Watercolor illustration of a Pacific Northwest wildlife garden with bee, hummingbird, and robin among foxgloves and ferns.

Grow confidently in the Pacific Northwest.

Grow better in the Pacific Northwest.

Practical, seasonal guidance for real PNW gardens — cool springs, damp winters, dry summers, and imperfect soil included. Beginners welcome.

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Updated regularly with seasonal advice, planting notes, and Pacific Northwest garden inspiration.

This week in the garden

Oct 4–10

Bellingham, WA forecast

Monday–Thursday look like a small dry window with foggy mornings and highs around 58–63°F, then light drizzle returns Friday–Saturday (only a few hundredths of an inch). Do jobs that need dry soil midweek; avoid spreading fines or leaving debris to be driven into soggy ground once the weekend drizzle and Friday gusts arrive.

Mon62°49°Fog, 1% chance of rain
Tue58°51°Fog, 3% chance of rain
Wed62°51°Fog, 0% chance of rain
Thu63°52°Fog, 0% chance of rain
Fri59°51°Drizzle, 25% chance of rain
Sat56°45°Drizzle, 25% chance of rain

Chores for the week

Rake heavy leaf cover off lawns.
Clear dense leaf mats Monday–Wednesday while it's dry so grass can breathe and before the weekend drizzle. Light leaf fall can be mulched with the mower; remove thick layers to prevent smothering and disease.
Apply a fall lawn feed.
Spread granular fall feed during the Mon–Thu dry window—best Tuesday–Thursday so granules settle before Friday's light drizzle. Avoid applying on Friday when gusts may reach ~16 mph and could blow product off target.
Plant spring bulbs.
Plant bulbs during the dry stretch (Mon–Thu): tulips 6–8 in deep, daffodils 4–6 in, crocus 3–4 in, alliums about 4–6 in. Firm soil over bulbs and water lightly if the planting holes are dry; don’t rely on the very light weekend drizzle to fully settle very dry holes.

See all 5 chores