Autumn’s gardening tips #4: maintenance

As we descend from the milder summery autumn to Autumn-Proper (we know, we know, it’s not terribly scientific) it’s a good time to mend paths, fences, bed edging, and sheds. You’ll feel terribly smug come springtime, too.

TH - new old window

(c) Szczel

Is it raining? Think that’s an excuse? Oh no. Snuggle down in the shed with a flask and get those tools out: you can clean, sharpen and oil most gardening tools ready for the first flushes of growth (and enthusiasm!) next year.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lab_cat/7514408696/in/photolist-cs2iUC-of2m67-ouAcaW-74AA94-pY34qi-oehvNw-odAWmt-oxzVP8-9RoFqD-4R6Xvm-aS4LPZ-ovQrwF-ovyVRp-ovZj3e-otNNXd-ovPv9j-oeAsrU-oeCaUa-oeiwXc-ovNumQ-oefuvL-odoDZU-oefWxq-oxw3uk-oemjo8-oeuf2s-jM26Fi-oensSt-od7XMD-oegvjB-ovJcBf-ovCeDq-odopEy-oehnhF-ov6Q64-ow9H9A-oegsPq-6R3HRn-oxwbe8-odCaxz-odox9Q-oeRWgw-ovxPem-od7FpS-ovJn41-odCaS2-ouBMQP-ownGSX-oekniQ-odcdGT
(c) Lab Cat

Finally, if you’re feeling super keen – and maybe not every year – the greenhouse can be emptied out, sterilised with a sulphur candle and given a good clean out, scrubbing the staging down and cleaning the glass before insulating it. You can also get ahead by cleaning pots and seed-trays now.

clean greenhouse
(c) Extra-minty