How to Get Your Garden and Other Outdoor Spaces Ready for Winter
Completing these 12 tasks will prep your yard for colder weather and set you up for success in spring
Late fall is when the bustle of the garden eases and the outdoor to-do list gets much shorter. Even so, there are a number of tasks to complete to get your yard ready for the winter, from storing patio decor and furnishings to adjusting your plant care schedule and tackling some seasonal cleanup.
2. Protect Your Containers
Move ceramic, terra-cotta and other fragile containers indoors or to a sheltered spot for the winter, as they can easily crack when exposed to the cold. Insulate larger containers that can’t be moved.
Metal, stone and concrete containers are more cold-tolerant, but you might want to move them as well, especially if you expect extreme weather or they are pieces you love.
Clean any empty containers and store them in a shed, garage or other sheltered place until you’re ready to reuse them in the spring.
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Move ceramic, terra-cotta and other fragile containers indoors or to a sheltered spot for the winter, as they can easily crack when exposed to the cold. Insulate larger containers that can’t be moved.
Metal, stone and concrete containers are more cold-tolerant, but you might want to move them as well, especially if you expect extreme weather or they are pieces you love.
Clean any empty containers and store them in a shed, garage or other sheltered place until you’re ready to reuse them in the spring.
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3. Finish Fall Harvesting
Harvest most vegetables and fruits from your garden before the weather turns frosty. Some vegetables, such as kale, can handle the cold, so you can let them go longer. But if you live in a region that gets heavy snowfall, you’ll want to harvest everything before your vegetable garden gets buried.
If you live in a region with warm winters, now is the time to start a winter vegetable garden. In addition to kale, consider planting cabbage, spinach and lettuce. Other seasonal favorites include carrots, radishes, potatoes and garlic.
Tip: Did you grow edibles that you loved this season? Save seeds from those plants for next year’s garden.
How to Start a Cool-Season Vegetable Garden
Harvest most vegetables and fruits from your garden before the weather turns frosty. Some vegetables, such as kale, can handle the cold, so you can let them go longer. But if you live in a region that gets heavy snowfall, you’ll want to harvest everything before your vegetable garden gets buried.
If you live in a region with warm winters, now is the time to start a winter vegetable garden. In addition to kale, consider planting cabbage, spinach and lettuce. Other seasonal favorites include carrots, radishes, potatoes and garlic.
Tip: Did you grow edibles that you loved this season? Save seeds from those plants for next year’s garden.
How to Start a Cool-Season Vegetable Garden
4. Adjust Your Care Schedule
Your regular garden chores will lessen as cold weather sets in, but you’ll still need to water as needed or until the ground freezes. Keeping plants well hydrated will help them survive winter temperature drops. Hydration is especially important for perennials, shrubs and trees that you’ve planted during the past few months.
Garden pros generally recommend to stop fertilizing during fall, to prevent plants from expending energy on new growth when cold weather sets in. But continue to pull weeds as they appear, to keep them under control.
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Your regular garden chores will lessen as cold weather sets in, but you’ll still need to water as needed or until the ground freezes. Keeping plants well hydrated will help them survive winter temperature drops. Hydration is especially important for perennials, shrubs and trees that you’ve planted during the past few months.
Garden pros generally recommend to stop fertilizing during fall, to prevent plants from expending energy on new growth when cold weather sets in. But continue to pull weeds as they appear, to keep them under control.
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5. Assess Your Yard’s Health
Take a general survey of how the plants in your garden are faring. If they have been struggling, try to determine if the location is wrong, the plants need additional care or you simply need to move or replace them.
Fall is also a good time to make plans for any problematic areas you’ve noticed during the past few months; you can deal with them either immediately or in early spring. This might include addressing areas that are too dry or overly soggy, or managing overgrown plants or barren patches.
Assess outdoor structures at the same time. You’ll want to make any needed repairs before winter weather sets in.
Take a general survey of how the plants in your garden are faring. If they have been struggling, try to determine if the location is wrong, the plants need additional care or you simply need to move or replace them.
Fall is also a good time to make plans for any problematic areas you’ve noticed during the past few months; you can deal with them either immediately or in early spring. This might include addressing areas that are too dry or overly soggy, or managing overgrown plants or barren patches.
Assess outdoor structures at the same time. You’ll want to make any needed repairs before winter weather sets in.
6. Do Some Cleanup
Remove fading annuals and plants that are diseased or dead or have been infested by insects. Cut off any rotting stems or mushy foliage on herbaceous perennials, or completely cut back those plants.
You also should cut back plants, such as lilies, irises and peonies, that will die off and be more difficult to clean up in spring, or that are susceptible to diseases, especially fungal diseases, that can develop in winter. Do the same with exuberant self-seeders, or you may end up with an overabundance of them come spring. Trim plants that need a light shaping.
Check trees and large shrubs for dead or weak branches that might break during storms. Removing them will prevent damage to both the plants and the surrounding areas. Fall is not the ideal time for a major pruning, but you can gently shape plants and remove limbs.
Remove fading annuals and plants that are diseased or dead or have been infested by insects. Cut off any rotting stems or mushy foliage on herbaceous perennials, or completely cut back those plants.
You also should cut back plants, such as lilies, irises and peonies, that will die off and be more difficult to clean up in spring, or that are susceptible to diseases, especially fungal diseases, that can develop in winter. Do the same with exuberant self-seeders, or you may end up with an overabundance of them come spring. Trim plants that need a light shaping.
Check trees and large shrubs for dead or weak branches that might break during storms. Removing them will prevent damage to both the plants and the surrounding areas. Fall is not the ideal time for a major pruning, but you can gently shape plants and remove limbs.
7. Support Local Wildlife
Doing some fall maintenance is good, but don’t rush to clean up your entire garden. Ornamental grasses provide food and protection for birds, small nonhibernating animals and insects.
Most perennials should be pruned in late winter or early spring, rather than in fall. Their seed heads are a food source as well, and their stalks help protect the plants from winter chill.
As a bonus, your winter landscape will be filled with texture and movement if you don’t fully clean it up.
Make Your Garden a Haven for Backyard Birds
Doing some fall maintenance is good, but don’t rush to clean up your entire garden. Ornamental grasses provide food and protection for birds, small nonhibernating animals and insects.
Most perennials should be pruned in late winter or early spring, rather than in fall. Their seed heads are a food source as well, and their stalks help protect the plants from winter chill.
As a bonus, your winter landscape will be filled with texture and movement if you don’t fully clean it up.
Make Your Garden a Haven for Backyard Birds
8. Tackle Lawns and Garden Beds
Aerate and dethatch your lawn in fall to loosen the soil and encourage absorption of air, water and nutrients. Doing so also will encourage strong root growth.
Rake leaves off lawns and garden beds on a regular basis. Add them to a compost or leaf pile, or mulch them with a mower to break them up.
You can lightly scatter shredded leaves over the lawn to decompose and enrich the soil over winter, but be careful not to smother the grass. Add shredded leaves to your garden beds as well, along with bark mulch, compost or leaf mold.
5 Ways to Put Fall Leaves to Work in Your Garden
Aerate and dethatch your lawn in fall to loosen the soil and encourage absorption of air, water and nutrients. Doing so also will encourage strong root growth.
Rake leaves off lawns and garden beds on a regular basis. Add them to a compost or leaf pile, or mulch them with a mower to break them up.
You can lightly scatter shredded leaves over the lawn to decompose and enrich the soil over winter, but be careful not to smother the grass. Add shredded leaves to your garden beds as well, along with bark mulch, compost or leaf mold.
5 Ways to Put Fall Leaves to Work in Your Garden
9. Overwinter Delicate Plants
Move tender plants and less hardy overwintering bulbs, especially those in ceramic or terra-cotta containers, to a sunny window or sheltered spot for the winter. If moving plants isn’t practical, you can cover them with cloches or cold frames.
Warm-winter regions can still experience freezing weather. Prepare by having stakes and blankets handy for insulation when the temperature drops. A festive option is stringing old-fashioned holiday lights (the ones that emit low heat) through vulnerable plants.
Move tender plants and less hardy overwintering bulbs, especially those in ceramic or terra-cotta containers, to a sunny window or sheltered spot for the winter. If moving plants isn’t practical, you can cover them with cloches or cold frames.
Warm-winter regions can still experience freezing weather. Prepare by having stakes and blankets handy for insulation when the temperature drops. A festive option is stringing old-fashioned holiday lights (the ones that emit low heat) through vulnerable plants.
10. Prep Your Pipes
In cold-winter regions, shut off any exterior water systems before cold weather hits. Then open the tap and drain the lines to prevent damage. Finally, disconnect any hoses. Do the same for any water lines leading to an outdoor kitchen.
At the same time, drain and clean any outdoor water features, such as fountains and ponds.
In warmer regions, check that your irrigation system is still working correctly. Repair or replace any sprinkler heads or drip system components as needed. Cut back on watering frequency as the weather cools. If rainfall is sufficient, turn the system off.
Even if you live in a warmer area, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on winter forecasts. Insulate exterior pipes and taps if a freeze is predicted, especially one that will last several days. Another option is to open the taps slightly to allow water to slowly drip out.
In cold-winter regions, shut off any exterior water systems before cold weather hits. Then open the tap and drain the lines to prevent damage. Finally, disconnect any hoses. Do the same for any water lines leading to an outdoor kitchen.
At the same time, drain and clean any outdoor water features, such as fountains and ponds.
In warmer regions, check that your irrigation system is still working correctly. Repair or replace any sprinkler heads or drip system components as needed. Cut back on watering frequency as the weather cools. If rainfall is sufficient, turn the system off.
Even if you live in a warmer area, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on winter forecasts. Insulate exterior pipes and taps if a freeze is predicted, especially one that will last several days. Another option is to open the taps slightly to allow water to slowly drip out.
11. Clean and Store Tools
Whether gardening season is coming to an end or you’ll continue to work in your yard, fall is an ideal time to repair, clean and sanitize your outdoor tools. Store them in a shed or garage where you can easily access them if needed but where they are protected from winter weather.
Whether gardening season is coming to an end or you’ll continue to work in your yard, fall is an ideal time to repair, clean and sanitize your outdoor tools. Store them in a shed or garage where you can easily access them if needed but where they are protected from winter weather.
12. Get a Head Start on Spring Planting
Add soil amendments to planting beds before winter sets in. They’ll break down during the coming months, and you’ll be able to get a jump on spring planting once the soil is dry enough to work.
If you live in a warm-winter area, you also can grow cover crops, such as fava beans or clover, throughout the season that will restore nutrients to the soil or support overwintering pollinators.
Sow wildflower seeds and plant bulbs, either in the ground or in containers, for spring blooms.
Get a Head Start on Planning Your Garden Even if It’s Snowing
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Add soil amendments to planting beds before winter sets in. They’ll break down during the coming months, and you’ll be able to get a jump on spring planting once the soil is dry enough to work.
If you live in a warm-winter area, you also can grow cover crops, such as fava beans or clover, throughout the season that will restore nutrients to the soil or support overwintering pollinators.
Sow wildflower seeds and plant bulbs, either in the ground or in containers, for spring blooms.
Get a Head Start on Planning Your Garden Even if It’s Snowing
More on Houzz
Read more landscape design guides
Browse thousands of landscape photos
Find a landscape designer
Shop for gardening tools
Clean cushions, pillows, rugs, throws and other decorative items as well as portable outdoor furniture when the outdoor entertaining season is over in your area. Move everything to a protected place, such as a garage, shed or storage unit, for the season.
If you plan to keep using your outdoor spaces throughout the colder months, invest in good protective covers. Do the same for fixtures that are permanently installed but vulnerable to cold temperatures or temperature fluctuations, such as birdbaths, fountains, fire pits, grills and outdoor kitchen features.
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