Never Do These 7 Tasks After Your First Frost
There are many things to accomplish in the garden before the first fall frost. But afterward, things calm down. Join gardening expert Melissa Strauss to talk about some tasks that you should avoid doing after the first frost.

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Picture it. You’ve finished prepping the garden for winter. You’ve planted your bulbs, cut or pulled weeds, and panted some late-season rose bushes. You composted and then tucked everything away under a blanket of mulch. Then you wake up one magical morning to a blanket of fine, white glitter covering the garden.
There is much to do to prepare for this day, the first frost of fall or winter. Fall is a bustling time in the garden. Winter, however, is a time for most things to rest. You may still have some evergreens to tend to. But, for the most part, plants go dormant, and much work is over until things begin to warm back up in spring.
So what should we do in the garden after the first frost? Well, the more important question is what we should not do. Let’s look at some tasks you should avoid after that first frost.
Pruning

When the first frost hits, many of our plants respond by dying back to the ground. This frost lets them know that it’s time for their dormancy—time to retreat and conserve energy for the spring.
Going outside and cutting off damaged foliage caused by the freeze can be tempting. However, it’s important to resist this temptation and leave that dead foliage for warmer days ahead.
Here’s why: The dead foliage actually protects the rest of the plant that hasn’t died from the cold. This is particularly true of those plants that are questionable for your climate. Leaving that dead foliage intact can act as protection for the rest of the plant and its roots from future freezing vents.
Pruning in winter is risky for two reasons. First, it removes that protection, exposing the healthy parts of the plant to freezing during subsequent events. Second, pruning stimulates growth. That tender new growth will be more vulnerable than mature wood that hardened off during the previous seasons.
This doesn’t just apply to large plants and perennials. For smaller flowering plants, leaving seed heads intact feeds overwintering birds and other small animals. Many beneficial insects also overwinter in the hollow stalks left from these.
Withholding Water

It’s important to keep watering your plants, even when they are dormant. While they won’t need as much water, they can suffer from more extensive root damage and potential death without enough.
Hydrated plants stand up to the cold better than dehydrated ones. The hydrated tissues are more resilient and more likely to bounce back from the cold. Dry roots are fragile and easily damaged by freezing temperatures.
Don’t water if the soil is already moist; check your plants weekly and wait until it is dry to the touch. It’s best to water when the air temperature is above 40°F (4°C). But watering ahead of a freeze is especially important. Pay special attention to any newly planted perennials, which need more water than established trees and shrubs.
Water trees to the drip line and smaller plants close to the crown. The water actually protects your plant’s roots, offering some insulation. The moist soil will stay slightly warmer than the air. If possible, use drip irrigation. Watering slowly will help your plants absorb the water more efficiently.
Overwatering

This may sound contradictory, but as important as it is to continue watering in winter, it is equally important to avoid overwatering. During winter, your plants take in less water because they are dormant. While they still need some moisture, too much can cause more harm than good.
Overly wet soil around roots and bulbs that aren’t absorbing and utilizing it can lead to root rot. This is especially true of bulbs, which already hold some moisture. If you let the ground stay soggy, you may end up disappointed by a lack of flowers in the spring as your bulbs have rotted.
Fertilizing

Technically, fertilizing should stop in the fall, about six to eight weeks before your first anticipated frost date. Fertilizer has a similar effect as pruning: it encourages new growth, which is more vulnerable to cold, which compromises the whole plant.
Another reason not to fertilize in winter is that you’ll waste the fertilizer. Dormant plants take in far less water and nutrients than when they are actively growing. Too much fertilizer can also be detrimental to roots, which are more fragile from the cold.
The only time you should use fertilizer in winter is for winter-blooming houseplants. Use a diluted formula for actively growing indoor plants. Outdoor plants hardy to your region will be unable to absorb nutrients in their dormant state.
Another alternative, if you feel like you need to give your beds more of a boost for spring, is organic amendments. If you haven’t mulched (which you should do before the first freeze), laying down a topdressing of manure or compost is fine. It will break down slowly as the weather warms up.
Planting Anything That’s Not Dormant

Depending on your climate, you may or may not be able to continue planting certain things after the first frost. Technically, the ground is still workable until a prolonged hard freeze (28°F/-2°C or lower). You can plant dormant trees and shrubs in many places as long as the ground is workable.
Planting dormant trees and shrubs in winter doesn’t disturb their natural cycle. Planting non-dormant plants, however, is not a good idea, evergreens included. Evergreens need to take in nutrients before the soil freezes, and they may not have the chance to do this if you wait too long.
Using Weed Killer

I’d love to say that you shouldn’t use weed killers at all. They have been known to contaminate the groundwater and contribute to an unhealthy environment in general. However, some folks really like a weed-free turf lawn.
Most of these chemicals have temperature restrictions. That is, they work best in a specific range. Using them below their indicated temperature restriction can render them less effective or not effective at all.
The best times to spray for weeds are in spring when the soil warms to about 50°F (10°C), or in the fall. Just make sure to get it done when it has time to work before the temperature drops.
Clearing Leaves From Garden Beds

Finally, if you can leave the leaf cleanup for spring, it’s truly the best thing for your garden as a whole. Allowing fallen leaves to stay in place can help insulate your beds. They act as mulch, so leaving them in place saves money on mulch. They also break down over time and replace valuable nutrients in the soil.
Another reason to leave the leaves is for beneficial insects. Many beneficial insects hibernate during the cold weather. Leaf piles provide a warm, safe, and protected spot for bumblebees, native bees, fireflies, and the larval form of many moths and butterflies.
These insects will find their way into these spaces before that first frost and stay put until the spring. By removing leaves from the garden, you dispose of these beneficial insects, and that can disrupt the ecosystem for the following year.
Do your pollinating friends a favor and leave the leaves. If you can’t tolerate them laying where they fall, feel free to rake them into piles before winter. Then, simply leave them there to decompose and use them as compost in the spring.