Gardening: Fall Yard Cleanup Video with Chores and Checklist for the Midwest Zone 5

SO it’s fall. And I love fall. I love the sweaters, the fireplace, the pumpkin spice everything. But before we settle in with our warm drinks and close out the garden season, we have to get our yards ready for the winter especially if you want a thriving and happy garden come spring. I would also add, an easier spring. There is a lot to do during the growing season, and if you have to fix outdoor furniture or pots because they were damaged from improper storage, or mend spent soil in garden pots, or confusing plant species locations because of your lack of journaling, it makes thing much harder on you and you will have enough to do. A little work now will save you time later. There is plenty of time to drink that PSL.

Now to work!

Below is a video where we take you through everything we do to our little urban yard and garden. We don’t show raking-because that’s table stakes. We mulch our leaves, and throw it in compost bags (shown in the video) and directly in our garden beds to keep things warm (and mend the soil over time). Get a warm jacket, garden gloves, and join us in the garden!

*** Update: Since I have written this, I have changed a few things in our fall garden chores. There are some things you should or shouldn’t do to help bees and butterflies. We all evolve as humans-and as gardeners. My journey has led me to be a strong advocate for our pollinators. So after checking out this video, check out this blog post too, and understand subtle changes can make a big difference in saving our planet.