Gardening and lawn maintenance tips for autumn and winter

As the growing season ends, several gardening practices are recommended to prepare lawns and plants for winter. For lawn care, homeowners should continue mowing but lower the mower height for the final two cuts. Instead of removing all fallen leaves, shredding them with a mower can turn them into nutrient-rich mulch for the soil.

Other essential autumn lawn tasks include fertilizing cool-weather grasses like rye or fescue, treating perennial weeds with herbicides during moist conditions, and seeding thin spots at least six weeks before the first hard frost.

To protect garden tools, it is advised to clean them thoroughly to remove dirt, sap, and debris that can trap moisture and cause corrosion. Applying a thin layer of machine oil to metal parts can create a protective barrier against rust. Additionally, fallen leaves should be utilized as natural mulch to protect soil from drying out, erosion, and deep freezing, while also providing a habitat for beneficial soil organisms.