Now that Autumn is just round the corner it’s a good time to start thinking about grounds maintenance. Some of you will have found that the hot summer was too much for some plants and bare patches have appeared in some borders
Autumn is the ideal time to replant borders as the soil is still warm enough to give new plants the start that they need before Winter arrives but the weather has cooled down enough so that they wont dry out before they are established. All new planting should be well watered though to give it the best chance of succeeding and plants should be watered regularly if there is no rain, at least for the first few weeks after planting.
Adding a new layer of mulch at this time of year will give borders a real boost and, if deep enough, will help to protect plant roots against frost damage. Either way, a tired-looking border can be rejuvenated very easily. Just make sure the weeds are removed before the new mulch is applied or they will have a nice warm covering to see them through the winter months.
If you have large areas of planting and/or lawns it is worth considering an annual planned maintenance programme. A good maintenance company will charge a fixed monthly fee and will plan in the works to suit the type of planting. So, while work in the summer months will revolve around weeding and grass cutting, the quiet winter season will be used to prune and cut back plants, tidy up and carry out general grounds maintenance. I’d be happy to discuss this further with anyone who is interested in grounds maintenance in general.
