Get your yard, garden prepared for winter

You can almost smell the scent of fall in the air, the perfect time to start preparing your lawn and garden for winter.

Taking care of your garden beds now will make your work in the spring more simple, allowing you to really enjoy planting time again.

One of the first things to do is clean up all of the rotting and finished plants. Clear these out along with any straggling weeds, especially those that are invasive, to give your ground a fresh start for spring.

Fall is the perfect time to prep your soil for spring, adding compost and other nutrients your plants will need to grow strong.

This is also the time to prune back your perennial plants and divide and re-plant any bulbs you may have in your garden, like tulips or iris bulbs. Its a good idea to replenish any mulch you have in your beds, especially around those newly planted bulbs.

Perennials go into hibernation over the winter, so cut them back and top them with mulch to keep them warmer over the cold winter months.

If you would prefer to dig up your bulbs completely and re-plant in the spring in different areas, store them in a cardboard box. Do not wash them as the water can cause rot on the rhizomes.

Make sure the bulbs aren’t touching each other in the box. Put newspaper between the bulbs and store in a cool, dry place such as the basement or garage.

Fall is a good time to transplant shrubs and new new trees. Make sure you water them deeply, fertilize and add up to six inches of mulch.

If you’re lucky enough to have roses in your garden, be sure to add mulch to them as well. Any delicate species of roses need to be covered over the winter.

Those who grow their own vegetables need to clean them out as well and discard the debris. Add your compost now, working it through the soil for next year’s bumper crop.

Sometimes, areas of your garden may have gotten completely out of hand in regards to weeds. A simple trick is to pull what you can, then cover the area with cardboard or plastic to prevent the spring growth for as long as possible. With our winter winds, its a good idea to weigh them down with bricks, rocks or even boards.

And don’t forget about your gardening tools.

Do your winter maintenance on your lawnmower per your manufacturer’s manual, including sharpening blades and draining the gas out of them.

Any hand tools can be cleaned and sharpened as well, making sure they are completely dry before storing them to prevent rust.

As far as your lawn is concerned, fall is the time to aerate, giving your grass a little room to grow. Mow it down to an inch to an inch and a half in length, fertilize and seed.

It seems like a lot of work now, but come spring, your lawn and garden are going to thank you for taking such good care of them by providing beauty that will last all summer long.