The amount of work you put into your garden in the fall can drastically cut down on everything you need to do in the spring. It may be tempting to just leave everything to hide under the snow, but you’ll thank yourself next gardening season if you take care of the following tasks now.

The Garden Clean-Up

Leaving a layer of dead plants and leaves in your garden over the winter will not only give you more work to do in the spring, but it provides a great place for insects and pests such as snails to overwinter. Old, dead plants can also harbour diseases and fungus. A clean yard looks better and is healthier as well. Best of all, all of the dead plants, weeds, and leaves you pick up can make a great addition to your compost pile.

Feeding the Soil

Once your garden is all cleaned up, you’ll be able to easily dig over your soil and add the important nutrients that will feed your new crop in the spring. It’s the perfect opportunity to add in compost and other soil amendments such as fertilizer or bone meal. Over the many freezes and thaws of the winter, these amendments will have a chance to break down and enrich your soil. Tilling your soil before winter hits will also help to improve its drainage.

Pruning Perennials

Many perennial plants can be safely pruned in the fall, though it’s best to do a bit of research on the specific perennial plants in your garden in order to make sure. With raspberry bushes, for example, it is recommended that you wait until spring. Many other popular perennials, however, can and should be trimmed in the fall. This includes blueberries, blackberries, asparagus, rhubarb, and fennel, as well as herbs such as sage, thyme, and rosemary.

Cover Crop Planting

If you have bare soil, then it’s a good idea to grow a cover crop that helps to hold the soil in place and prevents erosion. A cover crop can also serve as a living layer of mulch, locking in moisture and increasing the nutrients in the soil. Come springtime, you simply till the cover crop into the soil. Some of the best and most popular cover crops are clover, rye, and buckwheat.

Garden Improvements

Finally, fall is a great time for any garden improvements that you didn’t have time for while you were busy planting and harvesting. The cooler temperatures also make outdoor work easier. Maybe you want to build a new raised bed or expand an existing one, or perhaps your greenhouse is in need of some repairs. Whatever needs to get done in time for next season, consider tackling it now rather than rushing to do it in the spring.

You’ll feel a great sense of accomplishment once you can call it a day and say goodbye to your garden for the winter. Now that you’ve got it all prepped, everything will be ready and waiting when the snow is gone and temperatures rise again.