If your yard is looking a little unloved since the seasons changed, we’ve got a list of fall gardening cleanup tips that will help you bring it back to life. These jobs are all essential tasks that will clear space and save you time when you start gardening again in Spring. So don’t be daunted, get your best leaf blowers and cleaning supplies at the ready and you’ll be acing your fall gardening cleanup.
1. Clean your tools & close up outhouses
An essential part of fall gardening cleanup is giving your outdoor tools a thorough clean at the end of the season if you want them in good condition when spring comes back around. Give trowels, spades, and shears a spray with disinfectant, wipe off thoroughly and remember to oil any hinges.
2. Close up any outhouses or potting sheds
Once you’ve put your clean tools away in your outhouse, remember to give it a thorough inspection for any holes in doors, walls, or windows. Seal up any gaps to prevent unwanted visitors from making it their home over the winter!
3. Tidy fallen leaves away
Don’t let leaves pile up on your lawn, get them tidied up. This is a notoriously time-consuming part of everyone’s fall gardening cleanup, but it’s crucial to do if you don’t want fallen leaves suffocating your lawn and leaving it looking patchy and ragged in the spring. If you’re looking for a leaf blower to help speed up the job, take a look at our best leaf blower deals. Raking is also an easy way to get rid of leaves, if you're willing to put in a little bit more work.
4. Start a leaf mulch pile
Adam Whale, who runs gardening Youtube channel The Grey Gardener recommends, “Keep the pile moist. When building the pile I like to put 6 inches of leaves, press it down with a rake, then water well before repeating the process. Urine is an excellent activator but I haven't done that! You're looking at between 6 months to 1 year before it's usable realistically.”
If you’re following this fall gardening cleanup list chronologically you’ll now have a surplus of fallen leaves to dispose of.
May we suggest starting your own leaf mulch pile? It’s the perfect way to transform useless piles of leaves into nutritious, organic fertilizer by spring that can be added to practically any place in your garden to improve the soil or foliage, from veg beds to potted plants.
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