As the vibrant colours of fall begin to fade, it’s time to help your garden rest and recharge for next spring. A little preparation now can make a big difference in how healthy and beautiful your plants look when the snow melts.
Here’s your step-by-step guide to putting the garden to bed the right way this fall.
1. Clean Up Spent Plants and Weeds
Start by removing annuals that have finished blooming and any vegetable plants past their prime. This prevents disease and pests from overwintering in dead plant material.
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Compost healthy plants.
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Discard diseased or insect-infested material (don’t compost it!).
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Pull any lingering weeds so they don’t seed next spring.
Garden Centre Tip: Grab a sturdy pair of garden gloves and compost bags—available in our tool section—to make cleanup quick and easy.
2. Prune Selectively
Fall is a great time for light pruning—but avoid heavy cuts on most shrubs and trees, which can encourage tender new growth before frost.
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Trim back perennials that have died back.
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Remove broken or crossing branches from trees and shrubs.
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Save major pruning for late winter or early spring.
Pro Tip: Use quality bypass pruners to avoid tearing branches and damaging bark.
3. Protect Tender Plants
If you grow roses, hydrangeas, or other borderline-hardy plants, now’s the time to give them a little protection.
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Add a mound of mulch around the base of roses.
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Wrap tender shrubs in burlap or apply an anti-desiccant spray like Wilt-Pruf® to prevent winter moisture loss.
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Move potted plants to sheltered spots or indoors.
4. Mulch Garden Beds
A 2–3 inch layer of mulch acts like a winter blanket, keeping soil temperatures stable and protecting roots.
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Use shredded bark, leaves, or straw.
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Apply after the ground begins to cool but before it freezes solid.
Mulching also helps prevent frost heave, where plants are pushed out of the soil during freeze-thaw cycles.
5. Water Before the Ground Freezes
Give trees, shrubs, and perennials a deep soak before the ground freezes. Hydrated roots are less prone to winter damage.
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Focus on evergreens, which continue to lose moisture through winter.
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Use a slow trickle to let water penetrate deeply.
6. Plant Bulbs for Spring Blooms
Fall is the perfect time to plant tulips, daffodils, and crocuses.
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Choose healthy bulbs and plant them about 2–3 times as deep as their height.
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Add a sprinkle of bulb fertilizer to encourage strong root growth.
Stop by our garden centre to browse this season’s fresh bulb selection!
7. Store Tools and Equipment
Clean and oil your garden tools before storing them for winter. Drain hoses and store them indoors to prevent cracking.
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Empty and cover rain barrels.
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Protect ceramic pots from freezing by moving them inside or turning them upside down.
Ready Your Garden for a Restful Winter
A bit of effort now will reward you with healthier plants, fewer problems, and a head start when spring arrives. Stop by Oceanview Home & Garden for everything you need—mulch, Wilt-Pruf®, bulbs, tools, and expert advice to make your garden winter-ready!
Thank you for the tips!
The garden cleanup part is so important, but I’d be careful not to make the yard too “cozy” right next to the house. Leaf piles, stacked pots, and bags of soil against the foundation are basically pest hotels by winter. I like keeping compost and brush piles useful, just not touching the siding or sitting right by vents.