Winterizing Your Lawn and Garden: Essential Autumn Tasks

Proper winterizing protects your landscape investment and ensures a stronger spring start. A few autumn hours save countless spring headaches.

Easy Early Tasks

• Store fragile decor: planters, gazing balls, deck furniture. Clean and store unglazed terra cotta (water-filled pots crack in freezes).
• Set up bird feeders and stock winter seed—birds need reliable food sources.

Garden Cleanup

• After first hard frost, remove annuals and dead vegetation. Compost healthy material only—exclude diseased/pest-infested plants.
• Pull perennial weeds before winter mulching.
• Plant spring bulbs (crocus, tulips, daffodils) for early color.
• Rake leaves—compost or use as garden mulch (avoid smothering perennials with heavy layers).
• Delay tree pruning until deeper winter.

Protective Measures

• After ground freezes, mulch perennials and new trees.
• Wrap vulnerable shrubs in burlap against wind, sun scald, and winter injury.

Equipment Maintenance

• Run mowers and trimmers dry, or add fuel stabilizer. Change oil, clean air filters, wash thoroughly.
• Sharpen mower blades now—spring's first cut will be easier. Lightly oil blades and moving parts (cables, throttle) to prevent rust.
• Drain garden hoses completely. Shut off outdoor water.
• Store pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers in freeze-proof, child/pet-safe locations.

Thorough autumn preparation means healthier soil, happier plants, and a smoother gardening season ahead.