My 5 Must-Do Autumn Garden Tasks - Don't Overcomplicate Things

Discover the top 5 essential autumn garden tasks to prepare for Winter! Simplify your gardening routine and prepare your garden for winter with these easy-to-follow tips.
In this video, I'm sharing the 5 tasks I do to put my garden to bed for the Winter. I try not to overcomplicate things. The most important task for me is to gather all the goodies I plan to use for DIY projects that will get me through the Winter months.
Quick Links
0:00 Introduction
1:17 Storing the Fountain for Winter
1:49 Properly Storing Ceramic and Terracotta Pots
2:23 Take Stem Cuttings to Over Winter and Plant All Seedlings
4:40 Put away the vertical garden wool felt pockets
5:07 Finding Treasure in the Garden for Winter Projects
7:14 Book Recommendation - Great Autumn Projects
8:09 Drying Japanese Anemones in Silica Sand
8:57 Final Thoughts of Prepping for Winter
Here's the links I mention in the video:
Blick Art Supplies Cyanotype paper
www.dickblick.com/products/na...
Foraged Art Book written by Peter Cole and Leslie Jonath
www.amazon.com/Foraged-Art-Cr...
Silica Sand that I use
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
Thanks for watching.
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#gardening #zone6a #gardentour

[@kathyjenkins4067]

I have winter depression. Welcome to Michigan!😂

[@marybrown7008]

Your videos are exceptional. Your narrative and editing show respect for the viewer and reflect how much thought you put into the videos . Your creativity is blossoming . Cheers!

[@GardenMoxie]

You made my day! Thanks so much for your kind note of encouragement.

[@kimmicannon5629]

Love that scripture. Thank you for sharing.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks so much for being here.

[@Ktealove]

I love your videos! Thanking for sharing. It makes me feel less alone in my grief that winter (which feels like eternity) is coming

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks so much for your note. You are definitely not alone.

[@dustyflats3832]

And that feeling intensifies as we age.

[@wildakaiser3981]

Loved this video, thank you. As much as I love my gardens throughout spring and summer, for me there is something peaceful about readying the garden for winter. I think the garden needs a rest as much as I do this time of year. The darker months for me are a nesting time to paint, craft and plan next years gardens.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thank you. Such a great point you make about this time of year. It is nice to rest during winter. I always get a ton of reading done and I love planning for next spring too.

[@laurahale5774]

What a beautiful video of gratitude. We appreciate you sharing the helpful reminders in addition to all the "feels" of the season. Thank you.

[@GardenMoxie]

You are so welcome!

[@jeanannpowers9335]

I just adore your videos and your sweet spirit. I already have some "winter blues" and I'm missing my early daylight hours in the garden. I'm combating that by getting geared up for a big bulb planting. My future spring self will be so blessed by it. Thank you for sharing the ecclesiastical verse ❤

[@GardenMoxie]

Hi there, Thanks so much. Planting lots of bulbs is a great idea. I have been negligent this season about bulbs, but comments like yours make me want to get my act together.

[@amyhoff1501]

I don’t know what I got going on but I’m not one bit motivated to go out to do anything, I’m overwhelmed and don’t know where to start

[@GardenMoxie]

Oh friend, I have been there. When that happens, I ONLY deal with things that will break if they are not done. So I will put away the fountain and store my pots. Some years are harder than others. Hang in there.

[@sleepinglioness5754]

I left a comment yesterday, but it disappeared!! I was thinking about you last night.... I was the same this year so, I made a list. Once you get a couple of things completed, you'll be so proud of yourself, you'll be back in the groove...hopefully!! Pour a nice cup of tea and put on some good music and just start with the major items. But, don't beat yourself up as you can always leave some things for the spring cleanup...it ain't goin' nowhere!

[@kimfox5186]

It is good not to be too tidy in your garden in winter. Birds and invertebrates will appreciate it. The soil will be protected, and fed by the vegetation you leave. A good deal of it will disappear in freezing temperatures. You just need to protect the things you don't want to lose. Personally, I take in my dahlia tubers, cover the garden furniture and fountain, and watch the birds flying in to enjoy the seeds and insects. A little a day goes a long, long way. Also there will be less weeds because you've left roots and vegetation.

[@GardenMoxie]

@@kimfox5186 Absolutely a great point to make. All the birds and critters will appreciate leaving things alone until Spring.

[@GardenMoxie]

@@sleepinglioness5754 Thanks for sharing your wisdom. I wonder what happened to your last comment? I appreciate you leaving another.

[@shimmyhinnah]

A very beautiful way of expressing that which is in our hearts at the ending of the summer Sue! Ecclesiastes 3 For everything there is a season..verse 2, “A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted” Douey-Rheims Bible.

[@GardenMoxie]

Well said! Thanks for your note.

[@TheOrganizedHomemaker]

I need to simplify my garden so that my end of season list is only 5 things. I love your garden Sue as you know and love to see what new projects you are working on. I just put my fountain away today and also begun cleaning up the summer garden.

[@GardenMoxie]

Hi Claudia and thanks so much for being here.

[@carolcowser1461]

What a lot of work but how wonderful that will be in the spring!

[@GardenMoxie]

Thank you. I am already thinking forward to Spring. That is the great things about gardens. We always have plans, right?

[@JoAnnBlondin]

Hi Sue. Great list and appreciate the saving flowers for winter projects. Putting the garden to bed brings peace but also a sense of sadness. I store my pots in the shed but happy to hear turning them upside down and covering with plastic works too. And surprised at how easy the fountain was to put away.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for checking out the video Jo. I'm amazed how easy that fountain is to maintain. Thank goodness.

[@MartinHouseFlowers]

❤this video! I just put compost around my 15 new roses to overwinter, planted my bulbs and planted 4 new hydrangeas this past week. To try and get through the winter blahs, I start planning my new beds for spring - adding a cut flower garden from seeds, adding 2 more veggie garden beds and reading garden books 😊. I will definitely try drying flowers with silica gel. I used to hang them upside down and just dry my hydrangeas in a vase. Your letters and words using plants are so creative, I will have to do this! Thank you for all the inspiration! 👩🏻‍🌾😊

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for the kind note. It sounds like you have done a ton of prep work. And my goodness, your plans for next season are inspiring. Happy gardening!

[@judymunns1074]

I love watching your videos! I too procrastinate putting my garden to bed. Probably because I didn’t get everything done that I had planned. Your video was calming as well as inspiring. Thank you.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks so much. I'm glad I am not alone with dragging my feet...I do the things that I need to so stuff doesn't break. Everything else is a bonus. Thanks for watching!

[@tinycotswoldcottage]

I loved this. I particularly enjoyed the creative bits - the cyanotypes etc. Thank you

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@maureenmckenna5220]

I am still planting and transplanting here in Williamsburg, VA. We are blessed and cursed with temperate weather throughout most of the year, so that when you look at the garden you can usually find something to do, all the time. I am only putting in violas the first week of November, and I could wait. Winterizing is really being done when the sprinkler system is drained and turned off, late November if possible. With only rain available, putting anything new in is always questionable. But, cleaning up is always there, and even weeding. I have put down cardboard, and mulch over it, throughout the winter. As I said, a blessing and a curse.

[@GardenMoxie]

That is a great way to describe things...blessing and a curse. It's wonderful that you can garden so long.

[@thequarrygardener5578]

What a great idea, I’ve never tried drying and preserving flowers with silica before but I’m going to give it a go but it will be next year for me. We’ve already suffered hard frosts (so early) followed by floods so nothing much left standing in the garden 🙁. My winter prep is mainly hedge cutting, planting bulbs and perennials but more excitingly I’m always planning what I want to achieve during the milder days of winter. I’m never happier than when I’m in the garden so the more projects the better even if the list is now endless.

[@GardenMoxie]

I know exactly how you feel. I have been dreaming about what I want to do next season and its not even winter yet. I love working in the soil. As you said, I'm happier in the garden. I am sorry to hear about your flooding. Luckily nature is tough, right? Thanks so much for your kind note.

[@gardenextra7415]

All I can say is me too, There is a season for everything under the sun❤

[@GardenMoxie]

Indeed! Thanks for watching.

[@jasminelouisefarrall]

I could listen to you all day Sue 🥰 absolutely wonderful video 🥰🥰

[@GardenMoxie]

Ahh.. thanks so much Jasmine. I appreciate your kind note and thanks for watching the video.

[@terrymcintosh9986]

Great video! I enjoy how informative your are about gardening. I especially enjoyed the creativity you shared in this video.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thank you. I am glad to hear you liked the creative ideas at the end of the video. I love keeping busy with fun stuff like that.

[@kathyleach20]

Loved this video! I also struggle in winter but have discovered thrifting and crafting helps. I'm almost done with fall cleanup and also enjoy setting up little views in the garden I can enjoy from the house. Eg. Put cut evergreen boughs and dry hydrangeas in pots around garden. They look great throughout the winter

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for watching. Oh yes...thrifting is one of my absolute favorite things. It is like going on a treasure hunt. My Mom and I love going to the Salvation Army store that is close to where she lives. We find the coolest stuff there.

[@ytubechannel997]

Really interesting content. Love your perspectives regarding gardening.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@MrsB_734]

We just moved to this new home last fall. From 3/4 acres of finished gardens (as much as it can be) to 2 acres of starting all over from nothing. So, I'm sad that the season is winding down. We planted some anchor trees & shrubs and prepared some borders & beds so far in this first year. Not a whole lot to clean up yet. Will spend the winter planning for next season. Thank you for sharing your garden with us. 😊

[@GardenMoxie]

How exciting that you are building a new garden. The garden season is never long enough. Especially when you have fun plans to finish.

[@allthingsiro]

These were great ideas. I always get the winter blues because I miss the garden, but there are ways to stay busy.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thank you. I'm glad you liked the ideas.

[@shelleymolinaro5866]

I just shut off the sprinkler system. Always a must. I do less cutting back of the perenials than I used to do. I know the pollinators like that. I definitely cut my annabelle hydrangea heads and some of my double lacecaps for drying and using in vases and also on my Christmas tree. Because I am in zone 8b Portland Oregon we don't get a lot of snow or bitter cold. I also love My white Japanese anenomes. Definitely my favorite flower of the whole year. Next year I will get some silica sand . That sounds like fun. Thanks for all the suggestions.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thank you. I love the idea of using dried hydrangeas in your Christmas tree. That's brilliant. It never occurred to me...ha ha. Thanks for the great suggestion. Your sprinkler system is like my fountain and pots. Those are really the only chores I must get done or things will "break". Anemones are such great flowers.

[@eileenarnold2622]

I would love to see a video of what you do with the cuttings and how you save them over the winter😊

[@GardenMoxie]

I will try to capture some video of the cuttings once I put them under grow lights. Right now, I have them sitting in a big vase of water and I'm using them for decoration on my table. Once they grow roots, I will pot them up into soil and put them to grow for the winter under the grow lights I use for starting seeds in the Spring.

[@eileenarnold2622]

@@GardenMoxie thank you! I have cuttings in water now as well but can’t find much info on the next step.

[@sleepinglioness5754]

I discovered a great hack for raking leaves. Buy some of the plumbing/pipe insulting tubes (that you put on your pipes) and put it on the handle of your rake. Fix it on for the full length of your rake to give it balance. It is amazingly easier to rake and it protects your hands and arms from the stress and blisters! Wish I had thought of this years ago!!!! I'm doing this now for all my garden tools with long handles and I'll be trying it on my snow shovel...........yuk at the thought!

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks so much for the great suggestion. I am going to give this a try too. I always get raking blisters...ha ha.

[@sleepinglioness5754]

@@GardenMoxie Depending on the thickness of the long handle, you may have to tighten it at either end with a twist tie/etc. Mine fits well without tying but my shovel is thinner and needs some securing. Also, test the method before you cut the pipe insul. so you don't waste any good stuff. I also use that insulation on my lawnmower handle. Wish I could find some insulation to wrap around my fingers in winter!!!! Cheers.

[@GardenMoxie]

@@sleepinglioness5754 Thanks for the great tip.

[@lisajelle714]

What a lovely video! Thanks for all the fun art ideas.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

[@northrupmj]

I love planting more bulbs once the garden sleeps. And look forward to starting foxglove seeds in Febuary.

[@GardenMoxie]

I love foxgloves. I try to make sure to spread the seeds around the garden once the plants set seed. Bulbs are a great thing to look forward to in Spring.

[@ripleymccauley3071]

I do the same list I’m happy to see that I’m not the only one.

[@GardenMoxie]

Yay! You are definitely not alone.

[@pamfromwashington]

Expecting our first frost in a few days here. No more putting off the inevitable, today I put away the final things for winter. Of course I've waited until the very last minute. In preparation for the long gray season here in the Pacific Northwest, I've booked a January cruise in the Caribbean to look forward to. Another self care thing is to buy bright colors to wear over the gray months ahead. Color matters to my emotional state. Your garden videos are a joy to watch! Happy season to you and yours.

[@GardenMoxie]

You have the right idea to book a January cruise. That is a brilliant idea. Happy Autumn to you and yours too. Thanks so much for your kind note.

[@CheriRuskus]

Oh Sue with the beautiful fall here in Colorado I have been procrastinating big time! Time to get to it! 💚

[@GardenMoxie]

I know exactly how you feel Cheri. It's gorgeous here. It feels like all of a sudden, everything is surrounded in golden leaves.

[@abeautifulworldnow]

Thanks for the inspiration to get busy!

[@GardenMoxie]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching the video.

[@dawndawn6946]

Such wonderful advice and ideas! Thank you! Since I am in a warmer climate (SC) I plan on getting all my physically demanding projects done in the fall and winter, but I also need to make time to rest and take advantage of the changing seasons. Such a great video!❤

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks so much. That is a great idea you have to focus on the physically demanding tasks first. I like that idea.

[@ruthwuebbeling9584]

Thank you very much for all your great ideas! I am already looking forward to next spring.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thank you. I am with you...already looking forward to Spring and it hasn't even snowed here yet.

[@flower-the-earth]

Oh my goodness, those cuttings grew so fast! Hydrangeas are expensive -- well done!

[@GardenMoxie]

I was amazed at how well those cuttings took this season. I have never had the cuttings actually bloom the same year I started them. It's so fun the grow new plants.

[@flower-the-earth]

@@GardenMoxie I'm going to try it!

[@immitzime]

I'm in NC zone 7a and its funny...there's a time in late season when I'm ready for gardening to be over and when it's close to winter I get motivated again.

[@GardenMoxie]

That's so true. I do enjoy not cutting the lawn. That lasts for a couple of weeks and then I am thinking....when is Spring coming again...ha ha.

[@MurphysGarden]

Loved this video, especially the crafting ideas. I’ve got some silica and you’ve inspired me to dry some Japanese anemone, they looked beautiful. I have days when I get the blues especially when it rains constantly but if it’s dry then I find winter quite exciting as it’s during dormancy that we have more time to do some big structural changes and put big ideas into practice. Getting outside, no matter what the weather always makes me feel happier and optimistic, what great therapy gardening is! Thank you Jenny

[@GardenMoxie]

Thank you. I TOTALLY love the idea of getting outside no matter the weather. That makes such a difference.

[@klk12399]

Great video. My sentiments exactly.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thank you. Are you planting any bulbs this season? I was reading through some of the comments and now I think I need to get some bulbs planted so I can look forward to them in Spring.

[@vtgardener5327]

I loved this video! It’s full of great ideas and inspiration. I live in Vermont, USDA zone 5. It’s a beautiful place but winters are long and often very snowy. I do suffer from SAD, although some years are worse than others. Last year my doctor recommended light therapy and I found that really helped - along with getting outdoors every day, upping the winter interest in my garden and of course, as you mentioned, caring for plants indoors and working on creative projects. Thanks for the tip about taking Mahogany Splendor cuttings. I grew them from seed this year but they took most of the season to put on any size.

[@sleepinglioness5754]

Are you, by any chance, taking Vit D? If so, perhaps you could increase the amount (?).

[@vtgardener5327]

Yes, as part of a multivitamin but increasing the amount is certainly something to consider. Thanks for the thought!

[@GardenMoxie]

It helps a ton to be outside regardless of the temperature. That is a great suggestion. I learned about taking Mahogany Splendor cuttings purely on accident when I cut a bunch of stems a few years back to bring inside for a vase. They root easily. I realized that was much easier than growing them from seed. And as you said, they grow far bigger during the season that way. I love how they look like Japanese Maple trees without the cost.

[@jannibal9273]

Oh geez, no, you are not alone in getting the "winter blues!" Every gardener I know in my neighborhood gets them. Here it is, nearly November, and I'm still in denial that the 80 degree days with a good breeze and low dew point are gone (but we did have one yesterday - a perfect autumn day with clear robin egg blue skies, sunshine all day, and we broke a local temperature record hitting 82 degrees F. Everybody was out in their yards puttering around, LOL. I have a sort of ritual that ends with the curtains and netting coming down in the gazebo, the rug swept up and then rolled and wrapped in plastic, and the table and chairs lugged into the garage for storage over the winter. We're still in leaf shedding season in Milwaukee and this year, perhaps because of the drought and the strange stretches of weather we have had (no more normal like summers and autumns 30, even 20 years ago) the leaf colors are absolutely spectacular. I go for a walk and stop every few yards to look up and oooh and aaaah at the beautiful colors. I drag my feet on doing some of the "cleaning out the beds" chores I probably should be doing (like digging up quack grass and tracking down all the roots), but our weather hasn't been very cooperative this year. This week rain for 4 straight days, including a couple of thunder storms, is forecast. I am doing what I can in between bouts of rain including getting both the front and back yards cut on Monday , but I'm in no hurry to admit that colder and barren weather is on the way!

[@GardenMoxie]

The leaf color here is gorgeous this season too. I am glad to hear I am not alone. Thanks so much for your note.

[@AngelaSissySnyder]

Thank you for this lovely video.

[@GardenMoxie]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you.

[@katherinepowers2190]

Wonderful ideas!

[@GardenMoxie]

Thank you! 😊

[@brittanym.4557]

Beautiful....wholesome inspiration ✨️

[@GardenMoxie]

Thank you so much!

[@mitzi605]

Lovely projects

[@GardenMoxie]

Me too! I want to do more projects this season. Thanks for watching.

[@englishwithanerudite]

I haven't even started thinking about "putting the garden to bed". When I realise that a real winter is coming, I will have to take care of the roses which grow in the ground and in pots very fast. The first thing is to decide which of those growing in pots stay with me and which ones are going to be gifts to friends and passers-by :-) I still have countless tulips to plant. Goodness me, you're so creative and artistic! Thank you for the motivation!

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks so much for your note. I delay things as long as possible. I love the idea that you share your growing pots with friends and passers-by. That is a great idea.

[@yuna1582]

I could listen to you all day as well ❤

[@GardenMoxie]

LOL. I hate the sound of my own voice so this makes me giggle. Thanks for your kind note.

[@lindamurns1245]

Such a wonderful video ! Thank you 🦋

[@GardenMoxie]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mrdean7206]

Thank you.❤

[@GardenMoxie]

You are so welcome

[@wendymontie5660]

Zone 8a’ish (North Texas) Our Purple Heart plant is danged well bulletproof. It’s been out in blistering heat and the ice & snow…it always comes back like the thought to be lost hero in a movie. Bonus: I just break pieces off, put them on the ground (in a bed) and they plant themselves.

[@GardenMoxie]

Yay purple heart plants! They are awesome. And you can't beat that great purple color.

[@joycewilliams5911]

I love you Ms Moxie!!!

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for watching the video. I'm glad you liked it.

[@lydiarowe491]

Preserving the wind flowers and marigolds makes for extra colour in hibernation...silica sand is something I'll invest in ... living in Australia..opposite to you we are heading toward summer..we are expecting high temps..so in preparation for what is coming.. Thankyou for your creative floral and leaf pieces..🌳🌿🌳..❤

[@GardenMoxie]

Hello and thanks for watching. I love how we have gardens that are in totally different seasons. Happy Spring to you!

[@leeannmillet8215]

This is a great idea. I'm going to try this.

[@GardenMoxie]

Awesome!

[@nancynoascono747]

Thank you for this beautiful video of your beautiful garden. Such an inspiration!

[@GardenMoxie]

Thank you. I appreciate you being here.

[@jeanniekline8325]

As always, love your video! All thecomments, also❤

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks so much. I love reading the comments. Everyone is sharing great tips on getting through the end of garden season. Now I have the bug to plant bulbs after reading the comments.

[@tinaweller9518]

I just stumbled upon your video, and I’m glad I did. I subscribed! I really enjoyed it.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks so much for subscribing. I am glad to hear you liked the video. I appreciate you being here.

[@sonialopez3008]

Woo I love you work you’re fantastic

[@GardenMoxie]

Thank you so much 😀

[@msmaddox2918]

Great video! 😊

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks so much.

[@joycewilliams5911]

Yes, I do miss my garden. I am preparing the soil adding compost raking leaves into the beds. It is dry here in Charlotte, North Carolina I am watering but the weather is wonderful. I did buy a few Guara plants so I will do as much as I can and rest with my garden but peeping out the window to see what's going on.

[@GardenMoxie]

I am going to start shredding my leaves today. They are such a blessing to build up the soil.

[@jaysea4916]

As always, I enjoyed the video. I don’t suffer much from winter sadness, I live in zone 6b and I still visit my garden several times a day (no, nothing changes in that amount of time), but my sage and thyme overwinters, I’m surrounded by two huge evergreens and live next door to an elementary school. I took start’s off my geranium and hydrangea also. Plenty of things to keep it lively😊. Peace-

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for your note. Evergreens are the best during winter.

[@user-we3zt9tp2t]

Thank you for a great video! It made my day. I will go out in my garden here in Sweden and collect flowers and leaves for the word "HÖST" (fall in swedish). /Anna

[@GardenMoxie]

Happy Autumn! That sounds like a great idea. Thank you for your kind note.

[@garden4mysoul397]

I too am guilty of that sadness that happens at the end of the season. Your video and advice was great!!!

[@GardenMoxie]

Our gardens are such a blessing. I'm glad we can grab little reminders here and there to get us through until the Spring. Thanks so much for your note.

[@eileenchang2173]

Thank you for the idea of preserving flowers and creating unique art ! What a great idea to beat the long winter blues (zone 5 ) 🌸❄️❤️🇨🇦 I am lucky to have a botanical library nearby so I can read and plan for the upcoming spring. I will have to see if they can get in that book that you recommended!

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for watching the video. I enjoy that book because it has some fun ideas of things you can do with leaves and things you can find in the garden. It makes it fun. Especially when it gets cold.

[@mandyst.germaine5939]

Yes, I am in the same zone as you and also need ways to beat the winter blues. Seed starting is almost a mental wellbeing activity as much as it is a garden activity for me. I hope you find that book.

[@thitran1261]

You are amazing 🤩

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for watching the video.

[@kayjane2115]

Wow, I love this video! So many terrific ideas! Even though I live in a climate that has a long growing season with short winters, I get it about the winter blahs. I will definitely try out some of your ideas and suggestions. I have shared your video with my sister, who lives in a cold climate and can experience serious winter blues. God's word is so encouraging! Thank you so much for sharing! 🍁🍂🧡

[@GardenMoxie]

Thank you for your kind note and thanks for sharing the video with your sister. I appreciate you being here. You are right about God's word being encouraging. It really is. Happy gardening!

[@bernadette1510]

You are so creative! What a great idea of creating a little dry bouquet as a reminder of what was and what is to come. A glimmer of hope… One thing I do in fall is plant bunches of tulips and wait for the show in spring. Many of them become snacks for squirrels… but oh well. I move one of my bird baths onto the deck and add a heater to make water available for the birds during winter months. I never get tired of watching the birds drink. Many birds that we never see that close flock to fresh water source. That is when we see many of adult eastern bluebirds that most likely were born in one of our nesting boxes on our property. February is my winter blues month- that is when I either paint one of the rooms in the house or paint or just touch up the trim… it works like a charm.

[@GardenMoxie]

Hi Bernadette and thanks so much for your note. I bought a heater for my bird bath last year and LOVE watching the birds. They love that water especially if we don't get a lot of snow during the season. Like you, I never get tired of watching them. Plus it forces me to get outside every morning to freshen the water. I always think February is the longest month of the year (even though it's the shortest). That is the perfect month for indoor projects.

[@vickiemifflin2854]

I love your videos. My Mom was a much better gardener then I am but I love my gardens. But Mom was always ready for winter because she said that was her time to rest. I have that same feeling. I was out today cutting back my hostas and wishing a had a little more time to get a few more things done then realized that it’s ok. I can do that in the spring. I love the Bible verse you quoted. Touched my heart for sure. Thank you for sharing.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks so much. I get that feeling of running out of time during this season. I think it's because things change so fast. At least they seem to change fast to me. So now I just do the absolute necessary things I have to get done before it freezes and I try to soak in all the beauty. The leaves here are stunning. It's like I woke up yesterday and looked outside and all of a sudden, everything is wrapped in golden-colored leaves. The Lord made a beautiful home for us.

[@denisedelgado3350]

I am better than I use to be but yes, I get the winter blues. For me, it’s the shorter, darker days that I struggle with. I like to dry what I can from the yard and bring it in for bouquets, wreaths or to give away. I have a large number of houseplants so that fills my green itch as well. I was gifted gardening and flower books for Mother’s Day that I’m looking forward to reading and planning next year’s ideas. I love how the Japanese anemones came out, they’re gorgeous, I love that flower!

[@GardenMoxie]

I completely relate to what you wrote. For me, it is definitely the short days that I struggle with. But getting outside during the day helps a ton. Gardening and flower books are the perfect Mother's Day gift. Winter is the perfect time for reading and planning next season's garden for sure.

[@delorisbrooks4966]

Amen 🙏

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for checking out the video.

[@delorisbrooks4966]

Yes, Indeed there's nothing new under the sun. What was; will be again. Ecclesiastes 1:9, “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” May God (Jesus Christ) continue to bless you and keep you under His mighty wings.

[@hobbitlady7568]

❤

[@dustyflats3832]

I was so excited that I was successful with late boxwood cuttings! We have roots! I have to try those sun prints! Oh and I’ve seen that silicon sand used and it really keeps the color vibrant. Last fall I did some arborist chip spreading and lucky I just checked for daffodils as I covered one area with cardboard and chips and the poor things were thanking me as they wanted to grow! Poor things. I have yet to figure out a good way to mark where the bulbs are and I think I will paint up some colorful large stones. Tent stakes I tend to step on and the oak leaves here are too plentiful and I’m not one to check a journal once I’m digging in the garden. I think bright colored rocks might do it. I won’t have to worry about some asiatic lily bulbs I moved in late landscape project as I seen there was a bit of a hood dug. I didn’t think much about it until the next day-🤦‍♀️ I didn’t have a fence around this area yet and we do let 4 roosters run around, but I’m sure something ate the bulbs. Ugh! I don’t think it was the roosters, maybe squirrels. Never had an issue before but hear a lot of others do. Have to fence everything. I have to try hellebores and anemones if they can survive this dry sandy garden. This crazy world has upped its game since last fall. I find it more difficult as I get older to get through the winters even though the last two are getting Much warmer. That alone makes starting winter sowing difficult and find it’s more spring sowing now. Well it’s near spring as I watch this 3/14 and we are FINALLY getting some Decent and Badley Needed Rain! I almost forgot what it sounds like. We got a new weather station from Acurite (WI based Co.) and we are head over heels about it! We are and have been in severe drought for like forever and the rain gauge meter is climbing!!🎉🎉💃💃👏🏼👏🏼

[@GardenMoxie]

Yay for the rain! That is great news. I am glad you saved those daffodil bulbs. I never mark my bulbs and have absolutely no idea where I planted any of them..ha ha. It's a surprise every spring. Thanks for being here.

[@user-tz5yp2dj4q]

Thank you for this inspirational video. You have so many wonderful ideas and are very talented. I live in the South of England so we don't normally (last year was a bit of an exception) have much frost so I am working in my garden all year round. I can imagine it must be more challenging if you live in a really cold place. I am obsessed with planting bulbs, they give me great pleasure at this time of the year. Wishing you well and thank you again. Melanie :) PS Have you considered purchasing a SAD (seasonally affective disorder) light. That can help greatly to reduce winter blues.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for your note Melanie. I appreciate the suggestions about the SAD light. Happy gardening!

[@rhus36]

I definitely get the winter blues, it’s the lack of sunlight more than anything. After the hectic work of late summer and early fall, I always appreciate the break from gardening. My native grasses bring me joy over winter, they actually look better in the cold and snow than they do in summer in my opinion. I take lots of walks and try to appreciate the mild weather this time of year and acclimate myself to the chill of an upcoming winter. Something I do every fall is plant a handful of minor bulbs, usually just a few. This year I’ve planted them in my lawn for the first time, every spot I dug out a dandelion, I plopped a tiny crocus bulb in its place. Last fall I planted muscari without thinking they’d push foliage in October. I know some people are annoyed by that habit but I find it so reassuring, every morning I’d look out my window to see the green tussocks still standing even through snow and ice. I also decided to overwinter an amaryllis and have had great luck getting it to rebloom consistently (though never at Christmas), even though at this very moment it’s basically an empty pot sitting in my basement, I see it from time to time and smile knowing that it won’t be too long before it’s blooming again. And when it’s so cold and dark that it feels like spring will never arrive, usually around January or February, I dig out my paperwhite bulbs that I saved from last year. The collection grows and grows, they’re not reliable bloomers their second time around but when grown in soil they do push lots of lush foliage and some of them usually bloom. I supplement the old ones with fresh paperwhites that are usually on discount after Christmas. The fragrance is actually a little overwhelming but I enjoy it because it’s a reminder of things to come.

[@GardenMoxie]

I love the idea of planting bulbs in the spaces you pick dandelions. That is clever. You shared some great suggestions on how to enjoy the end of garden season. You inspired me to get some bulbs planted.

[@angelaengler2387]

I remember the autumn when I had my first really successful ornamental plant pots on my deck, I got depressed having to cut down all of those lovely plants 😔 Now that I’ve been planting pots for three decades I no longer feel that way and by the end of summer I’m pretty burnt out on gardening, especially if we’ve had a dry summer and had to water a lot😆

[@GardenMoxie]

You are right that Winter is a great time to take a break and recharge our batteries.

[@jannibal9273]

Agree with the watering being a major chore because I do a lot of it by hand with a two gallon plastic sprinkler can. I watered my lawns this summer because I just can't stand the thought of having "dormant" ugly looking grass in the summer when it is supposed to be lush and beautiful - they're not very big yards but the drought in SE Wisconsin area was so bad, and then I got clunked on the head with large water bills for two quarters, even though I'm only 8 miles away from Lake Michigan, for pete's sake!

[@angelaengler2387]

That’s such a bummer that your water bills are so high and you’re so close to the lake! We’re getting our water from a well and the aquifer is getting low, our town is in talks with nearby towns to share the pipeline to hook up to Lake Michigan. I hope it happens very soon so the aquifer can hopefully refill a bit.

[@angelaengler2387]

That’s such a bummer that your water bills are so high and you’re so close to the lake! We’re getting our water from a well and the aquifer is getting low, our town is in talks with nearby towns to share the pipeline to hook up to Lake Michigan. I hope it happens very soon so the aquifer can hopefully refill a bit.

[@angelaengler2387]

That’s such a bummer that your water bills are so high and you’re so close to the lake! We’re getting our water from a well and the aquifer is getting low, our town is in talks with nearby towns to share the pipeline to hook up to Lake Michigan. I hope it happens very soon so the aquifer can hopefully refill a bit.

[@swbates3]

I’m so glad you made this video! In zone 6a I too dread the end of season. I love the idea of taking cuttings to propagate over the winter - and recommendations on some of the best perennials or shrubs to try?

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for your note. My favorite perennial that I grew this season is a white flowering Gaura. It bloomed all season and when the bumble bees land on the flowers, they sway up and down which I love to see. It's like the bumble bees are on a carnival ride 😂. I also love the Japanese maples (variety 'Bloodgood') that I planted. They turn an amazing color during autumn. I'm very happy with the Weigelia 'Wine and Roses' shrubs I planted in front too. They have dark leaves and tons of flowers when they bloom. The only issue is the deer like to eat them.

[@pamd1861]

Thanks Sue, love the marigold wreath!! I know I hate having to throw out still blooming annuals. Looking forward to planting the spring bulbs, will you be doing bulbs? Also I see you propagated hellebores do you have a video on that? I would like to do to mine is it too late in this season? Thanks

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for your kind note. I love that marigold wreath too. The color is amazing. I need to get my act together on bulbs. I am going to try planting more small bulbs in the woodland border. I made a video about how I pot up hellebore seedlings in Spring. You can look under your mature plants to see if there are any tiny plants to move into other areas. Here is the video link kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJm9npamjNufqMk.

[@pamd1861]

@@GardenMoxie great! Thank you😊

[@Hagetine]

Could you please write the name of the sand you use for drying flowers (with such great result!)

[@GardenMoxie]

I just checked my Amazon orders and I bought this sand back in 2018 and I am still using it. Here is the link www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001H7HA80/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[@heatherunger7325]

I’m looking for the foraged art book thx :)

[@GardenMoxie]

It is such a fun book.

[@zhiqizhuang4230]

I garden at 5B. The way to kill my winter blue is I grow near 50 different type of camellias in my greenhouse. They bloom and last me through the winter.

[@GardenMoxie]

Holy smokes! That sounds amazing.

[@cejanuary9378]

Can you do a video on how you do the winter stem cuttings? I'm also in 6A and I wonder how to have these going over the winter?

[@GardenMoxie]

I will try to cover it in an upcoming video. It is fairly straight forward. I cut several branches and place them in water. I will use them for decoration in a vase on my kitchen table. Once they form roots, I plant them up into soil and place them under the grow lights I have in the basement to grow seeds in Spring. They will stay there until the Spring. It works great.

[@cejanuary9378]

@@GardenMoxie Thank you! do you use clear or opaque vases? I haven't had much luck rooting perennial flower stems in water.

[@GardenMoxie]

@@cejanuary9378 The type of vase shouldn't matter. And I am only rooting the mahagony splendor hibiscus and purple heart plants. They are both easy to root in water. Good luck!

[@amyhoff1501]

May I ask how you store your elephant ears for winter, I have a few in pots and was wondering if I could just stop watering them and place them in a cool dry place in my basement, thank you and greetings from Western Massachusetts

[@GardenMoxie]

Hi, The elephant ears you saw in the video were on their 5th growing season. I typically cut off all the leaves after a very light frost and bring them into my basement. I started by putting them into a dark corner, but the plants started growing and I felt like I was torturing them so I put them under my grow lights. This is how I do it, but I don't think that is considered the "correct" way. But I figure they have made it through 5 seasons. So, I cut them back, put them under grow lights and water them. By the time Spring comes around, they have grown a lot.

[@ElizabethCasey-sg4rl]

Love your channel! I'm going to order that garden art book. When I have no motivation, I'll tell myself, just take out the Hori hori knife and dig up invasives for ten minutes. Many times that's all I'll do and, really, even that little bit still feels good. Then, there's other times when the minutes is long over and I've I been out there doing various tasks for the better part of two hours. LOL

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks so much. Sometimes get started is half the battle, isn't it? I think you will enjoy that garden art book. It's filled with great ideas that you can do with things in the yard. Happy gardening.

[@jeanfeller4961]

Your Amazon link isn't working for the Foraged Art book you mentioned. I would like to purchase it but want you to get the credit.

[@GardenMoxie]

It is not an affiliate link. Thanks so much for being willing to support me. That is so kind. Did you find the book okay?

[@GardenMoxie]

I updated the link. Thanks for letting me know.

[@MrsDebBee]

I love your ideas. I am fortunate that I live in a much warmer zone than you. But my way of surviving the winter blues is my heated greenhouse. It’s my “she shed” or as I refer to it as my Happy Place. I think I’ll make a sign out of leaves that says that! 🪴

[@GardenMoxie]

Oh wow! It must be a dream to have a greenhouse. That would be my happy place too.