The leaves are starting to fall and your garden might need some sprucing up. Doing a fall clean-up can get your Spring off to a great start. 

Here are a few tips to get your garden in shape before winter sets in:

Start Now with Baby Steps! If you start now and do a little each day, your work load will be much easier to handle.

Fallen Leaves! There are two ways to tackle fallen leaves: Rake and bag them to keep garden beds looking good; or mow and mulch them into landscape beds where they’ll nourish and improve the quality of soil.

• • If you like clean garden beds for Winter, remove the fallen leaves and place them into lawn and leaf bags for curbside recycling. Use a Lawn Funnel to make this process easier and faster. The Lawn Funnel will keep the bag open and upright. It is very durable and will last for years.
  • Be sure to apply a fresh layer of mulch to protect perennials and bulbs through the winter months.
  • If you mulch leaves back into your beds, be sure to chop them up with a mulching mower so they break down quicker and turn into nutrients. Oak leaves can take up to seven years to decompose if they’re not chopped up.

Cut Back! Trim perennials down to the ground. This will energize them to come back healthy next year. Be sure to deadhead spent annuals to make your garden look clean.

Drain Hoses! If you have drip irrigation systems or soaker hoses in your garden, it’s time to reel them back in for the season. Make sure all of your hoses and water systems are completely drained and put away before the first frost.  

Clean Tools! Get a head start on spring and clean your tools. After the yard work is finished for the season, give your tools a good cleaning and sharpen any dull blades before putting them away.

Visit your nearest English Gardens locations for more tips and products to make your fall clean up easier.