AUTUMN GARDENING TIPS

AUTUMN GARDENING TIPS

While it may seem tempting to curl up on the couch on chilly days, autumn can be a great time to get out in your garden before winter sets in. Below are four tips to help care for your garden over autumn.



1. Make a vegetable patch



Although autumn may seem to be the wrong time of year to be planting in your garden, many plants actually thrive over the cooler months, including some great winter veggies. Planting cabbage, broccoli, celery and leeks in autumn, can provide you with fresh ingredients for hearty meals as the weather gets colder. Cultivating a vegetable patch is also a great way to get your kids involved in the garden. It teaches them the benefits of growing your own vegetables and they'll love getting their hands dirty.



2. Plant colour for autumn, and plan for spring



Autumn is also a great time to plant colourful blooms such as pansies and paper daises, so that when winter rolls around, they are in full bloom and your garden has a warming splash of colour. You can also plan for spring in autumn. April to May is the perfect time to plant spring flowering bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, and freesias.



3. Get on top of your pruning



Pruning shrubs, bushes and trees is another important gardening task in autumn. Pruning plants encourages new growth, and can help to shape trees, and prevent long branches from breaking. Pruning can also give your garden a neater look throughout winter when branches are often bare.



4. Cover up with mulch



Covering your soil with mulch will stop it from eroding, keep it moist and prevent weeds from growing. This means less work for you! If you are inclined, you may even consider making your own compost, using food scraps from the kitchen to add extra nutrients to your soil. Compost is an inexpensive way to make sure your soil stays healthy all year round.

 

Re-organise for Autumn

Re-organise for Autumn

With the change of seasons fast approaching it can be a great time of year to clean out and re –organise your home.  Here are 5 tips on re-organising and de-cluttering your home this autumn

1. Rotate your linen cupboard.

As the days and nights get cooler it may be time to pull out the feather doonas and woolly throw rugs.  Instead of trying to cram your summer and winter linens all into your cupboards, try using space saving vacuum sealed bags to store anything that may not be in use for the coming season.  Not only will they save you space, but if you use clear bags, you can make it easier to find the items when you need them again.

2. Put everything in its place, and have a place for everything.

By taking some time to establish a place for everything in your home, you can help to ensure that those ever so prevalent ‘junk drawers’ don’t get out of hand.  Most homeware and department stores stock no end of dividers, tubs, hooks and containers for organising all your drawers and cupboards around the home.  You could also look for cost effective ways of creating storage in your home, for example using glass jars from condiments to hold jewellery, pens, or even toiletries in the bathroom.  

3. Declutter your space.

It’s always a good idea to get rid of any unnecessary items from your home.  The change of seasons can be a perfect time for sorting out your wardrobe and getting rid of any items of clothing you have not worn in at least the last 6 months.  You could donate them to charity or give them to family or friends who may want them.  Sort through draws and cupboards and throw away any odds and ends that you have no use for, or can’t recall why you own in the first place.  An easy trick for efficient decluttering is to use three boxes or containers, and label them ‘throw’, ‘relocate’ and ‘donate’.  Systematically sorting things will make the job easier and a lot less time consuming. 

4. Draw up a cleaning schedule

Drawing up and sticking to a cleaning schedule can help you keep on top of house work.  Kitchens should be cleaned on a daily basis, however scheduling time to keep on top of other chores such as cleaning out the fridge or washing windows can often fall by the wayside.  By consistently setting aside the time for these tasks you could have a picture-perfect home all year round.  A cleaning schedule can also be a great way to delegate tasks to your kids without any fuss over ‘who does what’ or ‘who does more’.

5. Maintain your space

You may have spent a lot of time organising and sorting out your cupboards, draws and other storage space, so don’t let it all go to waste! There’s no use in setting up cleaning schedules or organising your storage and then letting things slip a week or two later.  Be vigilant, and try to ensure that your hard work is maintained consistently.