7 Tips How to Prep Your Garden for Winter and Spring

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I know you like to take the winter off from videos, but I still want to lobby for you to post a garden update in mid-January. I’d like to see the food forest at peak dormancy and if anything is still growing on. Just one little video 😊

[@jamesprigioni]

I may be able to swing that. Part of me doesn’t want to take the winter off this year but we will see. Not sure how it is with you, but I struggle to balance content creation and my “normal” life so the winter break gives me a kinda reset.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

@@jamesprigioni I’m sort of the opposite. I get bad seasonal affective disorder after the time change from the darkness, and getting out and filming makes me look forward to the spring. All the little steps: harvesting greens, buying seeds, starting seeds, refreshing beds, etc. keeps me outside in the sun and makes me feel better. Staying busy in the garden keeps me happy. I also always try to do one winter construction project each year that I like to document. If the winter can get you down like it does me, it may make you feel better to keep going. I guess it depends on the type of person you are if taking the time off makes you feel better or gets you down. It gets me down, so I keep going.

[@sandymcd7678]

I'm older and downsizing my garden, but you make me want to go full scale again. Love your enthusiasm and Tuck is a sweetheart...have 2 Yorkies myself. Thanks for all your great tips - enjoy your holidays!!

[@nedcramdon1306]

I've found my little gardens grow much better when they're tiny, crowded and scattered around the yard.

[@smas3256]

@@nedcramdon1306 ned. Mixing it all up just confuses the the insects. lol A good thing.

[@louisethomas8074]

Just curious. What is your definition of older😀

[@jons5898]

Last year about this time you, Tuck and Keith at Canadian Permaculture Legacy inspired me to start my own permaculture journey, so I managed to find enough cardboard and wood chips to sheet mulch about 600 square feet. Planted all the basics this spring and sheet mulched about 200 sq. ft. more, everything is doing great. Now I’m paying my grandson 2 bucks a bag for leaves, hoping to get about 50 bags to run thru the shredder for mulch and making leaf mold. Next year’s plan is to propagate new starts from my plants and keep on growing ! Thanks for all the great information !

[@ellendavis9940]

Thank you for sharing this with us. I’ve learned a lot from you and Tuck.

[@jamesprigioni]

Let's Gooo Ellen, glad to hear that my friend!

[@lkhfun6575]

A light bulb went off when you said that so much of gardening is about setting things up so they can excel in the future. No wonder I typically feel like I am behind the curve. Now I know how to approach building my garden and I am excited to get ready for next spring. Thank you and Tuck!

[@debramccormick456]

I just appreciate you SO MUCH! You have taught me a lot. Your enthusiasm is infectious. This year I had a ground garden, raised bed (off the ground,) and pots, buckets, totes, baby pools. It was all like a grand experiment-FUN! Most of my “babies” have been harvested or are going to sleep, (hard freeze tonight!) except for some that can tolerate a bit more cold, like Brussels sprouts, carrots, Swiss chard, and beets-tons of beets! I dry & powder the greens, along with all kinds of other greens, and sprinkle them on everything, even for the dogs. (Those will help Tuck keep a spring in his step for a longer time!❤️🐾) I’m a Nutritionist, so I recognize the value in growing as much as I can at home. My last German Shorthaired Pointer passed away this year at 16+ and was so active up u til the last 9 mo or so, and my two rescue dogs are shiny and healthy. Nutrition makes a huge difference for all of us. Thanks for sharing your ideas, knowledge, and passion with us!

[@masher500]

I like watching you mostly because of your love for your dog. Plus you're a decent gardener. ;) ❤❤❤

[@shellymiller8597]

Thanks for all you do! Sorry that Tuck is slowing down. Wish every dog in the world would have all the love and life you have/are providing him. Special little guy.

[@happyheartgardening]

I hope Tuck is ok. Such a sweet little guy. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@paulnicholson9239]

James I have learned so much from you this year and have started planning my own food Forrest! The amount of food we produced this year in our own backyard was amazing and we are still harvesting winter veggies in November in Maryland if it wasn’t for you and Rick I wouldn’t have thought to keep things going through the winter. I am a first responder and working in my garden has been amazing for the healing process after a tough bout of PTSD and I appreciate your inspiration to get out into the garden every day and do great things! Keep it up and I look forward to next season

[@paulnicholson9239]

Tuck not Rick

[@hillaryburdick9313]

Gardening has worked wonders for my PTSD too! Thanks for sharing your story!

[@Ripleyripper]

Best way to ripen tomatoes is in a paper bag with a single apple (apple gives off ethylene gas to make them red ripe and juicy for the Thanksgiving table!)

[@jamesprigioni]

Yup!! ❤️

[@rhondahoward4778]

James, what a beautiful garden you and Tuck have.

[@rhondagillespie6031]

Thanks for sharing another great gardening season and teaching us so much! I will miss the videos this winter. You and Tuck get some rest. 🐶🐕🥕🥒❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@mistyriennett5902]

I must say that you always cheer me up. Thank you for sharing your love of gardening.

[@cathyplantlover2862]

I just love tuck he's so adorable 😍 💕

[@suziperret468]

Yea! So good to see you and Tuck!

[@MrEd1024]

Hands in the soil, eyes and heart to the heavens. Great job James. Let us know if Tuck needs help, I am sure We could All pitch in to get Tuck anything he might need.

[@4gz252]

I love to see you and Tuck in your garden, it makes my day better! See ya soon! peace and love from Ohio

[@terrimarks3694]

Thank you so much for all your work this year! Your enthusiasm is contagious!

[@leelindsay5618]

Keep a living root in the soil for as many months as possible - soil health principles. The covering of soil is also a soil health principle.

[@rlopez18m]

Ugh I literally love your videos! In life I often doubt myself. And I’m not sure why. But after watching your videos I feel so excited to work on my garden. I’ve expanded this year and it was scary! But I know I can do it. Your information is so dang helpful! Please keep it up.

[@cherylbertolini3140]

Have a wonderful Holiday Season, see you in the spring.

[@magneticinteriors8530]

gotta love this guys enthusiasm - infectious or what!

[@Keepgoing47]

I started an outdoor Service Company this spring. It has provided me with a ridiculous amount of resources to get things going at my place along with being paid for doing the work. A lot of the stuff that I end up removing from other properties I take home and use myself. Piles of wood, piles of wood chips, a ridiculous amount of leaves, and you name it. I've also found a ton of connections. I can't wait for the results in the next couple of years. 😎🤘👍

[@Mias-trailerparkgarden]

We love you tuck and your videos are great James 😊

[@davesterchele2679]

I plant my garlic shallow and then cover with a mowed/bagged mixture of leaves, grass clippings and spent straw from my spend strawbales (I grow tomatoes in strawbales.) I mow up leaves, then lay them out with handfuls of spent straw on some moderately long grass and then just bag mow everything with my Ego mower. The bags go on top of the soil (about 4 inches) and when I'm done I cover with deer netting to keep everything in place and discourage the cats and other critters from digging into it. By spring the mulch reduces down and fertilizes the bed with a combination of brown and green from the leaves and grass, and all the leftover tomato nutrients from the previous season.

[@judithjohnson8157]

WOW! So glad you posted. Thank you as well for all the tips and tricks for gardening that you share. Our grandskiddos sure do enjoy Tucker💙💙💙. May have to get us a little one like Tucker. Watching all your videos I can, learning all I can bcz soon we plan to start gardening asap! 💙💙💙

[@matthewfarrell317]

I find it interesting for people who don't have a grow season all year and how they go about it. Here in Melbourne, I swap between hot weather crops and cool weather crops during the year, adding compost and manures as I go to recharge the soil.

[@breezybre2670]

Wow. I will tell you that here in Edmonton we enjoy our months off from the yard work. Yes there is shoveling and snow blowing but that is less often. We plant on May and harvest in August/September. Those of use with greenhouses will start seed in late March.

[@modnarpias]

Thanks for all your amazing videos and positivity!

[@shirleyporter7107]

I love Tuck and his carrots ❤

[@nancydrewsgarden]

I’M NOT CRYING 😭 YOU ARE

[@TheArtisticGardener777]

Tuck is such a healthy boy!❤

[@markandromeda9022]

James, it is amazing that the WEF does not promote gardening whatsoever!!. All the WEF want us to do is eat bugs and own nothing - that'll bring us happiness. James your take on gardening and your healthy outlook on life speaks volumes to the inherent need for humans to connect with mother earth.

[@BounceSquad426]

Feel better Tuck

[@mfrobert100]

Wonderful! You are so generous with your tips. Love it! Thank you.

[@callikohl5698]

I have food growing in my cold frame right now and I usually leave it til December. Some til February or March. I will pull kohlrabi and turnips soon. It looks so pretty under the glass. I've also been raking leaves for mulch and gathering up sticks to keep the out of the garden. I planted garlic this morning. Tuck your to cute❤️❤️ Enjoy your holiday James.

[@roccoconte2960]

Love cleaning up garden this time of year , and prepare for the spring always cover my soil over winter, great video Jim.

[@beebob1279]

My father would cover it with sycamore leaves. He also had a compost bin for the rest of them. In spring he would work them in. I never saw so many worms and growth

[@jenn6838]

YAY! Thanks James! Great advice on preparing for winter. Thanks!

[@beebob1279]

Hope Tuck is OK. I know the feeling with a dog and aging. Our golden is going on 11 months with cancer that should have killed her at 4 months. Great presentation on your fall prep. I haven't pulled the trigger and started the garden yet. I have to figure how to deal with the deer first. But understanding fall prep for fall is the same with honeybees. Summer and fall prep increases the chances of winter survival. I do have Fig trees in the yard and they died back this past spring with the weird weather. I'm just over in Pa. and in your zone too. I'll be wrapping them up when the leave drop as you suggest. I hope to see you again as the fall progresses and watch what you do in the winter months

[@smas3256]

We spray with Repel on our ever-green ornamentals and spray it around the perimeter of our garden. Deer are confused and spooked when their noses touch fishing line they can barely see, that is staked around the garden at several levels.

[@irenemaetorcuator744]

Just wanna say thank you sir for always having an inspirational videos.. I'd say inspirational coz im from Philippines 🇵🇭🇵🇭 and we have diff. climates and planting seasons but you are one of my inspiration in having my own farm to table set-up... Hope i can have some of your seeds someday to plant here in our mini space... Im into container gardening sir since we don't have enough land, living in a city..❤❤ keep us inspire sir & safe winter to you..😊😊

[@groussac]

Iowa Zone 5a. Leaf mowing @ 8:00. It gets pretty windy here, so if you bag leaves with a lawn mower, it doesn't break them down enough to keep the wind from blowing them around the garden. I do one pass with the lawn mower in mulch mode, and a second pass in bag mode. This pulverizes the leaves into small chunks that stay put when the wind blows. Admittedly, the leaf powder will be left on the lawn, but that's okay. Grass has to eat, too.

[@francesjohns7596]

Hi from eastern Long Island NY Yes 50* this early am

[@shanebep3135]

7:27 Tucker🤎🖤🤎🖤🤎🤍🤍 sopping up his nectar Brilliant tips I'll use them with Joy!

[@askmamalouise7605]

Absolutely great video! Thanks a million for the tips! I will get started for sure! Love & Hugs to Tuck for sure!

[@jackiek4159]

Soo grateful for all of your wisdom on gardening from both you and Tucker! Thank you guys! Sending lot's of love and light! 🙏🏻💞✨

[@gefginn3699]

Great post James. 🤩🍄🌞

[@jamesprigioni]

Thanks Gef 😁🐕❤️

[@skippythealien9627]

"So much about gardening is about setting things up so that it excels in the future." Damn, so much truth in that statement. All the work you put in late fall will pay enormous dividends in the spring

[@greenpaula45]

I started watching your channel in 2020 while I was in the hospital alone (due to pandemic restrictions). I watched your videos day and night and got so excited for my garden it was difficult to behave while i recovered from my surgery. The following year I went from a 20 x 24ft garden to a 40 x 40 ft garden. I covered it in cardboard and mulch after I removed the sods by hand. I couldn't wait for the natural process as I was too excited for it. I had wonderful results and I so enjoyed not having weeds of any quantity to deal with. What a game changer that is. This year my garden is better than last year even though we had a very dry summer. I just finished putting my garden to bed for winter today plus I built a huge compost pile to prepare more compost for the coming spring. James your enthusiasm is so inspiring and I have learned so much. Thanks and enjoy your winter. Can't wait to see what you will be doing in the spring.

[@lumpyslongshot2113]

Hey guys, thanks for a great summer of growing tips and motivational advice. You rest this winter tuck. Hope your full tilt boogy next spring boss man. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@horsefeathersfarm7360]

Thank you! Love your channel and the tips!

[@yeowellnesscollective6433]

I have a new fig tree only a foot high in a pot. I guess I'll take it inside this first winter but I was so surprised at how you winterized yours!!

[@desipadhatti1762]

Just love ur garden so peaceful pleasant

[@karentuzynski7525]

You make me a better person!! Thank you

[@nancyseery2213]

Love watching you and Tuck in the garden. Your information is so helpful, clear and easy to understand. You not only tell what to do, but why to do them. God bless you'll and keep growing!

[@kylenmaple4668]

You can definitely just cut the plants at the base, just below soil level. Works fine, leaves all the soil biota in place and the roots decompose after a few months. Especially if you layer with compost, like you did here

[@sinine1100]

Depends on whether or not your plants were infected - some pests do hide in/between the roots, to emerge in spring.

[@mannequinskywalker]

🐶❤🌱 I'm all about the leaf mulch! 🍁

[@kassandrakimbrell2504]

Tuck is the BEST!! We have Dingos and arent fans of little dogs..BUT Tuck is the exception!! Hes the best little gardener ever! We started watching all your videos just to see him and his gardening skills!!!!

[@KristonsRaiders]

Those are some epic tips

[@jamesprigioni]

Let's Gooo!

[@geraldjewell594]

Hi from Sudbury, ON

[@jamesprigioni]

Hey Gerald! How's it going up north?

[@geraldjewell594]

@@jamesprigioni It's getting cold quick, so I'm watching some of your videos on winterizing your garden! Thanks for the helpful tips!

[@Rain_Waters]

Thanks James and Tuck

[@optond9275]

thank you for the show the tip on use the mower on chopping up the leafs

[@LittleRapGuy]

Box sings. The garden springs.

[@kate2goswimming]

So great, thank you so much for this KZbin!!!

[@suzannebasile5163]

Thank u very much James, I learned a lot from you, Have a nice sunday.

[@cocktailsandtabletalk]

Thanks for sharing. We are about to winterize our garden this week.

[@janetbendes9216]

T.U.James for information on preparing my soil for winter. I will be mowing my 800millionbilliontrillion leaves 🍂🍂🍂🍁🍁for my mulch tomorrow; weather will be perfect time to do this. Hi Tuck, you blend in so beautifully, my Little Ray of Sunshine! 🌞 ❤❤❤❤❤🥰

[@stephaniekidoodles7655]

Love the hoop covers

[@MuaythaiTang]

Live in upstate NY love the videos can't wait to start gardening, only had success with tomatoes and some flowers so far but I'm gonna really prepare this year, thank you for the videos they are a big help much love

[@jedd.5407]

I know that most of the things you added were basically free, but if you want to add some extra nitrogen, cover the compost layer with the smallest alfalfa pellets (Horse feed), then put the leaves down and water. I found a source of used burlap bags (old coffee shipping bags) and cover everything, and wet again. You may have to use some plant stakes to keep them positioned the way you want, but come Spring, the worms will have integrated the alfalfa, broken down leaves and compost into the soil leaving you about 8 inches (21 cm) of the best soil for planting. The number of worms you will find is just incredible. Thanks James & Tuck for sharing so much with us.

[@keithwalker5078]

as a fisherman as well as gardener I put my fileted bodies into my garden as well as cowmanure compost and going to redesign my whole garden as you showed the way. thanks Jersey from missouri.

[@bobbiejeanesser864]

Love tuck!! 🥰❤💚❤

[@earthsgardenapothecary7185]

Thank you kind sir for all of your wisdom!!!

[@carolyn9547]

Thanks guys! Happy Fall!

[@PlantHouseGarden]

Beautiful garden 👌🍃

[@dylanmonke1554]

Any tips on designing/building those hinged raised bed covers? That looks SO nice!

[@Marlene612]

James, your presentations are marvelous; I’m originally a Jersey girl. Now I’m in the Caribbean. Whole different forest. My Q is I have flowering, Reina de la Flor trees that drop braches and leaves; might i use them for making mulch? There are pine forests here in the mountains; might i use them as well?

[@suziperret468]

Yea James!

[@stevencohen624]

Great video! Thanks for uploading this.

[@3sotericCompassionist1976]

Awsome, Awsome, Awsome 🙏🏽

[@libbyallen7535]

Thank you so much for the lesson it is so appreciated being that it was so hot in Oklahoma my garden did terrible but right now I’m trying to replant my lettuce garden that my new puppy dug it up your teachings are most helpful God bless you and God bless tuck💚🔥

[@stephanielugo5028]

We will be saying prayers for the Boss Man tonight❤️ Your videos motivate me!

[@THEMANWITHTHEYELLOWHAT.]

Thank you so much for this I was so curious as to how I should get a raised bed garden ready for winter so I can start next spring

[@robbonvini2295]

"Collect, apply and store mulch." Great tip!!!

[@jamesprigioni]

Lets Gooo!!!

[@Nick_The_Trick]

Absolutely love your content man! Tuck only makes it 10x more enjoyable. I’ve been integrating a lot of your techniques over the past year and a half. Love watching

[@lisareichelt8997]

See you soon….don’t wake me though other than to let me know your here.❤

[@tamararoberts9307]

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 Tuck ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 🙏

[@Anaturalbeauty]

Thanks for the tips 😁

[@wise1917]

Hi James , please make a video on how you save pepper plant through out the winter and watering tips for indoor plants that are moved from outside.

[@virginiaallisonpeck2517]

I just love you and Tuck… thanks for the gardening know how ❤🙏🏼✝️❤️

[@sandyrhodes7614]

Thank you James for all your inspiation in gardening.

[@bridgettereed7442]

This was really good information. Thank you.

[@katbelearning]

Thank you James, you’re such an inspiration and an encouragement. I hope Tuck is doing good or at least better than in the summer. 😊

[@sandraoconnor5700]

Love your passion and excitement, so inspiring and helpful!! Adore your garden and Tuck!! Thanks so much!

[@helenmcclellan452]

I would like to see you pot-up herbs and other plants to bring indoors.

[@mimirose4012]

Thank you.

[@TheOldMayfieldPlace]

I love Tucker. Our 6 year old puppy is also named Tucker. Our fur babies are important members of the family.

[@eyasminsultana7689]

Ma sha Allah 🇧🇩🇧🇩❤️

[@isobel8788]

If only I saw this 4 months ago 🙈🙈

[@jamesprigioni]

That’s ok, I did a spring prep one a couple weeks ago! 😁

[@hrhsophiathefirst4060]

Love the garlic idea, I am going to do that! I brought a couple of plants inside as well to see what happens! Happy Fall!

[@starlitekaraoke113]

You ROCK!