Why Fall Is the Best Time to Visit Your Local Hardware Store and Garden Center

Spring gets all the credit, but fall is when the best garden center and hardware store trips happen. The pace is slower, the days are crisp, and you have a short window to do things that make winter easier and spring prettier. Think of it as a season-long "last call" for your home and yard.

Why fall is the perfect time to go

• The calendar is on your side. The ground in the Twin Cities typically freezes in early December, so now through early November is your window to plant, protect, and prep. Once the first real storm hits, shovels and ice melt are the first things to disappear from the shelves.
• It's calmer than spring. Fewer crowds mean staff usually have more time to answer questions, help you match a part, or talk through a plant list.
• Fall is a great planting season. Cooler air and warmer soil are easier on new trees, shrubs, and perennials than summer heat. Ask your garden center what can still go in the ground this year.
• A little work now pays off in spring. Bulbs planted now bloom as soon as the snow melts, and a few hours of cleanup now means a head start in April.
• Fall is the season of festivals. Many garden centers host pumpkin patches, costume parades, and fall events, so errands and entertainment can happen in one stop.

What you can accomplish in one Saturday

In the garden and yard

• Plant spring bulbs: Tulips, daffodils, and crocuses need to root before the ground freezes. The ideal window runs through mid-October, so ask whether it's still worth planting this year (it often is, as long as you can dig the soil).
• Refresh your entryway: Mums, ornamental kale, grasses, and pumpkins are the cheapest curb appeal there is, and a front porch container takes about 15 minutes.
• Clean up and mulch: Pick up pruners, rakes, and leaf bags, plus advice on mulching leaves into your lawn instead of bagging them.
• Protect what you've planted: Ask about mulch, burlap, or tree wrap for young trees, roses, and tender perennials.
• Feed the lawn: Ask whether it's still the right time for a fall lawn fertilizer or winterizer.
• Bring plants inside: Grab pots, soil, and plant food for houseplants that spent the summer outdoors.

In the house

• Winter-proof the exterior: Outdoor faucet covers, weatherstripping, door sweeps, and caulk are inexpensive and easy to install. They save energy and prevent costly freeze damage.
• Stock up before the first storm: A good snow shovel, ice melt, and a brush for the car are much easier to buy now.
• Safety check: Fresh batteries for smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Tackle one indoor project: As the weather turns, a paint refresh, a new shelf, or a squeaky door fix is a perfect weekend project, and hardware store staff can help you pick the right products.

Popular garden centers by area Confirm hours before heading out. 

Southeast metro

• Gertens | Inver Grove Heights 
• Pahl's Market | Apple Valley 

West metro

• Tonkadale Greenhouse | Minnetonka 
• Otten Bros. Garden Center & Landscaping | Long Lake 
• The Mustard Seed | Chaska 

Saint Paul/Minneapolis

• Leitner's Garden Center | Saint Paul 
• Highland Nursery | Saint Paul 
• Lilydale Garden Center | Saint Paul 
• Wagners Greenhouses & Garden Center | Minneapolis 
• Tangletown Gardens | Minneapolis 

Planning projects before a sale? Before you spend a dollar at the hardware store, talk to us. We'll walk your home and tell you which updates buyers actually pay for and which to skip.