Fall Garden Cleanup: What to Cut Back vs What to Leave

Welcome to the Garden Talk podcast! Today Susan and Sarah are talking all about fall garden cleanup—what we’re cutting back, what we’re leaving for wildlife, and how a little cleanup now can make spring planting so much easier. As the leaves fall and summer plants stop producing, it’s the perfect time to start clearing out garden beds and pots. Sarah shares how she’s picking the last of the green tomatoes and clearing vines so those containers can be replanted with kale, beets, carrots, and other cool-season crops. We also talk about the best reason to clean up: keeping disease from hanging around and coming back next year. In this episode, we cover: Cutting back and pruning timing (and why it depends on the plant) Why you should trash diseased plants (don’t compost them) Leaving seed heads for birds (and thinking about wildlife through winter) Pulling weeds now so they don’t drop seed and cause problems next year Using leaves as mulch to protect roots and “compost in place” Why leaving some leaves and “garden mess” can help beneficial insects overwinter No-till vs tilling—what we do and why Cleaning and storing cages, supports, and garden gear (so it doesn’t blow around—or disappear under snow) Fall cleanup doesn’t have to be perfect—you can do it all at once or little by little. The goal is to set yourself up for a healthier garden next season and avoid a huge spring mess. Question for you: What are you cutting back this week, and what are you leaving for the birds and wildlife? Don’t forget to like, subscribe, share, and comment below.