When should you start preparing your garden for winter?
Winter garden preparation in the UK should begin in October and be largely complete by mid-November. The exact timing depends on the weather: in a mild autumn, growth continues longer and the urgency is less. In an early cold snap, you may need to act sooner. The key tasks fall into three categories: lawn care, plant protection, and tool maintenance. Tackling them in order of priority means starting with the lawn, which needs specific treatments while the soil is still warm, then moving to plant protection as temperatures drop, and finishing with tool storage once the last outdoor work is done. In Cambridge, the first hard frost typically arrives in late November or early December, so there is usually a comfortable window from early October onwards to work through the checklist without rushing.
What lawn care tasks should you do before winter?
Give the lawn a final mow on a dry day in late October or early November, setting the mower to 35 to 40 millimetres. This slightly longer cut protects the grass crown through frost and cold. Apply an autumn lawn feed high in potassium and phosphorus (NPK around 3-12-12) to harden the grass and strengthen roots for the cold months. If you did not scarify and aerate in September, early October is the last viable window. Clear fallen leaves regularly, as a thick wet layer smothers the grass, blocks light, and encourages fungal diseases like fusarium patch and red thread. A leaf blower or spring-tine rake makes this quicker than a standard garden rake. ELawnCare offers an autumn tidy service that covers the final mow, leaf clearance, border tidying, and autumn feed application in a single visit.
How do you protect plants and borders for winter?
Tender plants that are not fully hardy in the UK need protection before the first frost. Move container plants to a sheltered spot against a south-facing wall, or wrap pots in bubble wrap to insulate the roots. Mulch beds and borders with a 50 to 75 millimetre layer of bark, compost, or well-rotted manure to insulate roots and suppress winter weeds. Cut back perennials that have finished flowering, but leave ornamental grasses and seedheads intact for winter structure and wildlife habitat. Protect tree ferns and banana plants with fleece or straw wrapping. Drain and store garden hoses before they freeze and split. Turn off outdoor taps at the stopcock if possible to prevent burst pipes. Empty water from any containers, bird baths, or saucers that could crack when ice expands inside them.
Should you store garden tools differently in winter?
Proper tool storage in winter extends the life of your equipment and ensures it is ready for spring. Clean all hand tools, removing soil and sap, then wipe metal parts with an oily rag to prevent rust. Sharpen spade and hoe edges. Drain fuel from petrol mowers and strimmers, or run them dry, to prevent stale fuel clogging the carburettor. For battery-powered tools, store batteries at around 50% charge in a dry, frost-free place. Clean the mower deck thoroughly, removing compacted grass that traps moisture and causes corrosion. Service the mower now rather than in spring when repair shops are busy and turnaround times are longer. Store all equipment in a dry shed or garage rather than leaving it outdoors under a cover, as even covered tools suffer from condensation and damp during the UK winter.