Get Your Garden Ready For Autumn

1.

Stock up on firewood while supply is at its best

If you rely on a wood burner or open fire, don't leave your firewood order until the first cold snap. The best-seasoned hardwood and softwood sells first, and ordering early gives it time to dry out properly rather than sitting in storage during peak demand. If you're unsure which to choose, our guide to choosing your firewood explains the difference – hardwood for a long, steady overnight burn, softwood for something that lights easily and burns hot and fast.

Whatever you buy, store it correctly. An enclosed or triangular log store does the job properly – built from pressure-treated timber, raised off the ground to prevent damp, and designed with enough airflow to keep logs seasoning rather than rotting. Order in September, and you won't be stacking logs in the rain come November.

2.

Inspect your fencing before winter weather sets in

Fencing takes the heaviest damage over autumn and winter, from high winds, waterlogged ground and seasonal storms. Walk the boundary while access is still straightforward. Check posts for movement at the base, panels for rot or splitting, and gravel boards for early signs of decay.

Anything showing wear is far easier and cheaper to replace now than after storm damage. Our guide to caring for timber fencing covers what to look for, and if posts need replacing, use a proper post mix rather than relying on compacted soil. 

Once repairs are sorted, pick a dry spell to treat the timber before winter sets in properly. Bird Brand One Coat Shed & Fence Paint gives rough-sawn fencing quick, wax-enriched coverage in a single coat. Thorndown Wood Paint offers a wider colour range with virtually no VOC content or odour. Treatex Classic Colour Collection gives a premium opaque finish made from natural raw materials, tested in coastal and mountain conditions.

3.

Treat decking now, while conditions still allow it to dry properly

 Autumn is the best time to oil or treat your decking boards, since the drying conditions you need are still available before sustained wet weather arrives. Leave it until spring, and you'll be treating a deck that has already been through a full winter of standing water.

If a repair is needed rather than a refresh, a cracked joist, a loose balustrade, or boards that have started to cup, address it before the frost arrives. Our decking range covers boards, sub-frame components and fixings if the job requires more than a coat of oil.

4.

Build raised beds while the ground is still workable

Raised beds are easier to build in autumn than spring, since the ground is still workable before it becomes waterlogged. Building now also means beds are settled and ready for planting as soon as conditions allow next year. Treated softwood sleepers are a great budget-friendly option, or green oak sleepers for character and durability. Secure your raised beds properly with sleeper pins to stop them shifting over winter.

This is also a good time to top up beds that have settled over summer, or add a course to prevent soil washing out in heavy rain.

5.

Mulch borders before the first frost

Once summer growth has been cut back and cleared, don't leave soil exposed over winter. A layer of mulch protects root systems from frost, retains moisture where it's needed, and gets ahead of next year's weed growth. Bark and mulch distribution is one of the most important time-saving jobs on this list – an afternoon with a wheelbarrow will reduce considerably the amount of weeding you'll have to do in spring.

6.

Decide the fate of your garden furniture

Not everything needs to go into storage. If a bench or table is staying outdoors over winter, treat it properly before the weather turns and check it for movement that could develop into instability.

If you're replacing rather than maintaining what you have, our wooden garden furniture range covers everything from economy picnic tables and traditional benches to commercial-grade outdoor furniture built for year-round use.

Whatever you decide, leaving furniture untreated over winter shortens its lifespan considerably.

7.

Prepare sheds and storage ahead of the wet season

A shed that's started to lean, or timber that's no longer keeping the weather out, is a far smaller job to sort in September than in the middle of a January downpour. If it's beyond repair, our range of ready-made timber sheds covers everything from a straightforward Hutton apex shed to a full security shed, all UK-made. If the structure's sound but the timber's looking tired, a fresh coat of Bird Brand One Coat Shed & Fence Paint will do the job.