IT’S TIME TO GIVE YOUR GARDEN A BREAK
At this time of the year, we find ourselves in that “white space” as the seasons change from one to another. We are coming to the end of a long, hot, dry summer where the rains have been for the most part unpredictable. It has either been very dry, or we have experienced flooding rains! In the harsh and unpredictable summers, vegetable gardens and smaller plants tend to be most affected as they have shallow root systems. These mean that the plants really struggle to absorb enough water, and are thus far more susceptible to the dryness, heat and also to floods as they are weak. Also, for many of us at this time of year, things are busy on the home and work front, leaving less time to spend taking care of our gardens. So around now, we will generally be seeing gardens that are damaged, dying off, ravaged by heat, or washed away by torrents of rain and suffering from a little lack of care.
Help is at hand though as we share some tips on breathing new life into your garden during this change of season and preparing it for winter.
Firstly, Take a Garden Holiday
While you might want to start planting new plants to replenish what is dying, we’d suggest taking a garden holiday, and pausing for 6 weeks while waiting for the cooler weather, allowing some time for your plants to just “chill” and possibly recover a little. Your garden might not look its best for a little while but it will be worth it for a beautiful winter garden. After your garden holiday period, it’s time to get to work!
Prepare your Garden for Winter
Once the cooler weather reaches us, it’s time to get stuck into your garden and clean out all the sun-scorched and insect-eaten plants. The insects thrive in the heat and the warm weather provides ideal conditions for weeds to grow and thrive, so now is your chance to urgently assist in breaking the invasive cycle. Getting rid of the dead plants makes room for new plants to grow and space for planting.
Get your soil ready for planting by digging in compost and superphosphate or bone meals. You’ll also want to spend some time on your veggie garden now, planting seeds of peas, carrots, broad beans, parsnips, turnips and radish that will grow during winter and harvest the last of your summer crops. If you have an excess of your crops like basil and coriander, why not turn these into pesto that you can enjoy with tasty winter pasta dishes?
Take a look at some more autumn to-dos in your garden here. A little patience goes a long way when it comes to gardening. At Eco Balance we can assist with a regular garden service to ensure that you can enjoy your garden all year round!
