You’ve put a lot of time, energy, and expense into maintaining a beautiful yard and garden all through the spring and summer seasons. Don’t let the gray days of fall and winter lead you into believing there is nothing left to do but watch your hard work whither, turn brown, and die.

Perhaps you’re thinking, isn’t that just the way of nature? Nothing trumps nature, but there’s plenty you can do before the first snow falls. And what you do now will make your life easier — and your yard and garden more responsive — as the ground thaws and new life begins next spring.

So, before you store away your trowel — and coil up your hose — here are some last minute things to do.

1. First and foremost, clean up the garden by trimming back perennials, pulling out any dead annuals, and getting the weeds out. Clear out all the dead and dying plants and leaves. If left throughout the winter, you’ll be creating a wonderful habitat for hibernating damaging insects.

2. One of the greatest things to see at the beginning of spring is the emerging points of tiny little green spring bulbs through the thawing soil. This is a sure sign of the colorful blooms to come. So get ready in fall for that excitement by planting your spring flowering bulbs. Professionals at most nurseries recommend planting daffodils and narcissus first because of their need to root in the fall. Any of the others can be planted later, even up until the ground freezes.

3. Mulch, mulch, mulch. After the first frost, mulch your perennials and new tree plantings. This will help to protect fragile roots and keep weeds down once the soil warms after winter.

4. As for your lawn, make sure all the leaves have been raked before it snows. Make the last cut of the season shorter than normal. According to Beth Phelps, Pulaski County agent with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, grass needs sunlight before it goes dormant for the winter. A layer of leaves over it will prevent this last bit of energy getting to its roots, energy it needs to come back strong and lush with the spring thaw.

5. Don’t be afraid to water. Just because the sun is no longer beaming down its hot, drying rays doesn’t mean the yard and garden don’t still need water. Cold air can be just as drying as warm air. If it hasn’t rained or snowed in a while, soil can dry out, damaging the roots of perennials, grasses, shrubs, and trees.

6. With the living aspects of your yard and garden attended to, it’s a good idea to put away yard ornaments, ceramic pots, and containers. Cold temperatures alternating with some warmer days can cause these things to crack and break. It is better to play it safe and take them out of the elements.

7. Last but not least is caring for your tools. Well-tended equipment, just like your garden, can last for years with just a little extra attention. For hand tools such as trowels, hoes, and cultivators, make sure they are washed and dried thoroughly to prevent them from rusting. Store them inside through the winter months. For wooden handles, nursery workers recommend rubbing linseed oil into the wood to prevent it from drying out. Larger gas-run tools, such as your lawnmower, trimmer, and edger, should also be cleaned. If the gas tanks aren’t empty, add a stabilizer to preserve the unused gasoline.

Performing these simple tasks before you hunker down for the winter months will save you time, money, and extra exertion when spring returns and you once again embark on the journey of creating a beautiful spring and summer garden. You’ll definitely have a head start toward a colorful, healthy, and abundant garden.