Garden tasks to ‘put off’ for a couple of weeks after heatwave

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Daniel Scholfield, director at The Expert Gate Company, told Express.co.uk: “Thanks to this September being warmer than normal, there are a few jobs you might want to wait a little longer to do.

“For example, if your perennials are still looking healthy and haven’t begun to die back yet, it could be a good idea to leave pruning them for a couple of weeks so they can thrive in the warm weather and sunlight.

“This will help them to store extra much-needed energy for the next flowering season.”

Similarly, the expert said to “put off” mulching until early or mid-October when the temperatures are more likely to be back to normal.

This will help the soil trap the right amount of heat and moisture, helping the garden thrive.

READ MORE: Most ‘invasive’ plants to avoid letting grow or risk ‘severe burning’

The expert added: “Mulching now could cause too much of both, which in turn has the potential to really damage your plant’s roots.

“These warmer temperatures should also be considered if you’re planting some spring bulbs. 

“With the best planting times for these flowers ranging from early September to mid-November, depending on the variety, it may be worth planting them a week or two later than you normally would.

“Whilst you’d think this would hinder their growth, it would be far worse to plant flowers in soil that’s too warm or wet, which can cause your plants to not grow properly or even die off.

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“If you want to try your best to stick to schedule, plant the bulbs deeper than you usually would so they’re surrounded by cooler soil, as just a couple of degrees can make a world of difference.”

When it comes to doing jobs a little earlier than usual, a lawn care expert has urged Britons to “act now” when it comes to laying a new lawn or overseeding.

Jonathan Hill, director and lawn care expert at Rolawn, said: “Ground temperatures are lovely and high at the moment, due to the mini heatwave during September, so plant growth and grass, in particular, is really strong.

“That means homeowners should act now to either lay a new lawn or overseed an existing lawn.”

The expert said the warm soil will result in “super growth” ahead of winter, which will pay off in the following spring.

Jonathan added: “We could also see some autumn showers which means there is a risk lawns won’t get mown properly. This can result in them getting too long which can lead to issues with disease and deterioration over winter.

“Grab any opportunity between autumn showers to get the mower out, as grass growth, which usually slows at this time of year when temperatures drop, is likely to carry on well into winter.

“Continue with any planned scarification, aeration, overseeding or feeding, to help strengthen your lawn for winter.”

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