Outdoors 5 things to tackle in your yard before winter By Allan Britnell Published: September 24, 2021 Updated: March 26, 2024 share Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Copy Link Cancel View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 Photo by Cherries/Shutterstock 1. Branch management Take a stroll around your property looking for tree branches hanging close to or over the cottage and other outbuildings. Remove any sickly ones that could fall and cause damage. While you’re at it, prune back any overgrown branches on any decorative shrubs around the cottage and deadhead flowering bushes. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 Photo by OlgaPonomarenko/Shutterstock 2. Gardening If you want to have tulips or other spring flowers blooming, plant your bulbs now. If you grow a garden at the cottage, now is also the time to add mulch and till the soil so that it’s ready to grow in the spring. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 Photo by Bob Hosea/Shutterstock 3. Drain your hose If you have a garden hose at the cottage, disconnect it, and drain all the water from it before you store it away for the winter. Turn off the water supply inside the cottage, and open the faucet so any last remnant water can drain out. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 Photo by Frolphy/Shutterstock 4. Tool storage Scrap and rinse any dirt or debris off your garden tools before you store them for winter. Make sure they’re completely dry before you put them away. You can also rub them with an oily rag to help prevent rust. Ensure wooden handles aren't in contact with soil or they can start to rot. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 Photo by kenary820/Shutterstock 5. Prepare for next spring Make note of your springtime chores that you’ll want to tackle when you open up—repair that wonky railing, lay down a new pathway, add extra seating space around the campfire. View in Fullscreen Related galleries Meet 12 of the hardest working critters in cottage country 5 old-timey (and completely absurd) beliefs about wildlife 6 frog species getting busy in late spring 1 2 3 4 5 6 5 things to tackle in your yard before winter The sun’s going down earlier, and there’s a chill in the air in the morning and at night. That means that it’s fall, and you need to prepare your yard for the winter. Here are some to-do items to add to your list. Related Story Straw bale gardening is the solution to a weed-free garden