There’s no doubt about it: it’s getting colder. As the leaves fall and the temperatures drop, winter is upon us. If you’re a gardener, or even if you just like to keep your yard and garden looking good, there are some things you need to do to make sure your garden makes it through the winter and is ready to bloom in the spring.

Even if you don’t have any perennial plants in your garden that you want to see bloom again next year, there are still some things you can do for your garden to keep it in the best condition possible as it gets cold and wet this winter. When you care for you garden this way, it will be healthier in the spring and summer and produce better looking plants.

Remove Dead Plants and Vegetables

First, remove dead plants. Now is a good time to pull up dead plants and remove them completely and also trim back leaves and branches that are diseased. If you have plants that you don’t plan on using again next spring, and that aren’t perennials, remove those too.

Dead vegetables can bring diseases and attract insects and rodents to your garden, making it harder to grow plants in the spring, so get rid of them now.

Cut Back Dry Branches, Leaves and Plants

If you have large trees, shrubs or other plants, cut back dry branches and leaves. Doing this will make your garden look better through the winter and can actually help the plants survive without sustaining damage.

Branches and overgrown plant parts can become very heavy and even snap and break when they are loaded with snow, so trimming them will help your plants avoid damage.

Spread Mulch Around Plants

Spreading mulch around your plants makes your garden look sharp and clean during the winter and helps prevent weed growth in the spring. But, don’t spread that mulch right away. Wait until after the first heavy frost to keep the soil at an even temperature and prevent rodents from burrowing into it. It’s recommended that you lay about a 15-centimetre layer of mulch in your garden.

One great tip is to use the cuttings from trees and bushes and the leaves you clear out of your garden as mulch. You can use a chipper or shredder to turn the material into an excellent mulch.

Wrap Guards Around Tree Trunks and Large Stems

During the winter, animals will be looking for food and many will turn to the bark or plants in your garden. Deter them and protect your plants by wrapping tree guards around tree trunks and bigger plants with large stems.

These guards will keep animals away so that your plants won’t lose bark, or worse, be eaten, during the winter. Doing this will make it easier to bring your garden back to life in the spring.

Till the Ground for Expansion and to Remove Weeds

If you are planning on expanding your garden next spring, this is a good time to till the ground in preparation. Hire a tiller and even a turf cutter if needed, and mark out the area you want to expand into. (You can hire a turf cutter online, here: https://www.hss.com/g/62356/Turf-Cutter.html.) Then use the tools to prepare the ground now, so when it thaws in the spring you will be ready to plant.

In areas that you have completely cleared of plants, like vegetable gardens, you can use a tiller to remove and force weed remnants into the ground and prepare it for the spring.

Store Summer Bulbs and Potted Plants

If you have summer bulbs in your garden you can actually save them, store them through the winter, and then reuse them in the spring. To do this, remove the bulb from the soil after the season’s first frost. Let the roots dry out in your garage for a few days and then shake them gently to remove lose dirt. Put the bulbs in a container of sawdust or peat moss and store it in a cool, dark place like a basement or garage.

Potted and hanging plants can also be stored and then placed in the garden again in the spring. Bring these plants into your garage for a few days to let them adjust to a warmer temperature, and then bring them into your home for the winter. Be sure to care for them properly while they are inside so they will be ready to go outside again when the weather gets warmer.

Plant Bulbs and other Fall-Friendly Plants

If you want plants like tulips, grape hyacinth, daffodils, crocuses, shallots or garlic in your garden, you will need to plant them this fall. Decide where you want the plants to be, taking into consideration how your garden will look when everything begins to grow again, and then plant them according to the directions on the bulbs’ packaging.

Cut the Grass and Aerate the Lawn

Cut the grass in your lawn one last time before winter sets in. This will make your yard look better and will make it easier to care for in the spring because the grass will already be short, instead of long and damaged from the cold and wet winter weather. Hire a lawn mower and give your yard a good trim now. You can also use a weed whacker to make the edges of the grass look especially nice.

This fall, before the snow starts to pile up, is the perfect time to hire an aerator and aerate your lawn. Aeration makes it possible for water, air and important nutrients to get deep into the soil under your lawn to keep it healthy. It also deters soil compaction, which can lead to unhealthy grass. If you aerate your lawn now, you won’t have to deal with walking on lumpy clumps of soil as much as if you were to do it in the spring, when you are in your garden more.

Before it gets too cold, and winter is upon us, use these tips to help you prepare your garden so it will stay healthy and be ready to go into full bloom in the spring. To browse HSS Hire's extensive gardening tools and equipment collection, please visit our website.