What to do in garden now for next year

Summer may be over, but there is still enough light and warmth for established plants

Established plants have been in their current location for two or three years and so have well-developed root systems able to support strong growth with healthy foliage and flowers.

to make useful growth.

New plants won't make much growth now, but it's still a good time for autumn planting, particularly evergreens. Deciduous

Deciduous refers to plants (mainly trees and shrubs) that lose their leaves seasonally, usually during autumn. This is a natural process triggered by the season's shorter days and lower temperatures and allows plants to conserve energy during the winter months.

plants can be planted from mid-October. For gardeners replacing plants damaged by drought, autumn is also a good opportunity to rethink planting choices for future summers.

Pruning out a dead apple 'Annie Elizabeth' tree branch

After a difficult summer, many plants may look dead and it can be difficult to tell whether they have died, gone dormant or suffered dieback.

One useful test is to gently scratch the bark

Bark is the outermost layer of woody plants (trees, shrubs and woody climbers). It is several cells thick and provides protection against physical damage, disease and environmental stresses. Bark comes in a wide variety of colours and patterns, and these can help gardeners when identifying plants. The fissures and crevices of bark on older plants also creates valuable habitat for many garden creatures as well as lichens and small plants.

on a stem or trunk. If there's green tissue underneath, the plant is still alive. If there's no green, particularly on the trunk, the plant is unlikely to recover.

Seeds sown now won't do much until spring, but grass is the exception. Despite many lawns recovering well after the drought, there'll be plenty of reseeding and returfing to be done.

Aim to sow lawn seed before October, while there is still enough warmth and moisture for it to establish. Drought-tolerant seed mixes are also available and may be worth considering for lawns that regularly suffer during dry summers. Current RHS advice also recommends autumn as the ideal time to repair drought-damaged lawns.

Good-quality turf is likely to be in short supply, as turf producers have struggled to irrigate sufficiently.

Mulching reduces water loss and suppresses weeds

Although it's usually a mistake to garden exclusively for the summer just past, there will be much replanting with more drought-tolerant plants.

Improving the soil will also help. Manure can improve soil structure and water-holding capacity, while mulching reduces water loss and suppresses weeds. Avoiding unnecessary digging can help to conserve moisture too.

Autumn is also an increasingly important planting season: trees, shrubs and perennials planted now have time to establish roots while the soil is still warm and before the demands of summer arrive.

The drought may ease over the coming months, but recovery will take time. Rivers, reservoirs, groundwater and soils all need substantial rainfall to recover, and current projections suggest that some parts of England could still be affected by drought as we enter spring 2027.

For gardeners, the message is clear: make the most of autumn and winter to improve soil, establish plants and reduce the amount of watering your garden will need next year.

Soil and water

1. Mulch

Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings.

well

An 8–10cm (3–4in) layer of organic mulch improves water retention and suppresses weeds.

2. Keep weeds under control

Weeds use valuable water and reduce the efficiency of plant growth, so keeping them under control during drought is good practice.

3. Add organic matter wisely

Add manure when digging, but in general, mulching and avoiding unnecessary digging is more water efficient.

4. Sow cover crops

Sow cereal and grass cover crops as early as feasible in autumn to improve the soil. However, terminate them in March before they begin to deplete soil moisture.

Planting

5. Plant woody plants in autumn

Autumn is a good time to plant woody plants. Winter planting is possible, but autumn is generally preferable where soil conditions allow.

6. Plant hardy perennials in autumn

Hardy herbaceous plants can be planted in autumn or winter while the soil is workable, giving them time to establish roots before the demands of summer. Early spring is another good opportunity where soil conditions allow.

7. Choose plants with lower water needs

Tender plants that need plenty of water, such as begonias, dahlias, fuchsias, lobelias, nicotianas and petunias, can be replaced with plants that have lower water needs, particularly for containers. Canna, Osteospermum and pelargoniums are examples.

Growing

8. Sow hardy crops in autumn

Planting onions so they can grow and crop during winter

Sow beans, onions, garlic and some other crops in autumn so they can make use of winter moisture to grow and crop.

9. Concentrate on early crops

Concentrate on early-sown or planted vegetables such as peas and carrots. Limit later crops that need watering, such as courgettes and tomatoes.

10. Sow directly where possible

Harvesting sweetcorn

Sow plants from seed where they are to grow to give them the best chance of developing a good root system. Many plants transplant well, including brassicas, onions and herbaceous plants, but beans, sunflowers and sweetcorn are examples where direct sowing can be helpful.

11. Space crops more widely

Wider spacing gives roots more soil to explore for water.

Protecting water

12. Make better use of greenhouses

Growing more crops in greenhouses can reduce water losses, particularly when water-saving irrigation methods are used.

We can't know whether Summer will be dry, wet or somewhere in between. But preparing for water shortages now is a practical way to make gardens more resilient to whatever the weather brings.

Autumn is an ideal time to make a start. Planting while the soil is warm, improving soil structure, mulching, controlling weeds and choosing plants suited to drier conditions can all reduce the pressure on gardens when rainfall is scarce.

The work done this autumn could make all the difference next summer – helping to create healthier soil, stronger plants and a garden that needs less watering to thrive.