Gardening strategies for autumn planting and maintenance

As the autumn season approaches, gardening experts recommend several key maintenance and planting strategies to prepare gardens for winter and ensure spring success.

For flowering plants, sowing hardy annuals like calendula, cornflower, and nigella in September can lead to earlier blooms in late spring. Planting melliferous shrubs such as buddleia, oleander, honey bush, and viburnum between September and November is also advised to support pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Regarding maintenance, experts suggest that autumn is a superior time for planting shrubs compared to spring, as cooler temperatures and regular rainfall allow roots to establish deeply without the stress of summer droughts. For certain trees like walnuts, birches, and maples, September provides a safe window for pruning to limit sap flow before winter. Additionally, managing weeds in September is crucial to prevent the spread of annual and perennial species, though gardeners are encouraged to leave some wild areas to support local biodiversity.