The 10-Step Fall Garden Chores Checklist (Updated for 2025!)

Follow this 10-step fall garden chores checklist for winter prep. Learn when to clean, prune, and plant bulbs to ensure your best spring bloom yet.

Hi, I’m Stacy Ling, a trained Master Gardener in USDA Zone 6b, sharing beginner-friendly tips to help your garden thrive. As we move through the fall gardening season, it’s time to shift our focus to prepare the beds for the cold, dormant winter months.

While it may seem counterintuitive, the work you put in now will lay the foundation for a thriving and bountiful spring garden. By investing a little time and effort into these essential fall garden chores, you can ensure healthier plants, better yields, and a less stressful start to the next growing season.

Are you ready for an epic spring? Here’s what you need to know to get ready for it now!

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📋 Your Quick-Reference Fall Gardening To-Do List

To lay the foundation for a spectacular spring, tackle these 10 essential fall garden chores:

1. Clean Up Debris: Clear away spent annuals and weeds to prevent overwintering pests and disease.
2. Divide Perennials: Split overgrown clumps to encourage vigorous growth next season.
3. Plant Spring Bulbs: Get tulips, daffodils, and crocuses into the ground now for spring color.
4. Amend the Soil: Incorporate compost or organic matter to boost fertility over winter.
5. Protect Tender Plants: Apply mulch or move vulnerable container plants to sheltered spots.
6. Prune Selectively: Remove dead or diseased wood from appropriate trees and shrubs.
7. Plant New Gardens: Take advantage of cool temperatures and nursery discounts to install new plants.
8. Water Deeply: Give plants a final, thorough drink before the ground freezes.
9. Harvest/Store Crops: Gather remaining vegetables and collect seeds for next year’s planting.
10. Clean Tools: Scrape dirt, sharpen blades, and oil tools for rust prevention and storage.

1. Clear Your Garden Beds: How to Clean Up Debris (and What to Keep)

Start by clearing away any dead plants, fallen leaves, and weeds. It’s a good idea to wait until after a few good frosts when annuals are completely done. This helps to prevent pests and diseases from overwintering in your garden.

Leaving leaves on the lawn can smother the grass and create an unsightly appearance. So, it’s important to remove leaves and debris from your lawn and garden for the most part. But make sure you save those leaves to make leaf mold!

However, you don’t have to be too meticulous at the same time! Leaving some plant debris, especially hollow stems and leaf litter, can provide valuable habitat for beneficial insects like pollinators and natural predators. Note: Remove plant debris that had pest or disease problems and do not compost them.

While it’s a good idea to remove leaves and debris from the beds, consider leaving perennial seed heads up during the winter from plants like Joe Pye, Sedum Autumn Joy, etc. to provide ongoing winter interest as well as feed the birds.  

At the end of the garden season, it’s also a good idea to harvest any vegetables that are left. You can cut back perennials or leave them until spring. Remove annuals with the exception of pansies because they overwinter and will bounce back in spring. And it’s also a great time to add compost to the beds.

Tip: As you’re cleaning up your garden, take a moment to inspect your tools. Remove any dirt and debris, and give them a quick rinse. This simple step will help prevent rust and extend the life of your tools.

2. Divide and Conquer: Transplanting Perennials for Better Blooms

Overgrown perennials can benefit from division in the fall. Dividing perennials promotes better growth and flowering in the following season. Simply dig up the clump, separate it into smaller sections, and replant them at the appropriate spacing.

I actually prefer doing this task in fall because I know where all the different plant varieties are, so it’s easier to make overall design changes.

3. Planting Spring-Blooming Bulbs: The Best Time to Bury Treasure

Fall is the ideal time to plant spring-blooming bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and crocuses. Dig holes at the recommended depth and spacing, place the bulbs with the pointy end up, and cover them with soil.

Read this post about how to plant bulbs in fall, where I shared a comprehensive, step-by-step guide that will help you cultivate an amazing spring garden.

4. Boost Soil Health: The Fall Soil Amending Checklist

Boost your soil’s health by adding compost or other organic matter. This improves soil structure, drainage, and nutrient content, creating a fertile environment for your plants. Fall is also a good time to test your soil pH and amend it if necessary.

5. Winter Protection: How to Protect Tender Plants from Frost

Some plants need a little extra protection from winter frost. Mulching around the base of tender perennials and covering them with burlap or frost blankets can help them survive the cold. If you have potted plants, move them to a sheltered area or closer to your home’s foundation to provide some insulation. You can also wrap the pots in bubble wrap or burlap to help protect the roots from freezing.

6. Selective Pruning: Shaping Trees and Shrubs Before Winternd Shrubs

Pruning in the fall encourages healthy growth and helps to shape your trees and shrubs. Remove any dead, diseased, or overgrown branches. This also helps prevent breakage from heavy snow and ice. Be sure to research the specific pruning requirements for each plant in your garden. Because not all trees and shrubs should be pruned in the fall.

If you aren’t sure what shrubs and trees should be pruned in spring or fall, read this post I wrote that details everything you need to know about pruning hydrangeas, ornamental shrubs, and other woody plant.

Tip: After pruning, clean and sharpen your pruning shears or loppers. A sharp blade makes cleaner cuts, which promotes faster healing for your plants.

7. Start Early: Why Fall is the Best Time to Plant New Gardens

If you’ve been thinking about planting more in your garden or you are starting new, there is no better time than the fall! It’s the perfect time to start planning for next year and take advantage of some great deals at your local nursery!

In mid-to-late October, you’ll find the best discounts on plants and flowers because they often mark down their stock by 40% or even 50% to move it before winter.

This is a fantastic opportunity to snag some bargains on perennials, shrubs, trees, and even spring-blooming bulbs. Not only will you save money, but you’ll also have a wider selection to choose from as nurseries try to clear their inventory.

Plus, planting in the fall gives your new additions a head start. The cooler temperatures and increased moisture help them establish strong root systems before the ground freezes, leading to healthier and more vigorous plants in the spring.

So, while you’re enjoying your fall gardening this year and planning for next season, don’t miss the opportunity to stock up on plants at bargain prices. Head to your local nurseries soon before their stock is completely gone!

8. Deep Watering: Hydrating Your Plants Before the Ground Freezesly

Before the ground freezes, give your plants a deep watering if mother nature hasn’t been doing it for you. This helps them store moisture for the winter and reduces the risk of winter desiccation.

As the weather cools down, you’ll likely need to water your plants less frequently. However, it’s important to keep an eye on moisture levels and provide supplemental water if the weather remains dry.  

In my zone 6b New Jersey garden, we usually get enough rain where I don’t need to manually supplement with water in my beds and borders. So I just let nature do it’s thing! But we’ve had a few really dry falls, so I have supplemented watering where needed.

9. Final Harvest: Collecting and Storing Remaining Crops and Seeds

Gather any remaining vegetables and fruits before the first frost. If you have plants that produce seeds you’d like to save, now is the time to collect and store them for next year’s planting. Store your harvested crops properly in a cool, dry place to enjoy throughout the winter.

I keep my potatotes, garlic and onions in a harvest storage basket that allows for some aeration like this in my basement and it works pretty well.

10. Tool Maintenance: Clean and Store Your Garden Tools Properly

Extend the life of your garden tools by cleaning and storing them properly. Remove any dirt and debris, sharpen blades, and apply a light coat of oil to prevent rust. Consider also storing garden hoses, terra cotta pots, and other garden decor that can get damaged by extreme winter conditions.

It’s also a great time to get yourself organized for the next growing season as you put away and store your tools.

My Favorite Fall Garden Chore

My favorite fall garden task is to shop for plants! As I just mentioned, you can purchase plants for a song and fall is the best time to plant anyway. Why? Because plant roots establish easier from fall through winter to spring, than they do from spring through summer to fall.

So if buying plants on the cheap isn’t enticing enough, planting in fall will make your gardening life that much easier getting those plants to establish.

Fall garden tip: When you are purchasing plants in the fall, check them for signs of pests and disease. We don’t want to bring any problems home to spread an overwinter in the beds.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fall Garden Chores

Q: Should I cut back all my perennials in the fall?

A: No. While tidiness is nice, it’s best to leave perennials that offer winter interest or food for birds (like coneflowers, sedum, and ornamental grasses) until spring. Also, leave any perennials that have hollow stems, as these provide crucial overwintering homes for beneficial insects and native bees.

Q: When is the absolute latest I can plant spring-blooming bulbs?

A: You can plant bulbs as long as the ground is not frozen solid, which often means right up until Thanksgiving or even early December in many regions. However, for the best root establishment, aim to plant them when nighttime temperatures consistently stay between $40^{\circ}$F and $50^{\circ}$F.

Q: Is it okay to just rake all the leaves out of my garden beds?

A: It’s best to leave a thin layer of leaves in your garden beds. Leaf litter acts as a natural, insulating mulch, suppresses weeds, and decomposes to enrich the soil. However, avoid leaving thick, matted piles, which can smother plants or trap too much moisture.

Q: Why is fall the “best” time to plant new shrubs and trees?

A: Planting in fall is ideal because the air temperatures are cool, reducing stress on the plant, but the soil is still warm. This combination allows the plant to focus all its energy on establishing a strong root system over the winter, giving it a huge advantage when spring growth begins. As long as the ground isn’t frozen, you are good to go!

The Final Fall Garden Chore: Reflect and Look Ahead

As you complete these fall garden chores, take a moment to reflect on the past growing season. What were your successes and challenges? What plants thrived, and which ones struggled? Did any gardening techniques worked well, and what could be improved? These reflections will help you make informed decisions for the next growing season, ensuring an even more beautiful and productive garden. And make sure you write your thoughts down in a garden planner so you remember it all for next season! I forget if I don’t do this!

Remember, the work you put in now will pay off in the spring. So embrace the crisp autumn air, enjoy the changing colors, and get your garden ready for a spectacular bloom next year!

Have you gotten started on your fall garden chores? Do you have any other fall gardening tips to share? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

For more information about what to do in your fall garden, read this article from the Penn State Cooperative Extension.

To drill down on more beginner gardening techniques and tips, please read these posts:

• Flower Gardening for Beginners
• Growing a Cut Flower Garden for Beginners
• Container Garden Ideas for Beginners
• How to Start a Vegetable Garden
• Herb Gardening for Beginners

Thank you so much for following along.

Enjoy a beautiful day! xo