4- Protect your compost

First of all, we’d recommend keeping a few bags of crumpled leaves as an ingenious way to balance out your compost for the next season, the leaves must absolutely contain a share of dried residues. 

As it’s common to see shrubs affected by a disease, some precautions are necessary if you don’t want to see the problem spread elsewhere. In this regard, be certain that residues removed or cut from the plant or shrub are not mixed with the rest of the compost, as it will be otherwise contaminated. Distributing it into the rest of the landscape will increase the chances of seeing other plants fall ill. 

5- Spread fertilizer

Autumn fertilizer is remarkably effective when it comes to helping plants to restore enough reserves for the harshness of winter. The potassium present inside these will help to strengthen plants and give them another chance at life next summer. 

6- Rake the leaves?

This is a controversial question. If you don’t want to pick up the autumn leaves (but why not? It’s such a pleasant task) then you’ll need to cut them into very small pieces with a shredder and make sure that they’re evenly distributed across the ground. Otherwise, it’s necessary to invest the few hours which you’ll need to remove the leaves. 

7- Maintain your lawn

To help your soil to grow back next spring, we’d recommend mowing it and leaving it at a height of 5 cm. Once this step has been completed, apply compost and seeds to any clear spots. As soon as spring arrives, your soil will be able to grow back and relive under the warmth of the sun.

8- Remove clumps of leaves or branches

A pile of leaves or wood could attract small rodents, ants, as well as other insects that may choose to burrow there. The situation can be problematic if these same clusters are anywhere near the home. Indeed, if your walls are not equipped with anti-intrusion mouldings, rodents can make their way into the walls of your home.

9- Close the pool

When mid-October arrives, the time to close your pool has come. This moment officially puts an end to summer activities, but needs to be done as a certain succession of steps, as high-lighted on the CAA-Quebec website:

• The passage of a vacuum cleaner;
• Countercurrent cleaning;
• The pH adjustment of the pool;
• Performing a chlorine treatment (slightly above the usual dose to create the equivalent of a shock treatment);
• Cleaning the canvas with a damp cloth;
• Lowering of the water level to 30 cm below the edge of the pool;
• Draining pipes: if you have an above ground pool, simply unplug it. If your pool is inground, use a leaf cleaner. 

10- Empty the hoses

To prevent the pipes from bursting, drain the irrigation system as well as the water outlets such as garden hoses and outside faucets. Emptying them of old water will prevent your pipes from freezing during the winter.

When should you begin preparing the ground for winter?

It may be tempting to procrastinate on closing your land, but putting overnight tasks back into the spotlight may prevent you from completing the project. As with rain, the cold days come on quickly and this could leave you with a lack of time when you look at the number of things that need to be completed. To avoid this unpleasant situation, we’d recommend starting these tasks in mid-September.