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WITH the upcoming week set for crisp weather, it’s the perfect time to give your garden an Autumn revamp.
For those of you who want to save money, but are still wanting to transform your space, this next week is the ideal temperature to get your hands dirty and engage in some garden DIY.
To help you know where to start, garden and landscaping experts at Dino Decking have revealed the easy to do, quick and budget friendly garden jobs to get stuck into.
To prepare your shed ahead of Autumn and Winter, there are a few maintenance bits and pieces to carry out.
Not only will it make your shed look wonderful, but painting your shed can help it endure the colder months easier by adding protection from weathering.
If you’re feeling particularly handy, you could check your shed roof for any holes and tears and do a DIY repair job.
Additionally, apply a wood treatment to add an extra layer of protection.
To keep your shed from rotting and decaying, keep your gutters clear of leaves so that water can run freely off your shed which will prevent it from flooding.
If you don’t feel like getting your hands dirty, you could spend time decluttering and clearing out your shed, which will help you find things easier, prevent buying duplicates of tools and also free up space.
The first step is to remove everything and start with a clean slate, before grouping items in terms of keep and chuck.
Once this has been done, plan your layout to make it easier to find items in the future and then put back all the necessary items.
September is a great time to prepare the soil if you’re wanting to sow seed or lay turf, as well as getting your fruits and veg in the ground.
Early to mid September, it’s the ideal temperature to provide an optimal growing environment for lettuce (16-18°C).
To get the best result, keep soil moist and cool, but ensure it’s not waterlogged.
Planting spring onions in September also gives them time to take advantage of the summer sun, which is needed for germination.
It’s also the perfect time to plant up your well rooted strawberry runners into new beds, and finish pruning fruit trees to encourage fruiting for the next season.
Autumn is the perfect time to start lawn maintenance again. Make sure you set your mowing height to 4 cm to allow grass to get winter ready.
If you don’t have a lawn mower, you can also do this manually. Whilst you’re rejuvenating your lawn, it’s also a great opportunity to scarify, aerate, repair patches and overseed your lawn.
To repair patches, simply take a rake and some lawn seed and begin by clearing out any obvious weeds and dead grass.
Once it’s clear, rake it level and add some compost to keep your soil looking and feeling healthy before spreading an even layer of seeds to the soil. Rake in gently and then lightly firm it with your feet.
Depending on the British weather, if it doesn’t look like it will be raining soon, spray gently with a hose, being mindful of not pushing the seeds out.
Take advantage of the crisp but dry weather by setting time aside to inspect your decking for any signs of wear, damage, or potential issues.
Have a look for areas where boards may be loose or uneven, as well as any signs of rot, mould, or mildew.
It’s important that you promptly address these issues to prevent them from worsening and help maintain the integrity of your decking over time.
Once you’ve inspected your decking, it’s time to give it a good clean. To begin, use a broom to push aside any leaves or debris to give you a clear surface to work on.
Then, using lukewarm water, gently scrub the surface with a soft-bristled brush. Rinse thoroughly, or for a quicker solution, mop away any excess water.
For any stubborn stains caused by grease and oil spill from the BBQ, consider purchasing a specialised spray or cleaner, and with a bit of scrubbing, they’ll vanish like magic.
With September starting, so does autumn, and The Sun's Gardening Editor Veronica Lorraine has a few tasks to keep you busy as the summer sun winds down.
1. Starting thinking about Spring bulbs
Its early bulb time! As well as the more traditional daffodils, crocuses, alliums and bluebells, try snake-head fratillaries for something slightly different.
2. Remember the bees
Make sure you’re still looking after the bees with autumn flowering pollinators – like sedums, honeysuckle and asters.
3. Dig and enjoy your potatoes
Maincrop potatoes are ready to dig up – make sure you get them all so they don’t get slug damage.
4. Change your lawn mowing schedule
Raise the height of your lawn mower and start to reduce the amount of mowing you do. GIve it an autumn feed, especially if you didn’t get round to it in Summer and start to rake to remove thatch.
5. Plant out new perennials while the soil is still warm.
6. Take salvia cuttings
It’s as easy as cutting a shoot tip above a node and chucking it in a glass of water to see if it sprouts roots. Especially with tender Salvias which wont survive the winter.
7. Keep camelias well watered to make sure that buds form next year.
8. Keep on deadheading and watering your hanging baskets
They should keep going until the first frosts.
9. Get pumpkins Halloween ready
Remove any leaves shading pumpkins to make sure they’ll be ready for halloween – and make sure you keep watering them, they’re very thirsty.
10. Check on your pond
Net your pond to stop it filling with fallen leaves when the trees start to drop.
To keep your garden in tip top condition, it’s time to remove the annoying weeds.
You can simply remove weeds by cutting them down with scissors.
However if you prefer, you can also use your hands to dig out the weeds and roots too.
Once you’ve weeded your garden, set aside 15 minutes every few days to prevent it getting messy again.
Also ensure you’re annually trimming climbers and plants by cutting them down and removing the dead stems.
HI, I’m Veronica Lorraine, The Sun’s new Gardening Editor.
It’s a great honour to carry on the paper’s proud tradition of horticultural coverage.
As an RHS-trained professional gardener and journalist with 18 years at The Sun, I know our readers are passionate about tending their outside spaces.
So each week I’ll bring you all the news, tips, tutorials, competitions, Q&As and seasonal advice.
No matter how or where you garden.
Happy Planting!
DRIVERS have been warned to check their route ahead of a major UK motorway closure TONIGHT.
Travel chaos could strike across the weekend as works take place on a busy stretch of road – used by around 150,000 motorists daily.
A diversion route has been put in place for those wishing to use the M62, which connects Liverpool to Hull, due to an essential bridge replacement.
Network Rail will be working on the 60-year-old Castleton bridge from today.
Closures are place from 9pm until 6am on Monday September 23.
Affected stretches of the motorway include eastbound routes shut from junction 18 at Simister Island interchange to junction 20 at Rochdale.
Westbound the closure extends between junction 20 and junction 19 at Heywood.
Eastbound traffic from the M66 or clockwise M60 has been advised to exit at junction 21 of the M60 at Chadderton.
Drivers are then urged to follow the northbound A663 (Broadway) and A627M to rejoin the M62 at junction 20.
Meanwhile, westbound drivers will be diverted off the M62 at junction 20 onto the southbound A627(M), then westbound A664 and northbound A6046 to rejoin at junction 19.
This is the second dose of disruption, after another closure earlier this month.
Amid the shutdowns, Manchester Airport issued warning to passengers looking to jet off this weekend.
Writing on X, airport bosses suggested using “alternative routes” to get to the terminal and leaving earlier to avoid missing flights.
And in a similar statement, major airline Jet2 urged drivers to “avoid” the affected sections of the road.
The firm added: “Please allow enough time to travel to your departure airport as all Jet2.com flights are still due to operate as scheduled.”
There will also be no trains running on the line, which connects Manchester Victoria to Rochdale.
Rail replacement bus services will be in operation instead.
Network Rail sponsor Olivia Bolan, said: “The replacement of Castleton bridge is essential for the safe running of our railway, and crucial to the country’s economy as six per cent of the UK’s energy supply relies on the bridge for transportation.
“I’d like to thank passengers and motorists for their understanding while we carry out this work.
“It is a unique project that sees weekend closures of the M62 for the first time.
“Please, check before you travel on the M62 or between Manchester and Rochdale from 6-25 September 2024.”
Steve Mason, Nationals Highways’ North West programme delivery manager, added: “The collaboration between Network Rail and National Highways highlights our commitment to minimising disruption for both rail and road users during this essential project.
“We appreciate the understanding of passengers and motorists during this work and urge them to check travel plans for September 2024.
“National Highways is actively working with Network Rail to communicate the impact on road users and ensure a smooth process during this important upgrade.”
KATY Perry’s seventh album 143 has left many wondering whether the US pop superstar, 39, may have lost her Midas touch.
Having dropped at midnight, critics have already branded the music “mediocre” and ‘generic,’ with some even calling her comeback a ‘complete flop.”
Her lead single, Womans World has been described as ‘dated’ and out of touch. Also at odds with Katy Kat fan base, is her decision to work with controversial record producer, Dr Luke.
Music bigwig, Lukasz Gottwald, last year settled a decade of suits and countersuits over pop star Kesha’s allegation that he drugged and raped her.
With writing credits on all but two songs on the new Katy Perry album, critics and fans alike have questioned the pop star’s judgement, in hiring a male producer whose reputation is tainted, to write from a female perspective.
In July the Woman’s World single became Perry’s worst performing release from an album in her 16-year career, debuting at number 63 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and at 47 in the UK, before finally dropping off both charts the following week.
Indeed the music video for the song which features Perry and her backing dancers on a construction site wearing tool kit belts and vintage style headscarf, have also failed to launch.
Although the intention, according to Katie Perry was satire, a so-called parody of ‘girl boss feminism’, it seems that the music video has left fans unsure of the underlying message.
Not long after the album landed, critics began sharing their reivews online. Music magazine Variety said: “
‘143’ strips away the remnants of the perky personality that catapulted [Katy] Perry into early 2010s superstardom. The album is flat, coasting on cascades of lyrical cliches and musical ideas that rarely crest.”
Another critic said: “143 is not a bad album nor is a great album. It’s really mediocre and generic but in a bad way.
It just lacks the Katy Perry charm and soul from previous albums with Katy actually making generic songs work. Any person could’ve sung those songs imo.”
Meanwhile another reviewer scathingly added: “The cotton candy gurl is gone, this is melted ice cream. Forget “Teenage Dream 2.0,” Katy Perry stars in a “Mid-age nightmare” produced by Dr. Luke.A dance-pop album filled with ai-like/elementary lyrics.”
The first sense of Perry sliding out of touch, was the release of her 2020 album Smile, released at the peak of the pandemic before promptly slumping off the charts.
Now it seems that the unique brand of sugar-coated pop is past its sell by date with artists like Charlie XCX, Billie Elish, and Sabrina Carpenter choosing a more stripped-back confessional tone, that appears popular with the fans.
But many critics have also noted Perry’s strategic move to embrace her sexy side, in a bid to keep up with the current crop of pop starlets, as the mother-of-one approaches 40.
Like many global artists in the vein of Madonna and Lady Gaga, there is a need for constant reinvention to stay relevant.
Raised by peneticostal preachers, Katy burst onto the music scene in 2008 aged 23 with her mega hit, I Kissed a girl. Since then her albums such as “Teenage Dream” and “Prism”, have sold millions of copies worldwide.
Her hit singles like “Firework”, “Roar”, and “Dark Horse” have topped charts globally, bringing in substantial revenue from sales and streaming.
The once dubbed ‘Queen of quirks’ concert tours are known for their elaborate production and high-energy performances.
Tours like “The California Dreams Tour” and “Prismatic World Tour” have been highly lucrative, grossing hundreds of millions of pounds.
As of 2024 het net worth is estimated at being £280 million.
Perry has been in a relationship with British actor Orlando Bloom since 2016 after meeting at the Golden Globes afterparty.
After getting engaged on Valentines Day 2019, they welcomed their daughter Daisy in 2020.
THE world of plus-size modelling is evolving, but for the women on the frontlines of the movement, the path to self-love isn’t always easy.
From battling societal stigma to overcoming limitations, four plus-size models offered their insights into the industry.
Aly Avina, 30, from Virginia, regularly models for brands like Unique and Fabletics and averages about $50,000 (£37,600) a year.
Fo Aly, stepping into the industry began as a way to share body-positive messages with other plus-size women.
“I wanted to reach plus-size women who weren’t comfortable with how they looked yet,” she explained.
Posting on social media helped her build a following of over 200,000, but it also brought inevitable backlash.
“There are always people who want to troll the plus-size community,” she said.
“It’s going to attract those that want to tear you down, you’ll hear people say you’re glorifying obesity just because you’re in a larger body.”
However, Avina said that she has “taken the power back” through her platform.
“If someone wants to use ‘fat’ as a negative connotation, that’s their prerogative, but I’m not going to take being called ‘fat’ as an insult because that’s who I am,” she said.
Despite the negativity, Avina stresses that body positivity is about accepting yourself at any size.
Her biggest challenge is ignoring the hate, but she’s learned to develop a thick skin.
“You just have to stand up for yourself and not let it get to you,” she said.
Alex Aspasia, 30, a Fashion Nova Curve and OnlyFans model from Florida, believes that brands still overlook the larger end of the plus-size spectrum.
“I wear a size 24 (UK 28), and I feel like we’re still missing representation,” she explained.
“The average body for a plus-size model is a size 14 or 16 (UK 18 or 20), which is great, but there are also women beyond that size who need representation.”
Aspasia began her journey in 2019 by posting her fashion and lifestyle on social media, inspired by other plus-size creators.
But she’s often accused of promoting obesity simply by existing in her body.
“I never once have said it’s OK to be obese, I tell people to love themselves and live authentically,” she said.
“Fatphobia seems to be ramping up again with things like Ozempic and diet culture, but I know people are just projecting their insecurities onto me.”
“I tell people it’s OK to live authentically and love yourself because the best way to go through this life is with self-love and to be a kind person to spread positivity,” she added.
“And that’s literally been my message since day one.”
Ivy Davenport, 38, who is also from Florida, started modelling as a way to fund her education and now owns HFG Multimedia.
“I started doing online adult plus-size modelling to pay for college,” she explained.
After one video went viral, Davenport received hundreds of nasty messages, including, “You’re disgusting,” “You don’t deserve to breathe,” and “Get away from the refrigerator.”
While the nature of her work has sparked controversy, Davenport is unfazed by negative comments.
“There’s always going to be people saying hateful things, but I just ignore it or laugh,” she said.
“Fat isn’t a dirty word, it’s a descriptor.”
Through modelling, Davenport has developed a deep sense of self-acceptance.
“Modelling taught me to see beauty in everyone, regardless of size.
“Especially in plus-size modelling, it’s nice because it shines a light on people who might be overlooked in other settings.”
Dutchess Jones, 39, from Alabama, faces unique challenges as a “curvy plus-size” model, straddling the line between traditional slim models and larger BBW models.
“I’m a size 12, so I’m neither slim nor BBW. For me, it’s difficult on both sides because I’m neither of them,” she explained.
Jones, who models for up-and-coming designers in the plus-size community, highlighted the lack of inclusive sizing from many designers.
“There are still a lot of boutiques and designers that don’t cater to anyone over a size 8 (UK 12),” she said.
“A lot of designers don’t want to invest in the fabric or use plus-size models.”
Despite the hurdles, Jones is hopeful about the future of plus-size modelling.
“As of late, the world is becoming more aware of the talent that plus-size models bring to the table — the pizazz, the energy, the talent. There’s more to come.”
A BRIT who had 70 operations after sick attackers doused her in acid in Zanzibar says she now feels “confident” in her own scars.
Katie Gee was just 18 and walking with a friend in the city of Stone Town when two men on a motorbike threw acid at her in a horror attack.
The North Londoner, now 29, was volunteering at a school on the African island when she was targeted in August 2013.
The right side of her face, body and ear were “burnt to a crisp” as she had 70 procedures over the next three years to recover.
She was forced to wear a plastic face mask and a full body compression suit for 23 hours-a-day after the horrific attack.
Her right ear was so badly damaged it needed to be removed but she had a new one sculpted from tissue from one of her ribs.
Katie had an “uncomfortable” time with her new appearance in the first few years after the attack but has now found “confidence” with her scars.
The Brit, who has a background in real estate, said: “I remember going out for lunch and bumped into a friend’s sister and she didn’t recognise me.
“Now if someone wants to stares I will just stare back and make them feel very uncomfortable.
“I don’t have any shame anymore. I’m in a good place. I’m confident in my scars.”
Katie was going out for dinner with her friend when tragedy took place.
She said: “I was on the way and two men on a motorbike came past. They stopped for half a second.
“I was about to turn to say ‘what do they want?’ and as I was turning back they threw it.
“I tried to wipe my eyes. I tried to read the number plate.
“It started to burn straight away. I wasn’t sure at first if it was a really hot pot of coffee.
“I had heard of Katie Piper. I put two and two together.”
Katie hurried to a restaurant she had visited to before as she remembered that it had a shower, but was startled to see her face and body in the mirror.
She recalled: “It was a yellow, green colour. I was wearing baggy trousers, trainers and a t-shirt and hoodie.
“The acid was burning through the hoodie and burnt off the trousers.
“My ear got burnt off. They said it had burnt off like a crisp.”
Katie had 35 per cent burns and spent two-and-a-half months in the burns unit at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.
She initially had lots of blood transfusions and donor skin placed on her body.
“They want all the burnt skin off you,” she explained.
Katie then spent the next three years in and out of hospital undergoing 70 operations, including 12-hour-long skin graft surgeries.
She found the year after the attack the hardest, saying: “The scars contract. That’s when they scars are really red and bumpy.
“I had the face mask to put on for most of the day.
She revealed that surgeons wanted to shave her head and use the skin from her scalp, but she begged to keep her hair as “that was the only part that feels nice.”
Katie added: “It helped me leave the house. It was hard for me – I was on my own for three years.”
After getting her eye lid re-built, the 29-year-old finally had her ear reconstructed in 2015 – using cartilage from her ribs and skin from her scalp.
She said: “I didn’t have an ear for over three years.
“[The reconstruction] It made me feel normal. I was looking more like myself.”
Katie went onto graduate from Nottingham University with a 2:1 in sociology and has spent the last five years in real estate but has recently left her job to figure out a new career path.
It took a while for Katie to find the confidence to date again but she is now in a relationship with Michael, also 29.
She admitted: “It took a while to realise people can still fancy me.
“He is really nice and really sweet. He’ll compliment me all the time – even if I’m looking hideous.”
The culprit – who “smiled” before dousing Katie – has never been caught over the attack in the main city Stone Town.
Katie said: “It is still something I think about every day.
“Every time I look in the mirror I can see it.
“It’s still something that affects me all the time.”
Katie has now started sharing her story on TikTok to help others with body confidence and sharing her tips – such as the best make up for scarred skin.
She said: “I want to be a body positive person who is confident in her scars.”
Katie gave her first TV interview since the horror ordeal in 2018, on ITV’s Loose Women.
BRIT TV presenter and former model Katie Piper was the victim of a brutal acid attack in 2008.
The attack was orchestrated by her ex-boyfriend, Daniel Lynch, and carried out by an accomplice, Stefan Sylvestre.
Piper underwent numerous surgeries to treat her burns, including pioneering skin grafts and procedures to rebuild her face.
The physical and emotional recovery process was long and painful as Piper was fitted with a plastic mask that she had to wear for 23 hours a day for two years.
Both Daniel Lynch and Stefan Sylvestre were arrested and convicted.
Lynch received two life sentences for his role in organising the attack and for raping Piper, while Sylvestre was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of six years.
Despite the horrific attack, Piper has shown immense strength.
She founded the Katie Piper Foundation, which supports burns victims and raises awareness about the challenges they face.
MEGHAN Markle has been fairly quiet lately, despite having numerous projects on the horizon, such as her new lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard (ARO).
The Duchess of Sussex announced she is launching the brand back in March – but has so far only sent branded jams to 50 high-profile friends and influencers.
Meghan, 43, is also set to debut a cooking show on Netflix that will tie in with the selling of her ARO products, which could include everything from tableware to dog treats.
According to royal biographer Emily Andrews, ARO is aiming to sell Meghan as a “beacon of inspiration, aspiration and attainability.”
She told Grazia: “Her style will be sold as ‘affordable elegance’ and while her image will concentrate on her status as a family-orientated yet ‘regal’ figure, while customers will be urged to embrace their innate elegance and ‘elevate the everyday.’”
However, her lifestyle brand has recently “suffered a bit of a blow.”
The Duchess of Sussex has experienced a setback in the bid to trademark her new homewares empire – after trying to claim ownership of the entire American Riviera.
In a setback officials pointed out that the wording of her brand is a common nickname for Santa Barbara in California.
Without a trademark in place, anyone can “imitate the brand, flog cut-price rip-offs and cheapen its image.”
Emily added: “Of course, Meghan’s office might submit a disclaimer mark confirming no claim is made to the exclusive right of ‘American Riviera’ but that does prove rather a headache for her and for Netflix (who are helping to bankroll it).”
Further hitches include Meg and her team filling in the official forms incorrectly, and failing to send enough cash.
And their application wasn’t even signed.
Her team, led by top US attorney Marjorie Witter Norman under Meghan’s fledgling Mama Knows Best LLC firm, applied to the Patent and Trademark Office in the States for legal protection to exclusively trade using the name ‘American Riviera Orchard’.
But the application, filed in March, has been rejected and now she has three months to amend the request – or it will be removed from the register.
MEGHAN Markle launched her brand's new Instagram page in March 2024, but no products are available to buy as of yet.
Industry insiders said the site will focus on home, food, garden and lifestyle goods.
Meghan kicked off promoting American Riviera Orchard by sending 50 branded jams to friends and influencers.
Those who received a package included Chrissy Teigen, Heather Dorak, Tracy Robbins and Kris Jenner.
She later unveiled two new products from her American Riviera Orchard brand just hours before Trooping the Colour.
Polo player and close friend of Prince Harry, Nacho Figueras was treated to a jar of raspberry jam from the collection as well as a jar of luxury dog biscuits for his pooch.
Emily added: “This all comes at a rather tricky time for Meghan – she and Harry signed a five-year deal with Netflix, which is due to come to an end next year.
“Neither side ever confirmed how much the deal was worth, but aside from their tell-all self-titled documentary series and another on the Invictus Games, they had nothing else to show for the reported 50 million.”
The Sussexes have bought the film rights to make a movie based on the book Meet Me at the Lake which is said to still be “in the works.”
Meanwhile, alongside Meghan’s cooking show, Prince Harry is reportedly filming a documentary on polo.
This comes as Meghan and Harry’s reported $20million Spotify deal falling through after one podcast series of Archetypes – with one senior official labelling them as “f***ing grifters”.
However, the Sussexes may be receiving a large sum of cash soon, as it was reported Prince Harry will accept an £8million inheritance despite not being a working royal.
Before her death, Harry’s great-gran the Queen Mother arranged for him to get the trust fund payment on his 40th birthday, which recently took place.
Former royal butler Grant Harrold told the New York Post: “I’ve no doubt that Harry will accept it.
“It’s money that’s owed to him, money that’s coming to him. I don’t think he will decline the money.
“It’s inheritance so it’s his right. It’s already something that has been set in place for years now.”
ZOE Ball appeared in good spirits on a day out with ex husband Fatboy Slim and their friends after vanishing from her BBC Radio 2 show.
Zoe, the BBC’s highest paid presenter after Gary Lineker, has taken six weeks off the flagship breakfast show but will return later this month.
The legendary broadcaster, the BBC highest earning female presenter, laughed and joked with the group at a beach cafe in Brighton.
Earlier this months insiders claimed “nobody knows what’s going on” as she failed to return after her summer break.
Zoe, 53, usually takes the reins on the flagship show every weekday morning from 6:30am.
Last week her replacement Scott Mills, who is usually in the drivetime hotseat, addressed his appearance on her show and wished Zoe well.
He said: “If you set your alarm every morning to go off at 6:30am and normally Zoe comes on, please do not freak out. You have not overslept.
“If you’ve just put us on this morning, it’s Scott Mills in for Zoe for the next few weeks. I’m sending you all my love Zo’, as are the team.”
She has remained silent on the reason for her extra time off.
The beloved star had a tough time earlier this year as she revealed her mother had cancer, and passed away in April.
Zoe has not been on the The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show since she briefly returned to hosting on August 8, following a summer break.
A source told MailOnline about the mystery surrounding Zoe’s absence and said: “Nobody knows what has happened but everyone loves Zoe.
“We hope everything is okay. Zoe is so loved at the BBC so to not have her around is really noticeable.”