AN EXPERT has listed the four jobs gardeners need to complete before autumn arrives, including the best time of the day to water plants.
Although it might be tempting to enjoy the last few sunny and warm summer days, there are a few gardening jobs to do to ensure the outdoor space is prepared for the months ahead.
Here, offering a helping hand was Chris Bonnett from GardeningExpress.co.uk who shared his top tips to fellow gardening enthusiasts.
Prune, tidy and weed
According to the pro, who chatted to The Express, early autumn is the perfect time to tidy up any summer flowers and sort out the remains of summer fruits, such as plums and berries.
For those growing roses, Chris advised to prune them too if they;ve finished flowering.
Meanwhile, gardeners should also take the straw out of their strawberry plants and trim any messy raspberry plants.
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Divide herbaceous perennials
Sharing his tips and tricks, the whizz explained that dividing perennials means your plants can keep performing – and it's key to do this task when the soil is dry.
The plant guru instructed: ''Place a fork in the centre of the plant and gently move it back and forth to separate the plant. Repeat to divide into more sections.''
Refresh the lawn
When it comes to maintaining and preparing the lawn, the gardening pro advised to re-rake the lawn, as well as re-seed any bare patches and where needed use a fertiliser that is rich in potassium.
''This is the perfect time to take action as autumnal weather is ideal for establishing a healthy lawn,'' Chris added.
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Plant autumn vegetables
Avid foodies can also now plant hardy winter greens, as well as turnips, the healthy beetroots and kale.
This simple yet effective preparation is a must if you fancy some deliciousSunday roasts and hearty soups in the coming winter months.
Watering
Plants should be watered during autumn as well – and as the expert added, there is an optimal time to do so too.
Chris explained that watering should be done before or after the sun has hit its peak and you should aim to do this once a day by giving the plants ''a good drench''.
He warned: ''Don’t be tempted to give them more water than normal – you could end up over-watering.''
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