Now is the time to winterise your garden

With autumn almost here, garden and greenhouse enthusiasts should now be considering how best to prepare their green space for winter.

As such, indyposted.com has provided a list of tasks for how to "winterise you garden", which should help growers get the area in shape for the cold weather and ensure it has the best chance of blooming in 2011.

A general tidy of the garden can be a simple and effective way to help prepare it for winter, which means raking up any fallen leaves and pulling any weeds before they go to seed in autumn.

Watering should also continue into autumn to ensure plants and trees get a good drink before the winter frosts lock away moisture.

Mulch is a great tool for gardeners and a loose four to eight-inch layer can act as a protective layer for the soil, guarding it against the wind and cold.

However, gardeners should avoid pruning or fertilising as these encourage new growth, which may make plants susceptible to damage in the winter months.

In other news, the Ithica Journal has revealed that the Tompkins County Cooperative Extension is to host an autumn gardening class.