Fall Gardening in British Columbia: Your Seasonal Guide

Why Fall Gardening Matters

Cooler temperatures, more consistent rainfall, and softer soil make autumn the ideal time for planting. Roots establish better in the fall than in the heat of summer, giving plants a head start for spring. Plus, gardening in fall sets the stage for a thriving, colourful garden next year.

Planting Spring-Blooming Bulbs

• For Beginners: Start simple with classics like tulips, daffodils, and crocuses. Plant bulbs in well-drained soil, about 2–3 times as deep as the bulb is tall. A sunny spot works best. Check your bulb package for full details on the depth of planting. 
• For Experienced Gardeners: Try layering bulbs (“lasagna planting”) in pots or beds for waves of blooms. Mix early, mid, and late-season varieties to extend your spring colour. Consider specialty bulbs like alliums, fritillarias, or snowdrops for added interest.
• Pro Tip: Add bone meal or bulb fertilizer when planting to encourage strong root development.

Planting Garlic in Fall

For Beginners: Garlic is one of the easiest crops to grow. Break a bulb into cloves and plant each clove pointy end up, about 5–7 cm deep and 10–15 cm apart. Mulch with straw or leaves to protect over winter.

For Experienced Gardeners: Experiment with hardneck garlic varieties, which perform beautifully in BC and produce delicious scapes in spring. Rotate planting areas each year to avoid soil-borne disease, and to ensure you are not depleting important nutrients in your soil.

Fall Vegetable Gardening

For Beginners: Some veggies thrive in cooler weather. Consider planting leafy greens (like kale, spinach, or lettuce), as well as radishes or turnips for fall harvests. Cover crops like winter rye or clover also help improve soil health over winter.

For Experienced Gardeners: Extend your harvest with cold frames, cloches, or row covers. Sow overwintering crops such as hardy spinach or broad beans to get an early spring harvest.

Planting and Maintaining Shrubs

For Beginners: Fall is perfect for planting shrubs like hydrangeas, azaleas, and viburnum. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball, set the shrub at soil level, and backfill with amended soil. Water thoroughly and mulch to retain moisture. Your final step will be to add GARDENWORKS Transplanting fertilizer, as this will ensure your plants root systems can quickly establish before the cold of Winter sets in.

How to amend soil:

Amended soil is garden soil that has been improved by mixing in organic or inorganic materials to enhance its structure, drainage, and fertility. The amendments are added to make the soil better suited for plant growth.

• Organic amendments include compost, manure, leaf mold, peat moss, or coconut coir. These improve nutrients, water retention, and microbial activity.
• Inorganic amendments include sand, perlite, pumice or vermiculite, which improve aeration and drainage.

For Experienced Gardeners: Refresh established shrubs by pruning lightly to remove dead or crossing branches. Apply a layer of organic mulch to protect roots and conserve water. Fall is also a great time to transplant shrubs while the soil is warm and the air is cool.

Planting Trees in Fall

For Beginners: Trees planted in fall develop strong root systems before winter dormancy. Choose the right location (sun, space, and soil), dig a wide hole, and water deeply after planting. Staking young trees is recommended, as it will help to ensure the young roots are protected from shearing during any strong winter winds.

For Experienced Gardeners: Fall is an excellent time to invest in long-term landscaping. Consider native species or specialty ornamentals that thrive in BC’s climate. Add Transplanting fertilizer when planting to boost root establishment.

Caring for Herbaceous Perennials in Fall

What Are Herbaceous Perennials?

Herbaceous perennials are plants that come back year after year, but their stems and leaves die back to the ground each winter. The roots remain alive beneath the soil, ready to send up fresh growth in spring. Popular examples include Hostas, Peonies, Daylilies, and Coneflowers.

For Beginners: After the first frost, cut back most perennials to a few inches above the ground. Leave ornamental grasses and plants with attractive seed heads standing for winter interest and to provide food for birds.

For Experienced Gardeners: Divide and replant overcrowded perennials such as Hostas, Daylilies, or Peonies. Apply mulch around the base of plants to protect roots from temperature swings. Consider leaving some perennials standing to provide winter shelter for pollinators and other beneficial insects.

Fall Gardening Checklist

• Plant spring bulbs before the ground freezes (Generally Mid to Late October is ideal)
• Tuck garlic cloves into the soil for next year’s harvest
• Sow fall and overwintering vegetables
• Plant shrubs and trees while the soil is warm
• Cut back or divide perennials as needed
• Mulch garden beds for winter protection

Celebrate Fall Gardening with GARDENWORKS

Whether you’re planting your very first tulip bulb or redesigning your landscape with new trees and shrubs, fall gardening in British Columbia is rewarding and full of potential. Our team at GARDENWORKS is here to help with expert advice, seasonal plants, and everything you need to make the most of this season.