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Ten Fall Garden Chores to Do Now For an Easier Spring

October 1, 2019

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Buy Soil and Mulch for Next Year

If your local garden centre has any dirt or mulch left, now is the time to get it on sale.  Don’t worry if you can’t put it in your garden just yet.  Those bags will keep until spring.

I find it helpful to store a bag of dirt, fertilizer, and my small pots downstairs so they are ready when it’s time to start my seeds in the spring.  No trekking outside to the garden shed in minus 40 for this girl!!  Not that I’ve done that before, or anything.

Trim Down Perennial Plants

If you’re short on time, you can save this chore for spring.  At the very least, pull out all of the plants in your pots and add them to your compost pile.

Related: How to Harvest and Store Onions

Mark Perennial Locations & Take Pictures

There is nothing worse in your gardening life than planting something new, only to realize its inches away from an established plant that’s going to overshadow it.  This is especially important if you’ve moved into a new home with an established yard.

Related: Gardener’s Worst Nightmares: 28 Perennials You’ll Regret Planting

Take in Bulbs for Overwintering

Dahlias, calla lilies, and gladiolas all need to come inside for the winter.  Unless you’re in USDA hardiness zone 8 or higher.

To store, dig up the bulbs and remove all dirt.  store them in a cool, dry place like a basement or crawl space.  Anywhere that won’t get below zero degrees.  Check your bulbs periodically over the winter and throw away any that are starting to rot.

Fall is here but gardening doesn’t stop as soon as Autumn begins!! Here's some good tips for beginners on what do with vegetables, perennial flowers, and annual flowers now, so that you’ll have an easier Spring.  Who wouldn't want to enjoy these gladiolus bulbs again?  #gardening #tips #beginners #fall #autumn #garden #vegetables #perennials#chores #tasks #gladiolus #bulbs

Transplant Perennials and Plant Spring Bulbs

Now is the time to transplant peonies, astilbes, bleeding hearts, Irises, day lilies, lily of the valley, and asiatic lilies.  All of these flowers can be transplanted in spring, but you’ll have a better first year of establishment if you do it in the fall.

Make sure your newly transplanted perennial gets lots of water until the snow falls.

Head over to your local garden centre for spring bulbs like daffodils, hyacinth, tulips, and allium.  Planting in spring is too late because these bulbs need the cool winter to flower..  For zones 9 and 10, you may need to dig up these bulbs and store them in a fridge over the winter.

Related: 53 Most Loved Perennials You Need to Plant

Cover Tender Shrubs

I live in a climate where no one wraps their shrubs for the winter.  However, I know in other parts of North America this is standard practice.  Here’s an old but good video showing how to wrap trees:

Winterize Your Strawberries

Strawberries are hardy to zone 2, but they require some extra care and attention in the fall to make sure they return in the Spring. Here’s what to do to make sure your strawberries don’t die.

Harvest tender vegetables before the first frost

Tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, and peppers all need to be picked before the first frost, even if they are not ripe.  Check the weather forecast daily.  Some years I’ve had to harvest everything as early as September 3rd, and this year I was able to wait until September 19th.  (The average first frost is September 15th in my area.)

Here’s a handy chart for Canadian and American frost dates.

Fall is here but gardening doesn’t stop as soon as Autumn begins!! Here's some good tips for beginners on what do with vegetables, perennial flowers, and annual flowers now, so that you’ll have an easier Spring.  Less work in the garden?  Yes please!  #gardening #tips #beginners #fall #autumn #garden #vegetables #perennials#chores #tasks

If the daily low gets to just above freezing and you live in the country or are worried about the temperature dipping lower than expected, you can cover your plants with old sheets.

P.S. Root vegetables are just fine in the ground during a frost.  In fact, carrots taste better after the first hard frost, so leave them in the ground without regret!

P.P.S.  For whatever reason, potatoes don’t follow this rule.  If you leave them in the ground during a killing frost, the taste will change and they’ll go mushy.  Go figure.

Related: How to Harvest and Process Fresh Pumpkin

Don't leave your tomatoes out in the cold! Pick them before the first frost or cover with sheets.Click To Tweet

Make Your Own Compost

I’m not talking about your compost bin.  Although if you have one, that is an excellent start.  Collect all of the leaves you rake up and leave them outside in garbage bags over the winter.  When spring comes, spread them out over your garden and rototill them in for an excellent compost.

Fall is here but gardening doesn’t stop as soon as Autumn begins!! Here's some good tips for beginners on what do with vegetables, perennial flowers, and annual flowers now, so that you’ll have an easier Spring.  I'm going to collect some of these sunflower seeds for my seed saving.  #gardening #tips #beginners #fall #autumn #garden #vegetables #perennials#chores #tasks #seeds #sunflower

Collect Annual Seeds

You can save yourself a large expense next spring if you plant heirloom varieties and learn how to collect your own seeds.  Tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, cucumbers, and peppers are all really easy vegetables to start collecting from.  As for flowers?  Here are 5 of the easiest annual flowers to harvest seeds from.  Perfect for the beginner seed saver.

Like saving money?  Who doesn’t?! Here are the Fall garden chores that will save you money next Spring.

Is there anything I’ve missed?  Let me know in the comments what you do in the fall to make things easier in the spring!

Want updates on how my garden is doing?  Follow me on Facebook or Instagram for the latest.

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Fall is here but gardening doesn’t stop as soon as Autumn begins!! Here's some good tips for beginners on what do with vegetables, perennial flowers, and annual flowers now, so that you’ll have an easier Spring.  Less work in the garden?  Yes please!  #gardening #tips #beginners #fall #autumn #garden #vegetables #perennials#chores #tasks

A huge thank you and shout out to my friend Paige of Blush Beauty and Photography.  She had the unenviable task of making an almost 5 months pregnant lady look not-pregnant and feel good about herself.  If you’re in Saskatoon and looking for a photographer she is your girl.  She is also really amazing with autistic kids, as she was able to get my son to look at the camera for our family pictures.

Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

21 Comments
Filed Under: Backyard Florist, Gardening, Outdoor Life Tagged: Autumn, compost, fall, frost, garden chores, Gardening, harvest, leaves, spring, Weeds

About Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

Comments

  1. Kay says

    September 22, 2017 at 8:19 am

    I loved reading this! Going to have to implement these tips for my garden :)
    Reply
  2. Melissa @ Disco Bumblebee says

    September 22, 2017 at 8:24 am

    These are wonderful suggestions! This is the first year that we were able to make a little garden in our yard, so this will be helpful to me in figuring out my next step :)
    Reply
  3. Carmen says

    September 22, 2017 at 8:35 am

    I miss my huge garden, not possible this year with the house we are in. Last year I froze and canned enough to feed all 5 of us and last the entire year. Gardening is definitely a labor of love.
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      September 22, 2017 at 9:02 pm

      Oh wow, you are my #gardengoals. I do a little more each year and hope to get to that level someday.
      Reply
  4. Trema Minning says

    September 22, 2017 at 11:47 am

    What a great post! I definitely will try these tips! I'm hoping to get our fall garden planted this weekend! I'm in Ohio
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      September 22, 2017 at 9:01 pm

      Thanks, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
      Reply
  5. Vanessa says

    September 22, 2017 at 1:01 pm

    Great tips! I love having a garden but had to skip out this year. Hopefully next year!
    Reply
  6. Britt says

    September 24, 2017 at 9:49 am

    Love picking up gardening supplies when its all on sale in the fall. Perfect time to grab what you need far cheaper than in the spring! Britt | http://alternativelyspeaking.ca
    Reply
  7. Crystal // Dreams, etc. says

    September 24, 2017 at 5:11 pm

    These are great tips for working in your garden in fall!
    Reply
  8. Kristi says

    September 24, 2017 at 5:13 pm

    Such great idea....especially using the leaves for next spring's compost!
    Reply
  9. Abbey says

    September 25, 2017 at 6:10 am

    Buying dirt and mulch now is brilliant! It's always smart to buy at the end of the season! I'll be starting a garden in the spring, so I've got this saved for next fall! :)
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      September 27, 2017 at 6:53 am

      Good luck with your new garden!
      Reply
  10. Katie Braswell says

    September 28, 2017 at 11:18 am

    Great tips! I knew some of these and some I didn't! We just moved into our home so we have lots of work this spring! Thank you for smart ideas!!!
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      September 30, 2017 at 7:38 am

      Best of luck with your yard. We're also into a new-to-us home and yard, so we're still a long way from where we want it.
      Reply
  11. Yolanda says

    September 28, 2017 at 2:32 pm

    These tips are great. I specifically like taking photos and marking where the perennials are. In the spring I always forget what's coming up! Even with gardens I've had for years (I must be losing it)! Transplanting perennials in the fall is a good idea too - I usually do this in the spring. P.S. I am so jealous of your veggie patch!
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      September 30, 2017 at 7:38 am

      Thank you!
      Reply
  12. Elizabeth says

    September 28, 2017 at 2:43 pm

    So helpful! Really enjoyed visiting your blog today :) I'm going to read your posts on perennials now. I planted lots of sedums at the weekend, hope I haven't made any big mistakes :D
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      September 30, 2017 at 7:36 am

      I'm sure you did fine! Even if you didn't, every gardener makes mistakes and that's what makes it fun.
      Reply
  13. Bailey says

    September 29, 2017 at 7:46 pm

    It's my goal to start a little garden in the spring. These are wonderful tips for what I need to know/will need to do next year to prepare.
    Reply
  14. Yoshiko Flora says

    April 1, 2019 at 8:47 pm

    I find it helpful when you said that a homeowner should buy dirt or mulch from a local garden center during fall to prepare themselves to fertilize one's lawn at spring. Aside from that, one can also choose to have this done by a local landscaping service once every three months. Doing this will prevent one's plants from getting sick and keep out pests from invading one's home foundation as well.
    Reply
  15. Sue Erickson says

    September 25, 2019 at 11:46 am

    I love the winterize of strawberries. My first time growing them in a pyramid. Did great just didn't know what to do in the winter. So thank you!!! Love your articles.
    Reply

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Welcome!

Hi, I'm Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

P.S. First time gardener? You'll want to download the quick start gardening guide below!

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Welcome!

Hi, I’m Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

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Growing a luffa sponge was possibly the most chall Growing a luffa sponge was possibly the most challenging and finicky thing I've taken on so far as a gardener in zone 3.  And all I got to show for it was 3 baby loofah sponges, which are so precious to me that I can't bare to actually use them. (Kind of defeats the point, doesn't it?)⁠⠀
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I'll be starting mine soon, so I though I would share some of the improvements to the growing process from last year.⁠⠀
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1. Plant in larger containers!! I thought I used large enough ones, but I sorely underestimated how big these plants would get indoors.  Once of my readers suggested buckets, and I think this is an excellent idea.⁠⠀
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2. Plant only 1 plant per container.  I thought loofah's would be like a cucumber or pumpkin or other vining squash where you plant in a hill.  The containers with two plants in them did not do as well as the single seed containers.⁠⠀
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3. Have a string for the vine to climb.  Cutting the vine off of my window screen was not fun.⁠⠀
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Will you try luffas this year?⁠⠀
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#luffasponge #loofahsponge #luffachallenge2012 #seedstarting #wintergardening #indoorgardening⁠⠀
Got the seed starting itch? There's some things y Got the seed starting itch?  There's some things you can actually seed start now and you won't end up with crazy leggy seedlings and endless problems.  In fact, these plants require that you start now, and need to be started in zone 3 by the end of February at the absolute latest.⁠
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I've already started some lisianthus and eucalyptus, and am waiting on my seed orders to start some more.⁠
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If you're starting a luffa sponge, make sure you have some sort of eventual plan for the vine.  last year mine went over my fall windows before I was able to take them outdoors.⁠
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P.S. I've actually never started onions from seed, so if anyone wants to chin in about their experience, feel free!
Growing eucalyptus for the first time this year? Growing eucalyptus for the first time this year?  A new post is on the blog to walk you through it.  While in theory eucalyptus is easy to grow, it's challenging in my zone 3 garden for three reasons: ⁠
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➡️It needs a long time to mature⁠
➡️I have a short growing season⁠
➡️I live in a cool climate, and eucalyptus grows better when its warm.⁠
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That said, you can see by this picture that it can be done!!⁠
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Are you growing eucalyptus this year?
Oh friends, if any of my nice, curated photos sums Oh friends, if any of my nice, curated photos sums up how this last week went, I think it's this one.  Babies crying, trying to stay calm, outwardly looking like it's all under control, but feeling very overwhelmed.⁠
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This post isn't gardening related, so feel free to scroll by if you're here only for the gardening content.⁠
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Thankfully it's January, and I keep reminding myself that the Internet will not break if I don't keep to my self-imposed posting schedule.  But it doesn't make a week full of teething-and-not-sleeping baby any easier. ⁠
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Felicity slept through the night for the first time ever last Monday, then proceeded to punish us with frequent wakings and terrible sleep until Saturday.  And as tough as this is in regular times, in Covid times its extra frustrating because I don't have my village.⁠
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I can't just call up another Mama friend and go for coffee at her house.  I can't take my son out for a Mommy-and-Dominic date because everything he'd want to do isn't really much of an option.  There's no playgroup or play place to just drop in on.  And forget just taking everybody out to get groceries just for a change of scenery.⁠
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I know people have way more serious problems than this, and I hope I don't sound whiny and entitled, it's not my intention.  Please know that I'm very grateful for my family and job and that so far we've been healthy. ⁠
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A lot of you who follow me do so in part because you are also juggling life with very little people through this strange time.  I hope that in occasionally sharing my struggles, it makes you feel better about your struggles. (You're struggling too sometimes. . . right?)
Do you tend to plan out your garden to the nth deg Do you tend to plan out your garden to the nth degree, do you just wing it, or are you somewhere in-between?⁠
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I tend to plan it all out, and then when I actually get out in the field, so to speak, the plan changes a little bit. ⁠
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If you need a garden planner that's both pretty & practical, my garden planner is available in the ebooks section.  It's only $9 and has lots of upgrades from the previous planner.  Use code CANADA if you're Canadian to account for the exchange.⁠
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P.S. You can see exactly what you're getting in the video--no surprises. ⁠
P.P.S  I get my planner bound and printed at a printing place.  Lots of people just print their own and put the sheets in a binder.
Are you gardening in containers this year? When y Are you gardening in containers this year?  When you're shopping for vegetable seeds, look for varieties that have names with words like patio, tiny, small, etc.  While lots of vegetable varieties will do fine in a container, you'll have an easier time with ones that are specifically bred for that situation.⁠
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📸 by @blushbrandphotography
I'm living the pepper dream in this photo. While I'm living the pepper dream in this photo.  While these ones are a bit on the small side, who doesn't want ripe peppers in July in zone 3?!?! ⁠
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Over the years I've gotten better at growing peppers, and I promise I'll spill my secrets in February when it's actually time to start them.  Until then, get yourself all or one of my four favourite varieties: ⁠
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🌶️Carmen⁠
🌶️Escamillo⁠
🌶️Candy Stripe⁠
🌶️Hungarian Hot Wax⁠
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Do you have a favourite pepper variety?⁠
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