Our ALS Landscaping Seasonal Garden Checklist
Gardening isn’t just for the sunny days of summer. It’s a year-round commitment that ensures your outdoor space thrives through every season. Whether you’re sprucing up in spring, watering through summer, or preparing for the frost in winter, a seasonal garden checklist helps you stay on top of everything.
Let’s start where we are right now—Autumn—and work our way through the year so you’ll know exactly what needs doing each season to keep your garden healthy and beautiful.
Autumn: Preparing for Winter’s Rest
As the weather cools and the days shorten, autumn is all about preparing your garden for the winter ahead. This is a crucial time for planting, protecting, and getting ready for dormancy.
Autumn Garden Checklist:
1. Tidy Up Fallen Leaves
While a scattering of leaves can look pretty, leaving too many to accumulate on your lawn or flower beds can smother plants and encourage diseases. Rake them up regularly, and if you have space, start a compost pile. Fallen leaves are a fantastic resource for creating rich, organic compost for next year. Need help with composting? Here’s a Beginner’s Guide to Composting from the RHS.
2. Prune Shrubs and Trees
As plants start to enter their dormant phase, it’s the perfect time to prune back trees and shrubs, removing dead or diseased branches. For some flowering shrubs like roses, a light pruning can promote healthy growth next spring.
3. Plant Spring Bulbs
Autumn is the ideal time to plant bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, and crocuses. Plant them now so they establish over winter and provide a stunning display in spring. Ensure the bulbs are placed in well-draining soil, as they don’t like to sit in waterlogged areas. This article from House Beautiful covers the best bulbs to plant in autumn, to make sure you have a colourful spring garden.
4. Tidy Up Flower Beds
Remove annuals that have finished blooming and cut back perennials. However, don’t be too hasty with cutting everything back—leaving some seed heads, like those on coneflowers, can provide food for wildlife over winter.
5. Aerate Your Lawn
After a summer of use, your lawn can become compacted. Autumn is the perfect time to aerate it – either with a garden fork or a mechanical aerator. This improves drainage, reduces waterlogging over winter, and helps the roots take in nutrients.
6. Mulch Flower Beds and Shrubs
Apply a layer of mulch, such as bark, compost, or leaf mould, around the base of plants. This helps insulate the soil, retains moisture, and reduces weed growth. It’s especially beneficial for protecting young or delicate plants from frost. For advice on the best pruning tools, visit Gardens Illustrated.
7. Clean and Store Garden Tools
As you wind down your gardening activities, make sure your tools are cleaned, sharpened, and stored properly. This prevents rust and keeps everything in good condition for spring.
Winter: Protecting and Planning
Winter is a time for rest, both for your garden and for you. However, it’s also the season for preparation, as what you do in winter can help set the stage for a thriving spring garden.
Winter Garden Checklist:
1. Protect Delicate Plants
Cover tender plants with frost cloths or bring potted plants indoors if possible. Wrapping vulnerable shrubs with horticultural fleece can also protect them from harsh frosts. If you’ve got fruit bushes, such as strawberries, you might want to read the RHS’ guide to protecting them from frost.
2. Check for Snow Damage
Heavy snowfall can break branches on trees and shrubs. Keep an eye on your plants, especially evergreens, and gently knock off any heavy snow buildup.
3. Prune Dormant Trees
Winter is an ideal time to prune deciduous trees as they are dormant, and their bare branches make it easier to see the shape and structure of the tree. Be careful to prune only on frost-free days.
4. Plan for Spring
Winter is the perfect time to think ahead. Take stock of your garden, browse through seed catalogues, and start planning new planting projects for spring. You could even prepare your beds and containers now for early planting. Check out our previous blog on Kitchen Garden Ideas for inspiration on growing your own produce next year.
5. Feed the Birds
Garden wildlife can struggle in winter, so put out bird feeders with seeds and suet. Birds will help control pests in your garden come spring, making them helpful allies.
Spring: Refresh and Rejuvenate
Spring is the season of growth and renewal. It’s the busiest time for gardeners as everything starts coming to life again, and there’s plenty to prepare for.
Spring Garden Checklist:
1. Remove Winter Mulch
Once the threat of frost has passed, remove any protective mulch you added over winter. This will allow the soil to warm up and encourage plant growth.
2. Prepare the Soil
Spring is the time to enrich your soil. Add compost or well-rotted manure to your beds to boost nutrients and improve soil structure before planting begins.
3. Plant New Perennials and Shrubs
Spring is the best time to plant new perennials, shrubs, and trees. The cool, moist conditions help them establish roots before the heat of summer arrives. Not sure what to plant? Home & Lifestyle provide a list of 13 of the best perennials to plant in spring.
4. Feed the Lawn
Once the grass starts growing again, give it a good feed with a spring lawn fertiliser. You’ll also want to start mowing regularly, keeping the grass at a manageable height.
5. Tackle Weeds Early
Spring is the ideal time to get on top of weeds before they start to spread. Regularly hoe or pull out any weeds you spot to prevent them from taking over.
Summer: Maintain and Enjoy
By summer, your garden should be in full bloom, and you can spend more time enjoying it. However, regular maintenance is still key to keeping it looking its best.
Summer Garden Checklist:
1. Water Wisely
Water in the early morning or late evening to avoid evaporation. Focus on watering the roots rather than the leaves to keep plants hydrated during hot spells. We offered some great advice on irrigation systems in our recent blog to help make summer watering easier.
2. Deadhead Flowers
Regular deadheading of spent flowers encourages plants to keep blooming. It also keeps the garden looking tidy and vibrant.
3. Mow the Lawn Regularly
Summer is the time for frequent mowing. Keep your lawn at a healthy length and avoid cutting it too short in hot weather to prevent the grass from drying out.
4. Harvest Fruits and Vegetables
If you’ve planted edibles, now’s the time to enjoy the fruits (and veg!) of your labour. Pick regularly to encourage further production and avoid waste.
5. Check for Pests
Keep an eye out for common summer pests like aphids, slugs, and caterpillars. Natural predators like ladybirds can help, or you can use organic pest control methods.
Conclusion
Gardening is a year-round activity, and knowing what to do in each season can help you stay on top of things without feeling overwhelmed. By following these seasonal checklists, you’ll ensure your garden stays healthy, looks beautiful, and provides you with joy through every season.
If you need help with any of these seasonal tasks or want a complete garden overhaul, ALS Landscaping Lincoln is here to help. We offer a range of services that will keep your garden looking its best no matter the time of year.
FAQs
When is the best time to plant new shrubs and trees?
The best time to plant shrubs and trees is in the spring or autumn when the weather is mild. This gives the plants time to establish roots before the heat of summer or the cold of winter.
How often should I mow my lawn in the summer?
In the summer, mow your lawn about once a week, but avoid cutting it too short during hot spells to prevent it from drying out.
How can I protect my plants from frost in the winter?
Cover tender plants with frost cloths, horticultural fleece, or bring potted plants indoors. Mulching around the base of plants also helps insulate the soil.
Contact Us Today
If you would like to find out more about our wide range of landscaping and garden design services please contact the team at ALS Landscaping today.
