So the change of season has finally arrived. Gone are the sweltering hot days of summer and now cooler days are here to stay!
If you have been avoiding gardening in what has been a scorching summer – then now is the time to put your green thumb to work! We all know a well-maintained garden is a part of any appealing home – whether you are buying, selling or just looking to enjoy the outdoors while you can.
Autumn is a terrific time for gardening – and not just because it is much more comfortable for you to be spending time outside. The soil is still warm, but not too dry in this climate, making the Autumn months the perfect time to maintain and make improvements to your garden. Read below your autumn gardening checklist.
Cleaning up the leaves is one of the constant battles of Autumn gardening. It may not be a battle that you can ever entirely win, but it is an important one. Cleaning up the leaves not only makes the garden look better, but it ensures drains and gutters do not become clogged up. Cleaning up fallen leaves from the ground can be a terrific activity for the kids too – so make sure you employ their services! I know my two kiddies enjoy collecting beautiful Autumn leaves and using them for art activities.
Autumn is a wonderful time to plant so many things. Without the harsh sun, you have a much higher chance of success, and regular rain creates the perfect conditions for new growth. Do a little bit of research about the types of plants that do well in Autumn. There is a wide range of plants that are perfect to plant right now – winter flowering plants such as pansies and marigold are best planted now to maximise their flowering time. It's also a terrific time to plant bulbs – and daffodils and jonquils make a perfect gardening project for children, as bulbs work well in pots.
It's also a great time to start planting fruits and vegetables. Broccoli, cauliflower, beans and strawberries do well if planted at this time of year. Planting now means for a great harvest for your family come spring. Again, another great activity for kids to get involve with – perhaps giving them responsibility over their own little garden patch.
This is a great time of year to do bigger jobs such as mulching the garden beds. Mulching helps the soil keep moisture locked in – and now that the harsh sun is behind a cloud, this task will be much more pleasant and will be even more effective!
Although we traditionally "prune in June", get started on cutting back hedges and other plants now, so that they have a better chance of thriving before winter.
Refresh lawns with a good fertiliser after the harsh summer sun. We all know Australian lawns dry out in the heat – now is the time to give them a bit of TLC and get them looking green again.
If you are serious about your garden, autumn is the perfect time to start a compost heap. Start with all those fallen leaves and lawn clippings that you want to get rid of, and add food scraps, manure and anything else that will rot. Watch your garden bloom under it's rich nutrients.
Autumn is also a terrific time to sell with a lot of new buyers entering the market place after a busy start to the year. Autumn offers much needed relief from the hot summer, kids starting at school, numerous public holidays and long weekends, Easter etc and buyers are all ready to start house hunting! If you are thinking of taking advantage of the Autumn selling season, give me a call first on 0408 991 855 to discuss how to get your home and garden market ready!