Autumn garden jobs checklist
Autumn is really preparation for spring: bulbs, leaf mould and protection. The frost group is the one with a real deadline, and it arrives earlier than you plan for.
36 items
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
The items
- Clearing
- Pull up spent annuals and vegetables
- Cut back perennials, but leave seed heads for the birds
- Rake leaves — into a bag for leaf mould, not the bin
- Clear leaves off the lawn before they mat
- Last cut of the grass, on a high setting
- Clean out the greenhouse
- Turn and cover the compost
- Planting for spring
- Daffodils and alliums, September to October
- Tulips, November or later
- Garlic and onion sets
- Broad beans for an early crop
- Plant trees and shrubs while the soil is warm
- Divide overcrowded perennials
- Sow a green manure on empty beds
- Before the frost
- Drain and turn off the outside tapA split pipe behind a wall is discovered in March, and it is expensive.
- Hoses drained and put away
- Tender plants brought in or wrapped
- Dahlias lifted, or mulched heavily if you leave them
- Pots raised on feet so they drain
- Fleece ready where you will need it
- Insulate the greenhouse if you heat it
- Maintenance
- Clear the gutters
- Check fences, posts and gates before the gales
- Tie in and stake anything that catches wind
- Clean and oil the tools before storing them
- Empty and store the water butt tap, or leave it running
- Service the mower now to avoid the spring queue
- Wildlife
- Leave a log pile or a corner undisturbed
- Check bonfires for hedgehogs before lighting
- Keep feeding the birds through the cold
- Keep a patch of pond or water ice-free
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
Questions people ask
- When should I plant spring bulbs?
- Most from September to November, while the soil is still warm. Tulips are the exception — plant those in November or later, which suits anyone running behind.
- What must happen before the first frost?
- Drain and disconnect outside taps and hoses, bring in tender plants, and lift or protect anything that will not survive being frozen in a pot.