8 Fall Gardening Chores You Should Never Skip, According to Martha’s Head Gardener

Fall maintenance is an essential part of gardening. It’s a time to clean up garden beds, evaluate what is still growing, and decide what to replace, divide, and move. Fall cleanup consists of many things, such as deadheading, pruning, mulching, fertilizing, leaf cleanup, dividing, bringing tender plants inside, and planting. Ahead, I’m sharing a few tasks I do around Martha’s garden every fall—and the things you should make it a point to do in your garden. You'll thank yourself come spring once it's time to awaken the garden from its winter slumber.

Deadhead and Groom

Deadheading and grooming are typically the first fall cleanup chores I tackle. I start with deadheading plants late in summer by cutting the spent blooms off flowering plants. Later, I cut spent flower stalks and branches, removing parts of the plant that are no longer productive. 

When fall solidly takes hold, I cut back more of the plant. Most plants are done for the season and can be cut when they turn from green to yellow to brown. I typically wait until the plants are fully yellow-to-brown to cut them back. 

Prune

Fall and winter are the best times to prune and shape most trees and shrubs. This is because it’s easier to see the internal branch structure of the plant once the leaves fall off, giving you a better idea of what branches to cut or remove. Another bonus of pruning in fall and winter is that trees and shrubs have begun to produce less sap, so the cuts tend to heal better. Plus, the likelihood of the plant contracting a disease or pest infestation is minimal when the weather is colder. Hedges and most trees can be pruned back quite hard this time of year since there isn’t much of a chance of new tender growth appearing until springtime.

Fertilize

It’s extremely important to fertilize your plants in the fall—especially trees and shrubs. Doing so feeds the roots, which makes the plant stronger and helps it survive throughout winter. Plus, fertilizing in the fall can lead to bigger, more prolific plants next spring. 

Avoid using a fertilizer high in nitrogen, which can trigger fresh green growth. (Something you want to avoid heading into winter.) Instead, select a fertilizer high in phosphorus and potassium to promote strong root growth and improve the plant’s overall health and resilience. 

We use a lot of super phosphate around the farm and supplement with potassium where needed. Roses get a boost of Epsom salts, while peonies get micronutrient-rich azomite. All of these are applied fairly heavily in fall as slow-release granular fertilizers. 

Leaf Pickup

Fall is called "fall" for a reason—leaves everywhere. Leaf cleanup is a major chore around the farm, as leaving them can drown desirable plants and clog gutters and downspouts. 

After collecting the leaves, we make a giant pile and let them break down. The pile turns into a nutrient-rich leaf mold that we mix with compost or apply directly into the soil to nourish the gardens. 

There has been a movement in recent years to leave the foliage for wildlife, which we do in certain areas around the farm, such as in the woodlands, maple grove, and azaleas. 

Mulch

After cutting back plants and giving them food, we add a layer of mulch to the garden beds. Mulch acts as a layer of insulation, keeping the soil warmer and protecting plants during cold, snowy winters. Plus, mulched gardens look nicer and more finished.

There are different types of mulch you can use. On the farm, we primarily use compost or leaf mold, but some areas get straw or hay bales, and others get wood chips. Mulches that break down over time, such as leaf mold, will add nutrients to the soil.

Divide

Fall is a great time to divide plants in your garden. Trees and shrubs can’t be divided, but many perennials can be dug up, cut into smaller plants, and replanted. Not only does this give you extra plants, but it also allows you to remove any dead portions. Our most commonly divided plants are hostas, irises, peonies, catnip, and herbs. 

Digging up plants for division is also a good time to remove plants that no longer serve their purpose or ones that you don’t like. You can also dig up and move plants around, either to better design your garden or to choose a location that's better suited to the plant. 

Plant

Plants that go dormant in winter, like roses, fruit trees, etc., are fantastic to plant in fall. I think they do better when fall planted than when spring planted, as planting in early fall gives them a few months to grow and establish a healthy root system without expending their energy on top growth. The plants will sleep during winter and have a strong foundation to grow from come spring. This results in faster spring emergence and larger plants more quickly than if you waited until the garden centers fill up in spring. You can also typically find plants much cheaper in nurseries during fall. It's a win all around. 

Bring Tender Plants Inside

Tropicals, houseplants, and more tender perennials that do not like the cold temperatures must be brought indoors for the winter to survive. I usually leave these plants outside until October, which keeps them from experiencing a heavy frost but signals that it’s time to slow down their growth. 

Tender plants need to be brought into the house (in the case of houseplants) so they can continue thriving inside or stored somewhere safe, like a garage (ideally one that's slightly heated) where they won’t freeze. Pay attention to the weather forecasts so you are not too late—32 degrees Fahrenheit is freezing, so once nighttime temperatures drop to about 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, you should start to move things inside.