As the chilly nights draw in, it's critical to shield your beloved garden. Don't let your painstaking efforts in transforming your dull backyard into a blooming haven be undone.

With October upon us, now is the prime time for garden prep ahead of the harsh winter months that can devastate your soil's health; and let's not forget, the impending wet conditions are prime time for those stubborn weeds to make an unwelcome comeback.

But gardening aficionados rejoice, as experts have disclosed a simple trick that for as little as 89p could be a game changer, maintaining your soil brimming with nutrients whilst also preventing those pesky weeds from sprouting.

The solution? Green manure - nature's answer to fertilising akin to animal dung.

"Most green manure grows over winter when the ground is free of crops," the Royal Horticultural Society elaborates.

"Sow them late summer or autumn to help mop up nutrients and prevent them being washed away by winter rain...

"Winter grazing rye and winter tares, for example are hardy green manures that carry on growing all winter before you dig them back into the soil in spring," reports the Mirror.

It seems that green manures are your garden's secret weapon, ideally covering any exposed soil patches amidst crops or during off-seasons to enhance fertility, texture, and add a boost of nutrients to your garden.

Moreover, weeds find it rather challenging to root where green manure has been sown.

Experts at Gardeners' World are applauding the virtues of green manure as a superior choice to maintain soil health, tipping off garden enthusiasts about its benefits over synthetic solutions.

"Synthetic fertilisers are available and offer quick results, however they reduce the fertility of the soil in the long term as they disrupt, and eventually kill off, the fauna and microbes necessary for keeping soil healthy," they cautioned.

To plant Green Manure, available from garden centres or online from just 89p a pack, simply measure your plot and follow the sowing instructions on the packet.

Sprinkle the seeds over prepared land, then gently rake them in to shield them from hungry birds.

Gardeners' World continues to endorse the method, advising: "Ideally, you should dig in your green manure three to four weeks before planting new crops, and at least a month before sowing seed," highlighting the importance of allowing the manure time to decompose and replenish the soil.

However, if you spot the green manure nearing maturity, it's time to dig it in early.

Manure that is young and green will enrich the soil within weeks, but more mature, woodier material requires more time to break down.