Getting your garden ready for winter doesn't take long, but it makes a huge difference to how it looks in spring. A couple of October weekends spent tidying, mulching and protecting will save you weeks of catch-up work when the growing season returns. Here's our checklist for Warwickshire gardens.
Cut back perennials. Most herbaceous perennials can be cut back to ground level once they've finished flowering and died back. Leave some seedheads standing — they look beautiful with frost on them and provide food for birds through the lean months. Sedums, echinaceas and grasses are particularly worth leaving up for their winter structure.
Mulch borders. Apply a 5-8cm layer of well-rotted compost or bark mulch to beds and borders. This insulates plant roots, suppresses weeds, and improves soil structure over winter. Apply before the ground freezes. For Leamington Spa's clay soils, this annual mulching is one of the best things you can do — over a few years it transforms the structure of even the heaviest ground.
Lift tender plants. Dahlias, cannas, and other tender perennials should be dug up, dried off, and stored in a frost-free place (a garage or shed works well). Pack them in dry compost or newspaper. Warwickshire winters can be unpredictable — some years they'll survive in the ground, but a hard frost will finish them off, so it's not worth the gamble with prized specimens.
Plant spring bulbs. October and November are perfect for planting daffodils, tulips, and alliums. Get them in the ground before it freezes solid. Tulips actually benefit from late planting (November) as it reduces the risk of tulip fire disease. A handful of bulbs scattered through borders gives you colour when you need it most.
Last lawn cut. Give the lawn a final cut on a higher setting before growth stops. Don't cut too short — long grass handles frost better and is less susceptible to moss taking hold over winter. This is usually late October or early November in the Midlands, depending on how mild the autumn is.
Clear leaves. Leaves left on the lawn over winter cause yellowing and disease. Rake or blow them regularly onto borders where they'll break down naturally and feed the soil. If you have a lot of trees, consider making leaf mould — bag the leaves up, pierce some holes, and leave them for a year. The result is fantastic free compost.
Need help getting your garden winter-ready? We offer seasonal tidy-up visits across Leamington Spa, Warwick and the surrounding villages. Call us on 07904 174399.