Ideas & How To's

First frost is coming and the clock is ticking. Work through this complete October garden checklist for Zone 6a Ontario gardeners covering everything you need to do before winter arrives, from harvesting the last of your vegetables and planting spring bulbs to protecting roses, mulching beds, and setting your lawn up for a strong spring comeback.

October is your last chance to plant spring bulbs in Zone 6a Ontario and the window is closing fast. Discover exactly how to plant tulips, daffodils, alliums, and hyacinths for maximum spring impact, including the lasagna layering method for eight weeks of continuous colour, container bulb planting for balconies and porches, and practical squirrel protection that actually works.

Your fall garden has given everything it has and now it is time to make it last. Discover the best ways to store and preserve your Ontario fall harvest, from freezing tomatoes and drying herbs to curing winter squash and storing root vegetables through winter, so your homegrown food feeds you well into 2027.

Your lawn took a beating this summer and fall is your best window to fix it. Discover 5 high-impact fall lawn care tips for Zone 6a Ontario homeowners, from overseeding bare patches and aerating compacted turf to applying fall fertilizer and knowing exactly when to make your final cut before winter arrives.

Overcrowded perennials are trying to tell you something. Discover exactly which perennials to divide this fall in your Zone 6a Ontario garden, which ones to leave until spring, and the complete step by step process for dividing and transplanting hostas, daylilies, coneflowers, peonies, and ornamental grasses before winter arrives.

Mid September is your signal to act. Discover exactly what to do right now to prepare your Zone 6a Ontario garden for winter, from harvesting the last of your vegetables and lifting tender bulbs before frost arrives to buying spring bulbs before they sell out and planning your winter mulching strategy for a healthy garden come spring.

Your summer garden is fading but your fall garden is just getting started. Discover the 5 best fall flowers for Ontario gardens and containers, from frost hardy pansies that bloom again in spring to ornamental kale that gets more beautiful with every frost. Keep your GTA garden and front porch stunning right through to November.

Growing your own garlic is one of the most rewarding and foolproof crops an Ontario gardener can take on. Discover exactly when and how to plant hardneck garlic in Zone 6a this fall, from choosing the right varieties for a Canadian winter to planting depth, mulching, harvesting scapes, and pulling your best bulbs next July.

Late summer is actually the best time of year to plant perennials in Ontario and right now garden centres are offering their best prices of the season. Discover the 5 best perennials to plant in August and September for years of colour in your Zone 6a garden, from coneflowers and black eyed Susans to the plant that blooms when everything else has stopped.

The spring garden you have been dreaming about starts with a decision you make right now. Discover the best spring bulbs to plant this fall in your Zone 6a Ontario garden, from squirrel proof daffodils and fragrant hyacinths to the lasagna planting method that gives you colour from April right through to June.

Something has been at your plants and you need answers fast. Discover how to accurately identify and treat the most common late summer garden pests and diseases affecting Ontario Zone 6a gardens in August and September, from powdery mildew and tomato blight to aphids, hornworms, and squash vine borers.

August is not the end of your growing season. It is the beginning of your second one. Discover exactly what cool season vegetables to plant right now in your Zone 6a Ontario garden for a fresh fall harvest, from fast growing radishes and spinach to kale that gets sweeter with every frost.