The Quebec fall, with its vibrant colours, marks the end of the gardening season. Before putting away your tools, it's crucial to prepare your garden for winter to ensure a beautiful revival in the spring. Whether you're in zone 3, 4, or 5, follow this comprehensive guide to protect your plants and ensure their health during the cold months.
Lawn: Preparing the Green Carpet for Spring
A healthy and resilient lawn is key to a beautiful garden. Here's how to take care of yours in the fall.
- Overseed or lay sod to fill in sparse areas and ensure a thick, green lawn in the spring.
- Repair damaged areas caused by drought or wear and tear.
- Mow the lawn until it stops growing, gradually lowering the cutting height to 3.5 cm for the last mowing.
- Fertilize with a special fall fertilizer to strengthen the roots and promote vigorous growth in the spring.
- Treat for grubs if necessary to prevent root damage.
- Clean up the yard by collecting fallen leaves to make nutrient-rich mulch or compost.
- Protect the edge of the street with a tarp to prevent damage caused by salt, gravel, or sand used in winter.
Read our article on how to prepare your lawn for winter.
Flowerbeds and Perennials: Preserving Beauty and Preparing for Blooms
Flowerbeds deserve special attention in the fall to ensure beautiful blooms next spring.
- Weed regularly to eliminate competition before winter.
- Plant spring-flowering bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths for a colourful garden in the spring.
- Bring in annual bulbs like Callas, Oxalis, Caladiums, Begonia tubers, Dahlias. (Read the article on how)
- Clean up the flowerbeds by removing plant debris and faded plants before the first frost.
- Plant new perennials to enjoy an extra growing season in the spring.
- Cut back perennials that have finished their flowering cycle to about 15-20 cm from the ground.
- Divide perennials that bloom in spring, such as daylilies, peonies, asters, and phlox, to multiply and rejuvenate them.
- Divide and transplant invasive perennials or those that need rejuvenation. (Read the article on how)
- Protect less hardy perennials with mulch or a winter cover, especially those planted or divided in the fall.
Potted Plants: Protecting and Extending the Season
Potted plants require special attention to overwinter safely.
- Bring tender plants like geraniums, fuchsias, begonias, impatiens, lantanas, and other tropical or annual plants indoors to a bright and cool location to protect them from frost.
- Extend the season by repotting fall plants with spectacular foliage, such as ornamental cabbage or chrysanthemums.
Find out the right steps to bring plants in without insects!
Trees and Shrubs: Ensuring Their Health and Protection
Trees and shrubs, essential elements of the garden, need to be prepared for winter.
- Plant new trees and shrubs in the fall to give them time to establish roots before winter.
- Fertilize with a fertilizer suitable for deciduous trees, conifers, and hedges to strengthen them before winter.
- Water conifers deeply to allow them to build up water reserves.
- Mulch around the base of trees and shrubs to protect their roots from frost and retain soil moisture. (Read the article on why to mulch)
- Install winter protection (covers, sleeves, etc.) when the ground is frozen or after a snowfall to prevent damage from cold and wind.
- Check the trellises of climbing plants and protect them if necessary.
Vegetable Garden: Harvesting and Preparing for Next Year
Fall is the time to harvest the last vegetables and prepare the vegetable garden for the next season.
- Harvest late vegetables such as cabbage, leeks, and carrots before the first hard frost.
- Store root vegetables (potatoes, beets, etc.) in a cool, dry place.
- Plant garlic in the fall for a harvest in early summer next year.
- Protect strawberries with a straw mulch to insulate them from the cold.
- Cut back raspberries after harvest to stimulate new growth in the spring.
Composting: Making the Most of Garden Waste
Fall is an ideal time for composting, thanks to the abundance of organic matter available.
- Collect fallen leaves, grass clippings, faded plant stems, and vegetable peelings.
- Alternate layers of brown materials (dead leaves, branches) and green materials (kitchen scraps, grass clippings) for a balanced compost.
- Aerate the compost regularly by turning it with a fork to promote decomposition.
- Add a compost activator if necessary to speed up the process.
- Use the mature compost in the spring to enrich the soil in your flowerbeds and vegetable garden.
Additional Tips: Promoting Biodiversity
A welcoming garden, even in winter, attracts wildlife and contributes to biodiversity.
- Maintain your tools: Clean and store your gardening tools before winter to preserve them.
- Prepare the garden for birds and wildlife: Install feeders, birdhouses, and leave areas of wild vegetation.
