Want a stunning spring garden that supports local wildlife? A master gardener's simple fall preparation tips can make it happen.
The tips come from an expert presentation at a local garden club, shared by gardening enthusiast Cotille (@cotille) on TikTok. Her video breaks down exactly how to prepare your garden for winter while protecting valuable pollinators.
@cotille Fall garden planting tips from my local garden club. I noined my local garden groups and share the best gardening hacks and tips as i learn. Our september speaker was a master gardener who came to garden club and gave a presentation on how to put your garden to bed while protecting pollinators. She gave us so many great tips for fall and winter garden prep. First fall garden tip is take pictures of your garden in the fall. The photos of your garden will help you remember how large each plant actually gets over the course of Season and will help you with proper spacing in the spring. The second tip is when buying fall Bulbs always order some grape hyacinth to plant a few in front of your other bulbs. Grape hyacinth send up green shoots very easy which will act as a visual reminder that you have bulbs planted in that location. Next fall Tip is about Bee houses. They need to be cleaned each year to prevent mites and diseases. As an alternative you can make a diy bee house by bundling hollowed stems together and placing them upright in your garden. These will break down naturally and can be made each year. No leaf blowers. Leaflets E too powerful and disturb the natural mulch that helps your soil stay healthy. Be as gentle as you can when doing fall clean up. But. Clear out all squash and tomatoe plants from your growing vegetable gardens to avoid bad bugs from overwintering #gardening101 #fallgarden #fallgardenprep #daffodils #muscari #gardeningtips #growingvegetables #fallgardenplanting #gardeninghacks #beneficialinsects #pollinators #pollinatorsareimportant ♬ original sound - Cotille | Gardening Tips
The scoop
The master gardener's first tip? Take photos of your fall garden. These snapshots help you remember each plant's full size, making spring spacing much easier.
For fall bulb planting, add grape hyacinth alongside other bulbs. Their early green shoots mark where bulbs are planted, preventing accidental digging in spring.
The expert recommends skipping store-bought bee houses, which need yearly cleaning to keep out mites and disease. Instead, make natural bee homes by bundling hollow stems and placing them upright in your garden. These decompose naturally and can be replaced yearly.
Another key tip: Put away the leaf blower. These tools disrupt natural mulch that keeps soil healthy. The master gardener suggests gentle fall cleanup, though vegetable gardens need thorough clearing of squash and tomato plants to prevent pest problems.
How it's helping
Beyond creating beautiful outdoor spaces, gardening brings significant personal benefits. Growing your own food cuts grocery bills and provides fresher, tastier produce. Research shows gardening reduces stress and anxiety while offering light exercise.
Plus, thoughtful garden practices create wildlife-friendly spaces that support local ecosystems and increase biodiversity.
What everyone's saying
Garden enthusiasts flocked to the comments section to praise these simple yet effective tips.
"I just want to chime in for others to say that it works!!" one commenter shared. "I now leave my garden 'messy' in the fall and clean up late spring and I have so many bees and fireflies and dragonflies and frogs everywhere."
Another user wrote: "Great tips. I'm so glad you have an active garden club like this."
"So many great tips! Love leaving things for the birds," a third person added. "Hoping more people learn about leaving leaves, too."
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