Your Fall Garden Checklist to Prepare for Spring

Fall isn’t the finale for your garden my friends—and it can even be an opening act for a stunning spring garden. Over the years, I’ve learned that the beds that grow well in spring and beyond are the ones that get looked after in October. Here’s my tried-and-true fall checklist, with practical tips from my own backyard to set you up for spring success.

Clean Up Any Messes

Dead plants are pest dens so get rid of them fast. Rip out spent tomatoes, zucchini shells, and floppy flowers, chop up the debris and drop it right back in your beds as instant mulch. Last fall, I left a heap of squash vines to decompose, and it turned into a full-on infestation by spring.  Try composting clean dead plants, and toss the diseased—no exceptions.

Feed Your Soil 

Your soil’s been working hard all summer—give it a proper feast. I blanket my beds with two inches of homemade compost: kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, and shredded leaves that simmered all season. Get aged manure from a local farm if you don’t have compost, but make sure it’s cooled off. I once used it fresh—and my lettuce patch looked like it was in an accident. 

Plant Something Now for Spring 

Empty beds are boring, even if they are supposed to be dormant. I like to tuck garlic cloves in October, then sneak in spinach or claytonia. One fall, I sowed ‘Bloomsdale’ spinach between garlic rows and by March, I was snipping baby leaves to my neighbor’s envy.

Cover crops like crimson clover are also great—they choke weeds and feed the soil. Let them bloom for the pollinators, and pair them with tomatoes. Sow thick and thin—better too many seedlings than none.

Mulch Mulch More 

Mulch is your garden’s winter blanket. After planting, try piling on three inches of shredded leaves or straw—this provides insulation, blocks off weeds, and gives nutrition for winter growth. Use a leaf shredder if you’ve got whole leaves or lots of straw—it will break them down faster without matting. For added protection over the winter months, considering using covers for more delicate plants. 

Take Care of Your Tools

Tools left dirty in neglect are tools that rust. So before putting them in the garden shed, scrub your pruners, oil hinges, and sharpen blades too so they don’t get too dull. I prefer to hang everything in a dry shed—handles up and stored safely. I once forgot my favorite hoe outside over winter and by February, it has become a rusty relic. 

Dream and Plan Ahead 

With your beds tucked in, it’s now planning season. Try mapping out next year’s layout—rotate crops, mark where new plants can grow, or envision a new space for pollinators. I still remember one fall when I dreamed up my salsa garden: tomatoes, onions, peppers, and cilantro. By July, I was in a fresh salsa paradise with bragging rights. 

While it can get tedious, fall garden prep is the secret to spring success. Now get out there before the ground freezes, start planning for the coming season, and your garden will wake up ready to thrive again soon enough!