Fall is the busiest time of year for a garden crew, and for good reason. What you do in October and November decides how your lawn and beds come through a Toronto winter. Here’s when to do your fall cleanup, and what it should cover.
When to Do Your Fall Cleanup in Toronto
In Toronto, the best time for a fall cleanup is usually late October to mid-November, once most of the leaves have dropped but before the ground freezes and the first snow sticks. If you have a lot of large trees, two visits work better: one in late October and a final one in November. Don’t let a thick layer of wet leaves sit on the lawn for weeks, because it blocks light and invites snow mould.
Your Fall Checklist
These are the jobs we focus on before the ground freezes:
- Feed and Overseed the Lawn
Early fall is the best time to overseed thin spots and apply a fall fertilizer. Cool nights and warm soil help grass build strong roots before winter.
- Clean Up the Beds
Pull annuals, remove diseased foliage and cut back perennials that tend to flop or rot. Leave sturdy seed heads like coneflower and black-eyed Susan for winter interest and the birds.
- Protect Shrubs and Evergreens
Water evergreens deeply before the freeze, and wrap or screen young cedars and shrubs near the road where salt spray hits them.
- Shut Down Hoses and Taps
Disconnect and drain hoses, and shut off outdoor taps from inside so water does not freeze and crack the pipes.
Check Your Hardscaping Before Winter
Walk around your patios, walkways and retaining walls and look for loose stones, low spots and places where water pools. Water that freezes under pavers or behind a wall pushes things out of place, so it’s worth fixing drainage and topping up joint sand before the first hard frost.
“Most of the winter damage we fix in spring started as something small in the fall: wet leaves left on the lawn, a hose left on the tap, a low spot on the patio. Deal with those now and spring gets a lot easier.”
Book Your Fall Cleanup Early
Fall dates fill up quickly once the leaves start dropping. Our team takes care of leaf removal, bed cleanups and pruning, and hauls everything away. Contact us for a free estimate.