Clean Up Property for Winter

The vegetables have been harvested and the flowers are dead, but the gardening season isn't over yet. Properly winterizing your garden protects your plants and gets you off on a strong head start in the spring.

Remove all debris from your property. Fallen leaves and branches and trash blown into the yard should be removed to protect your lawn from long-term damage caused by mold or mildew. Animals, insects and disease may lurk in leaves, which block the sunlight from reaching your lawn. Put away all plastic or clay pots to prevent them from cracking. Cover or put away lawn furniture, hoses, and other outdoor furniture and equipment to protect it from the elements.

Cut back perennial plants close to the ground. Leaving some grasses uncut can provide winter interest, providing you trim it back early in the spring. You may also want to leave some seed-heads uncut for the wildlife. Wrap young trees with tree cloth to prevent splitting or cracking. Do maintenance and repair work on hardscaping like trellises or arbors, while the plants are dormant.

Late winter is the perfect time to prune trees and shrubs to remove dead, damaged or diseased branches. It's easier to see what needs to be done once the leaves have fallen, especially with things like crossed branches that rub against each other. By cleaning up the property and taking a few simple measures to protect your plants and equipment, you can save yourself the trouble and expense of having to replace winter-damaged items, and your plants will be off to a healthier start in the spring.