We've simplified our best tips of things to do right now to help you get a jump-start on Spring garden growth, ease the transition to Winter, and help you find the time for celebrating the Harvest season!

Put Garden Areas to Bed for the Season

One of the best ways to ensure a healthy Spring garden is to close down garden areas properly now. Our first tip: Resist the urge to cut everything back and rake all the debris away! Leaving foliage up from perennials that are 18 - 24 inches tall not only provides a more interesting look in the winter, but also provides "housing" for beneficial insects, and food for the birds. Perennials to leave up include those that have high crowns, are woody, or are from the evergreen family.

We are firm believers in the benefits of letting plants decompose naturally whenever possible. See some of the specific types to leave up in our "Did You Know" section. Heidi's complete list of her suggested perennials to leave up, and tubers to be brought in over winter can be found on our blog page.

Plants that may be mold-prone should be removed entirely, such as most annuals. Removing the debris from plants such as Rose petals, Peony, Iris, Phlox, and Monarda (Bee Balm), will also eliminate the risk of fungus and other diseases that can harbor over winter.

Tropical tubers and houseplants can be stored indoors for Spring re-planting. See Heidi's recent segment on Kare 11 for a great overview on these techniques.