Gardening pro shares four jobs to complete before the arrival of autumn, including the perfect time to water your plants

AN EXPERT has listed the four jobs gardeners need to do before autumn arrives, including the best time of day to water plants.

Although it may be tempting to enjoy the last sunny and warm days of summer, there are some gardening tasks to do to ensure the outdoor space is ready for the months ahead.

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This is where Chris Bonnett from GardeningExpress.co.uk helped, passing on his top tips to other gardening enthusiasts.

Pruning, cleaning and weeding

According to the pro, who chatted to The ExpressEarly fall is the perfect time to tidy up all the summer flowers and sort out the leftover summer fruits like plums and berries.

For growing roses, Chris recommends pruning them as well when they are finished blooming.

In the meantime, gardeners should also remove straw from their strawberry plants and cut down any messy raspberry plants.

Divide perennials

The genius shared his tips and tricks, explaining that dividing perennials ensures your plants can maintain their performance – and that it’s important to complete this task when the soil is dry.

The plant guru gave the instruction: “Stick a fork into the center of the plant and gently move it back and forth to separate the plant.” Repeat this process to divide it into more sections.”

Refresh the lawn

When it comes to lawn care and preparation, gardening professionals recommend re-raking the lawn, re-seeding bare spots, and using a high-potassium fertilizer if necessary.

“This is the perfect time to take action as the fall weather is ideal for establishing a healthy lawn,” added Chris.

Plant fall vegetables

Enthusiastic gourmets can now plant winter-hardy greens in addition to beets, healthy beetroot and kale.

This simple but effective preparation is a must if you fancy delicious Sunday roasts and hearty soups in the coming winter months.

irrigation

Plants should also be watered in autumn – and as the expert added, there is an optimal time for this.

Chris explained that watering should be done before or after the sun is at its peak and that you should try to do this once a day, giving the plants a “good drench.”

He warned: “Don’t be tempted to give them more water than normal – you could end up watering too much.”

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