Summer always seems to go by too fast. One day you’re uncovering your patio furniture and watching the tulips start to bloom, and seemingly the next there’s a chill in the air and the first maple leaves are starting to turn golden. As sad as it is to say goodbye to another summer (and maybe even closing your cottage for the year), there are plenty of bright, crisp fall days to look forward to and an equal number of chores to keep you busy until the arrival of the snow. Other than making sure your home insurance has got you properly covered, here are the most important things to take care of before winter sets in.

Clean your gutters

Winter means snowmelt and spring brings rain, and all that water will need a place to go. The best place for it to go is well away from your foundation (two metres or so, ideally.) If your gutters are clogged with leaves, however, it’s just as likely to overflow, potentially causing water damage and flooding. Once the leaves have dropped, it’s a good idea to inspect your gutters and remove as much debris as you can, clearing the way for winter and spring runoff.

Prune your trees

From hurricanes to ice storms, fall and winter weather can wreak havoc on tree branches, and possibly your home if it’s sitting underneath some of those heavy branches. Once the trees have finished growing for the season, it’s time to trim back any branches that are beginning to encroach on your house and safely get rid of any dead wood. Not only does this help to prevent large branches from landing on your house or your car, but keeping trees pruned well away from the roof will also lessen the amount of leaves that end up in your gutters. 

Clean and put away outdoor furniture

The colder the days become, the less use you’ll get out of your patio furniture. Once you’re ready to call it, you can prolong the life of your outdoor seating and tables by cleaning, covering and storing them for the off-season. The main culprits here are freezing temperatures, moisture and UV light, so the best course of action is to store them in a shed or garage if you can. If not, wrap them securely in weatherproof covers to keep out the worst of the elements.  

Mulch your beds 

Most trees and shrubs in Canadian backyards are capable of withstanding our tough winters, but that doesn’t mean they don’t benefit from a bit of help. Covering beds with a layer of mulch made from shredded leaves, straw or bark will shield the roots from the worst of winter’s chill while assisting with moisture retention, all of which helps them to bounce back healthy and strong in the spring.  

To rake or not to rake?  

The answer depends on how much leaf litter you end up with, and how much “mess” you can tolerate on your lawn until next spring. Raking leaves is a time-honoured fall tradition, but it might not be necessary (or even beneficial) depending on your situation. That’s because as leaves decompose over winter and spring, they help to fertilize your lawn as compost. If it’s just a few leaves blowing around, feel free to leave them in place. But if your lawn is half-covered with leaves, instead of raking, run your mower over them to speed along their decomposition. If you have a thick carpet of leaves, you’ll need to get out your rake and remove at least half of them so they don’t smother your lawn over the winter. 

Plant spring bulbs

Just because summer’s over doesn’t mean it’s too soon to start planning for spring. Where bulbs like tulips, crocuses, and daffodils are concerned, fall is the best time to get them in the ground. For optimum results, plant bulbs three times deeper than they are tall, with the pointy side pointing up, and water well.

Empty planters

Terra cotta pots and planters are a backyard staple, but they are notoriously susceptible to breakage due to the expansions and contractions of winter’s freeze-thaw cycle. To avoid this fate, empty the soil out of your terra cotta planters each fall, and store them indoors in a garage or shed.

Jeremy Freed is a freelance writer and editor based in Toronto. His writing about fashion, travel, food and design appears in Sharp, Harry and re:Porter magazines, among many others.

Jeremy Freed is a paid spokesperson of Sonnet Insurance.