How to Winterize Your Garden and Sprinklers

A hard frost can split a hose, crack an outdoor tap and burst an irrigation pipe in a single night. The good news is that winterizing your garden and sprinklers is mostly simple, one-afternoon work. This guide walks you through the water side, the plant side and the tool side, with a checklist and a log you can copy, whether you look after your own yard, a rental property or the grounds of a small business.

Searches for how to winterize a garden and how to winterize sprinklers have hit "breakout" levels over the past 12 months, according to Google Trends. That makes sense. More people are growing food, adding drip irrigation and caring for small rental gardens, and nobody wants a surprise repair bill in March.

If you already worked through our November checklist or the guide to winterizing a house, you have covered the inside of the home. This article zooms in on the yard: water, plants, soil and tools. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for your irrigation system and backflow device, and call a qualified professional for anything you are not sure about.

Why winterizing outdoor water matters

Water expands when it freezes. Inside a hose, a tap or a buried pipe, that expansion has nowhere to go, so it pushes on the walls until something gives. Often you do not see the damage until spring, when you turn the water back on and find a spray of water in the flower bed or a puddle in the basement behind the outdoor tap.

Plants and tools suffer too, just more slowly. Bare soil loses nutrients to winter rain, tender plants die back in frost, terracotta pots crack, and tools left damp rust over the cold months. A few hours now saves you money, time and disappointment when the growing season starts again.

Step 1: hoses and outdoor taps

This is the quickest win and the one people forget most often.

1. Disconnect every hose. A hose left attached can trap water in the tap, which then freezes and cracks the fitting or the pipe behind the wall.
2. Drain the hoses. Stretch each one out on a slope, or lift it hand over hand from one end to the other so water runs out.
3. Coil and store them. Hang hoses loosely in a shed, garage or basement. Avoid tight kinks, which weaken the hose over winter.
4. Shut off the indoor valve. Many homes have a shut-off valve inside for each outdoor tap. Close it fully.
5. Open the outdoor tap to drain. Leave it open so any water left between the valve and the spout can drain out and has room to expand.
6. Add a tap cover. An insulated foam cover gives a little extra protection, especially for taps on exposed walls.

If you have frost-free outdoor taps, they are designed to drain themselves, but only when the hose is disconnected. If you cannot find an indoor shut-off for a tap, ask a plumber to check it rather than guessing.

Spray nozzles, wands and watering cans

Small items hold water too. Empty spray nozzles, hose wands, timers and watering cans, then store them indoors. Battery hose timers should have their batteries removed so they do not leak over the winter.

Step 2: sprinklers and irrigation systems

Underground sprinkler systems and drip lines need the most care, because the pipes are hidden and repairs mean digging. There are three common ways to clear the water out, and the right one depends on how your system was built.

Manual drain valves

Some systems have manual valves at the low points of the pipes. You shut off the main water supply to the system, then open each drain valve so the water runs out by gravity. Close them again once the lines are empty, or follow the installer's notes.

Automatic drain valves

Other systems have valves that open automatically when the water pressure drops. Turn off the supply, briefly run a zone to release pressure, and the valves let the water out. It is still worth checking that the lowest sprinkler heads have stopped dripping.

Blowout with compressed air

The blowout method pushes air through each zone to force the water out. It is thorough, but it uses a powerful air compressor and the pressure must stay within what your pipes and heads can handle. Too much air can damage parts, and running air through dry pipes for too long can create heat from friction. That is why many homeowners and landlords hire a pro with the right compressor for this job.

Whatever method you use, also:

• Shut off the main supply to the irrigation system and protect any exposed pipes or backflow device with insulation, as the manufacturer recommends.
• Set the controller to "off" or "rain mode" so it does not try to run zones on empty pipes. Keep the power on if you want to keep the program saved.
• Drain drip lines by opening the end caps and letting them empty. Bring in removable filters and pressure regulators if your system allows it.
• Mark sprinkler heads with small flags if you expect snow, so they are not crushed by a shovel or snow plow.

Step 3: beds, plants and soil

With the water handled, turn to the living part of the garden. The aim is to protect roots, keep soil healthy and give tender plants the best chance of making it through.

• Clear spent annuals and diseased plants. Pull out finished summer plants and bag anything with mold or disease rather than composting it.
• Leave some seed heads if you like. Many gardeners leave sturdy stems and seed heads standing for birds and insects, then tidy them in spring.
• Mulch your beds. Spread a layer of mulch, such as shredded leaves, bark or compost, over the soil around perennials and shrubs. Mulch helps keep soil temperature steady and protects roots from freeze and thaw cycles.
• Protect tender plants. Move frost-tender plants into a greenhouse, porch or bright room, or cover them with horticultural fleece on cold nights.
• Water before the freeze. Plants that go into winter with moist roots usually cope better than plants in dry soil. Give evergreens a deep drink before the ground freezes.
• Plant cover crops or add compost. In vegetable beds, a layer of compost or a winter cover crop keeps soil from washing away.

Pots and containers

Terracotta and some ceramic pots absorb water, which can freeze and crack them. Empty pots you are not using, brush them out and store them upside down in a shed or garage. For pots with plants that stay outside, raise them on pot feet so they drain well, group them against a sheltered wall and wrap them in fleece or burlap in very cold spells.

Step 4: tools, furniture and storage

A little care now means you can grab a clean, sharp tool on the first spring morning instead of fighting rust.

• Clean tools. Scrape off soil, wash blades and dry them thoroughly.
• Oil metal parts. Wipe blades and hinges with a light coat of oil to keep rust away.
• Sharpen or note what needs sharpening. Pruners, shears and spades work much better with a fresh edge.
• Check wooden handles. Sand rough spots and rub in a little linseed oil if the wood looks dry.
• Clean and cover outdoor furniture. Wash it, let it dry fully, then store it or use breathable covers.
• Empty water features. Drain bird baths and small fountains that could crack, and store pumps indoors if the manual suggests it.

Notes for landlords and small business owners

If you manage rental homes, a holiday let or a small commercial site with landscaping, winterizing the outdoor water is part of protecting the property. Agree in writing who is responsible: you, the tenant or a contractor. Many landlords simply book the irrigation blowout and tap draining themselves so it is done the same way every year.

Give tenants a short note explaining that outdoor taps are off for the winter and that hoses should stay disconnected. For empty or seasonal properties, check your insurance terms for vacancy periods and frost damage. This is general information, not insurance or legal advice, so read your own policy or ask your insurer.

If you run a gardening or property maintenance business, winterizing is a natural seasonal service to offer existing customers, along with leaf clearing and gutter cleaning.

A simple garden winterizing log

Copy this into a spreadsheet so you remember what you did, when and who did it. It is especially useful if you look after more than one property. The rows below are made-up examples.

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line

Winterizing your garden and sprinklers comes down to three ideas: get the water out, protect the roots and put the tools away clean. Disconnect and drain hoses, close and empty outdoor taps, clear the irrigation lines, then mulch, cover and store.

Pick one dry afternoon before the first hard freeze, work through the checklist and jot down what you did in the log. When spring arrives, you will turn the water back on with confidence instead of crossing your fingers.