As the leaves start to fall and the temperatures drop, autumn is the perfect time for gardeners to prepare their patch for the cooler months ahead. A bit of effort now will mean a healthier, more productive garden through winter, and less work down the track!
Here’s your essential autumn garden checklist, packed with practical tips and tools to make your job easy.
1. Clean Up Fallen Leaves and Debris
Fallen leaves may look pretty, but they can smother lawns, harbour pests, and cause slippery paths. Rake them into piles and add them to your compost or green bin.
Tip: After you’ve raked up, use a hose or high-pressure nozzle to wash down driveways and paved areas. Pope’s trigger guns and hose-end sprayers are perfect for a quick, thorough clean.
2. Cut Back, Prune, and Deadhead
Autumn is the season for pruning back summer growth. Trim hedges, remove dead flower heads, and cut back perennials to encourage healthy regrowth.
Plants to prune: Lavender, salvia, roses, and most herbaceous perennials.
Pope Tip: After pruning, give your plants a deep soak using a watering wand or adjustable nozzle—especially in dry regions.
3. Feed Your Soil
Healthy soil means a healthy garden. Dig in compost, aged manure, or an organic soil conditioner to build fertility and structure before winter.
Bonus: Add a layer of mulch to retain moisture and keep roots insulated during chilly nights.
Pope Tip: Use those fallen autumn leaves as mulch! Shred them first (with a mower or shredder) so they break down faster and don’t mat. It’s a free, natural way to protect your garden beds and boost soil structure.
4. Adjust Your Watering Routine
Things to do:
- Cut back watering frequency.
- Water earlier in the day to prevent fungal issues.
- Check for blocked sprinklers or damaged hoses.
Pope Tip: Swap to a tap timer to set and forget your autumn watering schedule, or invest in a retractable hose reel to make quick jobs even easier.
5. Plant Now for Winter Rewards
Autumn is ideal for planting cool-season veggies and winter bloomers. Think spinach, broccoli, silverbeet, pansies, and snapdragons.
Tip: Use raised beds or well-drained soil, and water gently to help young seedlings settle in.
Pope Tip: Use a soft spray nozzle or misting gun to water new plants without washing away soil.
6. Lawn Care Matters Too
Don’t neglect the lawn. Autumn is your last chance to:
- Aerate compacted turf.
- Feed with a slow-release fertiliser.
- Reseed patchy areas.
Pope Tip: After seeding or feeding, lightly water daily with a sprinkler until your lawn fills out.
7. Inspect Your Gear
Now’s a great time to:
- Clean your tools.
- Check hoses for splits or leaks.
- Make sure reels and connectors are working properly.
Replacing worn parts now saves hassle in the middle of winter.
Final Thought
Autumn gardening is all about setting up for success. With the right prep and a few clever tools, you’ll glide into winter with a tidy, productive, and low-maintenance garden.
Ready to get stuck in? Explore Pope’s full range of watering solutions to help you tackle your autumn checklist with ease.
Fallen leaves may look pretty, but they can smother lawns, harbour pests, and cause slippery paths. Rake them into piles and add them to your compost or green bin.
Tip: After you’ve raked up, use a hose or high-pressure nozzle to wash down driveways and paved areas. Pope’s trigger guns and hose-end sprayers are perfect for a quick, thorough clean.
Autumn is the season for pruning back summer growth. Trim hedges, remove dead flower heads, and cut back perennials to encourage healthy regrowth.
Plants to prune: Lavender, salvia, roses, and most herbaceous perennials.
Pope Tip: After pruning, give your plants a deep soak using a watering wand or adjustable nozzle—especially in dry regions.
3. Feed Your Soil
Healthy soil means a healthy garden. Dig in compost, aged manure, or an organic soil conditioner to build fertility and structure before winter.
Bonus: Add a layer of mulch to retain moisture and keep roots insulated during chilly nights.
Pope Tip: Use those fallen autumn leaves as mulch! Shred them first (with a mower or shredder) so they break down faster and don’t mat. It’s a free, natural way to protect your garden beds and boost soil structure.
4. Adjust Your Watering Routine
Things to do:
- Cut back watering frequency.
- Water earlier in the day to prevent fungal issues.
- Check for blocked sprinklers or damaged hoses.
Pope Tip: Swap to a tap timer to set and forget your autumn watering schedule, or invest in a retractable hose reel to make quick jobs even easier.
5. Plant Now for Winter Rewards
Autumn is ideal for planting cool-season veggies and winter bloomers. Think spinach, broccoli, silverbeet, pansies, and snapdragons.
Tip: Use raised beds or well-drained soil, and water gently to help young seedlings settle in.
Pope Tip: Use a soft spray nozzle or misting gun to water new plants without washing away soil.
6. Lawn Care Matters Too
Don’t neglect the lawn. Autumn is your last chance to:
- Aerate compacted turf.
- Feed with a slow-release fertiliser.
- Reseed patchy areas.
Pope Tip: After seeding or feeding, lightly water daily with a sprinkler until your lawn fills out.
7. Inspect Your Gear
Now’s a great time to:
- Clean your tools.
- Check hoses for splits or leaks.
- Make sure reels and connectors are working properly.
Replacing worn parts now saves hassle in the middle of winter.
Final Thought
Autumn gardening is all about setting up for success. With the right prep and a few clever tools, you’ll glide into winter with a tidy, productive, and low-maintenance garden.
Ready to get stuck in? Explore Pope’s full range of watering solutions to help you tackle your autumn checklist with ease.
Healthy soil means a healthy garden. Dig in compost, aged manure, or an organic soil conditioner to build fertility and structure before winter.
Bonus: Add a layer of mulch to retain moisture and keep roots insulated during chilly nights.
Pope Tip: Use those fallen autumn leaves as mulch! Shred them first (with a mower or shredder) so they break down faster and don’t mat. It’s a free, natural way to protect your garden beds and boost soil structure.
Things to do:
- Cut back watering frequency.
- Water earlier in the day to prevent fungal issues.
- Check for blocked sprinklers or damaged hoses.
Pope Tip: Swap to a tap timer to set and forget your autumn watering schedule, or invest in a retractable hose reel to make quick jobs even easier.
5. Plant Now for Winter Rewards
Autumn is ideal for planting cool-season veggies and winter bloomers. Think spinach, broccoli, silverbeet, pansies, and snapdragons.
Tip: Use raised beds or well-drained soil, and water gently to help young seedlings settle in.
Pope Tip: Use a soft spray nozzle or misting gun to water new plants without washing away soil.
6. Lawn Care Matters Too
Don’t neglect the lawn. Autumn is your last chance to:
- Aerate compacted turf.
- Feed with a slow-release fertiliser.
- Reseed patchy areas.
Pope Tip: After seeding or feeding, lightly water daily with a sprinkler until your lawn fills out.
7. Inspect Your Gear
Now’s a great time to:
- Clean your tools.
- Check hoses for splits or leaks.
- Make sure reels and connectors are working properly.
Replacing worn parts now saves hassle in the middle of winter.
Final Thought
Autumn gardening is all about setting up for success. With the right prep and a few clever tools, you’ll glide into winter with a tidy, productive, and low-maintenance garden.
Ready to get stuck in? Explore Pope’s full range of watering solutions to help you tackle your autumn checklist with ease.
Autumn is ideal for planting cool-season veggies and winter bloomers. Think spinach, broccoli, silverbeet, pansies, and snapdragons.
Tip: Use raised beds or well-drained soil, and water gently to help young seedlings settle in.
Pope Tip: Use a soft spray nozzle or misting gun to water new plants without washing away soil.
Don’t neglect the lawn. Autumn is your last chance to:
- Aerate compacted turf.
- Feed with a slow-release fertiliser.
- Reseed patchy areas.
Pope Tip: After seeding or feeding, lightly water daily with a sprinkler until your lawn fills out.
7. Inspect Your Gear
Now’s a great time to:
- Clean your tools.
- Check hoses for splits or leaks.
- Make sure reels and connectors are working properly.
Replacing worn parts now saves hassle in the middle of winter.
Final Thought
Autumn gardening is all about setting up for success. With the right prep and a few clever tools, you’ll glide into winter with a tidy, productive, and low-maintenance garden.
Ready to get stuck in? Explore Pope’s full range of watering solutions to help you tackle your autumn checklist with ease.
Now’s a great time to:
- Clean your tools.
- Check hoses for splits or leaks.
- Make sure reels and connectors are working properly.
Replacing worn parts now saves hassle in the middle of winter.
Autumn gardening is all about setting up for success. With the right prep and a few clever tools, you’ll glide into winter with a tidy, productive, and low-maintenance garden.
Ready to get stuck in? Explore Pope’s full range of watering solutions to help you tackle your autumn checklist with ease.
