Fall Gardening: Plant Now for Spring Beauty and Next Year's Blooms

As the days grow shorter and the temperatures begin to drop, it's tempting to put away the gardening gloves and call it a season. But fall is one of the most important times of year for gardeners! A little work in the garden now can reward you with beautiful spring flowers, a delicious garlic harvest next summer, and another season of colorful dahlias.

Whether you're an experienced gardener or just getting started, here are a few helpful tips for making the most of the fall planting season here in New England.

Plant Spring-Flowering Bulbs

One of the best ways to welcome spring is with a garden full of colorful flowers. Fall is the ideal time to plant hardy spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, and alliums.

A few tips for successful bulb planting:

• Choose the right location: Most spring-flowering bulbs prefer full sun and well-drained soil. Avoid areas where water collects, as bulbs can rot in overly wet conditions.

• Plant at the right depth: A general rule is to plant bulbs approximately two to three times as deep as the bulb is tall. Follow the specific recommendations for each variety.

• Position matters: Place bulbs with the pointed end facing up and the roots facing down. If you can't tell which end is up, plant the bulb on its side.

• Plant in groups: For a more natural, colorful display, plant bulbs in clusters rather than straight rows. Larger groupings create a beautiful impact in the spring garden.

• Water and mulch: Water after planting to help encourage root development. Once the ground begins to freeze, add a layer of mulch to help protect bulbs from temperature fluctuations.

A little extra protection: Squirrels and other critters love freshly planted bulbs! Consider covering planting areas with chicken wire or hardware cloth to discourage digging.

The best part? Once they're planted, you can sit back and look forward to a beautiful show when spring arrives!

Plant Garlic for Next Summer's Harvest

Did you know that fall is also the perfect time to plant garlic? Garlic is a relatively easy crop to grow, and planting it now gives it time to establish roots before winter. With a little patience, you'll have fresh garlic to harvest next summer.

How to plant garlic:

1. Choose your garlic: Purchase seed garlic from a reputable garden center or seed supplier. Grocery store garlic is not always suitable for planting.

2. Prepare the soil: Select a sunny location with loose, fertile, well-drained soil. Incorporating compost before planting can help improve soil quality.

3. Separate the cloves: Break apart the garlic bulb into individual cloves just before planting. Choose the largest, healthiest cloves for planting.

4. Plant pointy side up: Place each clove approximately 2–4 inches deep, with the pointed end facing up and the root end down.

5. Give them room: Space cloves approximately 6 inches apart, allowing enough room for bulbs to develop.

6. Add mulch: After planting, cover the bed with several inches of straw or chopped leaves to help insulate the soil and prevent the cloves from heaving during winter freeze-and-thaw cycles.

Garlic will begin developing roots in the fall and resume above-ground growth in the spring. By midsummer, the leaves will begin to yellow, signaling that it's nearly time to harvest.

Garden tip: There are two common types of garlic. Hardneck varieties produce fewer, larger cloves and a curly flower stalk called a scape. Softneck varieties generally produce more cloves and tend to store longer. Both are wonderful additions to a home garden!

Digging and Storing Dahlias for Winter

Dahlias are a favorite in many summer gardens, providing gorgeous blooms in a wide range of colors, shapes, and sizes. Unfortunately, dahlias are not reliably winter-hardy in our New England climate. The good news is that you don't have to purchase new plants every year! Their underground tubers can be dug up, stored over winter, and replanted the following spring.

If you haven't already brought your dahlias in for the winter, now is the time to get started, particularly before a hard freeze.

How to dig and store your dahlias:

1. Wait for frost: A light frost will typically blacken the foliage and signal that it's time to lift the tubers. Don't wait until the ground freezes.

2. Cut back the plant: Once the foliage has been affected by frost, cut the stems back to approximately 4–6 inches above the ground.

3. Carefully dig up the tubers: Use a garden fork or shovel to loosen the soil around the plant. Work carefully to avoid cutting or damaging the tubers.

4. Clean and dry: Gently remove excess soil with your hands or a soft brush. Allow the tuber clumps to air-dry in a cool, well-ventilated area for a day or two. Avoid storing them while they are wet.

5. Label your varieties: If you grow multiple varieties, label each clump before storing. You will appreciate knowing which colors and varieties you have when planting season returns!

6. Prepare for storage: Place the tubers in a cardboard box or container with slightly dry peat moss, vermiculite, or wood shavings. The goal is to maintain enough moisture to prevent the tubers from shriveling without making the storage medium wet.

7. Find the right spot: Store in a cool, dark, frost-free location, ideally around 40–50°F. A basement or other suitable cool storage area may work well.

Winter check-in: Don't forget about your dahlias once they're stored! Check them periodically throughout the winter. If they appear shriveled, the storage environment may be too dry. If you notice soft or rotting tubers, remove them to prevent decay from spreading.

Come spring, you can divide the clumps (making sure each division has at least one viable eye), pot them up or plant them directly in the garden once the danger of frost has passed, and enjoy another season of beautiful blooms!

Keep Gardening a Little Longer!

Fall gardening is all about planning ahead. Planting bulbs, getting garlic established, and properly storing dahlias are simple ways to ensure that your garden continues to reward you year after year.

So before putting away your gardening tools for the season, take advantage of these final opportunities to get outside, enjoy the crisp autumn air, and prepare for another beautiful growing season.

Happy Fall Gardening!