Fall Cleanup: The Key to a Better Spring Garden

Fall cleanups in the garden contribute to a healthier and more productivespring garden. However, once summer’s harvest is over, the list of cleanup chores can seem endless. From mulching beds andcutting back perennialsto fertilizing lawns and cleaning tools, much of the work is physically demanding and time consuming. Here are five popular to-do items for gardeners.

1. Take Cuttings

Taking cuttings is a great way to make sure plants survive indoors through the winter months. Gardeners remove a small cutting from a healthy mother plant and nurture it until they can add it to a cold frame or garden.

2. Compost Beds

Gardeners addloads of compost to their beds during their fall cleanups. Nature’s freezing and thawing cycles will help work it into the soil so that it enriches the beds by the time spring rolls around.

3. Clean Cold Frames

Gardeners often preparetheir cold frames for their cuttings or seedlings by cleaning them out. They remove old soil, pots and debris so that this invaluablegrowing space is ready for action in the spring.

4. Cut Back Perennials

If gardeners’ perennials exhibit signs of disease, dysfunction or death, they cut them back with a pair of secateurs. They then collect the debris and discard it away from their compost pile.

5. Dry Flowers and Herbs

Drying theirflowers and herbs is a way that gardeners make the most of their gardens through the winter months. They use dried flowers for table arrangements or wreathsand add dried herbs to winter soupsor stews.

Hire an Expert

If you – like many homeowners – feel you’re in over your head or physically unable to do fall cleanups, hire a landscaping professional. An experienced individual or crew can get the work done in a fraction of the time and save you hours, money and energy in the long run. Best of all, they’ll get your garden in great shape for spring!