Checklist for Fall Yard Cleanup
Last Updated: October 29, 2025
The cooler weather, changing colors, and fall decorations signal that it’s time to prepare your yard for winter. This fall cleanup checklist outlines the 15 essential tasks to protect your lawn and garden.
Key Takeaways
- Fall yard cleanup is essential for protecting your lawn and garden from winter damage, pests, and disease.
- Key tasks include clearing debris and gutters, trimming dead branches, and winterizing irrigation systems.
- Preparing your lawn by aerating, feeding with compost, and performing a final, short mow will ensure a healthier start in the spring.
- This is also the ideal time to recycle yard trimmings, tree limbs, branches, and other yard organics.
- Plant bulbs for spring blooms to accent that early green up from your yard.
What Are the Essential Fall Cleanup Tasks?
Here are 13 items you should make part of your fall checklist.
1. How Should I Clear Away Debris?
Protect your lawn from pests by cleaning out fallen leaves and addressing overgrowth.
- Remove leaves from flower beds.
- Pull the last of the summer’s weeds.
- Trim back any overgrown shrubs or bushes.
2. What’s the Best Way to Clean Up My Vegetable Garden?
Once you’ve harvested the last of your vegetables, pull out all the old plants and remove any remaining debris. Bring these organics to a recycling facility like A1 Organics, where it can be turned into rich certified compost for your next spring planting and yard top dressing.
Top dressing existing turf with ¼” or ½” layer of finally screened compost like A1 Organics COMAND compost.
Add 20% – 30% certified compost to garden beds for spring prep.
Use a half inch layer of finished compost around the all trees, staying away from truck and reaching out to canopy distance.
This will provide slow-release nutrients and microorganisms for an earlier spring boost.
3. Why Should I Trim Dead Branches Now?
With the leaves gone, you have a much clearer view of your tree’s branches. It’s important to eliminate any dead, damaged, or diseased branches now. They can break or fall under the weight of heavy snow, causing potential trouble during the winter.
4. Why Do I Need to Clean My Gutters?
What you can’t see can cause problems. You might be surprised how many leaves are trapped in your gutters. Cleaning them out ensures proper drainage so your gutters can handle oncoming moisture. Don’t forget to recycle those leaves!
5. How Do I Winterize My Water Systems?
You do not want to face the cost of frozen pipes. Make sure to thoroughly drain water from all outdoor water systems.
- Drain all hoses, fountains, and drip irrigation systems.
- Store hoses inside in a dry place.
- Cover all outdoor spigots.
6. Why Should I Aerate My Lawn in the Fall?
In Colorado, it’s important to aerate your lawn in the fall. This helps break up the soil and prepares it to receive its last watering. After aerating, top-dress your lawn with STA Certified Compost, COMAND Compost, to provide slow release nutrients and support microbiology for winter insulation and an early spring boost.
7. How Does Feeding My Lawn in the Fall Help?
Fall top-dressing with compost encourages root growth, which will get your lawn off to a great start in the spring. Contact the professionals at A1 Organics to learn which type of STA Certified Compost, COMAND Compost, is right for your lawn.
8. What Should I Do With All the Fallen Leaves?
Vibrant fall leaves add to the beauty of our home. However, once the leaves have all fallen, rake them up. If left on the lawn, they can trap moisture and create mold or fungal problems. We love leaves, so please recycle them at an A1 Organics Recycling Facility.
9. Which Trees and Shrubs Should I Prune?
Trim trees away from your house to avoid any damage they may cause during winter storms. This is also a good time to prune any perennials that bloom in the spring, as you’ll be able to avoid damaging the blooms.
10. Should I Divide My Perennials in the Fall?
Yes, perennials that are thriving should be divided and added to other beds where they will do well. This allows you to enjoy your favorite springtime plants in more than one area without spending more money.
11. How Do I Protect Cold-Sensitive Plants?
Protect cold-sensitive plants, such as roses, from freezing temperatures.
- Add a good layer of Colorado Log Mulch around the base of the plant.
- Wrap the plants with a cloth barrier, like an old sheet or thin blanket, to protect them from freezing.
12. What Can I Plant in the Fall?
While spring flowers may be the last thing on your mind, now is the perfect time to plant spring bulbs. If you want to enjoy a little more color before everything goes dormant, try planting some fall annuals like pansies.
13. What Is the Last Step in Fall Cleanup?
Make sure you clean all of your gardening tools before you store them in your shed or garage for the winter. Failure to do this could result in rusted, damaged tools that will need to be replaced.
Where Can I Recycle My Yard Waste in Colorado?
A1 Organics is Colorado’s leader in organics recycling and offers three convenient locations along the Front Range. Be sure to bring your yard waste to the location nearest you to take advantage of our organics recycling services.
Contact A1 Organics today to learn more about what we can recycle, and be sure to ask about certified composts, premium log mulches, and organics recycling services as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When is the best time to start fall yard cleanup in Colorado? A: The best time to start is typically after the first hard frost, once most of the leaves have fallen from the trees. This usually occurs from late September through early November, depending on your specific location and the year’s weather patterns.
Q: Is it bad to leave leaves on the lawn all winter? A: Yes, it is highly recommended that you rake and remove leaves. A thick layer of leaves can trap moisture, block sunlight, and promote mold and fungal diseases, which can damage or kill your grass before spring.
Q: What common yard waste can I bring to A1 Organics? A: A1 Organics typically accepts a wide range of organic materials, including leaves, grass clippings, tree branches, old garden plants, and other “yard waste.” It’s best to contact them directly or check their website for a specific list of accepted and prohibited materials. https://a1organics.com/residential/