Fall Garden Clean Up // Cold or Mild Winters!

[@gogogardener]

I'm in Riverside County, CA. As soon as nights get down into 40s, I remove all those yellow green tomatoes. Don't wash them. If they don't have any blemishes (cracks or bird poop), then I carefully wrap them individually in tissue paper. Place them in a single layer in a cardboard box/flat. The reason for tissue paper is so they don't touch and can breathe. Store box in a dark cupboard. A garage works so long as it doesn't freeze or roast or have chemical fumes. Check weekly and remove ripest ones for that weeks use. Place on a counter to fully ripen. I have fresh tomatoes for several months. They're not as good as Summer ripened, but at least as good as the store ones shipped up from Mexico in the depths of Winter

[@r.e.625]

I have started to leave the roots. I use a hori-hori knife to cut out the main stalk just below the ground. The roots compost in place over winter. It is not only easier, it is improving my soil. Thank you for your videos. Lots of great help.

[@NextLevelGardening]

You're welcome 🙂

[@TDAEON]

I know it's the cycle of things but I find this part bittersweet. First time growing food this year (just tomatoes since I'm learning) and it was amazing to see little plants grow and give and give. Upside is, room for new things. Xx

[@reneeharris3493]

Me too! First time, just tomatoes. Now I'm bummed I don't have my hobby till spring 😩

[@TDAEON]

@@reneeharris3493 aww. Time to plan and dream of new things to grow. That's the upside. 😃

[@leahbresee433]

@@reneeharris3493 Can you do lettuce, carrots, radishes? If you have mild winters that might work.

[@Fg4e]

@@reneeharris3493 you could try winter/ flowering cabbage. Also, over winter, you could do a garden journal. It helps you remember what worked and not. Also do "blue prints" of next year's beds. And keeps you on track for when to order seeds. Some companies run out fast so you have to order really early, even though you won't be sowing them for a while.

[@reneeharris3493]

@@leahbresee433 that's a great suggestion! Thank you. I've not tried radishes in the winter! I'll give that a go!

[@bigsidable]

Yep. Just started mine. Been trimming thing out as they just stop. I do not like Ocra at all. Yep it’s clean up time. Praise the Lord my 4 th year of growing food. My neighbors love me. I share with everyone. 12 Zucchini plants. 20 Tomato plant 6 variety. Cherry tomatoes,Beets, carrots are fantastic. I’ve learned a lot from your channel. Thank for your knowledge and passion. Nothing like digging in the Gods dirt.

[@NextLevelGardening]

Yes! .. and thank you 😊

[@tomreppert1722]

I'd definitely be interested in a video preparing the soil for winter dormancy! Thank you for all you do!

[@NextLevelGardening]

You're welcome 😊

[@rachellgoldman5843]

I too would greatly appreciate a video about preparing beds for winter dormancy. You frequently discuss planting in zones 5 and colder or zones 9 and 10. You seldom discuss zones 6-7 where I live...perhaps because our weather fluctuates from one extreme to the other in a single week. I have learned so much from watching your videos and reading your book. Thank you so much! Midland, Ga.

[@eileenbartnick7202]

Hello! Yes! To preparing beds for winter when all I have is garden grow bags!! Thank you for all your wonderful information you share with us!! Happy gardening and have a wonderful day!!!

[@terrimarks3694]

Yes please! Preparing soil for winter dormancy in raised beds...and I mean 12"-26" off the ground. Zone 5. Love the cleanup video. Thank you!

[@eileenruff6127]

Yes, PLEASE do a video on preparing ground for spring planting! Thnx much. We enjoy your videos

[@VaultDwellerGal]

Oooh, fried green tomatoes and remoulade sauce 👌👌

[@mrwhitten7704]

I'm in Virginia zone 7A. I've been slowly cleaning up the raised beds as the plants no longer produce. About 30-45 days ago I put in my fall crop of peas, beets, turnips and carrots. Dang rabbits found my peas. All summer no issues with the furry things, but weather starts cooling and they're eating. One thing I do different is I don't pull the roots out of the ground with the plant. I leave them in the ground. I put my new soil amendments on top, because my raised beds always settle and those roots can become part of the ecosystem. Depending on what I'm going to use the bed for next season determines what amendments and fertilizer I add. My tomato trellis bed got worm castings, granular fertilizer and calcium powder, then I top it off with a compost, coco coir and vermiculite mix. I'm experimenting with cover crops this fall/winter, so we'll see how that goes. Great content as always!!

[@LeightonSmithiii]

I really enjoyed relaxing on the couch and watching you do all the work that I should have been doing myself today. 😂 I also like your idea for the next two videos and look forward to seeing them.

[@lindasoaft9303]

I like this time in the garden. Cleaning up and getting my fall seedlings going. I cut all my eggplant back and it has grown back so crazy. Lots of flowers but no fruit yet!

[@elizabethblane201]

Good one, Brian; it's fun to watch people work in their garden.

[@NextLevelGardening]

Thank you!

[@joanies6778]

As long as the bees come out looking for food, I leave plants that are still blooming, covering them on cold nights. I'll continue until the bees quit coming out and there are no blooms. Marigolds and Borage bloom well into the fall. Squash and pumpkin plants are still blooming, though I really had to prune them back after harvesting what was ready, getting rid of suspect sections from vine borer intrusion. My tomatoes continue to bloom in the greenhouse; tomatillos (covered at night) and peas also continue to bloom. I moved my 2 eggplants into my greenhouse so I don't have to continue covering them each night, also, and will let what is pollinated continue to mature. The wasps continue to feed on the okra... my season is short, so I'm not done with them, yet.

[@NextLevelGardening]

Sounds good!

[@leonalarson1598]

I would love to see how to prepare the beds for dormancy all your videos are awesome. I live in Salt Lake City, Utah and I in zone 7. I moved here 2 years ago this coming February 2023, I moved from Saskatchewan, Canada, so everything is quite different here from were I used to live. I used to have a garden when my children were small, it been 40 years since I grown any garden, I am 68 now

[@sura2047]

Thanks to you, I overwintered some of my peppers last year with amazing success! Thank you! I never knew you could! I’m in Australia, so your videos sure reach far and wide!

[@laurieanne9712]

Always love a good garden tidy up! I overseeded my finished beds with a buckwheat cover crop for the winter for a green mulch.

[@caroldragon7545]

When you mentioned fried green tomatoes I had to chuckle. I grow enough tomatoes so that I have plentiful green tomatoes the whole summer for frying in addition to ripe ones for salads etc. Here in zone 6, we are expecting frost in a day or two, so I picked a whole bunch of green ones, some of which will be ripening indoors, but the rest will beour final fried greens of the year.

[@cbdcdiva6872]

WinterIsComing bed prep for cooler climes would be amazing, please and thank you!

[@Hortonscakes]

Love these videos! Thanks Brian! 💯 💯💯

[@robine916]

In zone 6b, this year we had so many more days above 90F/32.2C with extreme humidity than we have ever experienced. I have health issues and just couldn't keep up with pruning my indeterminant tomatoes one month.When I did, not only did they have fungal gnats/mildew/fungus at the lower end, but I had my first experience with "Witches Eggs and Devil's Fingers" fungus! It was both gross and interesting at the same time! Interestingly enough, when I opened up the airflow, they disappeared rather quickly. 😄💕

[@valsrealestate6115]

Helpful for sure. I learn every time I watch.

[@NextLevelGardening]

😊

[@TheJhawknblugrass]

Thank you, for all you do, to help us all out!

[@elizabethbosch6352]

We started cleaning our garden today. We live in Utah, so everything had to go. The cucumber plants were a holy mess. We used trellis this year, but we were not very diligent on removing the shooters. Oh my! We will something else next year. I love your videos! Thanks for sharing your talent with us.

[@NextLevelGardening]

Thank you

[@jenniferwheeler5944]

I’m moving from the High desert climate to a true four season climate. I could use the video explaining how to prepare for a dormant winter season. 😎

[@jeannamcgregor9967]

I'm just going to over-winter my poblanos and the Jimmy Nardello Sweet pepper this year. Last year I successfully overwintered both jalapenos and serranos and now I have so many hot peppers in the freezer or pickled or made into salsa that I won't need to grow any next year! It really works and doubles your pepper production.

[@NextLevelGardening]

Awesome!

[@pitchforkharp]

Fall Equinox/Transition preparation video sounds great (Zone 9b)!

[@StefaniStevensBand]

Been making lots of basil tea. Boil water, pour over a few handfuls of basil in a 1/2 gallon ball jar. Steep 40 minutes, strain. Add honey and juice of 1-2 lemons. Chill. I have a supply of fresh ginger tea. I’ll sometimes add a splash of steeped ginger to the basil tea. ❤

[@2BitRanch]

Ty sounds lovely

[@StefaniStevensBand]

@@2BitRanch it’s addicting! As I trim the basil, besides pesto, this is the next best refreshing (basil/lemon and sometimes ginger) use of basil! 👍🏼🙏🏼

[@mamak91965]

Do you grow your own ginger, too?

[@2BitRanch]

I think I will dehydrate some to store for teas.

[@deborahduncan8202]

Would love to see both videos that you mentioned. Appreciate that you showed all real work in the garden and not just the harvest. 😄

[@xianvox22]

I've been increasingly cutting my plants at the ground instead of pulling plants up. Less work on pulling and shaking soil off. Less shaking means less pests and fungus gets shook back into the garden. Less good soil is lost since you never really get it all off the roots. And the roots left can decompose and feed the soil. And less interruption to the soil life.

[@teresacisneros6757]

Yes i would love a video about preparing for winter dormancy.

[@barbstcyr304]

Love your channel. Have you considered putting a compost bin in your chicken run? Chickens love the treats from the garden. We put most of our kitchen scraps, garden scraps, horse manure/sawdust bedding/alfalfa, chicken clean out in there. The chickens get in and scratch it all up.

[@KarenBarwick]

I would appreciate a video on preparing garden for winter dormancy. Thanks for your info. Learning much from you.

[@monicasinc]

Getting ready for winder would be great, this was my first of having a garden and I was thrilled with my results thanks to your videos. I live in 6b so I get snow but haven’t had frost yet so I have left my tomatoes going along with the zucchini but beans, peppers, onions potato, carrots and melons are done. Thank you for giving me the courage and knowledge to do this garden. By the way, I am 70 and have wanted to do this all my life, this is the first place I have lived that I had the space. Thank you again, still praying for your continued health.

[@cfreeway8385]

Prepping beds for both overwintering and Fall / Winter growing would be amazing …. Thank you for all you give.

[@susanwood4304]

Yes very helpful. I don’t like to pull up plants that still have fruit on them. 😅. But I do. So thanks.

[@GardeningWarrior]

I am doing this exact thing with my community garden this Friday..I live in a tiny apartment with a tiny balcony and I am having to transition a bedroom in my house to bring my plants in (mostly hot peppers, tomatoes and zucchinis) Thank GOD for heat mats, ultra strong grow lights and container gardening! So excited to see your okra going to seed for you. Thank you for sharing and being so transparent and open with your successes AND blunders

[@NextLevelGardening]

Thank you!

[@judymckerrow6720]

Thank you Brian. I guess I’m really interested in overwintering pepper plants. I don’t care for peppers very much but when they’re in salsa yum. 🍁🍂🍁💚🙃

[@emilybh6255]

Yes. I'd like to know how to prep the gardens for fall/winter cool temperature veggies ie cabbages, fennel, Brussel sprouts, salad greens etc for zone 8a.

[@kuldipgill8191]

Thank you so for your video I really enjoyed & love your garden so much I wish I had such a beautiful garden like yours 🙏🙏❤️

[@FishyFritz]

I can't believe you are cutting back your pepper plants already. I live in Minefee and fall is when my peppers start producing the most peppers. My supper hots usually don't set fruit until this time of year.

[@artstamper316]

Oh my goodness. Tomato season is almost over but if you still have a couple of months to go I can see I should have pruned WAY more than I have been. Wow. Part of my problem is accessibility with my rollator and part is the fact that I used netting for a trellis, which works pretty well, but I keep tending to cut the netting when I’m pruning .

[@michellecattin6221]

I really enjoyed watching you demonstrate the techniques you were explaining. I loved watching you work in your garden, as opposed to just talking about it. Explaining has its place, but where you can show us examples of you doing the actual work, this kind of instruction works best for my learning style. Thanks for another great video. I've been watching you for years.

[@NextLevelGardening]

Thank you! ❤️

[@Kharris92130]

I desperately need your video on preparing my garden for fall planting. The summer crop was less than stellar, mostly because I planted late and didn’t prepare the bed. ☹️ live and learn, I guess.

[@tairam9383]

Really enjoyed and appreciated you show HOW you do it. Thank you.

[@nsdavisart]

I did not know that you should remove the mulch! Garden looks great too

[@ladonnaschonert7881]

I have been stalling concerning letting my 36 tomato plants go before the much colder weather sets in. I am so proud of the tomato harvest. I have canned salsa, canned tomato sauce and made chili with my tomato juice last night. This is my second yr and I continue learning from your videos. My husband and I have covered the tomatoes twice due to lower 30’s temperatures and I find that my 7 raised beds are perhaps ready for fall cleanup. I grew tomatoes, strawberries, cucumbers, green beans, peas, zucchini and summer squash, which turned into a full-time job! I was in the garden seven days a week and CANT WAIT UNTIL NEXT SPRING! ❤

[@NextLevelGardening]

That's awesome! Great job!

[@joannevans2505]

Yes, please do a video on preparing the ground for dormancy. I’m in 8a and this is my first gardening year so I need advice.

[@lorinorris561]

Your videos are always helpful! And please both of the mentioned videos. I want to learn both. Please and thank you! 😁

[@domesti-city]

I did exactly that with my zucchini (well, Dirani summer squash) this morning before seeing your video! There are three young squash on the vine. I already potted up a couple shishito squash, and I put them in one pot together. We'll see how that works out. I've not had good luck growing tomatoes after they made it through the summer; they get spider mites badly and don't produce. However, I almost always keep a yellow pear tomato in a large pot through the winter as it will keep producing in mild weather. Then I rip it out in March. Thanks, Brian!

[@657449]

Here in NJ, my garden was from Habakkuk 3:17. Just enough for me and very little to share. The temperature got normal this month and the tomatoes are producing fruits. The bad thing that is the temperature is dropping. I have to find a recipe for green tomatoes.

[@alexc0503]

I cleaned up my garden a month ago (zone 10a) a bit early, but that summer heat and humidity wasn't fun and really my harvest was so so LOL.. So I figured I'm spend my time at the beach lol, and focus on seed starts for the fall, prepping the soil beds, moving pots around, irrigation adjustments etc etc ...basically getting everything ready or fall planting. This will be my first time trying out fall gardening. I'm following along with you to see what comes next ! I direct sowed some carrots and beets yesterday. Peas and bush beans have already come up. Excited to see how it goes ! I'm nervous about cabbage LOL!

[@TDAEON]

Sounds amazing!!!

[@camicri4263]

Awesome video! Thanks Brian, always great to see you! 🤗❤🤗 Yes, you can do the following videos you mentioned separately or together!

[@NextLevelGardening]

Thank you 😊

[@camicri4263]

@@NextLevelGardening you are very welcome!

[@maryannelder910]

yes, please do a video on preparing the ground. Can new seedlings be planted if you plan to overwinter a bed with compost?

[@stephaniesmith9710]

I am zone 9b and I leave my pepper plants over winter in the ground. I cover them to protect them when it gets in the 40's or lower.

[@janpeters9838]

Great vid! Lots of visual how-tos for a newbie like me👍have to admit though I cringed slightly at the cherry tomato hacking (🤣) Looking forward to the bed prep/get ready videos! Thank you❤

[@brendasettles1046]

This was a great, informative video for me. I hope you do show us the straw clean-up and ground prep because we are newbies and need to learn. I was also wondering if our leftover straw bale will keep for next year or will the winter weather ruin it by spring? Could you show us how you mix what you're pulling out with other stuff to stsrt composting it ( new batch) as well, please? It's a lot, but there's still so much I don't know. You're awesome, and I wouldn't have a garden this year without you!

[@laylaenscoe521]

I would really like to see how you prepare for winter crops. In the last couple of years I've learned I can grow almost all year long (I'm in CA zone 9b). I was taught start a garden in spring and once fall comes it's done. Now I'm teaching myself how to keep going. I've had many great learning experiences just not quite successful. Yet lol

[@lillyg88]

Same here (I'm in CA 9a). I'm still a beginner, started last year. This year I did shishito peppers. Want to try overwintering the plant. Trying last year with my bell peppers but that wasn't successful. But I choose to learn from the bloopers and go forward. This year everything else will come out so I can set up my drip irrigation for next year. Happy gardening!

[@TDAEON]

9b here too. Though some hot hot days this summer made me wonder if we are getting to 10. Tomatoes are still thriving but not sure what to plant in fall or how to prepare cuz it's still on the low 90s this week. Bleh.

[@lillyg88]

@@jjbjjbh I also like to watch San Diego Seed Company

[@hyacinthABC]

@@jjbjjbh Try Jacques in the Garden. He's in San Diego and grows year round - an incredible variety of vegetables, fruit and herbs.

[@Sproutupgardening]

This video was so super helpful! I would love to know how to get ready for fall planting here in 9b. This will be my first ever fall garden.

[@MichaelRei99]

I find working in the garden like that is so therapeutic and relaxing. Probably not a good idea to let it go as long as you did but you get a pass because you are so busy!!

[@NextLevelGardening]

Thank you 😁

[@fabiolasingh9262]

Thanks for tips I'm zone 5 my bell green peppers still producing I didn't got any tomatoes this year I made big mistake I did not planted deep enough I'm still learning thanks😍😍😍

[@vickycollette570]

Winter dormancy please! Thanks for everything

[@Fg4e]

Thanks, this was very helpful! How to prepare beds for winter (I'm in zone 5/6) would be great! Thanks again!

[@lisaatp]

I live in southwest Florida and just lost all of my garden to Ian… I was about to clean out the things from summer and most of my tomatoes and peppers were still starts inside in a sunny window… so… have spent the past few days cleaning up our yard and planting new things.

[@adairsulhoff5405]

Thank you! I am a new gardener in zone 7, and need to learn about bed management over fall and winter, so both of the videos regarding that would be very helpful!

[@ladaminuetkittens5216]

I keep egg plants in the grount and next year it has MUCH MORE FRUIT on it. Especially the Japanese one. Same as with peppers.

[@vickybruner8598]

Great information as always. I would love to see a video on winter dormancy.

[@NextLevelGardening]

Thank you!

[@juaba4173]

I LOVE the garden transitions esp the fall, thanks to you I appreciate the winter crops=easier and fewer pests!! thank you Brian!!

[@cbak1819]

I'm trying the No pull method. Cutting at ground level and letting roots decompose over winter.

[@sandrathompson7887]

Thank you for your videos! Learning a lot.

[@richardrubin120]

Yes video for preparation of beds for winter a;so for asparagus beds

[@kathyley5661]

Preparing raised beds for winter would be nice. Thanks for this one also. I learned some alot just watching you.

[@melanieparal4986]

Please do a video on preparing the ground for winter dormancy! I am especially interested in cover cropping raised beds and how to handle that process early on and then what to do about them in the spring. Thank you for all you do!

[@Kuttysinaustralia]

Very informative! The okra plants are so tall! Good clean up for the next season 👏🏽 Thank you

[@NextLevelGardening]

You're welcome!

[@lorlor2831]

I live in zone 9a and this video was super helpful, especially the pepper overwintering. I never even thought of trying that. Thank you❤

[@lindad768]

I love your videos and have enrolled in the School of Traditional Skills to get in depth with your raised bed garden techniques. My question is why you are pulling the plants out, roots and all, instead of cutting them at ground level to enrich your soil over the winter? Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@colleenbellscanadiangarden9180]

up north here already overwintered my peppers my fall garden is doing well tomato season finished and looking forward to a video on both the fall one to learn for next year (incase I missed some steps,) and preparing the soil for winter truly interested in 😊

[@NextLevelGardening]

Sounds good!

[@CB-bp9ie]

Winter dormancy would be great.

[@kdkcphotos]

Great video! Looking forward to the fall planting video and your suggestions since we live in the same area of north county. 🙂

[@debramccormick456]

Yes, please do a video on preparing the ground for Winter dormancy! We just ripped everything out because a freeze was expected in Zone 5 where we live.

[@tennesseenana4838]

We had our first frost warning last night - zone 6b. I'll be doing a major clean-up of my garden this week. Thanks for your tips on how to do it. My kale, collard greens, etc are looking great and I'll be planting my garlic next week. For aphid problems - plant garlic and/or peppermint (in a container) nearby. I had major aphid problems last year and planted those two near my plants with no aphids in sight this year.

[@lfg4300]

Oh and I LOVE YOUR BOOK!!!!

[@NextLevelGardening]

Thanks!

[@joeduval6528]

Great video. I really need to see the next one you’re talking about - prepping for fall planting. Please do that one very soon. 😊

[@wendyharman3993]

I learned from the video and would like to see winter prep for the garden video

[@kathyritscher9459]

You can over Winter eggplant also. I have one plant that is two years old.

[@pst01261960]

Yeah- where are you? I think I am in a more northern place but still mild winters here. We just had our first light frost October 8. Just trying to gauge our gardening schedules and match up tasks. Southern middle Tennessee here.

[@daniellagross-menahem8849]

That was a great video! perfect timing for me and my garden. I loved to see exactly how you do all of it. Awaiting the video on preparation for fall planting. I am greatfull to have your videos. There are so few that are pertinent to warmer climates so thanks again for the great information, which in my case at least, is perfectly tailored to my weather conditions

[@rebeccazody1278]

Great demo. Both upcoming topics would help me. Thx

[@harrybutler4077]

Thanks! Informative as usual. I sometimes where long sleeves if I’m cutting okra.

[@karincooper7942]

Great video, Brian. It helps to see you prune and why. I would enjoy both a video on preparing for winter gardening and for dormancy.

[@pattiyoung6691]

Thank you, this was very helpful. I live up north so it would be helpful to learn how to get the garden ready for winter.

[@christijones7814]

Looking forward to a video on preparing beds for winter dormancy. I’m in zone 6b. We will be pulling everything (except some flowers that still look good) in the next few days.

[@kat6084]

in zone 4b. Fall/winter prep info is always appreciated! We've removed most of the crops & started topping off with compost & straw. Will add leaves as we do that yard clean up. Would love info on any other amendments we should do.

[@UpstateGardening]

I’m in 5A and I’ve already added manure for next season

[@jaytoney3007]

I'm giving my pole beans one more day. Monday I will do a final harvest, and remove the vines. I am going to pull my scallop squash too, but not my Lemon Squash. It is producing a lot of fruit. My peppers are covered with fruit, so I'll let them keep producing as long as they are putitng out fruit. Most of my garden has transformed into a fall/winter garden. I'll be doping one last planting with Asian greens, swiss chard, spinach, radishes, kohlrabi, Scarlet Kale, and carrots.

[@NextLevelGardening]

Sounds good!

[@davidgeorge4784]

It looks amazing Brian. Can you include cover crops for winter

[@elizabethelliott5478]

I haven't been gardening very long. I really would love to show how to prepare for a fall garden. I'm in zone 9. I got my garden cleaned up so I'm ready for prep. Thanks

[@susanpohl1122]

Good video. Definitely looking forward to a video on putting my garden to bed for the Winter here in Zone 5. Thanks!

[@christyw2010]

Loved this video! ❤ Had Spinal fusion & am mourning being in my garden. Thank you for your vicarious gardening. Love fall!

[@diannasgardenmenagerie967]

Love the music on this!