Preparing your garden for winter... October Edition

If you read our blog post in September, there are a number of items we need to complete to help winterize our lawn and gardens and ensure they have their best foot forward for re-growth in the spring.

Here is your October 'to-do' checklist list from Landscape Ontario to help cover all the basis!

October:

• Transplant shrubs or young trees to new locations.

• Cut diseased areas out of perennials. Do not compost.

• Rake and compost any fallen leaves.

• Clean up garden debris. Remove all vegetable plants and fallen fruit.

• Remove dead annuals from the garden, after a frost.

• Cut back perennial foliage to discourage overwintering pests. Leave flowers with seeds for the birds.

• Continue watering trees and shrubs until the ground freezes.

• Sharpen lawn mower blade and pruners.

• Trim tall grass away from trees and corners of your home to discourage small rodents from creating nests.

• Dig up tender bulbs such as dahlia, canna and gladiola. Wrap them in moist material and store in a cool, dark space.