As the mercury starts to dip and those clear nights set in, nature gives us sneak peeks that winter is on its way. If you’re a gardener, you know that the first frost can be both stunning and devastating. One cold night can harm your plants, freeze the soil, and undo months of hard labor. But the good news? So, a little preparation before frost sets in can save your garden, give next year’s growth a head start, and keep things neat through the cold months.

1. Harvest Whatever You Can

Before frost descends upon your garden, walk through your plants and pick anything that’s ready or nearly so. Cold-sensitive vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash and basil won’t survive a frost.

If your tomatoes are still green, it’s OK. Pick them nevertheless, and let them ripen indoors. Even just-underripe vegetables are worth saving, as frost damage can destroy the flavor and texture.

Pro tip: Keep harvested produce cool and dry. To ripen the tomatoes faster keep the tomatoes wrapped in newspaper.

2. Move Tender Plants Indoors

Then, there are the plants that just can’t stand cold nights. Houseplants that had summer vacations outdoors, tropical plants, potted herbs and tender annual flowers should all be brought indoors before frost arrives.

First, give them a quick cleanup dead leaves gone, prune lightly and check for pests. This will help keep insects from hitching a free ride into your home.

If you don’t have space indoors, at least bury delicate pots in a garage, shed or covered porch.

3. Protect Your Perennials

Perennials are generally capable of enduring cold, but a hard frost can injure exposed roots or tender young foliage. Now is an excellent time to layer on some mulch around their base.

Mulchoff’s three main benefits:

Insulates roots
Retains soil moisture
Prevents temperature shock

Just use wood chips, straw and leaves or compost anything offering warmth.

Also, don’t prune back perennials too soon. Numerous plants use dying foliage as insulation.

4. Clean Up Spent Annuals

Annuals are plants in a hurry to live and die. Once the frost comes, they’re gonnerso better to be better off pulling them out early. Clearing dead or dying annuals also helps:

Prevent disease
Reduce pests
Spruce up a spring garden.

Healthy plants: Healthy plants can be added to your compost pile, although it is best not to compost anything that shows evidence of mold, fungus or insect damage.

5. Plant Your Spring Bulbs

If you dream of drifts of blue, pink and purple tulips, daffodils, even hyacinths in spring, now is your time. Spring bulbs are best planted in the fall because they require the cold period of winter to flower well.

Select a sunny location, dig holes three times as deep as each bulb is tall, and set them pointy-side up. Cover lightly with soil and water.

Popular bulbs to plant in advance of frost:

Tulips
Daffodils
Crocuses
Hyacinths
Alliums

Once nature takes hold, the rest is easy.

6. Prep Your Soil for Next Year

Good soil is the foundation of a good garden. Oh, and fall is a strangely great time to both feed and enhance your soil; in the winter it will all have time to decompose naturally.

Before frost, do the following:

Add compost or manure
Mix in soil amendments
Test your soil’s acidity if you can

If your soil is packed tightly, loosen it carefully with a fork to promote better airflow and drainage when planting.

This little bit of effort now results in a richer, more productive soil come spring.

7. Bring in Your Garden Tools

Lots of people overlook this one: your tools need winter care, too. If the weather freezes, wooden handles, metal blades and hoses can be damaged.

Before frost:

Clean tools thoroughly
Remove rust
Oil blades lightly
Keep everything in your home inside a dry space

Be sure to drain your garden hose fully and remove it from the faucet. A frozen hose can burst and result in costly plumbing problems.

8. Cover Vulnerable Plants

Be prepared for frost if it comes early (and it often does). Here are a few simple things that can save your plants overnight:

Frost cloths
Burlap
Old bed sheets
Straw or leaf piles
Plastic tunnels (were not in contact with the plants)

One reason to cover plants is that it will help retain heat from the soil, and can protect foliage from freezing temperatures.

Be sure to bring them out during the day so they can breathe and soak up sunlight.

9. Water Before Frost Hits

This may sound counterintuitive, but watering the soil before a frost can help protect your plants. Wet soil retains heat more effectively than dry soil. That extra warmth helps insulate roots overnight.

And water a little earlier in the day to allow time for any excess moisture to evaporate. You don’t want water sitting on leaves overnight when the temperature drops saturated leaves + freezing air = frost damage.

Final Thoughts

When you prepare your garden for the first frost, it’s not just about protecting what’s currently growing it’s also about laying the groundwork for a stronger, healthier garden next year. By following all of these simple steps, before the cold comes in, you ensure having a better chance to survive winter and come back strong in spring.

And a modest effort now pays dividends downstream. So take an afternoon, bundle up, and give your garden the attention it deserves before winter sets in.