How to get your garden ready for winter: step-by-step DIY guide

With a few jobs in autumn your garden stays healthy through winter and you start spring with a head start. Clearing leaves, pruning, cleaning tools and protecting the outside tap and hose against frost: it is all doable as a DIYer. In this blog you will read what to do in which order.

⚠️ Working on wet leaves and in slippery conditions makes it easy to slip. Wear sturdy shoes and gloves and do not use a ladder in wind or wet weather. Do high branches need pruning, or is there work you are not sure about? Then a gardener or landscaper is never superfluous.

What do you need?

Tools

• A hand rake and a fan rake for leaves and prunings.
• A cordless blower for large areas.
• A garden shovel for moving soil and repairing bare patches.
• hedge shears and pruning saw for autumn pruning.
• An 12-litre bucket and a automatic hose reel for cleaning and storing.

Personal protective equipment

• garden gloves with latex coating or work gloves with nitrile coating against dirt, thorns and cold.
• safety goggles when pruning and blowing.
• safety shoe for a firm, grippy footing.

Step by step: how to get the garden ready for winter

1. Rake: collect leaves from lawn and paths. Leave some on beds or in a corner for wildlife.
2. Prune: remove dead branches and prune shrubs where that suits autumn.
3. Lawn: mow one last time and trim the edges.
4. Taps and hose: close the outside tap, drain the hose and store it dry, for example on a hose reel.
5. Tools: clean tools, dry them and store them dry.
6. Protect vulnerable plants following the advice for that species.

Common mistakes

• Leaving wet leaves on the lawn, which smothers the grass.
• Not protecting outside taps and hoses against frost.
• Storing tools dirty and wet.
• Pruning too hard in the wrong season.

Working safely

Wear gloves and sturdy shoes, keep the leaf blower away from bystanders and use hearing protection with noisy machines. You will find more tips in our guide to Stalco Garden tools and our blog on gardening gloves and tools. Want to get your house ready for winter too? Read our blog on getting your home ready for winter.

Frequently asked questions

When do I get the garden ready for winter?

In autumn, when most leaves have fallen and before the first frost.

Do I have to clear all the leaves?

Not necessarily. Leave some on beds or in a corner, and clear lawn and paths.

How do I prevent frost damage to an outside tap?

Close the tap, drain the water and protect the tap following the manufacturer's instructions. If in doubt, call a qualified installer.

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Where can you find everything for this job?

At Saniso, the online store for DIYers and professionals, you will find tools, materials and personal protective equipment for your job.

• Browse our construction tools and our workwear and safety.
• Create a customer account and order easily.
• Working on a bigger project or want to hand over the job? Request a project quote.
• Book a showroom visit, at least 24 hours in advance.
• Not sure which material suits your job? Get in touch with us.

In doubt about the approach? Feel free to call in a professional.

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