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Cleaning out the garden and yard once the leaves start to fall is always bittersweet. If you’re a gardener, it’s likely these spaces have provided not only a lovely backdrop to summer but also delicious fruits and veggies for your table. Now that it’s time to prep for the inevitable freeze-up, here are a few tips and tools to help make the end-of-season clear-out a bit easier.
For your lawn
Clearing weeds before the snow blankets everything may seem unnecessary, but it’s actually a smart move. Many weeds can overwinter, and they’re often the first plants to sprout in spring. Removing as many visible weeds as possible in autumn helps prevent them from taking over when the warmer weather returns. A stand-up weeder makes the job easy and satisfying–no bending, no back strain, and you pull out the entire plant, roots and all, in one go.
While there is some controversy over completely clearing your yard of leaves (some argue that leaving them on the ground provides a habitat for moths and other insects to lay eggs in the fall), chances are it’s a job you’d rather do in the fall rather than the spring, when a lot of this material is rotting. Most experts recommend a balanced approach: rake some leaves, but leave a layer on the lawn for natural protection. This lightweight rake is gentle on your back and can detach to double as a convenient leaf scoop.
And you can also get kids in on the action with these small-but-sturdy colourful rakes!
Lawncare professionals say applying a high-quality fertilizer in the fall can make all the difference in what your lawn looks like in spring. This phosphate-free version can be applied to the whole lawn in the fall, to protect the grass roots all winter and provide a lush green grass once the snow melts.
Most turf specialists agree that you should do a final trim of your lawn before the frost but ensure that you don’t cut the grass too close. Recommendations are to trim it to about a 6.35 cm height and to leave clippings on the lawn, to ensure nitrogen stays in the soil. This cordless machine with an adjustable deck is perfect for the job.
Along with ensuring you leave grass clippings on the lawn after a final mow, adding a layer of mulch around shrubs, bushes and other plants is protective against the winter cold as well as providing a much-needed host for small insects to over-winter.
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For your garden
While it’s not recommended to prune most trees and plants in the fall, you can safely get rid of any dead stems or rotting branches at this time of year. These bestselling shears with strong, titanium blades will do the job quickly and easily. Be sure to clean between plants to avoid passing along disease.
This tool is everything you need to clear out the last of the roots, leaves and other debris from the garden bed. The sturdy rotating cutter will help you clear out old weeds and aerate the soil in the garden pre-winter. Bonus: this same tool can be used in spring to ready the garden for planting.
After you dig all the weeds and spent annuals from your garden, it’s a great idea to add some fresh soil and mix it in to the existing garden bed before winter sets in. Doing this will mean a healthier base to start with in the spring.
Ensure shrubs and bushes don’t suffer winter damage with plant covers. Easy to slip on plants and coming in several sizes, these covers feature a zipper and drawstring design to keep your plants snug all winter. Along with protection from wind and rain, these covers will ensure your plants stay healthy until springtime, even when temperatures turn frigid (up to -17 degrees Celsius).
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