How do you winterise the garden? Checklist for Stockholm
By Service Plus Stockholm AB3 min read
Short answer
What should be done in the garden before winter?
Winterising the garden in Stockholm is done in October and November and covers five things: mow the lawn one last time and remove leaves, cut back and cover perennials, empty and turn over pots, shut off the outdoor water and drain hoses, and protect sensitive plants with hessian or spruce branches. Roses are earthed up, young trees are staked, and lawnmowers and tools are cleaned.
Would you rather have it done for you? Read about garden cleanup in Stockholm – what is included, what affects the price and how to book.
The lawn
- Mow one last time to 4–5 centimetres once the grass has stopped growing, usually at the end of October.
- Remove all leaves, ideally every week in October.
- Apply an autumn fertiliser rich in potassium and free of nitrogen.
- Avoid walking on the lawn when there is frost, as the grass snaps.
Flower beds and perennials
- Cut back perennials that have died down to 5–10 centimetres. Leave ornamental grasses, sedum and others with attractive seed heads until spring.
- Weed one last time, especially ground elder and couch grass, which otherwise spread over winter.
- Cover the beds with 5–10 centimetres of leaves or bark as insulation.
- Plant spring bulbs until November.
Pots, furniture and water
- Empty terracotta pots and store them upside down under cover, otherwise they crack in frost.
- Pots with perennials that are to overwinter go next to the house wall, wrapped in hessian or bubble wrap.
- Shut off the outdoor water and drain hoses, connectors and irrigation systems.
- Clean and oil garden furniture, and store cushions somewhere dry.
Sensitive plants
- Roses: earth up with 20 centimetres of soil or compost around the base, and do not prune until April.
- Figs, cherry laurel and other borderline-hardy plants: protect with spruce branches and hessian, not plastic.
- Newly planted evergreens: water thoroughly before the ground freezes and shade against spring sun with fleece.
- Young trees: stake against autumn and winter storms, and protect the trunk from rodents with a trunk guard.
Machines and tools
- Drain the petrol from lawnmowers and trimmers or run them dry, change the oil and clean them.
- Sharpen and oil secateurs, spades and shears.
- Bring in the batteries from battery-powered machines and store them at room temperature, half charged.
Let Service Plus winterise your garden
Service Plus Stockholm AB carries out winterising across Greater Stockholm as the final part of the autumn cleanup: the last lawn mowing, leaf collection, cutting back and covering flower beds, emptying pots and protecting sensitive plants. The work qualifies for a RUT deduction (the Swedish tax deduction for household services) of up to 50% of the labour cost, and waste removal is available as an optional extra.
Common follow-up questions
When does the first frost come in Stockholm?
The first night frost normally arrives in mid-October in Stockholm's outer areas and in early November in the inner city. The ground usually freezes for the first time at the end of November or in December.
Should you water the garden in autumn?
Yes, if the autumn is dry. Evergreens and new plantings need to go into winter with moist soil, so water thoroughly in October until the ground freezes.
Can you cover flower beds with plastic?
No. Plastic traps moisture and causes rot. Use leaves, bark, spruce branches or hessian, which can breathe.
