Denver gardening in fall rains

What is there for Denver gardeners to do when those seasonal fall rains hit? Plenty. You won't have that issue to worry about in drought years, like this one. Still, some years, the wet season may cause you to postpone the yard clean-up. Still, there's no shortage of garden tasks to be done before winter hits full force. Not all of them involve outdoor work.

Why not clean up the houseplants?

Remember those beautiful houseplants you've been neglecting during gardening season? It's time to give them a little love. It's also a great time to weed them out in order to make room for any outdoor plants that live inside in winter.

You'll need a place to store garden tools this winter.

Another indoor area that likely needs a clean-up is the tool shed or garage. During gardening season, you leave a lot of tools protected in the garden where they're handy. Once winter hits, they'll need a more weather-proof home. Unfortunately, over the summer, that home has become a cluttered mess. Why not take advantage of rainy fall days to clean it up?

Taking inventory during fall rains.

While you're cleaning up the tool shed or garage, take inventory. Fall is a great time to buy discounted garden tools in Denver. Sort through your tool collection. What needs to be replaced or repaired? Stock up on trimmer string and other garden supplies. Buy pots and planters for next year. You'll save big and be all ready to garden when spring hits.

Get those fall bulbs ready for planting.

You can't plant them while it's raining. What you can do is to decide where they will go. Make a “map” of each garden area, marking where each type of bulb will be placed for optimum growth and beauty. Sort the bulbs out accordingly. Once the rain stops, the ground will be saturated. That makes it nice and pliable for planting. Since all your decision making is done, placing bulbs after fall rains will be a snap.

Pay close attention when the rain falls.

Where is it flowing? What are your flood zones? Which areas are high and dry? All this information will help you to plan and plant next year's garden. You can't make it stop raining. Why not use the rain for good? Plus, at least while it's raining, you won't have to water!