Autumn gardening jobs (UK).

Autumn jobs, by area of the garden

Here is the whole autumn list in one place, split by where in the garden the work falls. Nothing here needs doing on one specific day: autumn in the UK stretches from the first cool nights of September to the first hard frosts, so work through it as the weather and your time allow.

The rest of this guide takes the jobs that are easiest to get wrong, or most worth the effort, and explains them properly: planting bulbs, bare-root planting, leaf mould and lifting tender plants.

When do I plant spring bulbs?

Autumn is bulb-planting season, and the single most useful thing to know is that not every bulb goes in at the same time. Most spring bulbs want to be in the ground from September so they can root before winter, but tulips are the exception and go in last.

Plant bulbs at roughly three times their own height deep (so a 5cm daffodil bulb sits about 15cm down), pointy end up, in groups rather than lines. Dead-head after flowering next spring but leave the foliage to die back naturally, as that is what feeds next year's flower. Bulbs are one of the best value things you will plant all year, so buy more than you think you need.

Why is autumn the time to plant trees and shrubs?

Autumn and winter are the best window to plant most trees, shrubs, roses and hedging, because the plants are dormant and the soil is still warm enough for roots to settle in before spring growth. Plant now and you water far less next summer than you would with a spring-planted specimen.

You have two options. Potted (container-grown) plants can go in through autumn while the soil is still warm, as long as the ground is not frozen or waterlogged. Bare-root plants, which are lifted from the field without soil and sold dormant, become available from November and are far cheaper for hedging and fruit. The catch is that their roots must not dry out, so plant them promptly when they arrive, or heel them into spare soil until you can.

This is the moment to get fruit in too. Order bare-root fruit trees and bushes now to plant from November onwards: see our guides to growing fruit in the UK and caring for a fruit tree for choosing and planting. Mulch everything you plant after watering it in: our guide to mulching covers why and how.

What do I do with all the fallen leaves?

Do not bin them and do not burn them. Fallen leaves turn into leaf mould, a dark, crumbly soil conditioner that is one of the best free things a garden produces. Rake leaves off the lawn and paths (left on grass they smother it), and leave the rest where they fall under shrubs and hedges, where they rot down and feed the soil.

To make leaf mould, pack damp leaves into a simple wire-netting bin, or stuff them into bin bags, pierce the bags with a fork, tie them loosely and stack them out of the way. Keep the leaves moist. They take about two years (6 to 12 months if the leaves are shredded or mown first) to break down. Running the mower over leaves on the lawn first shreds them and speeds things up.

Leaf mould rots slowly and cool, which is different from a compost heap. If you want to turn kitchen and garden waste into compost faster, that is a separate process: see how to make compost.

When do I lift dahlias and other tender plants?

Dahlias, cannas, tuberous begonias and gladioli are tender: a hard frost kills the top growth and, left in cold wet ground, the tubers can rot over winter. The trigger for lifting them is simple. Wait until the after the first frost has blackened the foliage, then lift the tubers.

• Cut the stems back, ease the clump out with a fork, and shake or wash off the soil.
• Stand dahlia tubers upside down for a week or so to drain moisture out of the hollow stems, then pack them in dry compost or sand.
• Store them somewhere cool but frost-free and dry, such as a shed or garage, and check through winter for any that are rotting.

In mild parts of the UK, on free-draining soil, dahlias often survive in the ground under a thick mulch of straw or bark, so you can gamble and leave them. On heavy, wet soil it is safer to lift. While you are at it, move frost-tender pots (pelargoniums, citrus, salvias) into a greenhouse, conservatory or porch before the first frost catches them.

How do I put the rest of the garden to bed?

The tidying jobs are the ones most people either skip or overdo. The aim is to clear what harbours disease and to protect what the frost can damage, while leaving enough standing for wildlife.

• Clear spent crops and annuals. Pull finished vegetables and bedding, compost the healthy material, and bin or burn anything diseased. On heavy clay, get your digging done before the winter rains.
• Lift and divide crowded perennials, but resist cutting hardy perennials right back: leave the seed heads and stems standing until March, as they shelter insects and feed birds.
• Net the pond so autumn leaves do not sink and rot in the water, where they feed algae and starve it of oxygen.
• Give the lawn a last high cut in a mild dry spell, then put the mower away clean and empty of fuel. Drain outdoor taps and irrigation lines and clean out the water butt before the first hard frost.
• Sow ahead. In mild areas sow hardy broad beans in the ground now, and sow sweet peas from October to November for strong early plants.

Frequently asked questions