The days are shorter, and there’s a decidedly cold nip in the air. Your friends are enjoying hot toddies and planning ugly Christmas sweater parties. On the other hand, there you are—experiencing a bad case of gardening withdrawal. Don’t be down about it. Instead, use your time winterizing your yard and garden with an eye towards spring planting.
In fact, using these shortened fall and winter days wisely actually can help you get a jump start on the springtime. Spend that last outdoor time in the fall ensuring that all your lovely gardening things are safe from the ravages of Old Man Winter.
There’s no shortage of things you can do to putter around your yard in the late fall and early winter. We’ve assembled an awesome checklist of those necessary tasks that don’t need to wait until the arrival of spring. So, slip into your coziest sweater and warm hat, and enjoy the fresh, brisk autumn air while you tackle these winterizing projects.
“O, wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind?”
~Percy Bysshe Shelley, British Poet
YOUR GARDEN WINTERIZING CHECKLIST
1. Clear out Your Garden Beds
1a. Discard old plants from your vegetable beds ~
If you grow vegetables, don’t leave the withered stalks in the ground. Doing so will attract viruses and molds to your garden area. This includes blight, which can survive even the cold of winter and affect your tender new plants in the spring. Therefore, proper disposal of diseased plants is crucial to next year’s success.
1b. Clean out your spent annual flowers ~
Just as the vegetable beds need to be cleaned out, so do your flowers. Be sure that you’re only removing annuals and not pulling up your prized perennials!
1c. Remove any Surviving Weeds ~
While you’re clearing away the dead plants, remove any weeds that remain. This is true for both flower and vegetable beds.
If you are in a mild climate, zones 7 through 10, this is particularly important. That’s because if you have a milder winter season, you’ll be besieged by weeds come spring.
2. Plant Pansies for a Pop of Color
If you are fortunate enough to live in zones 7 to 10, you can plant pansies for an unexpected, cheerful pop of purple color. Plant them in November and they’ll thrive until you get a heavier snow (if you get snow!). In some zones, they will flourish until the heat of summer arrives.
But if you’re in a colder climate, you can always grow pansies indoors. To grow
3. Add Compost
Add light compost to the vegetable and flower beds.
Now that you’ve cleared the beds, add a light layer of compost or mulch to your gardens. Why a light layer?
You want to discourage any stubborn late or early spring weeds. However, you don’t want to insulate any bugs or viruses. A good winter freeze will kill them naturally, so you won’t need to battle them in the next growing season.
4. Store Your Bulbs
In the coldest of climates (zones 1 through 8), many gardeners are forced to locate and remove their bulbs to a place that’s cold but won’t receive a hard freeze for the winter. Usually, this is a shed or unheated garage.
Some bulbs to store in the coldest zones:
| PLANT NAME | STORE BULBS IN WHICH ZONES? |
| Gladiolus | 1-7 |
| Calla Lily | 1-6 |
| Canna Lily | 1-6 |
| Caladium | 1-8 |
| Elephant Ear | 1-8 |
| Dahlia | 1-7 |
| Amaryllis | 1-8 |
This is only a partial list of the most commonly affected bulbs that should be removed to storage in a garage or shed. Check in with your local extension office for specific information for your area.
5. Pot Your Herbs
If your herbs are still viable, pot them! You can keep them outside on milder days, or put them in a sunny window in your kitchen for access to fresh herbs all winter long.
Cold Tolerant Herbs:
- Rosemary – cold tolerant to 30 degrees. This is technically an evergreen, so you might not need to bring it inside in zones 8-10. It’s a famous herb for seasoning Mediterranean cuisine.
- Parsley– cold tolerant to 10 degrees. Add parsley to enhance your favorite winter soups and stews.
- Winter Savory – cold tolerant to 10 degrees. Enjoy the peppery flavor as a seasoning for meats. Or, enjoy it as a digestive aid in an herbal tea.
- Chives – cold tolerant to 40 degrees. Top your winter dishes with the mild onion flavor. It’s a great topper for baked potatoes.
- Lavender – cold tolerant to 10 degrees (dependant on your variety!). Season your foods or drink it in a tea to aid relaxation.
- Mint – cold tolerant to 40 degrees. Use it for herbal tea all winter long as it’s a natural decongestant.
Even though they are cold-hardy, these herbs don’t want to be smothered by a heavy blanket of snow. Having them in pots will ensure you can bring them inside when needed or move them to a sheltered area such as a covered patio.
Fresh herbs really belong anywhere you put them.
~Alex Guarnaschelli, chef
6. Start a Compost Pile
If you haven’t already, now’s the time to start a compost pile. You have lots of lovely brown leaves on hand and you’ll be brewing pots of coffee to keep warm all winter. Why not turn that waste into fertilizer?
Here are some hints to get started on composting.
- Keep it simple: You can start a compost pile on the ground or in a bin. If you choose to compost on the ground, invest in some chicken wire or fencing to deter scavengers such as skunks or raccoons.
- Locate it in a sunny spot: Your compost needs warmth to begin to break down.
- Keep it watered: If you live in a climate with dry winters, give your compost a watering regularly. The moisture is necessary for healthy compost.
- A balanced blend: You want a blend of carbon-rich “brown” materials and nitrogen-rich “green” materials to produce the desired results.
- Brown materials: Dead leaves, newspapers, unbleached coffee filters, small sticks, wood shavings
- Green materials: Vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, fruit peels
- Things to avoid: Oils, fats, animal waste, chicken bones, or meats. These will make your compost smell foul. In addition, you could attract some dangerous animals like coyotes.
- Turn the compost: Every two weeks (weather permitting), turn your compost pile. Use a pitchfork, shovel, or whatever tool you’re comfortable with. If you see big clumps forming as the waste degrades, break it up.
- Use the compost: The compost will be “ready” when obtains the aroma and texture of garden soil. Use it to supplement your soil with vital nutrients as needed.
You will see faster results in the spring, but with all the fall leaves to add to the brown materials, who wants to wait?
For more on winter composting, you will find this article helpful.
7. Rake Your Fall Leaves
Don’t neglect the dreaded job of raking up those fall leaves from your lawn. Dead leaves can be problematic for your yard in a number of ways.
Fallen leaves make for happy compost but unhappy grass.
The dead leaves can cause your lawn to look patchy next spring. Why? Because they completely block the sunlight. Even if your grass is dormant, it will need the sunshine to “wake up” in the spring.
In addition, the leaves will hold moisture in by preventing evaporation from occurring. This can cause slipping danger to your family members. Also, that moisture can cause mildew or fungus to develop that will harm your grass.
Of course, once you’ve raked up those leaves, you can add them to your compost pile. Otherwise, dispose of them properly and safely.