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Once the golden days of summer are over, it’s time to prepare your garden for cooler weather. Autumn is the final growth period for most plants, and it’s a great opportunity to give your garden a head-start for winter. We’re sharing advice on how to prepare your gutters, vegie patches, new trees, lawns and more.
Safety tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (safety glasses, gloves, and a mask, for example) and always follow the instructions for the product or equipment. Always store products out of the reach of children and pets.
Start by clearing out the leaves from your gutters. This is an essential autumn project. As trees shed their leaves, it can create blockages in downpipes, which can lead to water damage in your home.
Grab a ladder, gloves, a small hand shovel and bucket. Use the shovel to scoop out any debris, leaves, and dirt from the gutter, and deposit them into the bucket. Rinse the gutter with a hose to remove any remaining dirt or debris, and check that the downspout is clear of any blockages.
Installing gutter guards is a great way to cut down on future maintenance and prevent excess leaves and debris from getting stuck in your gutters. If you live in a fire-prone area, make sure you opt for fire-resistant gutter guards.
Add life and colour back into your vegie patch with gorgeous potted flowers such as pansies and lobelias. Plant new fruit and vegie crops in preparation for a winter harvest, choosing hardy winter plants like spinach, rocket, peas, potatoes, carrots, beetroots and broccoli.
During the colder months, plants have the chance to flourish below-ground, establishing a hardy root system that will keep them going strong for months, if not years, to come.
If you’ve been looking to plant some trees to liven up your garden and add some shade, autumn is the perfect time to do so. (Its climate is a lot gentler on newly planted trees.)
Consider the space you have and think long-term. Do you like evergreen trees that look lush all year round? Or do you prefer deciduous trees that will give you a variety of looks throughout the year?
For deciduous trees, we recommend Japanese maples, liquidambars and tulip trees for a toasty autumn palette. As they grow, they will take up ample space in your garden, creating comfortable shade and increasing your property’s value.
Target any weeds in your lawn with a weed killer that you can spray directly onto the weeds. Check the label for directions on when you can mow your lawn after applying the weed killer. Once that time has passed, trim the edges of your lawn before giving your entire lawn a good mow.
If your lawn has received a lot of foot traffic over the summer months and you have some dead patches of grass, tackle them by aerating the soil with a pitchfork. Loosen the soil, which allows nutrients and water to get deeper into the ground. Add a top dressing of sand or compost to replace nutrients in the soil and encourage growth. Lastly, finish it off with a good spray of fertiliser to revitalise your lawn and soil.
Watering your lawn in autumn can help it maintain health and vitality throughout the season. Plan to water your lawn once or twice a week depending on weather conditions.
Tackle weeds in areas such as garden beds, surrounding hedges and any brickwork. Remove as many as you can before they set seed. Choose a weedkiller that targets both broadleaf and grass weeds.
Extend the use of your backyard area by equipping it with an outdoor heater. There’s a wide variety of outdoor heaters to choose from, suitable for every space and budget, and they will help keep you and your guests cosy and warm when the weather turns chilly.
Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.
When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.
