Fall in the South Okanagan is dry, sunny and short. One week the patio is still warm, the next there is frost on the windshield. A good fall clean up gets your yard through winter in good shape and saves you a lot of work come spring. Here is why it matters, what to look for, and how to care for your plants before winter in Oliver, Osoyoos, Penticton and Okanagan Falls.
Why a Fall Clean Up Matters
- Healthier lawns. Wet leaves left over winter smother grass and invite snow mould and dead patches.
- Fewer pests and diseases. Fallen fruit, diseased leaves and weeds gone to seed carry problems straight into next season.
- No cracked irrigation lines. Water left in sprinkler lines can freeze and split pipes and fittings.
- A head start on spring. A tidy yard means you start the season planting, not cleaning up.
What to Look For in Your Yard This Fall
Walk your property and watch for these common trouble spots:
- Leaves matting down on the lawn or piling up against the house
- Pine needles and leaves trapped in rock beds and xeriscape gardens, where they break down into soil that weeds love
- Weeds about to drop seed, and plants with mildew or spotted, diseased leaves
- An irrigation system that is still on, and hoses still connected to outdoor taps
- Gutters and drains clogged with leaves
- Loose stones in retaining walls or edging, and spots where water pools
How to Look After Your Plants Before Winter
Here is how common Okanagan landscape plants should look going into winter, and how to get them there.
Water Deeply Before the Freeze
Our dry falls and sunny winters are hard on evergreens. Give cedars, evergreens and anything planted this year a deep soak before the ground freezes. It is the best defence against winter burn.
Cut Back the Right Perennials
Cut back soft perennials that turn to mush after frost, like hostas, daylilies and peonies, and remove anything diseased. Ornamental grasses and sturdy seed heads can stay up for winter interest and birds; trim them in early spring.
Mulch, Wrap and Protect
Add a few centimetres of mulch around perennials, roses and young shrubs to protect roots from freeze-thaw cycles. Wrap thin-barked young trees to prevent sunscald, and add guards where deer or rodents are a problem. Pruning roses? See our rose care tips.
Go Easy on Pruning and Fertilizer
Only remove dead or damaged branches now. Leave spring bloomers like lilacs and forsythia alone or you will cut off next year’s flowers, and skip fertilizer on shrubs, since late growth gets killed by frost. Lawns are the exception: fall is the best time to aerate, overseed and feed your grass.
When to Do Your Fall Clean Up
In Oliver, Osoyoos and Penticton, the sweet spot is usually mid-October through November, after most leaves have dropped but before the ground freezes. Get your sprinkler system blown out before the first hard frost. In Penticton, the City’s unlimited yard waste weeks are a handy time to clear out bags of leaves.
Quick Fall Clean Up Checklist
- Rake or blow leaves off lawns, beds and rock gardens
- Pull weeds and remove diseased foliage
- Cut back soft perennials
- Aerate, overseed and fertilize the lawn
- Blow out irrigation lines and disconnect hoses
- Deep water evergreens and new plantings
- Mulch beds and wrap young trees
- Clean gutters and downspouts
Fall Clean Up FAQs
What does a fall clean up include?
Usually leaf and debris removal, weeding, cutting back perennials, lawn aeration and fertilizing, irrigation blowout, gutter cleaning and preparing plants for winter.
When should I do a fall yard clean up in the Okanagan?
Mid-October through November is ideal, once most leaves have fallen but before the ground freezes. Irrigation should be winterized before the first hard frost.
Should I cut back perennials in the fall?
Cut back soft or diseased perennials. Ornamental grasses and sturdy seed heads can stay up until early spring.
How much does a fall clean up cost?
It depends on the size of your property and what needs doing. Call or text Dirtworks at 250-490-6167 for a quote.
Book Your Fall Clean Up with Dirtworks
Dirtworks Landscape Development has cared for South Okanagan properties since 2002. We handle fall clean ups, irrigation winterizing, landscape maintenance and snow removal across Oliver, Osoyoos, Penticton, Okanagan Falls and area.
Call or text 250-490-6167 or contact us online to book your fall clean up.
