Though things might be slowing up above ground – with flowering coming to an end and plants beginning to die back – there is a world of activity taking place below the surface. For a variety of reasons, the autumn and early winter months are a perfect time to plant a garden and to give existing plants the best chance to establish even stronger root systems ahead of next year’s growing season. So, with that in mind, here’s a rundown of why the next few months are a great time to get gardening, and to lay the groundwork for a spectacular display next year.
1. It’s now the longest time before growth starts again in spring
Very simply, if you plant a garden now, plants will have all of winter to settle in, establish strong root systems, and adjust to their surroundings, meaning that when growing begins again with vigour in spring, your plants will have an enormous head start. Anything planted at this time of year is likely to have a much better display, if looked after over the winter, than a plant of the same size planted at the beginning of spring.
2. Soil is still warm from summer, meaning that roots have perfect conditions to establish quickly and strongly
With the earth having retained the warmth of the sun throughout the summer months, planting now will introduce plants into a perfect environment to encourage strong, healthy root growth. With watering and some compost to feed the still-warm soil for good measure, this is a perfect environment for any new plant. If you have trees in your garden, the falling leaves come autumn will also make great mulch if piled around the base of your plants.
3. With more rain and cooler temperatures, soil retains more moisture which means less watering
More rain has always meant less watering and as the wetter weather begins to creep in this is really beneficial on two levels. Firstly, it’s great for the environment. With a hosepipe ban still in place in a lot of areas, it reduces the impact on water supplies meaning that planting a garden at this time of year – rather than in the summer months when watering regularly is crucial – is a more environmentally-friendly approach. Secondly, on a very basic level, it means you’re having to water less – so you enjoy getting on with other garden jobs (though, we must admit, we quite like watering. Very mindful!)
4. It’s the beginning of the planting season and so nurseries always have great stock
The fact that this time of year is a great time to plant a garden is no secret in the horticultural industry, and all nurseries will have really great stock at this time of year as a result. We always choose the best, most healthy plants for our garden designs – from our trusted network of horticultural suppliers – but this time of year is particularly saturated with very healthy plants.
5. With many plants still producing late flowers, and evergreen plants in all Dig designs, you’ll still get instant impact
Planting at this time of year will, invariably, mean that there are fewer plants in flower – but fear not. All Dig designs come with evergreen planting in some shape or form, so there will always be interest in the garden. On top of that, many of our plants will have late flowering periods too towards the end of summer and beginning of autumn meaning you will still get some beautiful colour and interest. On top of that, for each of our designs we have a selection of versatile bedding plants as add-ons that can give you a bit of colour at every time of year. Once your plants establish too, you’ll begin to see seasonal changes with plants finishing flowering and producing equally beautiful seed heads and dried foliage too. Essentially, with any well-looked-after garden there is almost always something to enjoy, if you take the time to look.
So, there you have it. If your garden or outdoor space is in need of a bit of attention, there is no reason why you need to wait until spring to get started. If you have any questions at all, just drop us an email at hello@digclub.co.uk and we’ll happily advise.
