Phew! For someone who claims to be a self-proclaimed laidback gardener, you’re probably thinking that these are pretty long lists of tasks. But rest assured, the intention is not to overwhelm you or add extra pressure! Rather, it’s a list of things you can do, not things you absolutely must do. In fact, many of the tips I give you are suggestions of tasks to avoid as much as possible: for example, pruning perennials, pulling up annuals, or even closing the vegetable garden completely. The idea is to do the minimum necessary and let nature do the rest.
For me, autumn is often a final push before the snow falls and everything takes a winter break. It’s the time when we try to wrap everything up before the cold sets in for good. Between the stress of the end of the season, falling temperatures and increasingly shorter days, I have to confess that I don’t have much energy left for garden maintenance.
There are, of course, a few essentials, such as managing fallen leaves. But even here, there’s no need to make life difficult. Leave the leaves where they are, or run the mower over them to break them up into small pieces and speed up decomposition. This will do the soil a world of good. The last thing you want to do is bag them up and put them out at the curb!
With the little free time and energy I have left, I prefer to spend quality time with friends and family, tease a bit of fish or take a walk in the forest to enjoy the magnificent autumn colors. And if I ever have any time left… then maybe I’ll take a look at this list.
Vegetable Garden
- Late harvest for hardy vegetables: There’s no rush to harvest cabbages, Brussels sprouts, leeks and Jerusalem artichokes, as frost improves their taste;
- Mulch before closing: Before closing the vegetable garden, spread some organic mulch. This protects the soil and prevents erosion without any extra effort;
- Frost protection: Be prepared to cover fragile vegetable plants if an early frost is forecast. No need to cover everything! Only fragile vegetable plants need to be protected in the event of frost;
- Decomposing legume plants: After harvesting, leave pea and bean plants to decompose on site. They naturally enrich the soil with nitrogen for future crops;
- Compost before winter: Apply 2 cm of compost to prepare the vegetable garden for the following year. It improves soil structure and enriches it with nutrients, promoting better plant growth in spring.
- Plant next year’s vegetables: Autumn is the ideal time to plant garlic, perpetual onions, rhubarb and asparagus;
- No unnecessary watering: In autumn, the days get shorter, and rain is more abundant. No need to overwater! If the soil is still damp, let nature do its work.
Ornamental Garden
- Protect bulbs: If you don’t want squirrels devouring your crocuses and tulips, the easiest thing to do is plant other hardy bulbs. But if you’re keen on these little springtime wonders, plant them deeper or add chicken manure, whose scent repels squirrels. You can also lay chicken wire over the area, but be sure to remove it before the leaves start to emerge;
- Let tender bulbs build up their reserves: Dahlias, gladioli, cannas… leave them in the ground as long as they continue to accumulate energy. Bring them in after the first frosts, but no later than mid-October;
- Plant, there’s still time! It’s not too late to plant perennials, shrubs or trees. Garden centres often offer good discounts, and now is the perfect time!
- Dry flowers for winter: Harvest and dry your garden flowers for a splash of color during the cold months;
- Take stock: Take time to observe your garden. Note any gaps that need filling, and take advantage of end-of-season bargains to buy hardy plants;
- Hardy bulbs in the ground: Tulips, crocuses, garlic… plant them a few weeks before the ground freezes;
- Dividing and transplanting perennials: Divide and move spring- and summer-flowering perennials at this time of year. Wait until spring for those in bloom;
- Watering after planting: Continue watering perennials, trees and shrubs planted this year until the first frost to ensure they survive the winter;
- No pruning of perennials: Forget autumn pruning. The less you touch them, the better they’ll do! Leaves provide natural protection against the cold and decompose over winter;
- Drop the rake: Leave dead leaves on the flower beds. They protect your plants from the cold and will transform into natural compost, effortlessly;
- Leave annuals in place: Pulling out annuals? What’s the point? They’ll decompose slowly and enrich your soil. Less work for you, more benefits for the garden.
Lawn
- Keep mowing as long as it grows: even in autumn, until the thermometer drops below 10°C for a week or so – often until November, or even later in some regions;
- Practice “leafcycling”: run your mower over the leaves that accumulate on your lawn, and they’ll decompose on their own! It’s an easy way to give back to the soil the nutrients the trees have taken from it, without the hassle of collecting everything;
- Too many leaves and fruit on the lawn: if too many leaves or fruit accumulate on your lawn, pick them up to avoid depriving your lawn of light. You can keep them to use in the compost or as mulch.
Houseplants
- Cacti love the outdoors: leave them outside for as long as possible, sheltered from the rain. Bring them inside only when frost threatens;
- Chives indoors: Before bringing in a pot of chives, let them freeze once. It needs this to get off to a good start in spring.
Other
- You don’t have to bring all your pots inside: Valuable terracotta pots? Yes, bring them in before the frost breaks them. But for the rest, there’s no need to tidy everything up meticulously;
- Recycle your potting soil: There’s no need to change the soil in your planters every year. In spring, simply add a little compost to revitalize your potting soil.