5 Fall Garden Tasks Before Winter | Garlic, Bulbs, Geraniums & Seeds
Plant garlic before winter, protect bulb crates from pests, and prepare geraniums and saved seeds for storage or spring use.
- Plant garlic cloves pointy-side up, 4 inches deep, with fertilizer; mulch over any shoots that emerge during a warm spell.
- For dormant geranium storage, cut plants back to 2–3 inches and keep them in a cool, dark 36–45°F place; add a little water monthly.
- Dry and save flower and sunflower seeds; keep flower seeds in open bags until dry, then label and store them.
Practical demonstrations show how to plant bulbs, cut back geraniums, and extract seeds. · Best for: Home gardeners preparing bulbs, tender plants, and saved seeds for winter.
A fall garden work session covers planting garlic and bulbs in crates, overwintering geraniums, sorting flower seeds, and extracting sunflower seeds for a wildlife project.
Plant garlic in a prepared bed0:41
- Use a dedicated bed topped with compost and mulch; plant cloves 4 inches deep, pointy end up, retaining as much papery skin as possible.
- Add BioTone in the trench, cover the cloves, and restore the mulch. Cover any shoots that emerge during a warm spell with extra mulch.
- The gardener expects to harvest around the first two weeks of July, depending on conditions.
Plant bulbs in crates and deter pests4:28
- Put about 2 inches of soil in each crate, add Bulb Tone, arrange bulbs away from exposed edges, then cover with soil and mulch.
- The gardener uses chicken wire over the crates to deter squirrels and 50 lb fishing line across tunnel entrances in an attempt to deter deer.
- Check after rain for soil settling and after a few days to see whether squirrels have disturbed the crates.
Overwinter geraniums13:54
- For indoor growing, cut plants in half, remove flowers and unhealthy branches, inspect for bugs, provide a sunny window or about 16 hours under grow lights, and water only when the top 2–3 inches are dry.
- For dormant storage, cut plants to 2–3 inches, place in a cool, dark spot at 36–45°F, and add a small amount of water monthly to keep the root ball alive.
- About four to six weeks before the average last frost, bring them out, warm and hydrate them under lights, then feed half-strength fertilizer weekly while actively growing. Repot in fresh potting soil and harden off before returning outdoors.
Sort and save flower seeds19:28
- Keep seed bags open while seeds dry to reduce moisture buildup.
- Remove dried petals and separate seeds from seed heads over a bowl; if heads are not ready, let them dry longer before breaking them apart.
- The gardener prepares seeds to bring to a seed exchange.
Clean sunflower seeds24:41
- Pick sunflower heads and dry them in a box; the gardener does this to prevent birds and animals from taking all the seeds.
- Rub the dried chaff from the head, then run fingers over it to release seeds into a bowl.
- Sift out debris. These seeds are intended for a wildlife station, not planting.
Step by step
- Prepare a garlic bed with compost and mulch; make a trench, add BioTone, place cloves 4 inches deep pointy-side up, cover, and mulch.
- For bulbs in crates, add soil and Bulb Tone, arrange bulbs, top with soil and mulch, and cover with chicken wire; optionally string fishing line across entrances as a deer deterrent.
- Choose a geranium wintering method: indoor houseplant care, or dormant storage in a cool, dark place after cutting plants back to 2–3 inches.
- Dry collected flower heads, separate seeds into bowls, and keep them dry in labeled packets or bags.
- For sunflower seeds, dry the heads, rub off chaff, release seeds into a bowl, and sift out debris.
Tools & resources mentioned
- BioTone — fertilizer added to the garlic planting trench.
- Bulb Tone — bulb fertilizer added to the crates.
- Chicken wire — placed over bulb crates to deter squirrels.
- 50 lb fishing line — strung across tunnel entrances as a possible deer deterrent.
- Moisture meter — suggested for checking whether indoor geraniums need water.
- Grow lights — used for indoor geraniums when adequate sunlight is unavailable.
- Swallowtail Seeds — source of the Bullseye Cherry geranium seeds mentioned.
Notes are AI-generated from the video's transcript and may miss nuance.