With the arrival of autumn comes the ‘last hurrah’ of our favourite deciduous plants as they shed their leaves and prepare for the colder months ahead.

We often think of autumn as a winding-down time in the garden, but there are a number of simple tasks to be done at the end of the growing season that will help your plants prepare for both winter and next spring.

• Plant fall bulbs – Spring flowering bulbs can be planted right through to November. Choose from a variety of colourful early, mid and late-spring bloomers including tulips, crocuses, alium, daffodils, irises, hyacinths, and more.
• Avoid pruning – Avoid the temptation to prune back your trees and shrubs in the fall! Fall pruning offers no real benefit to your plants and in some cases can have negative results. There’s always a better time than fall, no matter the shrub.
• Divide perennials – Many perennials benefit from being divided every few years to avoid becoming overgrown or dying out from the centre. Use a sharp spade to dig around the plant and lift it from the ground. Then use your spade or sharp knife to divide the plant into smaller pieces. Replant at the same depth, but space apart to give room to grow.
• Fertilizing – The only thing you should be fertilizing in the fall is your lawn. Fall lawn fertilizer focuses on helping your grass build up nitrogen reserves for the winter. The more nitrogen stored in its root system, the more vigorously your grass will grow in spring!
• Watering – You may feel a little silly running around with a hose on a chilly October morning, but keeping your evergreens (and other shrubs) watered in the late stages of fall is perhaps the single most useful thing you can do to prepare them for a cold winter. Well-watered evergreens are less likely to brown at the tips over the winter and will better resist the effects of hard frosts, harsh winds and bitter cold.
• Mulching – One of the best ways to keep young plants alive over the winter is to cover them with mulch, especially the first year after planting. Spread a 4- to 6-inch layer of shredded leaves, bark, or straw over the crown of the plant to protect it from freeze and thaw cycles. For newly planted trees avoid putting mulch right up against the trunk… a 6-inch gap is best.
• Weeding – Weeding is just as important in the fall. Many weeds develop seed heads in late summer and fall. Never let weeds remain in your garden, even if frost has killed your flowers and veggies. The more you weed now, the less you’ll have to do next spring and summer.

Our experienced staff are happy to answer your gardening questions. Or explore our gardening knowledge base for additional guidelines and tips.