Midwest Garden Gal

10/16/2026

🥶 FREEZE WARNING! Midwest gardeners, check your local forecast and prepare TONIGHT!

Freeze warnings are in effect across parts of the Midwest early Saturday morning, October 17, including the Cedar Rapids and Des Moines areas.

A few last-minute garden tips:

🍅 Harvest warm-season crops, including tomatoes, peppers and tender herbs like basil.

❄️ Want a few more weeks? Cover tender annuals and vegetables with frost cloth, row covers or old sheets. Secure edges to the ground to trap warmth.

💧 If soil is dry, give plants a drink BEFORE covering! Water helps keep plant cells plump and hydrated, while moist soil retains heat better. But watering is NOT a substitute for protection! Disconnect garden hoses from outdoor faucets afterward.

🪴 Bring sensitive container plants indoors.

💐 Pick those last zinnias, cosmos and other delicate flowers for a beautiful bouquet!

🌿 Most established, cold-hardy perennials should be just fine.

Check your local forecast and prepare tonight before temperatures drop!

Happy fall gardening! 🌱

For more practical gardening tips, visit my website — link in bio!

10/09/2026

I’m headed to Grinnell tomorrow! 🌱

Looking forward to kicking off the Seeds for Thought Garden Symposium as the morning keynote speaker!

I’ll be sharing Cheap Tricks Gardening: Cause You Don’t Need to Spend a Fortune for Fabulous — one of my favorite presentations, packed with creative, budget-friendly gardening ideas. This is the class that inspired my first book, Cheap Tricks Gardening!

A big shout-out to the Poweshiek County Master Gardeners for organizing this wonderful event! Looking forward to a fun day of gardening inspiration and connecting with fellow garden enthusiasts!

10/08/2026

🐛🦋 She’s HERE! 💚

Preorders are officially OPEN for Brylee’s Big Adventure!

One little caterpillar, one BIG adventure! Beautiful illustrations, real butterfly science and plenty of garden magic for curious kids!

📚 Personally signed paperback and hardcover editions.

🎁 Preorder by October 31 and receive a FREE Activity Pack download!

👉 Link in bio!

10/08/2026

Wow, this is fascinating! If you’re looking to add more pollinator habitat, it’s not too late! Fall is a great time to plant pollinator-friendly perennials. Find my pollinator guide on the blog, link in bio. 🐛🦋🐝🌱

10/03/2026

Fueling up for the big trip! 🐦🌸

Late-season flowers and clean feeders can help hummingbirds get the energy they need for migration.

And keep watching… there’s a surprise visitor. 👀

More hummingbird tips:
midwestgardengal.com/blog

10/01/2026

Meet Brylee. 🐛💚

A big adventure. Beautiful illustrations. Real butterfly science. And plenty of fun for curious kids. 🔍✨

Brylee’s Big Adventure is almost here — and presale opens very soon!

Learn more and get presale news:
MidwestGardenGal.com/Brylee

09/20/2026

🍂 Cedar Rapids area homeowners — only a few fall garden consult spots remain!

Fall is a great time to plant trees, shrubs, perennials and pollinator favorites. Warm soil and cooler temperatures give plants time to settle in before winter — and can put you ahead of the game next spring.

I have just a few consultation openings left through mid-October.

We can walk your yard together, talk through what’s working, what isn’t and what you’d like to change, then figure out practical next steps for your space.

🌱 Garden consults are available within about 30 miles of Cedar Rapids.

👉 Ready to book your fall garden consult?

Custom yard and garden consultations tailored to your wishes and dreams. Let's walk together in your yard and create your ideal space.

09/14/2026

Late summer is a great time to give pollinators a little extra support. 🐝🦋

Keep the buffet going with late-summer bloomers, deadhead annuals like zinnias for another flush through frost, add native pollinator perennials while nurseries still have them, provide a safe water source and let plants stand well into spring.

👀 All video and photos from my garden.

More pollinator tips: https://www.midwestgardengal.com/pollinator-garden-guide/ 🌱