Tips for getting your lawn and garden ready for winter
MINNEAPOLIS -- With the threat for frost in the forecast for much of the Twin Cities metro and beyond, experts suggest now is the time to make sure your gardens and lawns are ready.
Many already know one of the main tips -- making sure to bring in house plants and covers others outside -- but fall is a good time make sure your yard is ready for next year.
Matt Holen at Sunnyside Gardens in Minneapolis said now is the time to over-seed. He said putting some grass seed down now will help your lawn stay strong throughout the winter and look lush next spring.
It's also a good time to plant perennials, as getting seeds in the ground now for tulips and daffodils will help them grow strong roots because the soil is warmer now than it is in the fall.
One common mistake Holen said people make this time of year is pruning certain plants.
"They prune their hydrangeas all the way to the ground," he said. "I typically don't recommend that because you're taking all of those stems which house all of the energy for next year and you're just getting rid of it for the plant. This time of year, though, if you do that it's going to open up a lot of room for infection."
Holen said when it comes to raking leaves, while they can naturally break down and be good for your lawn, having too many leaves blanketing your yard can suffocate the grass, so it's best to take up most of it before the snow falls.
For more tips from Sunnyside Gardens, click here.
