Whether you’re looking to sell your home in Windsor or just prep for winter, fall is your last chance to prepare your yard for the colder months ahead, so make sure you’re protecting that curb appeal that you’ve worked so hard to create. Grab your gardening gloves, dig out your tools and get ready to conquer your yard with these four simple tasks:

 

Remove The Dead/Dying

Pruning encourages growth so the fall is not a good time to start vigorously trimming back plants. But before you put away the shears for the season, be sure to remove all dead annuals, lightly trim dead or dying branches from trees, carefully remove any dried blossoms and cut back any dead ornamental grasses. The reason? You won’t have to look at ugly, dead plants all winter.

 

Mulch Mulch Mulch

The fall is the best time to mulch. It helps protect roots from frost and retains moisture throughout the cold and dry winter months. Pick up a few bags of hardwood shredded mulch from your nearby home and garden centre and spread 2-3 inches around trees and shrubs. Homeowners should be wary of cheap dump mulch. It’s often made of trees that have died from disease and many of them still linger in the mulch and pose a risk to your landscaping efforts.

 

Protect Delicate Shrubbery

The weight of snow and ice plus the unforgiving winds of winter can do serious damage to your shrubs. To protect your landscaping during the winter consider wrapping shrubs in burlap, surrounding vulnerable trees with shredded leaves and hiding small plants under overturned buckets or pots.

 

Take Advantage Of Fall Sales

The best time to plant trees is early fall before the ground freezes. Not only does the cooler weather and rain put less stress on young plants, but nurseries are always looking to empty their stock before the winter so you’re bound to get a great deal! Buying in bulk? Don’t be afraid to ask for a discount.

 

Which yard projects do you focus on during the fall? Share your tips in the comments below!