What to do in the garden before the first frost hits
A short list, in order, from the people who spend every October outside.
Frost does not negotiate, and the plants that survive it are the ones prepared two weeks early rather than the night before.
Start with water: hoses drained, outdoor taps shut off from inside, irrigation blown out if you have it.
Then the beds
Cut back what needs cutting, leave seed heads for the birds, and mulch heavily around anything borderline hardy.
Containers are the most vulnerable thing in any garden; move them to a sheltered wall or group them together.
Then put the tools away clean and oiled, which is the job everybody skips and regrets in April.
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