Autumn work decides the state the garden will be in when spring arrives. This is the season when you can gain, or lose, the most.
Do not let the lawn go into winter long, because mold can develop under grass that lies flat. The last cut should be around 4 centimeters, usually in late October or early November.
Under a thick layer of leaves the lawn overheats and thins out. It is worth clearing leaves in several passes. In the beds, though, leave them: they are a natural winter cover and food for spring.
An autumn lawn feed rich in potassium and low in nitrogen strengthens the grass against frost. Late September or early October is the best time to apply it.
This is the job not to postpone. Before the first serious frost the pipework has to be blown through with compressed air. A cracked sprinkler or valve costs far more in spring than the autumn service does.
Cover frost-sensitive plants, but leave ornamental grasses standing: the straw-colored stems look good through winter and protect the crown. Their pruning can wait until spring.
Seasonal tasks, irrigation, pools and plant choices. Short, practical pieces drawn from our everyday work.
Autumn work decides the state the garden will be in when spring arrives. The height of the last cut, the timing of leaf clearing and a potassium-rich autumn feed all matter, but the most important job is draining the irrigation system: a cracked valve costs far more in spring than the autumn service does.
Mowing daily, a robot produces a denser, deeper green lawn, makes no noise and asks for no weekends. Neat stripes, crisp edges and the areas under shrubs remain the job of a conventional machine. In our experience the best result comes from combining the two, and we show you how.
Chemical-free gardening does not mean doing nothing. It means intervening somewhere else: in the soil and in the choice of plants, rather than with a sprayer. Compost, a mulch layer, a mixed perennial bed and a small area of water are what build a garden that stays stable on its own.
With hand watering there is always a dry patch, and always an area that gets too much. A well-designed automatic system distributes water evenly, runs at dawn when evaporation is minimal, and with precise dosing usually uses less water than a hose. It also produces a deeper-rooted, more drought-tolerant lawn.
