Fall Garden Cleanup Guide 2026
Prepare your garden for winter with expert cleanup tips, recommended tools, and a complete winterization checklist. Learn how to protect plants and set up for spring success.
Essential Fall Garden Cleanup Tasks
Fall cleanup prepares your garden for winter dormancy and spring growth. Here's what you need to do and which tools make each task easier.
Remove fallen leaves and debris from beds and lawn
Tools Needed:
- Rake
- Leaf Blower
- Tarp
- Gloves
Recommended Sets:
Cut back perennials and remove dead foliage
Tools Needed:
- Pruning Shears
- Hedge Trimmer
- Hand Saw
- Trowel
Recommended Sets:
Prepare beds for winter and spring planting
Tools Needed:
- Garden Fork
- Trowel
- Cultivator
- Rake
Recommended Sets:
Protect plants and prepare for cold weather
Tools Needed:
- Mulch Fork
- Pruning Shears
- Gloves
- Burlap
Recommended Sets:
Recommended Tool Sets for Fall Cleanup
Choose the perfect tool set based on your garden size and cleanup needs.
Best for comprehensive fall cleanup tasks
Premium choice for fall pruning and cutback
Best overall value for fall gardeners
Best budget option for essential fall tools
Fall Garden Cleanup Tips & Best Practices
Remove leaves from lawn to prevent disease and matting. Leave leaves in beds as mulch and wildlife habitat. Shred leaves with a mower and use as compost or mulch around plants.
Pro Tip: A 2-3 inch layer of shredded leaves provides excellent insulation for perennials and enriches soil as it decomposes.
Remove frost-killed annuals and spent vegetable plants after the first hard freeze. Compost healthy material or bag diseased plants for disposal.
Pro Tip: Leave some seed heads on ornamental plants for winter interest and wildlife food. These can be cut back in spring.
Fall Garden Winterization Checklist
Remove fallen leaves from lawn
Prevent disease and matting; compost or shred for mulch
Remove frost-killed annuals and vegetables
Clear beds after the first hard freeze
Cut back perennials to 3-4 inches
Leave ornamental grasses for winter interest
Add compost to garden beds
Apply 1-2 inches to enrich soil for spring
Apply winter mulch after ground freezes
Use 3-4 inches around tender plants
Wrap evergreens with burlap
Protect from heavy snow damage if needed
Move tender container plants indoors
Protect from frost and winter weather
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