How to Prepare an Annual Flower Bed for Autumn

A field of sunflowers

Annuals are flowers whose life cycle only lasts one year. Because the plants will die off in the fall, there is no need to try to overwinter them, but if you'll be using the garden bed again next spring, you'll want to make sure it's ready to go when you're ready to plant again.

Things You'll Need

• Mulch
• Garden fork or rototiller (optional)

Instructions

1. Avoid the temptation to tear out all the dead plants after the first frost. While this may make your garden bed look cleaner, it actually damages the structure of the soil. Many annuals will decompose completely over the course of the fall, winter and early spring, adding valuable nutrients to the soil. Also, many annuals such as sunflowers, zinnias, coreopsis or daisies produce seeds that will attract birds to your garden throughout the fall, long after the flowers are dead.

2. Continue to weed your garden; just because your flowers are dead doesn't mean the weeds are. Some weeds are hardy enough that they will germinate on sunny days well into winter, and if weeds are allowed to go to seed, they will take over your garden bed in the spring. Keep an eye on your garden until there is snow cover and pull out any weeds that sprout.

3. Cover your garden bed with several inches of mulch, such as grass clippings or raked leaves, after the first frost. A good layer of mulch will keep the weeds down and will also help regulate moisture levels throughout winter and prevent erosion. Also, as mulch decomposes throughout the season, it improves the quality of the soil.

4. Reflect on the season's garden. What did you enjoy about your garden? What would you like to change? If you want to expand your garden, now is a good time to do it, especially if you'll be converting turf grass into a flower garden. Turn the soil with a garden fork or rototiller and cover heavily with mulch. This will help the old grass to decompose and will cut down on weeds next year.

5. Turn under any remaining mulch or plant matter to continue decomposing, after the snow is gone and the ground is workable. Spread a little compost, and you're ready to plant more annuals again.