Five Ways To Prepare Your Yard For Winter

Trim the Grass
Be sure to trim the grass at the base of any fruit trees, as they may be susceptible to fungal and parasitic infections that can develop in long grass over the winter. Grass clippings can be left on the lawn, and actually increase nitrogen levels in the soil by at least 25%! Over-seeding and fertilizing in fall will also help your lawn to be healthier and thicker come springtime.

Water Perennials and Shrubs
Soil moisture is still important in the fall for perennials and shrubs. Heavy watering in the fall can benefit your plants come springtime. Multiple times throughout the season, be sure to fully saturate the soil, and ideally try to develop an ice crust around the root systems.

Tend to Your Garden
Fall is the time to remove any dead or unhealthy plants from your garden, and move any sensitive bulbs indoors for the winter. Spreading compost and mulch over your garden soil will help to protect it over the cold winter months and add nutrients to it for spring and summer!

Plant Fall Bulbs
Be sure to wait until the weather is cool enough — soil is an amazing insulator and may be warmer than you’d expect. The ideal temperature for planting bulbs is 7C. We recommend waiting until after the first frost to ensure that your bulbs don’t start growing until the spring! Some bulbs that do well planted in the fall are tulips, peonies, allium, and daffodils.

Save Your Perennials
Trimming back perennials in the fall can help to protect their extremities from frigid temperatures. Every perennial is different, so be sure to research the specific plants in your yard. Your plants will soon stop growing externally and instead focus on creating a deep root system, so if any perennials need to be transplanted, do it now!