Hello Fellow Gardeners,

Well if you checked off all the chores on the Dailyweeder’s Fall Cleanup Checklist Part 1, then your garden is well on its way to being ready for the cold white fluffy stuff! As temperatures drop, the leaves turn, and your garden goes to sleep, you can take steps now to help make Spring chores a snap! Here we continue our to-do list with a few more helpful suggestions. This may seem like a lot of work, but next year when your garden wakes up and your plants start peeking their heads out of the soil, you’ll be glad you took the time and did the chores!

Plan ahead! You probably already know if you want to expand your garden next year (and who doesn’t!). Get a head start on weeds by laying a tarp over the area you plan to use. The tarp will help kill any grass or weeds that currently reside there and a nice fresh bed will be awaiting your seeds, vegetables, and flowers next Spring! Make sure to put a couple of bricks or other heavy objects on the edges of the tarp just in case it gets windy before a decent snow fall can weigh it down.

Collect Those Summer Bulbs! Carefully dig up your Dahlias, Cannas, Gladiolus, and other summer bulbs, and rinse the soil off of them. Check them over for bugs, bores, and other troubles, then let them air dry in the sun. Finally cut the top off and store in the basement in a covered box containing dry sand or peat moss!

Plant Those Spring Bulbs! This is the time of year you want to plant Spring bulbs such as Irises, Daffodils, Lilies, Tulips and more! In a weed-free, roto-tilled bed, plant your bulbs according to directions, fertilize the soil, and cover with mulch! Now comes the hard part—waiting! You’ll have to wait until next Spring to enjoy the colors, scents, and beauty your bulbs will bring!

Label Your Plants! If you have plants you would like to transplant but the Fall isn’t the right time, make sure you label them for the Spring. Not only will this remind you to actually move them months from now, but it will also help you identify the plants after they have gone dormant (which isn’t as easy as one might think!).

Separate and Transplant! This is the time of year to separate and transplant ground covers such as lamium, and geraniums and plants such as hostas, daylilies, peonies, and more!

Phew! You’re done! Now store away your rain boots, knee pads, and your favorite gardening gloves, and sit back to enjoy the first snowfall.

For me there’s always a sense of tranquility this time of year. It’s a time to relax and dream of the beauty of Spring!

Happy Gardening,
Marie Suzanne

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