Late Autumn

Get bulbs in the ground. Plant your favorite bulbs now for colorful springtime blooms.

Test Garden Tip: You can usually get away with planting bulbs late, up until the soil freezes solid enough you can't get a shovel in the ground.

Don't miss our bulb planting tips!

Force bulbs indoors for winter color. Bulbs such as narcissus and hyacinth work well.

Discover more on forcing bulbs.

Feed your lawn. Don't let your lawn go into winter without the nutrients it needs to battle the long sleep.

Know how much lawn food to use with our fertilizer calculator.

 

Bring tender container plants indoors. Remove dead foliage and break up any hardened soil before hauling your cherished tropical plants (such as mandevilla, passionflower, and citrus) indoors for the winter.

Test Garden Tip: Keep an eye out for pests, too. Before bringing plants indoors, spray them, if necessary, to keep aphids, mealybugs, or other harmful insects out of your house.

Get more tips.

Empty hoses, fountains, and drip-irrigation systems. Ensure any standing water is removed from your watering equipment; store items in a dry place.

Clean up the veggie bed. Remove weeds and debris so pests won't make your garden their winter home.

Dig up annuals. Spent and dead, your summer annuals can now nourish the compost heap.

 

Protect cold-sensitive plants. Shrubs, roses, and perennials that might succumb to blasts of cold should be protected with mulch or another protective covering. Place these frost barriers after the first freeze.