In Zone 6 I start by pruning perennials. Tidy up the garden. Take fall leaves and mulch around perennials to prevent the roots from heaving and to provide organic fertilizer. Delicate plants can be wrapped in burlap to winter over.
Remove debris and annuals from garden. Remove perennials, take inside, and keep near sunny window. Remove tubers and lillies. Place in pond water, put in cool space. Drain.
You will need to weed out all of the plants in the winter. All of the pest fee plants can go on a compost pile. Any infected plants should be thrown away. You can add minerals to the soil throughout the winter to assure that you will have good soil for the next garden.
