Use these tips on how to prepare your flower beds in the fall to have beautiful flower beds in the spring.
By now, chances are your flower beds are starting to dwindle down. You may have a few Black Eyed Susans here and there, or an herb or two still hanging on, but your beds are probably starting to look thin and sparse. It is now time to start preparing your flower beds for fall and ultimately winter, so they can take a peaceful slumber and be all ready for next spring. By following some simple steps now, you can best prepare your beds so they come back full force next year. It does not have to be time consuming or expensive to do so, and is a lot easier than you may think. Take a look below at how to prepare your flower gardens for fall so you can enjoy the best looking yard possible. Five simple steps is all it takes!
How to Prepare Your Flower Beds in the Fall for Next Spring:
1. First, you want to remove all dead items and debris. Remove dead stems, dead flower blooms, leaves that drifted into your beds, and sticks. You can also pick out any debris that may have drifted from the trash can into your beds, where debris often gets trapped. A good pair of garden gloves will make this task a lot less messy and a little easier. Remember that any organic matter such as leaves and dead plants can be added to your compost!
2. For the second step, start getting rid of those weeds. Even cooler weather is not enough to stop weeds. Start pulling them by hand to make sure you get every last one. You don’t want them stealing nutrients from your precious soil, so being thorough when doing this job is essential.
3. Third, you want to aerate and loosen up all of the compacted soil. Allowing plenty of air to make its way through the soil is a great way to make sure it stays healthy and can be the best growing environment for your plants. You can do this with a small hand shovel and finish with a rake to smooth all of the soil out and create a nice even surface.
4. Fourth, you want to start thinning out your perennial plants. Look for plants that seem to be crowded and choose a few center blooms to dig out. You can always plant these in other areas of your yard or give them to a friend looking for plants. Dig up the entire root of the bloom and the rest of the plant will have more room to breathe and grow.
5. For the fifth and final step, you want to start filling in any bare areas that are present. Now is the time to plant your fall bulbs or add additional perennials to your beds. Plant according to tag directions, add plenty of water, and your bulbs and added perennials will look great next spring.
As you can see you are only five steps away from beautifully cared for flower beds that will be all ready to perform for you next spring. Follow these five steps and you will enjoy flower beds that are neat, clean, and totally functional. Happy fall gardening!
Carrie says
Do I need to cover my beds with mulch or anything to keep the ground and bulbs safe from the weather?
Sophia Steele says
Lovely post! It’s my first year in planting flowers and some veggies and I’m very glad I found your post, because it answers to many of my questions about flowers and winter. Thank you for the useful information!
Mary says
Great advice, this is just what I was looking for to get ready for spring. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. Have a great Fall and Winter.