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The arrival of autumn represents the very best time to tackle your garden. This is nature’s natural time for gardening – a time to tidy, treat, refresh and overhaul your garden – no matter how big or small. At Armitage’s Garden Centres in Shelley and Birchencliffe, we have everything you'll need to keep your garden looking fantastic – whatever the season!
Treat Trees & Shrubs
Deciduous trees and shrubs that have been affected by pests or diseases this year will benefit from a winter wash after the leaves have fallen.
Garden Planning
Autumn is the best time to re-plant your garden as there’s a wide range of new stock and plants will establish quickly. So as your garden start to lose its summer colour, take stock and work out what new plants you’d like as well as which need to be moved, replaced or re-planted. It’s also the best time to plan new features, so start thinking of new ideas in the autumn. Take advantage of our experts at Armitage’s to help and advise you on any new garden design ideas.
Greenhouse Care
Get the greenhouse ready for winter by removing shading and sterilising it with Jeyes Fluid or Armillatox. Then put up bubble insulation to cut heating bills. Horticultural fleece can also be used to help provide a few extra degrees of frost protection. Don’t forget to check that your greenhouse heaters are working and buy replacements if necessary.
Bird Care
Now that autumn and the colder weather is here make sure you don’t forget about the wild birds in your garden and put out feed and water for them.
We have an excellent range of food and feeders, bird tables and nesting boxes and much, much more, all of which will attract lots of different species and so add enormously to the winter attraction and entertainment value of your garden.
Wrap Up for Winter
Don’t let frosts take you by surprise - prepare your garden and plants for winter.
Non-hardy plants can be moved into a greenhouse or an insulated cold frame where horticultural fleece can be used to provide added protection.
Plants on the borderline of hardiness that are being left in the garden – including Cordylines, other palms and tree ferns – should be protected by wrapping them in fleece and then bubble wrap. The roots should be protected with a thick mulch of bark. If you need any assistance just ask an expert at Armitage’s Garden Centre who will be happy to help.
Prepare Ponds for Winter
Now’s the time to get your pond ready for winter. Cover the pond with netting to catch falling leaves as they can pollute the water when they rot. Add a pond heater to prevent the water from freezing which can kill fish and plants.
Pest Watch
Although most pests are less active in the autumn, it pays to keep an eye out for any problems and deal with them as soon as possible. Many pests will lay their eggs on plants for over-wintering and these will attack early next year.
Deciduous trees and shrubs that have dropped their leaves can be treated with Growing Success Winter Tree Wash. Slugs and snails will be very active during damp weather, so protect vulnerable plants with your favourite control method. Diseased leaves that are left on the ground will provide a source of infection for next year, so they should be carefully raked up and disposed of. Other debris provides over-wintering places for pests so this should also be disposed of.
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