost heaps, one for the leaves and one for general composting.
- Once the wisteria has lost its leaves, we need to consider pruning back any areas that need pruning back. Prune back the long summer shoots once the leaves have fallen from the wisteria
- And to install some wires if required for plants as required. There’s a few places around the garden that will benefit from some wires for plants
- Pointing the slabs with the gaps after weed killing and raking out the loose pointing. There’s a couple of places where the slabs could do with pointing. https://www.toolstation.com/landscaping/paving-concrete/c601
- We prune back the herbaceous borders, or herbaceous plants, and clear the borders, As explained on the visit
- Then install the leaky pipe for irrigation in the borders
- We need to create some frames for the pleached hedge and for the roses in front of the shed, the one we cut down. I’ll create a drawing for that and send that over, It would be pretty simple to create the frames from tree stakes and wires.
- We need to deadhead the rhododendrons.
- We need to look in more detail at the Wildflower Meadow and dig out the nettle plants
- Mulch borders with spent mushroom compost once the planting and work is completed.
- Build frame for roses against shed
- Pruning back the following
Birch tree one branch on side patio in the spring
Prune back the large acre trees
Prune and reduce the large conifers
Prune back the laburnum tree