By the time you read this the clocks will have gone back, and we will be down to 7 hours of light per day, so we will have limited time for work in the garden.
You can leave as much winter cover on plants as possible to provide insulation to protect plants from the cold weather to come. Leave seedheads for the birds and insects to feed on. The hollow stem plants including rudbeckias, heleniums and all grasses should be left untouched until spring.
A lot of summer growth can be removed especially if it is soggy and covering other plants which in turn can cause them to rot. Cut the summer growth right back at the base of the plant, to allow air to circulate and prevent fungal problems.
Prune roses to prevent wind-rock
Now is a good time to prune shrub and bush roses as we do live in quite a windy area and if they are left tall and elegant as they blow about in the wind the roots may be lifted from the soil. Shrub and bush roses can grow very tall so in autumn cut back the stems between a third to a half of their height. This will stop them swaying and becoming loose in the soil. If their roots are disturbed it can damage or even kill the rose.
Lawns
Many of us have being mowing less to support wildlife, long grass as well as short will benefit from autumn lawn care. If your grass is still long, give it a final cut, check first that you do not have any hedgehogs hiding there. After cutting do the normal lawn care maintenance tasks of scarifying and aeration. Rake leaves off your lawn to add to your compost heap or leaf mould pile
Plant tulip bulbs
There is still time to plant tulips. You can do this into December as long as the ground is not waterlogged or frozen.
Plant pansies, violas and polyanthus for immediate colour.
Container planting
If planting in pots and tubs, insulate outdoor containers from frost. Bubblewrap works well. And then place pots close to the house for good protection. In wet weather, raise pots up off the ground on ‘feet’ or similar to keep the bottom of the pot out of the water and prevent compost freezing.
Herbs
Once established in the garden some herbs can live outside all year. These include mint, oregano, rosemary, thyme and sage.
Some tender herbs such as basil can only be grown if brought indoors into a warm, bright frost-free greenhouse, or a sunny windowsill.
Cordylines
Cordylines can survive temperatures of around -5 degrees C, to give them the best chance as winter approaches tie the foliage together in a bunch this will reduce wind damage and prevent water collecting in the growing points and causing rot. You can also cover them in a fleece for extra protection.
Put out bird food to encourage winter birds into the garden
Winter can be a tough time for birds, so keep supplies of water and food well topped up.
As Winter is coming, we will be giving our gardening column a rest for the next few months and will be back in the Spring.