A little work in your garden beds this fall pays off in spring with fewer pests, fewer weeds, and plants that come back strong. Missoula winters are long and cold, so here's how to get your beds ready.

1. Clean up and protect

Pull spent annuals and clear heavy leaf mats off perennials so they don't rot. A leaf tarp makes hauling debris out of beds much quicker, and paper yard bags work well for compost drop-off. While you're out there, disconnect hoses and cover outdoor faucets before the first hard freeze.

Remove any diseased or moldy plant material completely rather than leaving it in the bed, since disease can overwinter in it.

2. Pull the weeds now

Weeds you pull in the fall are weeds that don't drop seed all over your beds for next year. It's easier now while the soil is still soft.

3. Decide what to cut back

You don't have to cut everything to the ground.

\nCut back perennials that turn mushy after a frost, or any that had disease this year.
\nLeave standing sturdy seed heads and ornamental grasses if you like the look. They add winter interest, catch snow, and give birds something to eat.

4. Water before the freeze

If fall has been dry, give shrubs, perennials, and especially evergreens a deep watering before the ground freezes. Plants that go into winter dry are more likely to get damaged by winter wind and sun.

5. Mulch after the ground cools

A few inches of mulch over the beds helps keep soil temperatures steady and protects roots from freezing and thawing over and over. It's best to add it once the ground has cooled, and keep it pulled back a little from stems and trunks.

6. Protect tender shrubs

Young or tender shrubs can use a wrap of burlap to protect them from heavy snow and drying winter wind. Tie up upright evergreens loosely so heavy snow doesn't split them.

7. Clean and store your tools

Clean off pruners and shovels, dry them, and store them inside so they're ready in spring.

Want your beds done for you?

Lawns By Levi handles bed cleanup, weeding, and leaf removal across Missoula, so your landscaping goes into winter clean and comes out ready to grow.

Call or text (406) 802-0211 to book bed cleanup.

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How to Winterize Your Garden Beds in Missoula

Simple steps to clean up, cut back, mulch, and protect your beds before a Missoula winter.

Garden bed winter prep for Missoula

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