Grow confidently in the Pacific Northwest.
Practical, seasonal guidance for real PNW gardens — cool springs, damp winters, dry summers, and imperfect soil included. Beginners welcome.
Updated regularly with seasonal advice, planting notes, and Pacific Northwest garden inspiration.
This week in the garden
Bellingham, WA forecast
Expect two main dry windows — Sun/Mon (Oct 11–12) and Thu–Fri (Oct 15–16) — with drizzle Tuesday and a wetter band on Wednesday (about 0.35 in). Time jobs that need dry soil into those windows, and plan watering-in tasks so Wednesday’s rain does the work for you. Light drizzle returns Saturday, so avoid important outdoor work then.
Plant spring bulbs.
Apply a fall lawn feed.
Rake heavy leaf cover or mulch light leaf fall with the mower.
In the garden this month
Leaves are falling and bulbs are going in. Use the dry spells to plant, rake, and feed the lawn before winter.
Discover the best fall cover crops for Pacific Northwest vegetable gardens, when to plant them, and how to improve your soil naturally over winter.
Confused by frost dates in the Pacific Northwest? This gentle guide explains PNW first and last frost, microclimates, and what to plant when.
Learn how to plant garlic in the fall, which types to choose, and how to care for your cloves through the PNW winter. A cozy, practical guide for big bulbs next summer.
A gentle Odd Garden guide to overwintering dahlias in the rainy PNW — including my own failed “leave them in the ground and hope” experiments — and how to dig, cure, store, and revive tubers for a better bloom next year.
