Looking After Garden Structures

Tidy up after summer and protect for winter, says Ruth

- Ruth Hayes

Who said gardeners can start taking it easier once autumn arrives? Are they quite mad? This is the season of multi-tasking, of keeping summer’s garden going for as long as possible while also preparing for worsening weather and packing away our hot-weather toys.

So this week you will find me cajoling the remaining greenhouse tomatoes and aubergines into ripening (they have been extremely slow this year) and deadheading the remaining perennials for a few more late blooms, while also preparing and preserving woodwork and metalwork. I will also be making sure gutters and drainage channels are unblocked and will run clear.

It may seem like rather a nuisance and an added hassle, but these practical maintenance jobs need tackling now rather than later in the year when any weather-induced wear and tear will probably have deteriorated.