Hi, I’m Kathy Jentz, editor and publisher of Washington Gardener Magazine. I’m going to show you how to winterize your vegetable garden and we’ll get started with saving seeds. Next will be your last harvest in the garden then mulching and doing covered crops, creating new growing beds, cleaning, sharpening and storing your tools and then turning off your water sources for the winter.

You don’t need much to get started. You’ll just dress in comfortable layers, wait for a clear, crisp autumn day, a shovel, hoe or rake will be nice to have on hand as well and don’t forget some sturdy, thick gloves.

Before we begin, remember that safety is always important and when you’re working with tools, you need to have sturdy, reinforced toes on your shoes and also be aware of working around you and be cautious of where they are at all times.

I’d like to tell you a little bit about myself and my background. I’m a life-long gardener and come from a family of gardeners and farmers. I’ve been writing about gardening in the local DC area for the past 5 years and I’ve been publishing Washington Gardener magazine for almost this long.

And now let’s get started with winterizing your vegetable garden.