Time to prepare your garden for winter after the first frost.

Fall is upon us with the changing temperatures and entering the month of October. Some may start to think about the garden as the growing season comes to an end. Doing a couple of things now can help when winter sets in. The first frost may be a ways away but being prepared is always a good thing.

Start by cleaning what leaves have fallen so far with the start of fall color season beginning. Trees are dropping leaves with the dry conditions that area around along with the cooler night temperatures. Add some organic matter to the garden to help add some revive the soil for next spring, such as compost or cow manure. Once the first frost set sets in, some perennial ground covers can be cut to ground level such as hostas or day lilies. Cutting these plants back keeps disease and pests from hiding in the garden all winter. Give the plants a deep watering to help the soil preserve moisture through the winter. Plant spring bulbs at this time to give the garden some new color in the spring. Apply a winter fertilizer to the lawn to help a deep root system develop, avoid adding any nitrogen unless it is a cool season grass such as Fescue or Bluegrass. A few things can help things survive if we have a harsh winter as some are predicting in different areas of the country.