Autumn checklist: what to do before the first frost

The first frost usually arrives with little warning, and the jobs you do in the few weeks before it make a real difference to how your garden comes through winter. None of them take long, but together they protect roots, soil and structure until spring.

Protect what’s in the ground

Tender perennials such as dahlias and salvias need either lifting or a thick mulch over their crowns. A 5–8 cm layer of compost or bark around the base of shrubs and borders insulates roots, suppresses weeds and feeds the soil as it breaks down over winter.

Leave some seed heads standing

It’s tempting to cut everything back, but grasses and sturdy seed heads like sedum and echinacea give winter structure, catch the frost beautifully and shelter overwintering insects. Cut them back in late February instead.

Get ahead on lawns and hard surfaces

Give the lawn a final cut with the mower raised a notch, rake up leaves before they smother the grass, and clear gutters and drains near paths. Check fence panels and stakes now — autumn winds find every weak spot.

Finally, drain and store hoses, insulate outdoor taps and move terracotta pots against a sheltered wall. Ten jobs, a couple of weekends, and your garden starts spring well ahead.