Here some miscellaneous tasks that should be done to winterize fall gardens and yards. Of course, you may have specific features on your landscape that will require additional winterizing in the autumn. For instance, owners of in-ground swimming pools or elaborate water gardens will have to engage in winterizing tasks specific to these features. Always follow manufacturers' recommendations.* Perennial garden beds should be cleaned up and mulched in fall gardens. Remove old stalks and leaves; you'll have to in the spring anyways, so you might as well be a step ahead. If you are not able to mulch your perennial beds in the fall, then do not clean away the old stalks and leaves as they will serve as a makeshift mulch, affording some small degree of protection to the roots of your perennials. The cleaning and the mulching go together: either do both or neither, but it is best to do both in order to keep your garden disease-free and well insulated.
* Winterizing your compost bin. You have worked hard all spring, summer and fall building up your compost pile and mixing it to achieve optimal decomposition. Don't let any of your work go to waste! You don't want precious nutrients eroding away or being swept off by wintery gusts. If your compost bin has no cover, then cover it with a tarp in the fall. To insulate it from winter freezing so as to hasten its usability in spring, apply a layer of raked leaves on top and all around the perimeter (bagging the leaves if necessary to hold them in place).
* Bring in the garden hose and turn off its water source in the fall. You don't want pipes bursting when the temperatures fall into the teens.
* Finally, with winter approaching, your summer equipment is no longer going to be the lawn mower and rototiller. The snow blower is again ready to assume that honor. Snow is as much a reality of the northern landscape in winter as grass is in summer. Pamper your snow blower accordingly!
1. Change the oil
2. Install a new spark plug
3. Inspect belts for wear and replace if necessary
4. Lube the drive and chassis
5. Fill with fresh, clean gasoline
