When should I put my garden and lawn to bed for winter?

There's no single date, but there's a sign: the grass stops growing and the garden has been hit by a few hard frosts. That's your window.

The lawn

• Do a last mow a little shorter than usual. Long grass can mat down under snow.
• Get the leaves off. A thick layer smothers the grass over winter.
• Fall is a good time to spread lime if a soil test says you need it.

The garden

• Pull spent annuals and vegetable plants, especially anything that was diseased.
• Cut back perennials that turn to mush, like hostas and daylilies.
• Leave sturdy stems and seed heads, like coneflowers and grasses. Birds use them and they look good in the snow.
• Mulch tender perennials and new plantings after the ground starts to freeze, not before.

Trees and shrubs

• Water evergreens well before the ground freezes. They lose moisture all winter.
• Wrap young trees to protect the bark from deer and rodents.
• Tie up shrubs that snow from the roof might crush.

Tools and equipment

• Drain and store hoses.
• Run the mower out of gas or add stabilizer.
• Clean and oil hand tools before putting them away.

When to call a pro

• A big yard or lots of trees
• Trees with dead or hanging branches over the house or driveway
• Shrubs too big to protect yourself

What's your experience?

What's the last thing you do in the garden each fall? Share it in the comments.