10 Tips for Preparing Your Garden for Winter (2024)

Winter is coming! How do you put your garden to bed for winter and prepare your garden for the dropping temperatures? See 10 tips for winterizing your garden beds—from covering garden soil to protecting trees and shrubs. Let’s talk winter care for vegetables, herbs, berry patches, perennials, roses, trees, andshrubs!

1. Harvesting and StoringVegetables

A. Tender vegetables do not tolerate frost and should be harvested before frost strikes.This includestomatoes, zucchini, peas, beans, winter squash, and pumpkins. Pull out these plants and all crop debris. If plants are diseased, either burn them or discard them in the trash. Do not leave infected plants on the property nor put them in a compostpile.

B. Hardy vegetablestolerate hard frosts (usually 25° to 28°F) and can be left in the ground. They often taste better after a lightfrost.

Brussels sproutscan stay in the ground. Bury plants up to their tops in hay or leaves in late fall, then pull off the little sprouts as needed throughwinter.
Cooking greens likekaleandcollardsbecome a bit sweeter in the fall and winter when touched byfrost.
Broccoli and spinach may also survive through the winter without anyprotection.
Garlic is planted in October or November and overwinters fornext year’s summer crop.

C. Semi-hardy vegetables tolerate light frosts (usually 29° to 32°F). Many of these slightly more sensitive crops benefit significantly from protection, such as a cold-frame or floating row cover, or you can harvest them before severe frosts have set in.

Cabbages and Swiss chardcan withstand light frosts, but outside leaves may get damaged or tough (peel them away before using the rest of thegreens).
Arugula, leeks, mustard greens, cauliflower, English peas, and Kohlrabi can die when unprotected during periods of extreme winter cold. A simple row cover can make all thedifference.
Root crops(likecarrots, turnips, beets, rutabagas,andparsnips)can remain in the garden after a frost and still be removed in good condition later, but get them dug and stored before the ground freezes.
- Potatoescan also stay in the soil but mustn’t be left on the soil surface for any period.Dig and remove the potatoes to a dry, warm area from the sun to begin letting the skin toughen up for storage. Dry in a single layer and turn periodically. This takes about two weeks. Carefully remove visible dirt from the potatoes, but do not wash them: their skins will toughen for more extended winterstorage.

Note: Ensure any of the harvested vegetables are cured and stored correctly. See our Growing Guides onstorage crops (onions, carrots, potatoes, winter squash). Of course, many crops can also be stored by canning and pickling. Finally, herbs can be dried or frozen in variousways.

2. Prepare HerbsforWinter

Herbs are a mixed bag when it comes to needing winter protection. Some are very hardy and can easilytolerate a cold season, while others will need some extrahelp:

Sage is a perennial in most areas and does not need special treatment for the winter. Before frost stops its growth, cut a branch or two to dry and use in stuffing at Thanksgiving! (Try our delicious stuffed turkeyrecipe with sage.)
Rosemary is a tender evergreen perennial that should be protected outside (Zones 6 and 7) or potted up and brought inside (Zone 5 and colder) for the winter. Read more about overwintering rosemary.
Thyme is fairly indestructible. A perennial, it will go dormant in the fall, then revive by itself in thespring.
Parsley, a biennial, will withstand a light frost. In Zone 5 or colder, cover it on cold nights. It has a long taproot and does not transplant well, so you’re better off starting a new plant comespring.
Chives are hardy perennials. Dig up a clump and pot it, then let the foliage die down and freeze for several weeks. Bring the pot indoors to a sunny, cool spot. Water well and harvest chives throughout thewinter.
Basil is a tender annual that won’t survive winter outside in most regions of North America. Dig up small plants and bring them inside to extend theirseason.
Oregano is a somewhat hardy perennial but will appreciate some winter protection in the form of a layer of strawmulch.

10 Tips for Preparing Your Garden for Winter (2)

3. Cover Up the GardenBeds

Although many of us add it in the spring, you want to add compost in late autumn to letthe soil soak up those nutrients over the winter. Add a couple of inchesof compost or manure on top of your beds before the ground freezes. Then, add a light layer of straw or mulch to prevent soil erosion, nutrient leaching, and weed development.Please read our article on preparing soil for planting to determine what constitutes healthysoil.

Another option is to sow cover crops, such as winter rye, to improve your soil. See our articleon Cover Cropsto learn more about improvingthe health of yoursoil.

For vegetable gardens,another option is to simply cover your garden bedswith black plastic or a layer of cardboard or even an oldcarpet, leaving it in place through the winter season and up until you’re ready to plant in spring. This will kill existing weeds and subdue sproutingseeds.

4. Prepare Berry PatchesforWinter

Berries tend to be hardy, but may require some fall pruning andcare:

In early to mid-fall:
- Prune summer-bearing raspberries, leaving six of the most vigorous brown canes for every 1 foot of yourpatch.
- Prune fall-bearing raspberries ruthlessly, cutting them to the ground after they have borne fruit. New canes will come up in the spring and bearfruit.
Plant blackberries in the fall and mound the soil around the canes to prevent hard frosts from heaving them out of theground.
Manyblueberryvarieties are hardy, but they will appreciate a thin layer of mulch around their base for addedprotection.
Cover strawberry beds with a layer of strawmulch.

5. PreparePerennialsforWinter

Water your perennial flowersand flowering shrubs in the fall; they will thank you for it thiswinter.
Many perennials can be left to be cut back in the spring, especially those with bountiful seedheads such as coneflowers or rudbeckia, as the birds will enjoy their seeds through winter. However, there are some perennials that are best cut back to avoid spreading diseases—such as powdery mildew—especiallybee balm, phlox, and hostas.See which perennials to cut back. When cutting back, wait until the ground has frozen hard and the foliage has died. Leave about3 inches of stemand mulch them with a thick layer of leaves orstraw.
If you plan to put in a new flower bed next spring, cover that area now with mulch or heavy plastic to discourage emergent weed growth when the ground warms up in the spring. If the newbed is going where a lawn is now, mow the grass in that area down as much as possible before coveringit.
Before a heavy snowfall, cover pachysandra with a mulch of pine needles several inchesdeep.
Move potted chrysanthemums to a sheltered spot when their flowers fade. Water well and cover with a thick layer of straw to overwinterthem.
When a frost blackens the dahlias, gladioli, and cannas leaves, carefully dig them up and let them dry indoors on newspaper for a few days. Then pack them in styrofoam peanuts, dry peat moss, or shredded newspaper and store in a dark, humid spot at 40° to 50°F (5° to 10°C) untilspring.

6. WinterizeRoses

You may water roses regularly through the fall; refrain from fertilizingstarting six weeks before the usual date of yourfirst fall frost.
Remove any dead or diseasedcanes.
After the first frost, mulch plants with compost or leaves to just above the swollen point where the stem joins therootstock.
In areas where winter temperatures are severe, enclose low-growing roses with a sturdy cylinder of chicken wire or mesh and fill the enclosure with chopped leaves, compost, mulch, dry wood chips, or pineneedles.
Before daily temperatures drop well below freezing, carefully pull down the long canes of climbing and tea roses, lay them flat on the ground, and cover them with pine branches ormulch.

7. Prepare Trees and Shrubs forWinter

Do not prune trees and shrubs right before winter. Even if they look a little overgrown, wait until next spring. Pruning involves removing tissue and opening wounds without time to heal before the cold arrives. Pruning also stimulates a tree or shrub to attempt to grow, but any new growth produced in the fall will likely be killed because it has not had time to harden off or becomewoodier.
If you get early snows in your area, cover small trees and deciduous shrubs with a wooden structure to protect them from heavy snow. Or, circle them with a cylinder of chicken wire fencing and fill in the space between the tree and the fence with straw or shredded leaves. Or, drive stakes into the ground at four corners around the plant and wrap burlap or heavy plastic around the stakes, securing it at the top, center, and bottom withtwine.
For young fruit trees, it’s often a good idea to wrap the tree’s lower trunk with a pestproof tree wrap, which will prevent mice and voles from gnawing on the tree’s bark during thewinter.
Tree wrap will also help to prevent winter injury caused by premature thawing. In late winter, the combination of warm, sunny days and still-freezing nights can cause the thin bark of young trees to split. This is especially prevalent in trees with a southern or southwestern exposure. Wrapping their trunks with tree wrap or shading them from the winter sun can prevent barkinjury.
If you plan to buy a live Christmas tree this season, dig the hole where you’ll plant it before the ground freezes. Store the soil you remove in the garage or basem*nt, where it won’t freeze. Place a board over the hole and mark the location so that you can find it if itsnows.

8. Turn Off the WateringSystem

If you haven’t already turned off your water, do it! You don’t want the hose or irrigation connected when it frosts, or you may have damage.In warmer climates, it may be possible to simply disconnect the system from a hose spigot and allow the water to drain out. Still, in colder climates, you will want to either blast all the water out with an air compressor or bring everything inside for thewinter.

9. Help Your GardenHelpers!

Be proactive! Keep bird feeders topped up. Birds especially appreciate fatty, high-energy foods (such as suet) during cold months. Establish a feeding routine, offer water, and regularly clean feeders and bird baths to maintain good hygiene. See the best type of bird feeder.

Consider your garden “helpers” while you go through your fall gardenchecklist!

10.Do Your GeneralGardenMaintenance

Empty your outdoor containers to keep them from cracking during the winter. Store them upsidedown.
Hang a bucket over a hook in your toolshed or garage to store hose nozzles and sprinklerattachments.
Mow your lawn as late into the fall as the grass grows. Grass left too long when deep snow arrives can develop brown patches in thespring.
Don’t leave fallen leaves in sodden layers on the lawn. Rake onto a large sheet or tarp, then drag to a corner of your yard to give pollinators some winter cover. Or, rake the leaves into loose piles and run the mower over them to turn them into mulch for perennial and bulb beds. Or, add those shredded leaves to your compost bin. Get more tips on what to do with fall leaves.
Cover your compost pile with plastic or a thick layer of straw before snowfalls.
Drain the fuel tank on your lawn mower or any other power equipment. Consult the owner’s manual for other wintermaintenance.
Scrub down and put away your tools. Some folks oil their tools with vegetable oil to avoid rust. Find out how to care for your gardening tools.
Check out our fall garden chores list to ensure you have everything done beforewinterhits!

Now, watch our video on helpful advice on preparing your garden for winter.

We hope these tips will help your garden survive winter and thrive in spring!Please share your own advice or ask any questionsbelow!

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