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

Hello Fellow Gardeners,

Fall is the time of year we put our garden to sleep. Because of the cooler weather, it is a great time to do the necessary chores that we need to preserve or enrich our gardens for the Spring. Many of these chores will save a lot of time and confusion in the Spring if done now! Here is your get started list…

Sweep up those leaves! Leaves and pine needles make great organic mulch for your sleeping flower beds. Simply collect and spread to help protect your plants all winter long! Or get a compost pile started so you have great nutrient-rich soil in the Spring!

Bring your pots inside! Store pots used for seasonal plants away so they don’t crack, and bring year-round plants inside to enjoy the warmth of your home. Just remember to re-pot your plants to get rid of any bugs that might have crawled into your soil while outside. And as always keep your houseplants away from drafts, vents and not too close to windows (they are too cold!).

Put away your decorations! To keep your pretty garden decorations looking nice and new put them away for the winter! Bird baths, trellises, globes, small fences, small water features, and more should be stored where snow can’t get at them!

Collect those seeds! If you have sunflowers, poppies, columbines, or any other plant that produces seeds, make sure to collect them! You can use them to grow more of your favorites next year, or package them and give them away to your garden buddies! And don’t forget rose hips, they may look like a berry but they contain lots of great rose seeds inside of them! Check back soon at the Daily Weeder, we are going to be featuring a Fall Seed Collecting Guide!

If you have an organically grown rose, you can use your rose hips to make delicious recipes! Check these out…

Spring Valley Rose Hip Tea, Puree, and Jam

Brooklyn Botanic Garden Rose Hip Jelly

American Rose Society Rose Hip Jam, Jelly, and Marmalade

Homecooking.about.com Rose Hip Everything!

Put away your garden tools! To keep your favorite tools in good working order, make sure to store them away. Hoses, wheel barrels, shovels and more should be kept out of the snow!

To keep your metal tools from rusting try this trick! Fill a bucket with sand mixed with a little bit of motor oil and dip your shovels, pruners, and more into the sand! Leave them there all winter to have rust-free ready to use tools in the Spring.

You’re not done yet! Make sure to stay tuned for part two of our Fall Cleanup Checklist!

Happy Gardening,

Marie Suzanne

Hello Fellow Gardeners,

Well up in my neck of the woods we finally had a good rain! However, after two months of drought, I am not convinced its not just a grace period before we return to our regular routine! After all, Mother Nature has a sneaky streak!

Here we will conclude our three part series on drought resistant plants and tips. If you are just joining us and are interested in learning more, check out Part One and Part Two!

And Awaaay we go!

Did you know that the average household uses 80-100 gallons of water per person per day! According to the USGS most of that goes for showers and toilet usage. We can all conserve more water, but it is especially important in times of drought. As gardeners we don’t want to see our flowers and vegetables wilt and eventually even die after all the love and care we put in! You may be surprised just how easy it is to reuse some of the water from your house in your garden! Here’s a few ideas…

Tip 11

We all use those plastic water bottles when we’re on the go (and who isn’t these days!). Many times we don’t even empty them, but instead of just throwing them out, use the leftover water on your potted plants and flowers!

Save those used tea bags and coffee filters! Simply place them at the base of your indoor plants and every time you water, your plants will get a little nutrient kick!

Tip 12

Unfortunately, washing dishes is one of the chores most of us have to do. However, turn this water drainer into a water saver! Simply place a large pan in the sink to catch water you use to rinse the dishes then reuse it in your garden!

Tip 13

Americanwater.com had a great tip: “Store drinking water in the refrigerator rather than letting the tap run every time you want a cool glass of water.”

Tip 14

Statesvilletrees.org had a really good tip for perking up those drought wilted plants! Here’s what they have to say…

“Reduce foliar demand for water when a plant wilts. Severe wilting and leaf scorching are signs of drought stress. When a plant wilts to the point where you doubt its survival, cut the top back by one-third to one-half to eliminate the demand for water on the root system. With less of a top to support, the root system may be able to survive the dry conditions. If the root system survives, the top should prosper later. (Be sure to remove any stubs when the plant recovers.)”

Statesvilletrees also had another really good idea that you should save woody plants first since they are shallow rooters (such as Azaleas, Hydrangeas, and Rhododendrons). In other words water these first!

Tip 15

Finally, Americanwater.com also recommends…

“Don’t over water your lawn. As a general rule, lawns only need watering every 5 to 7 days in the summer…” And a “hearty rain eliminates the need for watering for as long as two weeks.”

If you’re really serious about water conservation you should check into the controversial topic of greywater. Apparently, you can reuse the water used to wash your clothes and dishes by redirecting the water into a tub or barrel outside so that it can be easily used to water your flower garden!

Stay tuned to the Daily Weeder for more tips, tricks, ideas and information because there’s lots more gardening fun headed your way!

Happy Gardening,

Marie Suzanne