Azaleas and rhododendrons paint the spring garden in gorgeous shades of pink, red, orange, and other vibrant colors. But the work of protecting those future flowers starts now. Fall care before winter is essential for keeping these shrubs healthy and ready to bloom abundantly in spring.

Fall azalea care and rhododendron care are all about preparing them for winter dormancy, maintaining healthy roots, and protecting flower buds. Did you know that these shrubs form their buds in summer? Next year’s flowers are already set in buds, so now is the time to preserve and protect them.

Azaleas and rhododendrons are very similar plants with similar care needs in fall. However, keep in mind that there are deciduous and evergreen types with slightly different needs. We’ll point these out here, along with the essential tasks you should be tackling this fall for all your Rhododendron species.

1. Take Care if Pruning – Don’t Trim off Buds!

Fall is not the time for heavy annual pruning of rhododendrons or azaleas. Most spring-blooming members of this plant flower on old growth. This means they set buds over the summer. Trimming too hard in the fall will prune away many of the buds that become next spring’s flowers.

The best time for heavy shaping or pruning is right after spring flowering. But this doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t make any cuts in fall. Inspect your shrubs now for dead, damaged, or diseased branches. Remove these using sharp, clean bypass pruners, such as the Felco 8, available on Amazon, which can cut through woody stems up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. For larger branches, switch to loppers or a pruning saw.

2. Stop Fertilizing for the Season

Fertilizing late in the season can trigger new growth that only gets damaged in winter conditions. That damage can introduce disease. It’s also a waste of energy that should be going into keeping roots healthy over winter.

Most fertilizing for azaleas and rhododendrons takes place in spring, after flowering. At that time, you can use a product formulated specifically for these shrubs or for any acid-loving shrub. Also, consider the fact that your shrubs might not need feeding at all if they are healthy or thriving.

If you suspect your plants need fertilizer, a soil test is the best way to determine their nutrient needs. The MySoil Soil Test Kit measures both soil pH and nutrient levels, helping you identify any deficiencies before deciding whether to feed your shrubs in spring.

3. Water Until the Ground Freezes

You should keep watering your azaleas and rhododendrons right up until the ground freezes, especially if you’re having a dry autumn. Ideally, the ground will be moist before real winter weather sets in. Check the soil regularly using a moisture meter, such as the Yamron 4-in-1, to see whether water is reaching the root zone. Provide a deep soaking as needed, including one as late in the season as possible before the ground freezes.

This matters because many azaleas and rhododendrons are evergreen, making them susceptible to desiccation, or drying out, over winter. Cold, dry winds leech moisture from the leaves, but roots in frozen ground can’t take up any water. This can result in curled, brown leaves and even damaged buds. Ensuring there is moisture in the ground before winter is less important for deciduous types.

4. Apply Protective Mulch

Mulch insulates the soil and roots of your flowering shrubs. It helps regulate soil temperature, retains more moisture around the roots, and prevents the root damage caused by soil heaving that occurs during cycles of freezing and thawing.

Organic mulches such as shredded pine bark or partially decomposed, shredded leaves are ideal for mulching azaleas and rhododendrons. If you don't have suitable materials to hand, Garden Pro's shredded pine bark mulch from Home Depot is a good alternative. Layer the mulch around the root zones of shrubs to a depth of 2 to 3 inches (5–8 cm). Keep it a few inches away from stems to prevent trapping moisture that can encourage rot and disease.

5. Ensure the Soil is Draining Well

Moist soil is important, especially for evergreen shrubs, but too much moisture can also be damaging. Poorly drained soil can lead to root rot and fungal diseases. Eventually, these diseases can kill shrubs.

Look for signs your shrubs are getting waterlogged: standing water around plants, soggy soil long after rainfall, and wilting or yellowing foliage even when the plants have plenty of water. It’s important to try to remediate soggy conditions. You can clear off compacted mulch and other plant debris, divert runoff from other areas, or regrade the surrounding soil, for instance. If the problem isn’t easily fixed, consider relocating the plant in spring.

6. Protect Evergreen Shrubs from Winter Burn

Evergreen azaleas and rhododendrons add beautiful color and texture to the winter garden, but they are also more vulnerable to winter damage. Winter burn happens when the leaves lose moisture faster than the roots can draw up water to replace it.

Cold and dry winter wind is a primary cause of winter burn on evergreen shrubs, so creating a windbreak can protect them from much of the damage. Set up a barrier on the side of the shrubs that get hit by winter wind, using natural burlap garden fabric, like this from Home Depot, attached to wooden stakes.

Don’t let the barrier actually touch the leaves. They need some airflow to stay healthy. Young shrubs are more likely to need this kind of winter protection. Established shrubs in more sheltered areas are probably fine without it.

7. Check for Pests and Diseases

Finally, it’s a good idea to look over your shrubs for any signs of problems caused by common azalea pests or diseases. Managing these issues now can prevent them from carrying over into next year’s growing season. Look for stippling or black specks on leaves, which can indicate lace bugs, a common pest of azaleas and rhododendrons. A 10x illuminated magnifying loupe, like this Carson loupe from Amazon, can help you inspect the undersides of leaves, where these tiny insects and their dark droppings are often found.

An unusual number of dying branches, persistent wilting, and many or unusual leaf spots can indicate fungal diseases and root rot. Keep in mind that some spots are normal and that leaf drop is expected in deciduous varieties.

If you do see issues or unusual damage, remove diseased plant material and dispose of it. If issues persist or you don’t know how to identify or treat a particular pest, check with your local extension office for advice.

Fall azalea and rhododendron care isn’t extensive, but it will help you protect next year’s flowers, safeguard vulnerable foliage, and keep roots healthy. Simple steps now help your shrubs enter winter in better condition and improve the chances of a healthy, colorful spring display.

If you haven’t got around to planting spring-flowering bulbs yet, don’t panic because you can plant all these showstoppers in November. From tiny pastel-hued muscari to alliums the size of softballs, many-petalled tulips to intensely scented hyacinths, the range of bulbs to plant in November is just as exciting as those that need planting in September or October, so don’t feel you’re missing out for a second if you're slow off the starting block this fall.

Growing blooms from bulbs couldn’t be easier, because fall and winter rain will provide all the moisture they need. The secret to getting great results when planting bulbs in November is to sit them on a shallow layer of grit to improve drainage, so creating a drier environment to stop bulb bases rotting in wet winter soil. You could use horticultural grit but poultry grit does exactly the same job and costs a lot less. Just make sure you use a product that’s 100% crushed rock like CZ Grain Chicken Grit, available from Walmart, rather than the type made from oyster shells.

My bulb recommendations will brighten up your garden from February all the way into May and beyond, and return year after year. And I’ve skipped right past the common-or-garden varieties to bring you flowers in standout shades and shapes to create a colorful stir in your yard. Grow these beautiful bulbs in the ground, in raised beds or in pots – but do just grow them! Which of these striking bulbs to plant in late fall will skyrocket your spring garden next year?

1. Tulips

November is the very best month to plant tulips. Waiting until temperatures have lowered reduces the risk of fungal disease tulip fire, and cooler temperatures mean bulbs are less likely to rot. Plant tulips in full sun, burying them at a depth that's three times the height of the bulb. Tulips need excellent drainage so dropping a ½-inch layer of grit into the planting holes first is a smart move. If you’re planting tulips in containers then mix a good handful of grit into the potting soil, too.

If it’s a while since you shopped for these spring flowers, you’ll soon find that tulips don’t have to look like tulips anymore! All these show-off varieties are fully hardy in zones 3-8, blooming in April and May when you can expect lots of curious neighbors asking what they are.

2. Crocus

Spring-flowering crocus are incredibly hardy so can be planted in November but pick wisely for the best results. Botanical crocus flower early in January or February so have little time to grow roots from a November planting. Crocus vernus, however, blooms February to April, and their bigger bulb-like corms are tougher and store more energy.

While botanical crocus have tiny blooms, the goblet-shaped flowers of Crocus vernus grow to a far more noticeable 5 inches high. And, whether you want to welcome spring into your garden with pristine white petals or drifts of carnival color, there’s a variety to suit. Plant Crocus vernus at a depth that’s equal to three times the corm’s height, in sun or partial shade in zones 4-8, adding ¼ inch of grit to the bottom of each hole, and the bulbs will quickly naturalize. A favorite spot for these crocus is under deciduous trees where bare branches give them the early spring sunshine they need to flower well.

3. Dutch Iris

These little lovelies only grow 18-24 inches tall but they really punch above their height with orchid-like flowers in saturated colors, and florists prize them highly. Dutch iris are better planted in November as any earlier and the bulbs can start sending up their green shoots prematurely, when the tender growth is quickly knobbled by cold weather.

Because these spectacular flowers sit atop a single slender stem, Dutch iris bulbs look better planted in groups, which makes them easier to bury, too. Dig a hole around 6 inches deep in full sun, mix a handful of grit into the soil, and add the bulbs 3 inches apart. In containers, you can pack them more closely at 2 inches apart.

Iris x hollandica bulbs are hardy in zones 5-9, but in zone 5 they benefit from a mulch of shredded leaves thrown over the top to keep them cozy. You can also plant these bulbs in zones 3 and 4 in pots in an unheated greenhouse, ready to move outside when the worst of the winter is over. Dutch iris is a little later to flower than most spring bulbs from May into June, providing a seamless transition into summer.

4. Alliums

These ornamental onions are very relaxed when it comes to when they’re planted and, although most folk get their alliums into the ground in October, as long as the soil isn’t frozen solid, they’ll flourish from a November planting. There are dozens of allium varieties with flowers ranging from small pom poms to huge spheres, lasting for up to a month then drying into structural seedheads.

As the size of the bulbs ranges as much as the blooms, use the usual rule of thumb to plant bulbs at a depth equivalent to three times their height. All alliums need full sun, where they’ll thrive in zones 4-9, and be sure to line holes with a layer of grit. While there are alliums that flower in summer, all my recommendations are late spring varieties that bloom from April into June.

5. Hyacinths

There’s one big reason why you should add hyacinths to your garden, and that’s their incredible scent. As the flowerbuds open, their perfume is fresh, reminiscent of cut grass. In full bloom, an intense and intoxicating floral fragrance takes over, warm with vanilla and spicy with clove. Then as the flowers fade, the aroma deepens and becomes more musky. The scent profile can differ by color, too, with purples and blues typically boasting the strongest perfume, while whites and pinks smell a little sweeter, and yellows and oranges spicier.

Emerging in late February, hyacinths add an extra dimension to crisp, cold spring days when their scent hangs in the air. Hardy in zones 4-8, hyacinths prefer to be planted once soil temperatures have dropped, so the bulbs remain dormant but still get the deep chill they need to flower. Choose a sunny spot and plant bulbs at a depth of three times their height, dropping a ½ inch layer of grit into the hole to prevent them rotting. Hyacinths also thrive in a pot, where you can pack bulbs so they’re almost-but-not touching for a fabulous fragrance cloud on a patio or front porch.

Don’t reach for the standard pink, white and blue colors as there are now all sorts of tempting hyacinth tones to choose from.

6. Grape Hyacinths

Muscari are such tough cookies, they’re wholly unphased by a late-fall planting just as long as the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged. And don’t fret if you’ve had issues with grape hyacinths spreading a little too enthusiastically before. While the classic blue Muscari armeniacum does indeed take over, newer cultivars have been bred to focus their energy on growing densely-packed blooms rather than invading borders so spread far more gently.

‘Delft Blue’ does naturalize but gently, and you easily prevent it from travelling far by snipping off faded flower spikes before they set seed. ‘Fantasy Creation’ has sterile flowers so only spreads very slowly through underground division. And Muscari latifolium has a clumping habit so will stay exactly where you put it. All are suitable for zones 4-8 and flower March or April into May.

Helpful Bulb Planting Tools

The more bulbs you buy, the cheaper they get, so if you end up filling your borders with beautiful spring flowers, speed the planting with a labor-saving tool.

As fall edges forward, strawberry patches can often look like they have finished their seasonal duties. The berries are long gone, creeping runners have tangled across walkways, and older foliage is beginning to bronze. It is tempting to simply walk away and leave the beds until spring. However, neglecting your patch in late autumn is one of the most common reasons for more disappointing crops the following year.

What happens to your strawberry plants in October has a massive impact on next year's crop. A few simple fall tasks now can help them get through winter in good shape, which directly leads to more berries that taste yummy next summer. Anyone who grows strawberries knows how much rides on the crown – the thick stem at the center of each plant, where new leaves and flowers start. It sits at the soil line, which makes it easy to damage in winter. Most of these fall jobs come back to protecting it.

Whether you cultivate June-bearers like Honeoye or Jewel, everbearing varieties like Ozark Beauty, or continuous day-neutral types like Albion, this next week is a critical window to protect strawbs. Time is short before the ground freezes solid. By taking a few quick steps now, you protect those delicate crowns and lay the foundation for a riot of sweet, juicy fruit next year. So don't skip these fall care essentials…

Best Strawberry Care in October

These strawberry tasks bridge the gap between active growing and total winter dormancy. Because strawberries have shallow root systems that rarely penetrate deeper than 6 inches (15cm) into soil, it’s good to check in with conditions both on and in the ground. Checking your patch's moisture, ambient temperature, and foliage health this month ensures plants enter dormancy with maximum energy reserves.

A steady cold at this time of year isn't always the biggest problem for strawberries. A sunny thaw followed by a hard freeze can heave plants right out of the soil and tear their roots. So where you live changes the following strawberry game plan a little bit. In colder USDA hardiness zones (zones 3-6), October is mostly about getting ready for winter and priming beds and containers before freezes strike. In warmer southern regions (zones 8-10) it can be a great time to plant new runners.

Strawberry care this month also varies according to whether you are growing in the ground or in containers. In-ground matted rows benefit from the relative continued warmth of surrounding earth, while strawberries grown in raised beds, terracotta jars, or vertical planting towers may face a tougher time now. Performing targeted checks on both border beds and container plants ensures that every strawberry crown remains healthy and protected through the cold months ahead.

Before you start these strawberry jobs, quickly check the soil with a good diagnostic tool like the budget-friendly Raintrip 4-in-1 Soil Meter from Amazon. This will help you to get a good sense of current root moisture and temperature levels ahead of any extra soil treatments or mulching extras. With that in hand, follow these simple steps…

1. Clean Up Foliage and Clear Weeds

One of the simplest ways to prime your strawberry plants is to quickly check for weathered, damaged or diseased foliage. This will eliminate overwintering pests and fungal pathogens before cold weather sets in. Walk your rows with sharp snips and trim away foliage that looks brown, decayed, or has reddish-purple spots (the telltale sign of strawberry leaf spot). Use spring-action snips like Fiskars Micro-Tip Pruning Snips, available from Amazon, or Fiskars SoftGrip Handle Bypass Floral Hand Pruning Shears, from The Home Depot, to make any smaller targeted cuts.

Don’t leave the clippings on the ground, as pests can still overwinter in the old growth. Rake up the trimmings and get them off the bed, placing them in the trash rather than your compost heap. However, avoid aggressive cutbacks. The healthy green leaves are still feeding the crown, and June-bearing plants set next year's flower buds as the days get shorter. Save hard shearing for post-harvest renovation.

Another part of tidying up strawberry beds involves timely weeding. Weeds that get settled in during fall are usually harder to get rid of in spring, and they will actively compete with strawberries for water and nutrients. Remember, your strawbs have shallow roots, so avoid deep hoeing or aggressive tilling. After a spell of rain, pull the weeds by hand. Damp soil lets go of roots more easily. Work methodically around each crown, taking care not to accidentally loosen or heave plants from the soil.

2. Prune or Root Trailing Runners

Strawberry plants continue producing runners right up until the first hard frost. This can be exciting in terms of the potential for new plants, However, left unchecked, excessive runners can drain energy away from the mother plant. In established rows of June-bearers, you can keep a few runners and direct select healthy daughter plants into bare gaps. Pin them down using landscape staples or small soil mounds. Once the daughter roots, snip the connection with the mother.

Keep an eye on plant density, though. Thin any excess plants so that the crowns sit roughly 6-8 inches (15-20cm) apart. For everbearing and day-neutral varieties, it’s best to snip off all fall runners completely. Repeat-blooming cultivars produce higher spring yields when all that late-season energy stays focused inside the crowns. Day-neutral types make far fewer runners, and in cold regions a lot of them won't survive winter, though mulching them might give them a chance.

In warmer zones 8-10, October can be a good time to plant bare-root crowns and plugs. Work a balanced feed into well-drained, slightly acidic soil. A good organic option is Espoma Organic Berry-tone Fertilizer, available in budget-friendly packs from The Home Depot to condition your beds. Set new plants 12 inches (30cm) apart. Make sure the crown is at soil level, as a buried crown can rot. Keep a frost cloth handy for vicious cold snaps. In colder zones, it’s best to plant in spring.

3. Water Deeply Until the Ground Freezes

Fall weather often brings more rainfall, prompting many of us to abandon our watering cans. However, rain is rarely sufficient for shallow-rooted strawberry patches. Because strawberry roots are shallow, they can dry out rapidly during crisp, windy afternoons. Keeping strawberry crowns in dehydrated soil as they enter winter can stress plants and invite winter kill. New plants are especially vulnerable, since their roots haven’t spread far yet. This task is so easy to keep tabs on. Your plants just need one deep weekly soaking, roughly an inch (2.5cm) of water per week.

Water your strawberries early in the day so the foliage can dry before nighttime chills. Use a soaker hose or watering wand if you can, and aim for the base of the plants. Moist soil holds thermal heat better than bone-dry earth. Keep watering until the ground freezes. For a light nutrient boost, add a diluted seaweed drench every 2 weeks until the ground is frozen solid. A splash of Neptune’s Harvest Fish & Seaweed Organic 2-3-1 Fertilizer, available from Walmart, is a great root tonic to help see your strawbs through winter.

4. Apply Mulch After the Ground Chills

Winter mulching is vital for strawberry survival, but timing is everything. Mulching strawberries too early in October, while daytime temperatures remain mild, can trap warmth and moisture against the crowns. This seeming act of kindness can create more problems, preventing plants from hardening off and inviting crown rots. So wait until the plants have been through several hard frosts and the leaves start to look gray or red, which usually lines up with a few nights around 20-25°F (-4 to -7°C). This signals that plants are dormant.

Once the ground begins freezing, spread a loose, airy 3 to 4-inch (8-10cm) blanket of clean, weed-free straw (such as oat, wheat, or barley) or clean pine needles over the entire planting bed. Straw bales cover plenty of ground. You can grab some Bell Nursery Straw Bales from The Home Depot for an airy yet cozy blanket over wintering strawberry beds. Skip fallen leaves, which can mat down into a soggy blanket and trap moisture. Unprotected crowns can die at around 15°F (-9C). Just wait for a real cold snap before tucking everything under straw.

5. Protect Container-Grown Plants

Container-grown strawberries face higher winter risks than those in beds. Pots don't give the roots much protection, and in a hard freeze the soil inside can get nearly as cold as the air. This can expose roots to brutal freeze-thaw cycles that can crack containers and kill sleeping strawberry crowns. So once your container plants enter full dormancy in late October, extra protection is necessary in zones 7 and colder.

The easiest fix is to carry the pots into an unheated garage or shed for the winter. As long as temperatures remain around 25-40°F (-4 to 4°C), they will be fine. If indoor shelter is unavailable, push the pots together against a sheltered, south-facing wall. Surround the outside pots with some burlap or insulating bubble wrap, and mound loose straw over the crowns.

Before tucking pots away for winter, water and refresh the upper layer of potting soil with some organic compost. For a simple soil refresher, add a sprinkle of Espoma Natural Mushroom Blend Compost, available from Walmart, to your containers. Top-dressing winterized containers will help to prime your strawbs for spring growth.

October strawberry care is all about thoughtful, timely preservation. By cutting away the worst of the leaves, managing trailing runners, keeping roots well watered, adding a timely straw mulch, and protecting container-based strawbs, you can shield your plants from the harshest winter weather. Tackle these simple tasks today, and you look forward to an abundance of homegrown berries next year.

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As homeowners, we tend to be proud and possessive. My house, my lawn, my trees. But don’t make the mistake of thinking you can chop down those trees just because you feel like it. Owning a tree doesn’t necessarily give you the unrestricted right to remove it.

We tend to think of trees and plants as our personal property, and in many cases that is true. If you plant a hydrangea bush on property you own this year, you can take it out the following summer. The same goes for a rose bush or a cherry tree. But that principle doesn’t apply to every single tree. In fact, removing trees without doing your research can leave you open to legal liability.

Some trees are legally protected under a variety of laws, ranging from municipal ordinances to HOA restrictions to environmental and wildlife protections. As a former attorney, I advise on issues like this in my Gardening Lawyer series. Read on for the whole scoop.

What Legal Protections Apply to Trees?

Everyone knows that certain animals are protected by national and state laws in this country. The animals are often endangered species, such as whales, dolphins, and manatees, protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. But many people don’t realize that laws also protect some types of trees. Most protections are at a local level, but a few national protections exist too.

Laws relating to tree removal are generally handled at the city or county level. Local municipal ordinances may require a homeowner to obtain a permit to remove a mature tree or a protected species. The types of trees most often protected include heritage trees or native species.

If your property is part of a Homeowners Association community, your landscaping rights are governed by HOA rules, also called CC&Rs – Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions. These rules can forbid tree removal without approval by the HOA architectural committee. And this doesn't depend on whether your town requires a permit.

Property laws may also affect your right to remove a tree. If the tree is planted in the center of your yard, property laws probably will not be a concern. But if the tree trunk sits on the property line, it is jointly owned, and you and your neighbor must agree before you can remove it.

Finally, you’ll want to check both federal and state environmental rules before taking out a tree if you live in an environmentally fragile area like a wetland. This can also be an issue if the area is a site where birds nest.

Can an HOA Actually Stop You From Cutting a Tree?

If you are asking this question, you are fairly new to a Homeowners Association (HOA). Yes, if your home is part of an HOA, you agreed to follow the CC&Rs.

Most HOAs require you to request and obtain board approval before pruning or cutting down a tree on your property. The Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions are legally binding rules that are part of the price you pay to be part of the HOA. The administration has every right to stop you from cutting down or even trimming a tree on your property if the action violates the community's recorded CC&Rs.

What Can Happen if You Cut a Tree You Shouldn’t?

There are those risks you can’t afford to take but also risks you can’t afford not to take. The choice is always yours – to follow the laws or to close your eyes to the legalities and chop chop chip. (I mean, George Washington cut down a cherry tree and look how far he went!) But know your risks before you decide.

The average fine for cutting down a tree in a city without getting a permit is $10,000. That’s the fine in San Francisco too. In NYC, it’s $15,000. In Visalia, California, cutting down a protected valley oak without a permit is a cool $20,000.

What about HOA fees? Homeowners Association fees vary from one HOA to the next. But they typically charge administrative fines of up to $1000 plus tree replacement costs that run into the thousands of dollars. If the tree is in a protected common area or protected by local laws, fees can go up quickly to over $20,000.

If you cut or damage trees on federal public lands without federal protection, you can face criminal fines or up to one year in prison. Municipal and county governments impose direct administrative fines of up to $10,000 per tree for removing protected or wetland-adjacent trees without a local permit.

How to Determine if Your Tree is Protected?

It would be nice if a homeowner could contact one agency to determine whether a tree is protected. But alas, that is not the case. You’ll have to do a little research or hire someone to do it for you. Here are some tips to get you started.

First, consider the tree's origin. Did you buy it as a young sapling from the garden store? That probably means that it is not an endangered species. Is it still a young tree, slender and only half its full height? You probably won’t be impeded by city permitting requirements, since these often apply only to mature trees of a certain height and girth. A call to city hall can confirm this.

Second, is your home part of an HOA community? If not, HOA rules won’t apply. If so, you'll likely have to jump through hoops, so review the CC&Rs.

Third, is the tree on the property line? If not, you won't need the neighbor’s permission. If so, you’ll need to arrange a conversation about the tree. Put any agreement in writing.

Fourth, is your tree on a public right-of-way or sidewalk strip? You will probably need a permit to remove it. Ask your town’s City Hall.

Last, is your property part of a wetland, a riparian buffer, or a bird nesting zone? You may not know. If you aren’t sure, start by asking your City Forester or Urban Forestry Department for direction.

How About Dead, Damaged or Diseased Trees?

Every rule has exceptions. Many local governments allow you to remove a tree without a permit if it is dead, severely diseased, or dangerous. For example, if the tree is leaning or uprooted and poses an immediate threat to your home or to passersby, the odds are good that you can remove it. Call city hall first to confirm.

This is probably also an exception in HOA restrictions. Read your CC&Rs or just call the office and ask.

How to Remove a Tree Legally

• It isn’t that difficult to take steps to remove a tree legally. Follow this checklist:
• Check rules and regulations to see if the tree is protected or permitting is required under HOA, city, state or national laws.
• If the tree requires a permit to remove, apply for and obtain one.
• If the tree is a safety risk, document the hazardous status and provide the proof to the appropriate agency.
• Hire a tree removal professional to do the job. Make sure they are qualified, experienced, licensed and insured.

We all dream of a perennial that keeps the garden looking good long after summer has packed its bags, don't we? You know, the kind that keeps producing beautiful flowers just when you think the growing season has nothing left to give.

It's fair enough; as temperatures dip and fall settles in, even the prettiest garden can start looking a little lackluster. The summer blooms start fading, the flower beds lose their sparkle, and you're probably wondering whether it's time to call it a year.

Thankfully, there's one unusual perennial that can bring a welcome splash of late-season color just when you need it most... and, despite its rather unflattering name, it looks seriously beautiful while doing it.

The Late-Season Perennial Everyone Should Know About

The toad lily (Tricyrtis), a shade-loving perennial with intricate, orchid-like flowers covered in colorful spots. Blooming in late summer and fall, it offers a surprisingly exotic display at a time when many other plants are winding down.

And despite its rather unflattering name, this little-known garden gem has plenty going for it. With delicate blooms that look more at home in a tropical greenhouse than a shady backyard, the toad lily is the sort of plant that makes you stop, take a closer look, and wonder why you aren't growing it already.

Shop Toad Lily Plants:

Let's get one thing straight: the toad lily isn't actually an orchid, no matter how much it might look like one. Rather, as the name suggests, it's a member of the lily family, and its botanical name is Tricyrtis.

Depending on the species or variety, the blooms may feature white or pale lavender petals, deep purple freckles, and contrasting yellow or purple centers. Some have a star-shaped appearance, while others look more like tiny funnels. Either way, though, their delicate details are best appreciated up close, rather than from the other side of the yard, as they look almost as though someone has taken a miniature paintbrush to every flower.

In other words, this isn't just another pretty perennial that relies on enormous flowers to make an impression; it's all about the details. And those details are exactly what make it such a charming addition to a shady garden.

Spring and summer get most of the attention when it comes to flowering perennials. By the time fall rolls around, many gardeners are left with attractive foliage, fading blooms, and a growing collection of plants preparing for winter.

The toad lily, however, usually begins flowering in late summer or early fall, with some continuing into October and, under favorable conditions, even November. (The exact timing depends on the variety, local climate, and when the first hard frost arrives in your USDA Planting Zone).

If you're looking for a plant that helps bridge the gap between summer color and the quieter months of winter, then, this is one of those flowers you've never heard of that's worth considering, especially as many varieties prefer partial to full shade, making them particularly useful beneath trees, along woodland borders, or in those awkward shade garden corners where sun-loving flowers struggle.

Shop The Best Fall Perennials:

Despite their exotic appearance, toad lilies aren't especially demanding when planted in the right conditions. Pop yours somewhere it won't get too much direct sun, as this can scorch the foliage (particularly if the soil dries out), and keep the soil consistently moist.

That being said, make sure excess water can drain away because, while moist soil is good; persistently waterlogged roots are another matter. Many toad lilies spread gradually through creeping underground stems or rhizomes, forming attractive clumps over time, so they appreciate a bit of space, too.

There's something especially satisfying about discovering a fall flowering perennial that offers something different from the usual lineup of autumn mums and asters, especially one that brings delicate orchid-like flowers, attractive foliage, and a welcome burst of color just when the garden might otherwise be winding down.

Honestly, if anyone asks why you've planted something called a toad lily, simply invite them over for a closer look. Once they see those extraordinary little blooms, the name might be the last thing on their mind.

Self-seeding flowers initially seem like a delight, particularly in a cottage garden border. There’s an effortless charm to volunteer blooms filling bare gaps between perennials, softening hard edges, and lending an organic, spontaneous feel. However, what starts out as a free-flowering companion can sometimes become an aggressive garden interloper. Left unchecked, enthusiastic self-sowers can quickly wind up in walkways, lawns, vegetable patches, and even your neighbors’ yards.

As their blooms fade, seed heads get ready to burst, scatter, or get carried away by animals to fill new areas. Once the seeds disperse, you’re facing a lot of cleanup in spring. The real danger with these prolific self-seeders lies in their competitive vigor. When permitted to drop seeds in fall, they naturally get a head start on anything you might add in spring, hogging nutrients, and casting shade over slower-growing sunseekers. So fall is an important time to keep key self-seeding flowers in place.

By intervening now to deadhead mature capsules, sever seed stems, and clear away dropped seed heads, you prevent billions of viable seeds from ever hitting the soil. And if there are any standout heirloom varieties you want to keep, you can save their seed for controlled sowing in spring, keeping all the beauty while sparing yourself lots of backbreaking pulling and digging next year. Here are the key culprits you need to control now, with insights on what to do with seed heads so you can still continue to enjoy them on your terms.

Manage Invasive Self-Seeders

Some self-seeders are more aggressive than others, so you need to focus your efforts. Try the strategies that work best for your climate, yard and gardening goals, as well as your USDA hardiness zone. In colder zones 3-5, severe early frosts can sometimes halt late-forming seed heads before they mature. In milder southern and coastal regions (6-9), extended warm falls can give plants weeks of extra time to disperse seed capsules, making rapid intervention vital. Wind patterns and heavy rain can also transport tiny seeds across garden beds in a single afternoon.

The primary defense is regular deadheading. While removing spent flowers in summer promotes reblooming, autumn deadheading is about containment. As petals drop and seed heads swell, snip them away before they turn dark brown, dry out, or split. Always carry a deep bucket or paper sack with you. Tossing cut seed heads onto the ground or moving bare stems across the yard will inadvertently broadcast thousands of seeds hither and yon. Bag up seed heads and discard them in the household trash, never into home compost heaps, which rarely sustain the high internal temperatures required to destroy persistent weed seeds.

Not all self-seeders deserve eviction, however. Native wildflowers like purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) and native black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) produce sturdy seed cones that feed foraging goldfinches and native songbirds through winter without becoming overly thuggish. Choose this option for an area where you don’t mind some seed dispersal or with flowers that are less aggressive.

Additionally, selective seed saving is a great way to hang onto more unusual or heirloom bloomers. Harvest mature, unopened seed pods on a dry sunny afternoon. Use snips like Fiskars Micro-Tip Pruning Snips, available from Amazon, to remove the heads. These spring-action blades give targeted deadheading without dropping loose seeds. Spread your collected seeds on paper towels to cure, then store them in labeled paper envelopes in a cool, dark drawer for measured sowing next spring.

1. Cosmos

With their feathery foliage and cheerful daisy blooms, cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) add delicate color and movement to beds and borders. However, beneath their dainty features lies a fierce capacity for uninvited propagation. A single plant can produce dozens of flower heads from midsummer through frost, each maturing into a cluster of needle-like seeds with barbed tips that catch on fur, gloves, and clothing.

To prevent cosmos from transforming into an unruly forest next year, inspect the fading flower heads now before the central florets turn black and stiff. Cut off spent blooms while the seed heads are still green or pale tan, or shear the entire plant to ground level once the first frost blackens the stems. If you wish to save seed, snip off a few brown heads on a dry day, strip the spiky seeds into paper envelopes, and store seeds in a cool, dark drawer for sowing next spring. For a good storage tin, try the Pethiy Green Storage Seed Tin, available from Walmart, which I love for its rustic appearance and enduring, airtight reliability.

2. Spider Flowers

Also known as cleome, spider flowers (Cleome hassleriana) produce spidery floral globes with extra-long stamens for brilliant late-season drama in borders. Yet few cottage annuals reseed with as much ruthless efficiency. As petals drop along the lengthening flower stalks, they leave behind long, slender, bean-like seed pods held on wiry pedicels. As these mature from green to brown, they dry out, crack open, and fling dozens of seeds across the yard.

Tackle your cleome before the seed pods reach the brittle stage. However, take care, as mature stems develop sharp spines and sticky hairs. Wear heavy gauntlet gloves and long sleeves. If you need a good pair of long-lasting gauntlet gloves, I love the Womanswork Arm Saver Garden Gloves, available from Anthropologie, with their gorgeous floral pattern and comfy fit. Snip off those green pods and bag them, or sever the entire stalk. If you love their height, keep a few ripe, unopened pods in a paper bag to dry, ensuring you dictate where they grow next season.

3. Forget-Me-Nots

Pretty, delicate forget-me-nots (Myosotis sylvatica) are cherished for their sea of sky-blue flowers, creating a romantic underplanting beneath tulips and flowering shrubs. However, their common name carries a double meaning: if you forget to remove their seed heads, you will spend years pulling up unwanted seedlings from rockeries and paving cracks. Each spent flower produces tiny nutlets with barbs that cling to animal fur and shoelaces, scattering those seeds far and wide.

Ideally, it’s wise to deadhead right after flowering, but this month is the deadline to scout your beds for lingering plants that set seed during late summer. Rake through mulch with a hand cultivator to expose any dry, brown seed clusters that escaped summer snipping. Sever any remaining seed stems, bag the debris, and apply a 2-inch (5cm) layer of clean mulch where needed. Go for an organic wood-based option such as team favorite Back to the Roots Organic Premium Wood Mulch, available from Amazon. This smothers new seeds by depriving them of the sunlight and winter chilling triggers they need to germinate in spring.

4. Purpletop Verbena

Revered by landscape designers for its airy stems topped by vivid violet and pinky-purple blooms, Verbena bonariensis (aka tall verbena or purpletop vervain) is a pollinator magnet that butterflies adore. However, in zones 7-10, this designer darling can be an invasive self-seeding powerhouse. Just a single plant produces tens of thousands of dust-like seeds capable of surviving freezing winters. These germinate with wild abandon in spring.

The challenge lies in how easily mature seed heads shed. The moment the blooms turn from purple to a dull brown, the tiny seeds loosen and scatter at the slightest brush of a breeze or sleeve. Cut back the flowering stems now, while flower clusters still hold a hint of lilac, or cup a bucket beneath the stems as you snip to catch dropping seed heads. Use wipes, such as Clorox Disinfecting Wipes 3-Pack from Walmart, to protect your snips and shears from clinging micro-seeds. Bag cut stems immediately to prevent contaminating lawn edges.

5. Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella)

This vintage cottage garden annual is admired for its blue, pink, and white blooms nestled within a fluffy ruff of misty green bracts. Following bloom, love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) flowers transform into intriguing striped seed capsules that look like paper lanterns. While these pods look stunning in dried floral arrangements, it’s risky to leave them in the garden. Once they burst, they will shed hundreds of seeds across your yard like demented pepper shakers.

So, as soon as you see their green lanterns developing dark striping and they start to feel papery to the touch, harvest them with snips before the top horns split. Cut the stems long and tie them upside down inside a paper sack. The seeds will drop into the bag as the capsules dry. Save these in airtight tins for controlled springtime planting. If you need seed-saving envelopes, Artrylin Self-Seal Seed Envelopes (150-Pack) from Walmart are great for labeling, dating, and organising your seeds.

6. Calendula

Also known as pot marigold, calendula (C. officinalis) is a hardworking cool-season annual that brightens borders and edible gardens, and continues blooming late into fall. However, each spent bloom forms a dense ring of seeds with hooked backs, which cling to tools, garden clothing, and pet fur, hitchhiking to new corners of your yard. If left undisturbed, fallen seeds create thick mats of seedlings that can choke out early spring bulbs. Deadhead those spent blooms the moment the petals wilt, snipping just below the green seed ring before it gets rigid.

If self-sown seeds have already scattered across the topsoil, lightly skim the surface with a hand rake to collect the seeds. Then cover the area with compost or shredded bark mulch to prevent early spring calendula germination. If you fancy adding some compost but don’t have enough of your own, The Home and Country USA Store do lovely little Mushroom Compost Pails from Amazon, to help you create a good soil blanket after sorting out your seed heads.

7. Mexican Sunflowers

Few annuals provide the explosive vigor of the Mexican sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia). Reaching 6-8 feet (1.8-2.4m) tall with brilliant orange blooms, it can draw monarchs and hummingbirds from miles around. However, that size poses a major problem when it self-seeds. Spring volunteer seedlings grow with ferocious speed, quickly developing thick stems and umbrella-like leaves that cast deep shade over surrounding perennials and crops.

By October, spent blooms transform into dark seed heads packed with dozens of stiff, pointed seeds that shatter outward at the slightest bump. Cut fading flowers back promptly before the centers turn dry and brittle. Once frost claims the foliage, chop down the hollow stalks and take them to the municipal waste. If you need strong debris sacks, Lowe’s Heavy Duty Debris Bags hold coarse stalks and seedheads securely for curbside yard disposal. Never toss mature heads into your home compost, or you will see hundreds of giant seedlings in beds next season.

Self-seeding can bring dynamic energy to the landscape, but if you want to prevent unwanted thuggish invasions (and all the gardening chores that go with that) then take timely fall action. The trick is deciding which flowers to allow to spread, which to manage, and how extensively to manage them.

By snipping off ripe seed heads and clearing away loose seed clusters, you can eliminate hours of weeding next spring. It might take a little trial and error, but don’t ignore your self-seeders or you might well regret it come spring. Harvest the seeds you want to keep, dispose of the rest, and enjoy a beautifully balanced and better behaved space next year.

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Feeding garden birds in winter is such an easy way to support wildlife, and growing berry-bearing shrubs is a great way to supplement birdseed and fatballs. So many avian species depend on berries to survive winter, so planting a berried shrub to feed birds is a great way to attract feathered visitors to your yard. Waxwings and American robins gather into berry-seeking flocks once temperatures drop and, once insects become scarce, many rare garden visitors such as bluebirds, warblers and woodpeckers can be tempted in with a feast of plump berries.

Not all shrubs with berries are created equal when it comes to winter food, however. Some berries are incredibly high in fat, carbohydrates or anti-oxidants, offering birds highly nutritious, energy-rich fuel to stay warm, and stay alive. Others are the equivalent of avian junk food. It’s good to offer a variety of berries, too: some super-tasty treats to be gobbled up in fall, and some that are too tart to eat before the freeze-thaw of deep winter sweetens them up to provide a late-season larder.

All these shrubs grow energy-dense berries for winter birds, so they’ll bring feathered garden friends flocking. All are well-behaved ornamental plants you’ll welcome in your garden, as they don’t take much looking after but easily earn their yard space with plenty of color. And all are best planted right now in fall so they have time to grow their roots deep into the soil before winter arrives. So which will you choose to feed birds in winter?

1. Berry Poppins Winterberry Holly

Ilex verticillata ‘FarrowBPop’ tops our list of berried shrubs for birds, producing a profusion of red berries rich in nutrients. It’s a dwarf cultivar of a native deciduous holly so it drops its leaves in fall to create a highly visible feast of berries that will act as a magnet for over 40 species of birds including waxwings, robins, bluebirds and northern cardinals. As it’s a compact and grows berries all along its stems, foraging birds like thrushes and sparrows will benefit, too.

Berry Poppins winterberry holly is a great asset to any garden as its berry-packed branches are an eyecatching sight for us humans, too. Because the berries start off firm and tart, it's an enduring display as the fruit only gets eaten up in January or February once it's sweetened up into a late-season lifeline for birds.

Growing to just 3-4 feet high and wide in zones 3-9, this is a neat, disease-resistant shrub that’s easy to grow. There’s one catch, however! Berry Poppins is a female plant, and needs a male plant nearby to produce berries. Mr Poppins winterberry holly, also available from Plant Addicts and a similar size, is the ideal choice of male plant to partner Berry Poppins. While Mr Poppins doesn’t produce berries, it’s a pleasant zero-maintenance foliage shrub and can be planted up to 50 feet away; one male plant will service up to five females, too.

2. Brandywine Viburnum

Next on the list of shrubs for winter birds is Viburnum nudum ‘Bulk’, sold as Brandywine. There are so many berry-bearing viburnums to choose from but this cultivar wins hands-down for its abundant high-fat berries and incredible garden beauty.

Green berries start forming in late summer then, in fall, shift into stunning pink and blue shades, often with different-hued fruit in the same cluster. As the days grow darker, so do the berries, turning a glossy purple-black as the surrounding foliage takes on fiery red hues. Brandywine viburnum is another late-winter pantry for birds as the berries only sweeten once the deepest winter weather sets in.

Hardy in zones 5-9, this low-maintenance shrub reaches 5-6 feet high and wide in five or so years, and you will need to let it grow to its natural height as it flowers and fruits on 2-year-old wood. But then you can expect to see waxwings, robins, bluebirds, thrushes and even woodpeckers feasting on its berries.

3. Berry Box Pyracomeles

If you don’t have the garden space for a Brandywine viburnum, then Berry Box Pyracomeles is a smart choice. Staying compact at just 2-3 feet high and wide, this evergreen shrub looks good year-round and while its berries are small, they start out a bright orange in late summer before transitioning to a vibrant red in winter, and the sheer number creates an impressive display. Because of its small size, Berry Box thrives in a container, making it a lovely choice for colorful fall planters that last into winter. Growing this shrub in a pot also means that if you’re a little outside its growing zones of 7-9, you can keep it in a sheltered spot.

Pyracomeles is a cross between Pyracantha and Osteomeles and has inherited the high-nutrient berry and heavy-fruiting genetics of the former and the compact nature of the latter. With fruit persisting on the branches well into winter, Berry Box berries are a valuable food source for robins, waxwings and thrushes, and small birds will find shelter in the shrub's dense evergreen foliage.

4. Chokeberry Bush

Aronia shrubs create a valuable winter resource for birds with dense growth offering shelter as well as long-lasting berries that offer a life-saving pantry when most other food has been gobbled up. Chokeberries have a high level of tannin which gives them a bitter taste but also acts as a preservative, so they last all through fall and early winter. Freezing weather breaks up those tannins, however, so these berries bring an emergency food supply high in antioxidants through the coldest days of late winter.

Chokeberry’s fire-engine-red fall foliage makes these low-maintenance shrubs fabulous plants for the garden, too, and this native shrub is a great substitute for invasive burning bush. And whatever the size of your yard, there’s an Aronia to suit.

If you have the room then Aronia ‘Viking’ should be your go-to as it was originally bred as an orchard crop so has big black berries and lots of them, that will attract American robins, eastern bluebirds, cedar waxwings and even blue jays; it grows to 4-6 feet high and wide in zones 3-8. Turn chokeberries into jam, jelly and syrup to enjoy the health benefits of these anti-oxidant-rich berries yourself, too. Berry Scape Chokeberry, available from Plant Addicts, is more ornamental with pretty bright red berries, growing to 4-5 feet high and wide in zones 4-9. If you’re short on space, then LowScape Mound Chokeberry, available from trees.com, only reaches 1-2 feet high and wide but still produces plenty of purple-black berries that ground-dwelling birds will appreciate.

5. Proud Berry Pink Coralberry

Another useful emergency supply of late-winter berries is Proud Berry Pink coralberry. Symphoricarpos orbiculatus is a close native relative of the snowberry and, like chokeberry, has berries high in tannins that only become palatable after many freeze-thaw cycles. That’s a bonus for gardeners as well as birds because the large pink berries, that gradually become more vibrant as temperatures drop, are so decorative. Coralberry's arching branches and rounded blue-green leaves are pretty, too.

Ornamental coralberry, also known as Indian currants, grows to 3-4 feet high and wide but because it fruits on new wood, it’s easily kept smaller without sacrificing the berry supply. Hardy in zones 3-7, plant this shrub now for berries next year.

6. Pearl Glam Beautyberry

Of course, you need some berries for birds to scoff through fall and early winter, and Callicarpa is the garden-worthy beauty to pick. But don’t just plump for the native American beautyberry. Pearl Glam offers all the same nutritional, high-moisture berries that cardinals, robins and bluebirds love, but has a much tighter, upright habit, reaching 4-5 feet high and 3-4 feet wide in zones 5-8. As well as a profusion of violet-purple berries, Pearl Glam also boasts deep purple foliage (the native beautyberry has regular green leaves).

While Plant Addicts stocks Pearl Glam in a garden-ready #3 container, if you’re on a budget and have a little patience then Lowe’s offers the same Proven Winners shrub in a great-value gallon pot.

Any or all of these shrubs will give your feathered friends a feast and help them survive through winter. They'll attract birds into your yard, too, so be sure to plant them in view of a window. All well as adding winter color to your backyard, these beauties are easily smart and low-maintenance enough to work as front-yard shrubs that add curb appeal, too. They'd also make welcome Christmas gifts for bird-loving friends. And don't forget, it's also perfectly acceptable to gift your garden birds the best-ever present of a berry-bearing shrub!

Planting bulbs is a beautiful act of faith – and a classic act of delayed gratification. Tucked in cool soil, they are packed with the promise of spectacular blooms months down the road. Yet, while spring-flowering hardy bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and crocuses require freezing winter chill to trigger their bloom cycles, many summer bloomers originate in tropical and subtropical climates and won’t survive the cold.

When left in cold, sodden winter earth, tender bulbs, corms, tubers, and rhizomes face catastrophic cell damage, and wet winter soil causes rot. Combined with cold winter rain and melting snow, unlifted tender bulbs can quickly succumb to fungal rots long before spring arrives. Knowing how to store bulbs over winter, and knowing which need storage, can save your time, effort, and flowers.

Depending on your hardiness zone and bulb variety, lifting and overwintering these tender beauties is a rewarding fall ritual. Southern growers might be able to get away with leaving their bulbs in the ground beneath a thick mulch, but if you live in zones 7 and colder, you are strongly advised to dig them up and store them indoors. By acting now, you can protect your summer favorites from winter freezes, saving money while ensuring your yard is more floriferous next summer.

Tender Bulbs to Lift

Before grabbing your spade, it’s worth identifying whether you are handling bulbs, tubers, corms or rhizomes. These are all often lumped together under the umbrella term of bulbs, but the following summer bloomers represent a fascinating variety. True bulbs like lilies consist of layered scales. Dahlias grow from swollen tuberous roots or tubers. Gladiolus form solid, disc-shaped corms, while cannas and callas expand via fleshy horizontal rhizomes. That said, all tender summer rootstocks share identical winter vulnerabilities and require careful fall lifting.

Timing is key to lifting successfully. For most tender varieties, the ideal window opens immediately after your region's first light frost blackens top foliage, signaling the plant to transfer energy into underground storage. However, don’t delay until the ground freezes solid, as frozen crusts make excavation tough and expose tender root crowns to sub-surface chill. In hardiness zones 3-5, lifting typically peaks around mid-to-late October. In mid-Atlantic and transitional zones 6-7, late October through early November provides the ideal window.

Use a garden fork, like the Trooper D-Handle Garden Fork from Walmart, to lift your bulbs, tubers and corms cleanly. Insert the tines 8-12 inches (20-25cm) from the main stems. Gently lever the clump out, brush away loose dirt, and allow them to cure in a dry, ventilated, frost-free location for several days to a few weeks.

Once outer skins toughen, pack them in breathable cardboard boxes or plastic crates cushioned with dry vermiculite, perlite, wood shavings, or peat-free coir. Store in a cool, dark space maintaining 40-50°F (4-10°C), such as an unheated basement or insulated garage. Check them monthly for signs of rot or shriveling.

1. Dahlias

Dahlias (Dahlia spp.) can be the jewels of a fall border. However, their fleshy tuberous root systems originate from the warm mountain highlands of Mexico and cannot tolerate freezing soil. Leaving prized varieties like Café au Lait or Kelvin Floodlight in the ground in zones 7 or colder can be a death sentence. Wait until the first frost nips the plant, turning the leaves brown or black. This shock signals the plant to go dormant and pull its final starches into the roots.

Using sharp bypass pruners, cut the stems down to 4-6 inches (10-15cm) above the soil. Carefully fork beneath the clump, lifting the tubers whole. Gently wash off heavy clinging soil and let the tubers dry in an airy, shaded spot for 2-3 days. Dust cut stem ends with sulfur powder or cinnamon to prevent fungal rot, then pack the tubers in crates of coir or dry vermiculite like Sta-Green Vermiculite from Lowe’s, storing them at 45-50°F (7-10°C). Check periodically and if tubers wrinkle, mist lightly with water.

2. Gladiolus

Loved for their vertical flower spikes, gladioli (Gladiolus × hortulanus) grow from corms. While miniature Byzantine gladiolus can tolerate mild chills, large-flowered modern hybrids lack cold hardiness and turn into watery rot when left in frozen ground across zones 7 and below. You can begin lifting gladiolus corms once the foliage turns yellow, or immediately after the first light frost – whichever comes first.

Use a hand fork to loosen the soil around the base of the stems, gently pulling the corms upward by their leaf bases. Cut the foliage back cleanly with some shears or snips such as Fiskars Micro-Tip Pruning Snips, available from Amazon, which can trim stalks without tearing skin. Leave an inch (2.5cm) of stem attached to the corm.

Curing is essential, so place the corms in a warm, dry, well-ventilated room (70-75°F / 21-24°C) for 2-3 weeks. Once cured, the new, plump corm separates easily from the spent mother corm. Snap off and discard the old bottom corm along with loose, papery tunics, saving tiny cormels for propagation. Store clean corms in breathable mesh bags or open cardboard cartons in a cool, dark room at 40-45°F (4-7°C).

3. Canna Lilies

With their paddle-shaped leaves and fiery blossoms, cannas (C. indica) bring lush drama to patios and borders. Striped purple-and-gold Tropicanna or dark-leafed Australia make striking centerpieces. However, the rhizomes cannot endure freezing temperatures. In zones 7 and below, frost turns them into mush if left unprotected. Allow the first killing frost to blacken the foliage. Cut the thick stalks back to 3-4 inches (8-10cm) above ground level. Cannas produce dense roots, so dig wide around the clump using a sturdy fork, gently levering the rhizome mass from the soil.

Unlike other bulbs, canna rhizomes benefit from keeping a light layer of dry soil clinging to the outer skin, which cushions dormant eyes and prevents moisture loss during storage. Allow the lifted clumps to dry in a protected, frost-free shed or garage for a couple of days. Pack them snugly into cardboard boxes lined with damp peat moss, shredded paper, or vermiculite, maintaining temperatures around 45-55°F (7-13°C). Nourish the planting site with a little mushroom compost once cannas are lifted. Some Espoma Organic Mushroom Blend Compost from Walmart can help to replenish the ground ahead of next year’s plantings.

4. Tuberous Begonias

Tuberous begonias (B. × tuberhybrida) produce dazzling, rose-like double blossoms through summer and early fall. But under their succulent stems lie cup-shaped tubers that are sensitive to cold, wet conditions. Leaving them in freezing soil causes swift rot. Begin the overwintering process when nighttime temperatures dip toward 45°F (7°C), before heavy frosts. Withhold watering to encourage the plant to wind down naturally. As moisture declines, the succulent stems will loosen. Gently cut or snap the stems back to an inch (2.5cm) above the tuber. Carefully lift the round tubers using a trowel, taking care not to gouge the skin.

Spread the tubers out in a single layer on newspaper in a warm, dry, frost-free room for 2-3 weeks until the stem stubs shrivel and drop. Once cured, brush away dried soil and store the tubers hollow-side up in shallow trays filled with dry peat moss, perlite, or sawdust. Keep them in a dark, dry space at 45°F to 55°F (7°C to 13°C), checking monthly to discard any soft or rotting tubers. A 10x stand magnifier such as the Carson LumiLoupe 10x Power Stand Magnifier from Walmart is ideal for closely inspecting delicate tuber indentations for early mold or soft rot before storage.

5. Caladiums

With their heart-shaped leaves splashed in luminous shades of white, pink, rose, and emerald green, caladiums (C. × hortulanum) are native to South America. Evolved in warm tropical soils, their tubers are more sensitive to chilling than dahlias or cannas. Exposing their tubers to soil temperatures below 55°F (13°C) can prevent them from sprouting again. Don’t wait for frost to lift your caladiums: lift in early fall as soon as night temperatures consistently drop below 60°F (15°C) and leaves lose their hues. Lift the tubers gently using a fork, keeping the foliage attached to the tuber clumps.

Curing with the foliage intact allows your caladium to draw remaining moisture and vital nutrients back into the tuber. Place plants in a warm, dry, shaded room (70°F or 21°C) for 2-3 weeks. Once the leaves are crisp, snip them off at the tuber neck. Store the knobby tubers in dry peat moss or vermiculite, keeping them warmer than other bulbs, between 60-65°F (15-18°C), in an interior closet or heated utility room. Add a sprinkle of Down to Earth Crab Meal, from Amazon to the planting site before replanting caladiums to boost disease resistance against soil-borne nematodes.

6. Elephant Ears

Nothing creates a jungle-like aesthetic quite like elephant ears. Whether you grow wetland-loving Colocasia esculenta (such as near-black Black Magic) or upright alocasia, these foliage giants form thick corms that hate winter mud. Hardy in zones 8-11, gardeners in colder regions must lift them before freezing weather strikes. Lift either immediately after your first light frost blackens the leaf margins or as soon as fall soil temperatures drop below 50°F (10°C). Use sharp loppers or bypass pruners to cut the stalks to 3-6 inches (815cm) above the crown. Using a fork, dig around the base of the plant to pry the heavy corm out of the earth without severing offsets.

Wash away excess soil using a hose and trim stringy roots with snips. Allow the corms to cure in a warm, ventilated spot out of direct sunlight. Cure for 2 weeks until the outer surface feels dry. Wrap individual corms in newspaper or store in crates of dry wood shavings, such as CZ Grain Wood Shavings from Walmart, or peat-free coir. Keep them in a cool, dark location between 45-55°F (7-13°C), checking occasionally to ensure they remain dry. As a side note, hardy garden bergenia shares the nickname elephant's ears. While pink-flowering bergenia (B. cordifolia) is winter-hardy down to zone 3 and stays safe in the ground, tender tropical colocasia and alocasia must be lifted before freezing temperatures arrive.

7. Calla Lilies

Adored for their sculptural spathes and speckled foliage, calla lilies (Zantedeschia spp.) bring sultry elegance to patio containers and garden borders. While common white callas display modest cold tolerance in mild coastal climates, colorful hybrid callas (yellow, flame-orange, lavender, and deep burgundy) grow from tender, flat rhizomes that rot when subjected to prolonged freeze-thaw cycles. Lift rhizomes once the foliage turns yellow and withers, or immediately following the first light frost. Gently lift with a hand trowel or small fork, taking care not to scratch or bruise the surface. Cut away remaining foliage stems 1-2 inches (2.5-5cm) above the crown.

Lay the rhizomes out in a single layer on slatted trays or cardboard. Leave in a warm, dry, well-ventilated space (65-70°F / 18-21°C) to cure for 2 weeks. Once cured, pack the rhizomes in dry peat moss, vermiculite, or shredded newspaper inside breathable cardboard boxes. Store in a dark, dry space between 50-55°F (10-13°C), keeping the packing material dry to prevent premature sprouting. Next spring when potting up cured calla rhizomes, add a diluted seaweed or kelp drench such as GS Plant Foods Organic Liquid Kelp from Walmart to jumpstart root growth.

Taking a little time in October to lift and store your tender summer bulbs is one of the most rewarding investments you can make for next year’s blooms. By lifting these tender classics before winter freezes hit, you protect them from cold and ensure an even more spectacular return next summer. Always label them clearly with the plant variety and flower color as you pack them away: this will make mapping out your dream borders in spring a breeze.

Need more ideas for getting the most from your plants, indoors and out, and looking for the best seasonal expert advice delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the free Gardening Know How Newsletter!

I think we're all big enough to admit that burning bush has spectacular autumn foliage, but there’s actually a native shrub deserves a place in the fall color spotlight... one that doesn't come with all the same problems.

As I'm sure many readers know already, burning bush is considered invasive in many states, as it can escape cultivation and spread into natural areas, where it fights with other plants (and usually comes out on top). So, yes, it's well worth looking at native shrubs that deliver that same bold fall foliage without the headache.

And is it too much to ask for more than just that? After all, I'm always drawn to plants that can do more than one job in the garden, so a native shrub that looks beautiful in fall, produces flowers for pollinators, and fruits that can feed birds? Why, it's an absolute must in my books!

Swap Out Burning Bush For This Native Shrub

So, which native shrub am I waxing lyrical about? Why, it's black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), a native of eastern North America that is almost criminally underrated by gardeners all over the country... making something like the Viking Black Chokeberry from Nature Hills a brilliant investment for your space!

With its crimson-red to burgundy fall color, black chokeberry typically reaches around 3 to 6 feet tall and wide, making it a useful option for home gardens where a large shrub or small tree might be impractical. It can be planted in a mixed border, used in a native shrub planting, or incorporated into a wildlife-friendly landscape.

Better still? Unlike the pesky burning bush, which is primarily grown for its foliage and compact shape, black chokeberry (as mentioned already!) offers flowers and fruit, making it a standout beauty all season long.

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This native shrub is a happily adaptable one, growing in full sun to partial shade and tolerating a range of soil conditions. It's also generally hardy across USDA zones 3 to 8, although I'd still be sure to check the requirements of a particular cultivar and confirm that it's suitable for your local climate.

In terms of maintenance, it generally doesn't need much intervention once established in a suitable location; just stick to the Three Ds rule when pruning as needed to keep its shape manageable. And otherwise? Well, just sit back and enjoy as its red and burgundy leaves bring the seasonal drama, its white flowers get minibeasts (including your birth month bug) buzzing, and its black berries attract birds like cardinals, waxwings, finches, robins, and more!

Oh sure, burning bush may feel more familiar, but familiarity isn't the only reason to choose a shrub. If I wanted brilliant fall color with the added potential to support local critters, black chokeberry would be at the top of my list... especially if I didn't want to land myself in hot water for planting an invasive beast of a shrub!

If you’ve got snakes in your garden then I don’t need to tell you that it’s not the snakes themselves that are the biggest problem, but the constant worry that you might be about to encounter one. Only a quarter of native snake species in the USA are venomous and most – like garter snakes and corn snakes – are helpful garden visitors, eating rodents as well as slugs and bugs. But even if you’re happy to tolerate them as part of a healthy garden ecosystem, it’s smart to set some boundaries and deter snakes from yard areas you regularly use.

October is the very best time of the year to make your yard inhospitable to snakes, if you don’t fancy your garden becoming their permanent winter home. As fall temperatures drop to around 60°F, reptiles will start scouting out a frost-free space to brumate (like hibernating, but not as deep), so now is the time to take action. By making these areas scarce in your garden, snakes will likely move out of your yard to find somewhere to stay. Snakes are also exceptionally hungry in October as they need to store body fat to survive months of winter brumation, so removing food sources will also drive them out of your garden.

And if you need any more motivation to keep snakes out of your garden this month, know that they frequently breed in the exact same space they brumate. A typical female produces 10-30 babies, so if you don’t want a heap more slithering around your garden next summer, here’s your 8-step plan that explains how to deter snakes this fall.

1. Identify Likely Hiding Spots

Snakes like cool, damp, dark and undisturbed areas so take a look around your garden to identify probable hiding spots. If you’ve got a large yard and like to share your yard with wildlife, then by all means leave shelter in unused corners. However, in areas of the garden you frequent, clear yard clutter, trim vegetation and bag up fallen leaves. If you have a firewood stack or compost pile, consider moving them further away from the house.

When you’re clearing an area that may already be providing cover for snakes, always use tools rather than your hands. Don’t think that even leather gauntlet gardening gloves will protect you, either, as the single layer of fabric is easily pierced by a snake fang. Gloves are a smart move, but you’ll need animal-handling gloves such as these from Amazon for any worthwhile protection.

2. Keep Grass Mown Short

Snakes hate spending time in open spaces where they’re visible from the sky and could become easy prey. Especially in October when snakes are highly mobile, keep all grass mown to a length of 3 inches or less and you’ll strongly deter snakes from slithering across it. Be sure to trim transitional zones too, where a mower can’t reach, as these can become favored travelling routes for snakes. A pair of shears with a 90° blade action such as these lightweight Hand Grass Shears from Walmart make short work of trimming lawn edges, or use cordless clippers like this Rechargeable Grass and Hedge Trimmer, also from Walmart.

3. Raise Shrub Height by Pruning Lower Branches

Dense shrubs provide welcome cover for snakes but it’s an easy task to trim off lower branches to expose the ground and make them less inviting. You can also prune a shrub into the shape of a small tree. Use a pair of pruners – and do sharpen them first with a tool such as a Sharpal, available from Amazon, as cuts made with sharp blades heal much quicker – to cut unwanted branches flush with the main trunk. For bigger branches, a pruning saw like Fiskar’s Power Tooth Pruning Saw, available from The Home Depot, is a better bet.

4. Mulch With Fine Compost Not Bark or Straw

We often mulch our garden beds in fall but a cosy, damp layer of pine straw or chunky bark chips offers snakes the ideal spot to regulate their body temperature. Use fine compost to mulch beds and borders instead, which snakes will find far less appealing. If you make your own compost then a rotary sifter such as the Mikiotto Soil Sifter, available from Lowe’s, makes short work of sieving the larger chunks out. Otherwise use a pre-made manure-free compost such as Back to the Roots Organic Compost, stocked at Walmart, as a mulch.

5. Eliminate Easy Food

Bird feeders are a prime reason why snakes hang around in gardens. While they don’t eat the dropped seed itself, the reptiles are drawn to the plentiful supply of mice, voles and insects it attracts. And how many of us resume feeding garden birds in fall, just as snakes reach peak appetite?

Getting rid of this easy food source is a key part of the plan to keep snakes out of a garden. The solution is to switch to a waste-free bird food such as Kaytee No Mess Wild Bird Seed, available from Amazon. Hook a seed catcher like this hanging tray from Walmart to the base of hanging bird feeders too, to catch any discarded seed husks.

6. Seal Gaps

Fix any gaps that give snake access to a shed, summerhouse or your home. If you need a temporary closure then steel wool is the best way to create a sturdy, weatherproof but non-permanent barrier and bulk packs are available cheaply, such as this steel wool from Amazon. In October, snakes are highly mobile and need the heat of the sun to be mobile, so you’re far more likely to block them out of a hole than seal them in. Do your repairs in the middle of the day when the sun is at its warmest and you can be confident a snake is out basking, hunting or scouting for winter digs.

7. Use Essential Oils as a Deterrent

There are plenty of urban myths that promise mothballs, crushed eggshells and even marigolds deter snakes, but extensive research has proven otherwise. What a study by the USDA National Wildlife Research Centre does show to be an effective snake deterrent is essential oils that are rich in eugenol, namely cinnamon and clove. The research found that this compound irritates the snake’s scent receptor in its mouth and triggers its escape response. So if you're wondering how to keep snakes out of gaps that can't or shouldn't be blocked, here's your solution.

Add 15-20 drops of pure clove oil and the same of pure cinnamon oil to a quart of water in a spray bottle. Add a teaspoon of dish soap to help the oil bind with the water and shake well to mix. Spray this blend around ground vents, woodpiles and decking or porch voids, or anywhere else that gives access to a dark space that can’t be blocked.

Outdoors, oil disperses quickly so reapply after heavy rain or every 2-3 weeks. Once temperatures fall consistently below 50°F, it’s safe to stop as snakes will be holed up in their winter dens.

8. Encourage Natural Predators

Snakes are terrified of birds of prey, and one of the easiest ways to deter snakes is to attract owls into your garden. Whether you DIY an owl box or opt for a ready-made design like the Aoibox Large Owl House from Lowe's, October is a prime time to invite owls into your yard as they're actively looking for nesting sites between September and March.

Almost every year in my house, when the porch plants come inside in October, scale insects often come in with them. Adults don't move. Each one sits on a stem or the back of a leaf under a hard or waxy cover, and most people mistake them for rough spots on the bark until the leaves start to yellow.

The best time for controlling scale insects is before the pots come inside. Outdoors, cold nights slow scale down, and lady beetles and tiny wasps eat a share of it. Indoors, the pests have nothing to stop them. They just keep breeding through the winter on whatever plant they came in on.

An adult's waxy shell keeps most sprays from reaching it, making scale harder to get rid of than aphids or spider mites. Newly hatched crawlers have no shell yet. They're the stage sprays work best on, and new ones keep hatching, so treatments have to be repeated.

What Are Scale Insects?

All scale insects feed through a thin, straw-like mouthpart sunk into a stem or leaf. Brown soft scale (Coccus hesperidum) is rounded or slightly domed, and its covering is part of its body. Armored types such as fern scale (Pinnaspis aspidistrae) are smaller and flatter. Pry one up with a fingernail and the cover usually comes away by itself, leaving the insect behind.

Only the young get around. Crawlers are about the size of a speck of dust, usually yellow or orange, and they spend a day or two wandering before they settle down to feed. Indoors, they cross from pot to pot wherever leaves touch and ride along on hands and pruners. There isn't one hatch to wait out – new ones keep turning up all winter.

How to Identify Scale

Look for small bumps on stems, along leaf veins, and on the undersides of leaves. They can be brown, tan, white, or black. Black scale (Saissetia oleae) is dark, while oleander scale (Aspidiotus nerii) has a pale, nearly round cover. Use a magnifying glass to check plants properly; Carson's TriView folding loupe, available on Amazon, magnifies up to 15x.

Soft scale leaves sticky honeydew on the leaves and on the table under the pot. Black sooty mold, a group of fungi that includes Capnodium species, often grows on it. Badly infested plants show yellowing leaves, leaf drop, and stunted growth. Dead scale can stay stuck for months – press a bump with a toothpick; if it leaves a wet smear, it's alive.

Which Plants Are Most at Risk?

Citrus, jade plants, hibiscus, ficus, bay laurel, oleander, and orchids are some of the most common hosts. Plenty of other tropical houseplants get scale as well, from peace lilies and pothos to palms and snake plants.

Plants that spent the summer outside need the closest look, especially ones that sat close together on a deck or patio. Edible plants like citrus and bay laurel need extra care during treatment, since some products aren't labeled for anything you plan to eat.

Isolate Infested Plants Immediately

An infested plant needs its own spot, starting the day you find scale on it. A spare room is ideal. Otherwise, a windowsill on the other side of the house will do. Wash your hands and tools after touching it.

Leave the plant on its own until several weekly checks in a row turn up nothing new. One crusted with scale from top to bottom is often better off in the trash.

Remove Scale by Hand

If you only find a handful of scales, there's no need to spray. A cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol loosens them as you rub, and cheap Equate 70% isopropyl alcohol from Walmart is fine for it. Stick with isopropyl, but test it on one leaf first and wait a day or two to see if it leaves marks.

Scale that won't budge usually gives way to a fingernail, a toothpick, or an old soft toothbrush. You can wipe tougher leaves with a soft cloth and a weak dish soap solution, which also removes the honeydew. The shells need to come off, not just get wet. Alcohol doesn't reach the eggs a female keeps under her cover.

Treat Heavy Infestations

Heavier infestations call for a spray. Horticultural oil smothers scale, and insecticidal soap kills the young on contact. Bonide's All Seasons horticultural oil, available on Amazon, comes ready to spray, and for soap, there's Garden Safe insecticidal soap. Coat every stem and both sides of the leaves.

Adults under a thick shell often survive a spray; crawlers don't. More eggs hatch after the first round, so one spray won't finish the job. A common schedule is two or three rounds spaced 10 to 16 days apart, though the label has the final word. Test any spray on a few leaves first, and skip soap on jade plants and ferns, which it can damage.

Broad-spectrum insecticides rarely need to come indoors. Hand removal followed by oil or soap is usually enough.

Monitor Throughout Winter

Keep checking all winter, once a week, and include plants that never had scale. Go slowly over new growth, the leaf joints, and the undersides of leaves. A strip of double-sided tape wrapped around a stem catches crawlers on the move. Under the loupe, they're easy to tell from dust.

Sticky traps won't tell you much about scale. The yellow cards target flying pests, whiteflies (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) and fungus gnats (Bradysia species), both of which turn up indoors in winter. These Safer Brand houseplant sticky stakes from Walmart push straight into the potting mix.

Protection Plan

Start outside, before nights turn cold. Go over each plant with the loupe, and treat anything with scale while it's still outdoors. Mix Garden Safe neem oil extract concentrate from Home Depot at the label rate in a Chapin trigger sprayer.

Once plants are inside, keep the ones that summered outdoors apart from the rest for a few weeks. Leave enough space that leaves from different pots don't touch. Check any new plant before it joins the others, too.

Plants that went in clean in October should come out clean in spring. Any that needed treatment can go back outside once nights stay warm. Lady beetles and tiny parasitic wasps live out there, and both attack scale.

Scale Treatment Essentials

George Harrison may be best remembered as a Beatle, but away from the stage and recording studio, he found another creative outlet in the garden. His historic Friar Park estate in Henley-on-Thames became a lifelong labor of love, with its sprawling grounds offering a retreat from the outside world.

For Harrison, gardening was more than a hobby: it was a way of finding peace, getting his hands dirty and nurturing something over time. That passion is now inspiring a new wave of garden-inspired design, thanks to a collaboration between the Friar Park estate and Japanese gardening brand Niwaki, developed with Harrison’s son, Dhani.

The collection brings together gardening tools and accessories, but it’s the jacket that’s catching everyone's eye... and for good reason! It's taken things well beyond the normal realm of gardening clothes, in the best possible way.

George Harrison's Gardening Jacket

The Friar Park and Niwaki Meditation Jacket (as seen above) is just stunning, isn't it? With its Japanese silhouette, chic denim material, oversized hood, relaxed cloak-like shape and thoughtful detailing, it’s the sort of jacket that makes pottering among the plants feel a lot more stylish.

Think practical workwear with a distinctly design-conscious twist – and it’s easy to imagine wearing it well beyond the garden, too.

There’s just one catch: it costs $875, which is a substantial investment for a jacket you might wear to prune roses, turn the compost or nip out to check on your seedlings. Thankfully, you don’t have to spend nearly a thousand dollars to capture some of that same style, as these alternatives offer different takes on the trend, from a traditional Japanese-style jacket to an everyday barn coat and a practical hooded layer.

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If you love the George Harrison-inspired Meditation Jacket but can’t quite justify spending $875, Niwaki’s Engei Lightweight Garden Jacket is worth a look. It has the same garden-minded, Japanese-inspired sensibility, though at $320, it’s hardly an impulse buy either.

The beauty of the original Friar Park x Niwaki jacket is that it doesn’t look like conventional gardening gear. It’s practical, yes, but it also has a distinctive shape and enough style to wear well beyond the garden gate.

Of course, you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to give your gardening wardrobe a little more personality. Whether you go for a Japanese-inspired hanten, a classic barn jacket or a relaxed denim layer, there are plenty of ways to borrow the look without breaking the bank.

And as the Beatles once sang, money can’t buy you love – but it might just buy you a rather good gardening jacket.

Turning fruit and vegetable seeds and peelings into new plants on your kitchen windowsill is such a satisfying process, for us adults as well as kids. Grow plants from lemon seeds and you could raise a citrus houseplant with glossy, aromatic leaves, or root a pineapple top for a striking pot of spiky foliage. Or how about growing a feast of fabulous foliage from an avocado stone? Seedlings grown from apple and pear seeds can be shaped into stylish bonsai trees, too.

If you like the idea of free food as well as free plants, then cabbage bases will grow a tasty supply of cut-and-come-again leaves for salads and stir-fries, while carrot tops produce herby foliage that’s so flavorful blended up into a pesto.

Propagating is a great way to get plants for free and, as well as creating garden plants with cuttings in October, a spot of indoor plant-baby-making is just the thing for rainy fall days. Got a little free space on a sunny kitchen windowsill? Then let's make a start on your soon-to-be-favorite gardening project…

1. Lemon, Lime, Orange and Grapefruit

Creating houseplants from citrus seeds is a relatively quick process and with the right care, a seed will grow into a foot-tall plant by its first birthday. While you'll have to wait a decade or so for fruit, citrus trees make beautiful foliage-first houseplants with glossy leaves that release a fresh, aromatic fragrance when rubbed. Lemon and lime plants will have pointy oval leaves, while orange and grapefruit foliage is rounder. All can be grown the same way so, if you've always dreamed of growing a lemon tree, why not try a whole citrus selection?

First wash the seed so it’s free of any citrus pulp. Carefully scratch off the outer shell with your fingernail to reveal the brown seed inside – though this step isn’t essential, it will speed germination. Sow the seed ⅓-inch deep in a small container of moist potting soil and use a clear cover to lock heat and moisture in.

You could use an old yoghurt pot with a drainage hole poked into the base and a clear plastic bag fixed over the rim with an elastic band, or make life easy with domed propagation pots like these 4" Nursery Pots from Amazon. Using a tailored potting mix like Gardenera Citrus Potting Soil, also available from Amazon, will support good germination and strong root growth. Stand the pot on your sunniest south-facing windowsill and remove the cover once you spot growth.

2. Avocado

Growing an avocado stone into a tropical tree-let is straightforward, and fast growth makes this a great project if you're gardening with children, but it's fun for adults too. While you can absolutely let your avocado grow tall, it’s easy to keep smaller by pruning, and the 8-12-inch leaves mean this is a standout houseplant.

First, clean the stone. It’s best to sprout avocado seeds in water rather than soil, with just the bottom, broader third sitting in the water. You can do this with a jam jar by pushing three or four toothpicks into the sides of the stone so it sits on the jar rim, or use a purpose-made avocado vase and skip the toothpicks.

Stand the jar in a bright spot with plenty of indirect sunlight – an east- or west-facing windowsill is ideal – in a warm room as avocados are tropical plants. Change the water every 2-5 days and wash the jar as needed, and keep levels topped up so the seed base remains wet and the top stays dry. Rainwater is best but tap water is fine, but do make sure it’s at room temperature so as not to shock the roots.

Once the stone has cracked open (this can happen very quickly, but be patient as it can sometimes take up to two months), there are a couple of inches of roots and you can see leaves forming on the top stem, move the plant into a pot of potting soil. Avocado plants need good drainage so use an all-purpose houseplant mix like Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix, available from Lowe's.

Your growing avocado will naturally form a single stem with a canopy of big leaves at the top – which gives a great architectural look. If you want a bushier, leafier houseplant however, simply prune off the top set of leaves once the stem reaches 6 inches high to force the plant to grow multiple branches.

3. Apples and Pears

An apple or pear tree grown from a seed can produce an attractive garden tree – but don’t expect to be eating its fruit! The genetics of apple and pear trees are complex and seeds almost always revert to a wild ancestor with small, acidic fruit. However, apple and pear trees make great candidates for bonsai trees as they have lots of small fibrous roots and flexible branches that are easy to wire. If you fancy a little long-term gardening project, growing a bonsai fruit tree for your garden is so rewarding, and the spring blossom is so pretty.

Drop the seeds into a jar or water and slosh them around to clean. Ignore any seeds that float to the surface – these won’t germinate – but save the plumpest ones that sink to the bottom. Wrap these in a just-damp piece of kitchen paper inside a sealed zip-lock bag and pop them in the fridge to mimic winter, which is essential for germination. Check the kitchen paper is just-damp every week and, by around the sixth week, you’ll likely spot a white root protruding from the seed.

Then fill small pots or old yoghurt pots with a seed-starting mix like Back to the Roots Organic 3-in-1 Seed Starting Mix, available from Amazon. Use your little finger to poke a ½-inch hole, pop in the sprouted seed with the root downwards and gently push the soil over to cover. Pop this on a warm, sunny windowsill, keep the compost just-damp and in a couple of weeks you’ll see a green shoot.

In a few months, you’ll need to snip off the taproot and move your tree into a bonsai starter pot like this from Walmart and begin pruning branches and wiring into shape with training wire like this, also from Walmart. You can keep your mini apple or pear tree indoors over its first spring or summer but by autumn, move it outdoors.

4. Pineapple

It’s a hoot to grow a plant from a pineapple top, and as they're part of the bromeliad family, pineapples make good-looking houseplants with striking leaves. It’s unlikely to fruit, but so exciting if it does!

Rather than slicing off the pineapple top, hold the fruit in one hand and the leaves in the other and twist firmly in opposite directions. The top stem should pop out cleanly. Strip off the lower 5-8 layers of leaves until you have around an inch of naked stem. Let this dry – just leave it on a kitchen counter top – for 3-5 days until the base scabs over.

Treat the stem like you would an avocado stone, using toothpicks and a jar, an avocado vase or even a large wine glass to submerge the bare stem in water but keep the leaves dry.

Place this set-up on a warm, sunny south-facing windowsill, change the water every 2-3 days and, within a month, you should see roots. When roots are 2-3 inches long, move into a pot of potting soil tailored for cacti like Back to the Roots Organic Succulents & Cacti Mix, available from Amazon to grow your pineapple houseplant on.

5. Cabbage

Save the base of a cabbage and it’s easy to regrow fresh cut-and-come-again leaves to toss into salads and stir-fries. Slice the bottom 2-3 inches from a fresh cabbage and peel away outer leaves to expose the bare inner stem. Set this, cut side up, in a shallow bowl of water – or, if you want to make your cabbage crop into a fancy feature on a sunny kitchen windowsill, pop into margarita glasses like these from Amazon!

Keep the bottom edge of the cabbage base submerged and the top rim dry. It’s vital to change the water every day to prevent rotting, but you'll be well rewarded with new shoots that grow from the core within days. Crop only the outer leaves to prolong the harvest.

6. Carrots

You can use the same method to grow leafy greens from carrot tops, which taste rather like parsley and are delicious as a herby garnish or blended into a pesto. Simply cut the top inch from the carrots, trimming any green stems off, then pop cut-side down into a shallow saucer of water. It’s vital that the water doesn’t cover the top of the carrot stub where the leaves emerge, and that you change the water every day.

Your kitchen windowsill will soon be full of all sorts of lovely leafy greens, and I hope you enjoy your plethora of new plants!

By October, a jade plant (Crassula ovata) is heading into its slow season. Days are shorter, the sun rides lower in the sky, and the heat comes back on in many homes. Growth slows way down through winter, and the same routine that kept the plant plump all summer can start causing trouble if nothing changes.

Good jade plant care in fall is mostly about pulling back. Too much water is the most common problem, and the risk climbs as the weather cools, as soil in a cool room stays wet longer and a slow-growing plant takes up less of it. Fertilizer and big pruning jobs can wait too, while light is the one thing plants need more of.

There's a small reward for getting the season right, as jade plants do well with cooler nights. A mature plant given a cool, fairly dry rest sometimes produces clusters of small white or pale pink, star-shaped flowers in winter. Indoor blooms are fairly uncommon, but a plant kept in bright light with cool nights has a better chance than one kept warm all winter. Get these seven things right for healthy, happy plants.

1. Move It Into the Brightest Spot You Have

A jade plant needs four or more hours of direct sun a day, and in October there's less of it to go around. Low light shows up in the stems – they stretch, the gaps between leaf pairs get longer, and the plant grows leggy and weak. Put the pot in a south- or west-facing window if you have one, but keep leaves off the cold glass at night, and well away from any radiator or heat vent.

If you don't have a good window, you'll need to use a grow light. The Sansi Clip-On Gooseneck LED Plant Light, available on Amazon, has the option of 1–4 flexible lights.

2. Reduce Watering Significantly

Let the potting mix dry all the way through, or close to it, before watering again. The surface dries well ahead of the soil around the roots, so a dry top inch (2.5 cm) doesn't prove much. Push a wooden chopstick to the bottom of the pot and pull it out. If damp soil clings to it, wait. Or use the probe on a soil moisture meter, like the XLUX moisture meter from Amazon, which gives a more definite reading.

When the mix is finally dry, soak the pot until water runs out the bottom, then let it fully drain. Soft, yellow leaves that fall at a touch mean the roots have stayed too wet; wrinkled, deflated-looking leaves mean the opposite.

3. Stop Fertilizing Until Spring

Fertilizer doesn't do a jade plant much good this time of year. The plant hardly grows from fall through late winter, and whatever the roots don't take up gets left in the potting mix as salt. That buildup can make it harder for the roots to pull in water, and in bad cases it burns the root tips. Hold off until you see fresh growth in spring. When you start again, use a targeted liquid feed that's suitable for jade plants and other succulents, like Miracle-Gro Succulent Plant Food.

4. Bring Outdoor Plants Indoors Before Cold Nights

Jade plants do best with nights around 50–55°F (10–13°C). A plant that summered outdoors can stay out through the first cool nights. Bring it inside once nights regularly drop below 50°F (10°C). Colder nights can damage the leaves, and temperatures much below 40°F (4°C) can kill the plant.

Indoors, place the plant in front of the sunniest window in the house. If it sits lower than the glass, use a plant stand to raise the height, like Walmart's Mainstays metal plant stand. Some leaves may drop after the move, but firm, green leaves that fall off now are usually a reaction to the change, not a sign of disease.

5. Rotate the Pot Regularly

Jade stems bend toward the window, and in weak winter light the lean shows up faster. A plant left facing one way from now until March can end up noticeably lopsided. Turn the pot a quarter turn every time you water so a different side faces the glass. It won't pull a badly stretched plant back upright; it just keeps new growth from piling onto one side.

Old jade plants get heavy, too, and a hard lean can tip a light plastic pot right over. A wide clay or ceramic pot is steadier, but switching pots is a spring job.

6. Inspect for Pests

Inspect the plant before bringing it inside, since outdoor pests spread quickly indoors. The most common culprits are mealybugs and scale. Start with the stems and leaf joints, then turn a few leaves over and check the undersides.

• Mealybugs look like small bits of white cotton packed into those joints and the forks between branches. Rubbing alcohol (available cheaply at Walmart) on a cotton swab takes them off. Test it on one leaf first. Skip insecticidal soap, because it can damage jade leaves.
• Scale is harder to see. Its bumps are flat and tan or brown, stuck tight along the stems and leaf veins, and the leaves or the soil underneath often feel sticky. A fingernail or a toothpick works to remove them.

7. Hold Off on Major Pruning or Repotting

Heavy pruning and repotting are easier on a jade plant once it's actively growing again, so save both jobs for spring. There's rarely any rush – these plants can live happily in a snug, root-bound pot for years. Rot or a broken branch is the exception.

Cut soft or damaged stems back to healthy tissue with clean tools. Fiskars micro-tip pruning snips, available at Home Depot, have a narrow, curved blade that fits into tight branch forks. Come spring, a jade that needs a bigger home does well in a clay pot with a drainage hole, like this Vigoro terra cotta clay pot from Home Depot. Fill it with cactus mix, like Espoma Organic Cactus Mix from Walmart, for fast drainage.

Jade Plant Care Essentials

By March, a jade plant that spent the winter dry and in good light should look a lot like it did in October. That's a good outcome. Every so often a mature plant does more than that and blooms, with small clusters of white or pale pink flowers opening at the branch tips after a run of cool nights for an even better show.

What would fall be without chrysanthemums? As traditional garden favorites, mums (Chrysanthemum spp.) offer a welcome burst of rich color in autumn, when many other flowering annuals and perennials have faded for the year. From fiery bronzes and golds to lush purples and crisp whites, mums are celebrated globally as symbols of joy, optimism, and longevity.

While growing mums is pretty straightforward, keeping these fall beauties blooming for longer and ensuring their long-term survival requires more effort. Mums fall into two categories: hardy garden mums (C. × morifolium) which can survive winter outdoors in zones 4-9, and florist mums which are grown as temporary decorative annuals. Regardless of which variety adorn your porch or backyard beds, October care determines whether your plants fade fast or stay vibrant into late autumn.

Fortunately, mums are tough, resilient plants. With a few simple steps this month, you can nearly double the time your mums light up the fall garden. Following these 5 essential October tasks ensures a spectacular seasonal finale, while safeguarding your plants for a triumphant return next spring. Here’s how to keep these happy flowers blooming for as long as possible both this year and the next…

Best Mum Care in October

It’s important to know what you can and can’t do for chrysanthemums this month. Depending on your USDA hardiness zone and local weather, different mum varieties sit at varying stages of growth mid-autumn. Early-blooming cushion mums may already be finishing their first flower flush, while late-blooming heirloom varieties like Hillside Sheffield Pink or Clara Curtis are just starting to open their daisy-like blooms.

Managing in-ground plantings and container mums requires a clear understanding of what not to do in October. While it is tempting to plant potted nursery mums into garden beds during autumn sales, October is too late in most northern regions for roots to establish before the ground freezes. Unless you live in a mild southern climate where the first hard freeze is at least 6 weeks away, keep any late-purchased potted mums in their containers rather than risking root death in frozen soil.

Similarly, October is not the time to divide mum clumps: doing this now would be the equivalent of a death sentence. Splitting root crowns in autumn would disrupt the plant's winter survival mechanisms. This month, put a note on the refrigerator to divide mums in early spring when green shoots appear. Dividing in spring every few years helps to keep clumps healthy and vigorous. As for what you can do to help your mums now, these tasks below are really easy to do and won’t take long at all.

Keep an eye on flower and stem quality, water management, container essentials, and crown insulation. If you need to check soil condition before carrying out these tasks, grab a soil meter. The Raintrip 4-in-1 Soil Meter from Amazon is perfect for getting a solid read on soil quality. Then try these easy mum secrets to guarantee a gorgeous flowering display that lasts longer and comes back even stronger.

1. Keep Deadheading

Deadheading is often viewed as a way to encourage fresh flower buds. But that’s not the only reason for deadheading mums. While snipping off spent blooms now may not force a new flush of blooms, it stops the plant from expending energy on seed production. By regularly snapping or snipping off brown, wilting flower heads just above the nearest leaf junction, you force the plant to redirect all its energy downward into root growth and crown development.

Building a robust root system now is key to helping garden mums survive winter freezes and break dormancy in spring. Make deadheading a quick weekly routine for the next few weeks. Pinch off faded blooms with your fingers. Alternatively, remove them with snips or spring-action blades like Fiskars Micro-Tip Pruning Snips, available from Amazon which are great for clean cuts that won’t tug or damage stems. Keeping spent flowers removed also improves airflow around remaining buds and prevents gray mold (botrytis) from taking hold in damp fall rain.

2. Don’t Stop Watering

Consistent moisture is essential for keeping mums hydrated and blooming through October. While fall weather brings cooler temperatures and frequent rain, seasonal rainfall may not be sufficient to meet the needs of dense, heavily budded mums, especially container-grown specimens. Container mums have tightly packed roots that dry out rapidly in fall. Check potted soil daily by inserting a finger an inch (2.5cm) into the pot. If it feels dry, water thoroughly until fluid runs from the drainage holes. For ground-planted mums, check soil moisture every couple of days.

Your job as a mum mom is to check frequently. When watering, direct it to the base of the plant rather than overhead. Keeping foliage and open petals dry prevents fungal pathogens like powdery mildew, rust, and leaf spot from ruining your fall display. Every couple of weeks, add a diluted seaweed or kelp drench. GS Plant Foods Organic Liquid Kelp, available from Walmart, adds a light mineral boost to help stressed mums maintain vibrant flower color for longer. Once the soil freezes solid, stop watering in-ground plants.

3. Don’t Cut Everything Back

October is not the time to do a hard pruning of your mums. You should snip off any diseased or rotting foliage. Cut off yellow foliage and leaves close to the base of the plant that are likely to harbor fungal diseases. If you need a comfortable set, Corona Dual Link ComfortGel Bypass Pruners from Lowe’s are excellent value and highly efficient. However, leave the main stems intact. Performing a hard prune in fall is one of the most common reasons garden mums fail to return in spring.

Allow the woody stems to stand uncut through the fall and even the winter. These stems trap snow that helps to insulate the roots and protect the crown. Furthermore, standing stems provide valuable winter habitat for beneficial garden insects. Wait until early spring, when green shoots peek through the soil, to cut the old, woody stems back to ground level.

4. Protect Container Mums

In-ground garden mums planted in the ground can survive much colder weather than container mums. Potted mums, however, face a bit more of a challenge. Soil in above-ground pots can freeze solid quickly, subjecting pots to freeze-thaw cycles. If you want your potted mums to survive winter, protect them before hard freezes arrive. In mild regions (zones 7-9), move your containers to a sheltered spot against a warm, south-facing house wall and wrap the pots in burlap or bubble wrap.

In colder northern regions (zones 3-6), transition dormant potted mums into an unheated garage or shed once night temperatures drop consistently below freezing. Use the excellent Bloem 12-Inch Heavy Duty Terracotta Plant Caddies, available from Walmart, to move heavier mum containers for overwintering. Their caster wheels make light work of moving heavy pots. The goal is to keep the soil cold and dormant (around 32-40°F / 0-4°C) without exposing roots to sub-zero winds. Water your stored pots lightly once a month to prevent roots from drying out completely.

5. Mulch After a Hard Freeze

Applying a protective blanket of mulch over garden mums is an essential fall task, but timing is everything. Applying mulch too early in October, while soil is still warm, can trap heat and moisture against the crown of the plant, encouraging fungal rot and encouraging pests to nest. Wait until after the first hard freeze has killed off top growth and the ground begins to cool significantly before adding your mulch.

Spread a 2-4-inch (5-10cm) layer of loose, airy organic material (such as clean straw, evergreen boughs, or pine needles) around the base of each plant. You can also use an organic wood mulch. Our team loves Back to the Roots Organic Premium Wood Mulch, available from Amazon for a dye-free bark mulch that insulates crowns against freeze-thaw cycles and helps prevent frost heave. Loose materials insulate the crown without packing down into a heavy, waterlogged mat. Just don’t use heavy packed leaves which can suffocate the plant.

Taking a little time to care for your mums this month pays massive dividends now and next year. By maintaining consistent moisture, deadheading spent blooms, leaving main stems intact, and applying a protective layer of mulch after the first hard frost, you maintain strong, healthy plants for seasons to come. Give your mums the attention they deserve this month, and enjoy their lush blooms year after year.

Need more ideas for getting the most from your plants, indoors and out, and looking for the best seasonal expert advice delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the free Gardening Know How Newsletter!

When Mandy Moore put her Pasadena house on the market, most people looked at the interiors. But what stopped me was her living room’s floor-to-ceiling windows, which looked directly onto a patch of massive cacti. In effect, it made her garden look like a living piece of wall art. Architectural, barely any maintenance, and just impossibly cool.

Growing cacti outdoors is much more achievable than you might think, and you don’t have to live in Southern California to do it. I consulted a couple of experts on how you can get this look, too.

Why Cacti Work as a Focal Point

Many plants can be quite finicky, and you have to care for them like you would a child or pet. You plant them, water them, tend to them, and eventually, if you’re lucky and the weather cooperates, they reward you with flowers. But, only for a few weeks before they go back to looking like a stick in the ground. Cacti are quite different, fortunately.

Swipe to image 8 to see Mandy's statement cacti:

Marta Pawlik, Co-Founder and Director of luxury property management company Laik, has used statement cacti across over 50 premium properties and knows exactly what they do to a space: "Cacti serve as great focal points because they fill up the space they occupy without any effort. While most plants ask you to wait for blooms, growth, and seasons, cacti have presence from day one."

Noé Lerma, landscape architect at GreenMex, agrees: "It has forms that are really easy to appreciate on their own. You don't need many to make it look nice. It's a species that doesn't need to be accompanied by other plants."

One plant, one corner, and you’re done. Easy, peasy, organic lemon squeezy.

Which Varieties to Choose

Mandy Moore is likely growing Euphorbia ammak, which is typically suited for USDA Hardiness Zones 9b through 11b. But the variety you pick should be matched to both your garden size and the visual effect you want to go for.

Pawlik has a clear framework for this: "Golden Barrel cacti (available here on Amazon) work well for small gardens because they group together nicely and allow you to create an intentional look. They tolerate temperatures as low as 20°F (-6°F). Prickly Pear cacti add unique texture to mid-sized gardens and depth where flowering shrubs won't work. Cold-hardy varieties, like Opuntia humifusa (eastern prickly pear), tolerate cold winters down to USDA zone 4. You can order prickly pear at Walmart. For larger properties, Blue Columnar cacti, available on Amazon, are the ones that guests typically capture in photos uninvited."

Lerma's list leans more towards the dramatic, telling me, "Organs, barrel cacti, and Pachycereus are often the most ideal choices for creating a strong visual impact in the landscape."

If you prefer Mandy Moore’s look specifically, columnar varieties are your best bet. Cereus peruvianus, available from Walmart, and Blue Myrtle cactus, from Amazon, both have that striking vertical look that photographs so beautifully and looks super architectural when viewed from indoors.

Shop Statement Cacti by Zone

How to Pair Them

Often, our first instinct with a dramatic plant is to surround it with other dramatic plants, but this is a mistake.

Lerma is direct on this, telling me, "Avoid placing too many large cacti close to each other. This creates a visual competition between them, rather than allowing each species to stand out on its own." His suggested companions for smaller species: "Natal plum, purple ruellia, fountain grass, and desert rose. And some elements for the soil, such as crushed stone."

A bag of YISZM decorative gravel pebbles (available on Amazon) spread around the base of your cacti pulls double duty. It improves drainage while giving that desert landscape look that ties the whole aesthetic together.

Pawlik shares her most successful pairing to illustrate this point: "Last year I used blue fescue grass with a columnar cactus against dark wooden elements, and all of the guests mentioned this space in their reviews, without prompting."

The formula: one statement cactus, one or two soft companions, and a textured ground cover; resist anything else!

Don't Make This Mistake

Scale blindness is the most common error. Pawlik has seen it happen, saying, "Recently, one owner traveled two hours to purchase a six-foot Saguaro cactus for his yard, but the cactus appeared unfeasible, and instead of judging the owner's decision, everyone assumed it was an issue." You can buy a smaller specimen from The Cactus Outlet Store via Amazon.

Lerma's advice for avoiding it: "Make sure not to use them too close together. Most of the time, the main objective of a cactus is to be a protagonist element. You can use elements like other desert or xeriscape plants and sculptural stones, but keep in mind to embrace the cactus."

What If You Don't Live in the Desert?

This is the question most people have, and the answer is more encouraging than you'd expect. Pawlik operates properties year-round in the North of England, which is not exactly the Sonoran Desert, with statement cacti: "Hardy Opuntias can withstand harsh winters when the drainage is properly installed and maintained. I have comfortably operated properties with statement cacti year-round with zero maintenance required."

Lerma's approach for cooler climates is equally practical. He tells me, "What we always recommend is to first investigate which type of desert garden you like, then search for species that have a similar look but at the same time can be developed appropriately to your space, and finally make a match between those species. But you should always investigate before planting."

When growing cacti, drainage is non-negotiable, no matter the climate. Cacti will survive cold far better than they'll survive waterlogged roots. Get the soil right – gritty, fast-draining, and ideally amended with horticultural grit or a cactus mix – and the rest will take care of itself. Which, let’s be real, is the whole appeal.

Bonsai Jack's Gritty Mix, available on Amazon, is the easiest way to get that drainage right straight out of the bag. It's specifically formulated to dry out fast between waterings, which is exactly what cacti need and what standard potting compost can never give them.

Coneflowers are one of my favorite flowers to grow for their cheerful summer blooms and their ability to attract pollinators. I love that they tend to just get on with everything, with or without my help. That being said, though...

Well, even when their petals have faded and the garden is beginning to wind down for winter, though, I wouldn't advise you to forget about your coneflowers just yet. In fact, October is a useful time to give these perennials a little attention, helping them prepare for the colder months while making the most of what they still have to offer.

The good news is that coneflowers (Echinacea spp.) don't need a complicated fall care routine. With that in mind, then, what do these pretty blooms want from us all when the weather starts to turn?

3 Things You Should Do to Coneflowers in October

I feel it's my duty to point out that one of the most helpful things you can do for coneflowers resist the temptation to cut everything back, as their dried flower heads can provide food for hungry birds, while leaving healthy stems standing can add structure to the garden through winter.

There are, however, a few things worth checking before the weather turns colder. From deciding which seedheads to leave in place to spotting diseased foliage, here are three October tasks I'd prioritize for healthier coneflowers and a more wildlife-friendly garden.

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1. Leave Some Seedheads for Goldfinches and Other Birds

If there's one thing I'd encourage gardeners to do with their coneflowers in October, it's to leave the healthy seedheads standing. Once the colorful petals have dropped, the central cones dry out and contain seeds that birds can forage on through fall and winter.

American goldfinches are particularly fond of coneflower seeds, and watching these bright-yellow birds perch on the sturdy stems and pick out the seeds is a lovely reminder that a garden can keep giving long after its flowers have faded. Other seed-eating birds (including your very own birth month bird) may also visit, depending on your region and the species growing in your garden.

I'd resist the urge to deadhead every faded flower simply to make the border look tidy. Instead, leave plenty of healthy seedheads in place and let them provide a natural food source. They'll also add interesting shapes and texture to the winter garden, particularly when dusted with frost.

One thing to keep in mind is that not every coneflower cultivar produces the same amount of viable seed. Some highly bred double-flowered varieties may offer less to birds than simpler, single-flowered forms. If supporting wildlife is a priority, consider growing native purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) and other varieties known to produce seed.

2. Check for Diseased Foliage Before Winter

Although I'd leave healthy coneflower stems standing, I wouldn't ignore signs of disease. October is a good time to look over the foliage and remove material that's badly affected by fungal problems, particularly powdery mildew.

Powdery mildew often appears as a pale, powdery coating on leaves and stems. It can be more noticeable late in the growing season, especially when plants have experienced humid conditions or poor air circulation. A little cosmetic damage isn't necessarily a reason to remove an otherwise healthy plant, but heavily affected foliage shouldn't simply be left to sit in the garden.

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I'd stick to the Three D's rule and cut out badly diseased material using clean pruning tools and dispose of it appropriately rather than adding it to a home compost pile. This helps reduce the amount of infected debris left around the plant.

It's important to be selective here. I wouldn't cut every coneflower down just because some leaves are looking tired. Healthy stems and seedheads can remain standing for birds and winter interest, while diseased material can be removed as needed.

3. Protect the Roots and Leave the Major Cleanup Until Spring

My final October task would be to prepare coneflowers for winter without disturbing them unnecessarily. In most gardens, established coneflowers are hardy perennials that don't require extensive protection, but a little attention to the soil can help.

I'd check that the soil around the plants isn't compacted and make sure water can drain away rather than pooling around the crowns. Coneflowers generally prefer well-drained soil, and persistently wet conditions can cause problems during colder weather. If the ground is dry, I may water the plants before the soil freezes, particularly if conditions have been unusually dry. And a light layer of mulch can help moderate soil temperatures and protect roots, although I'd avoid piling it directly over the crown.

Most importantly, I'd leave the main cleanup until spring. Once the weather warms and new growth begins to emerge, I can cut back the old stems before they get in the way. Waiting also means I don't remove useful seedheads too early or disturb wildlife that may be using the garden through winter.

Basically, coneflowers don't need much fuss in October, and that's part of their appeal. By leaving healthy seedheads for goldfinches, removing diseased foliage when necessary, and protecting the root zone without cutting everything down, I can help these reliable perennials get through winter while keeping the garden useful to wildlife.

Rather than treating fall as a time to strip the garden bare, I'd see it as an opportunity to be more selective. A few standing stems can provide food, shelter, and winter interest – and when spring arrives, the coneflowers will be ready to grow again. And you can't say better than that, right?

If you only do one job in your garden this weekend, raise patio planters on pot risers so roots don’t sit in wet soil and rot in this wetter weather. Sliding risers underneath pots only takes a few minutes yet it drastically improves drainage to stop soil from sitting soggy. And it's waterlogged soil – not the cold weather – that's the number one reason potted plants die over winter. So, this quick container gardening trick to keep soil well-drained will have a huge impact on your plants' health, and whether or not they survive into spring.

You see, roots need to breathe: just like we humans, they take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide. In saturated soil, water displaces air and roots suffocate. Some plants can cope longer than others but the wet, oxygen-depleted soil also creates the perfect environment for fungus and bacteria to thrive, leading to rotting roots. The more roots are compromised, the less able a plant is able to fight the attack, and a vicious cycle begins. And this is such a common problem in fall, making this task one of the most vital October gardening jobs.

Take a closer look at your patio planters and you'll find there's very little room for water to escape from the drainage hole of a pot sitting directly on paving or decking, even if it's not set in a saucer. Now that’s fine in summer with low rainfall and high evaporation rates, but once fall clouds roll in, higher rainfall quickly causes water to permanently pool in pot bases.

What’s more, when winter arrives and that water freezes and expands, ice can rupture root cells, causing severe and often fatal damage. So, even when plants are plenty hardy enough to cope with the chill of winter, they kick the bucket because they simply can’t survive with their roots in permanently saturated soil.

How to Keep Potted Plants Alive Through Winter

The good news is that there's a super-simple solution to this widespread problem, and it's one of the most fundamental of container gardening ideas you can DIY on a budget. First of all, get rid of any plant saucers as they hold water around the roots. Then raise your pots up off the ground – just an inch is plenty – to free that all-important drainage hole and allow rainfall to pass right through the soil. You can buy pot toes, pot risers or plant stands, and there are options for every budget and garden style, or simply use whatever you've already got such as flat pebbles or old bricks.

All plants will benefit from their pots being raised through fall and winter, but especially plants that need great drainage like lavender and santolina.

Raising pots in fall will also protect your paving or deck from becoming marked with pot rings or algae, saving you the time and expense of scrubbing these off in spring. An essential step in winterizing your garden, raising pots will also help to protect containers from cracking, particularly terracotta. Part of the Weekend Win series, raising pots to keep roots safe from rot is one of those easy jobs that brings a big reward.

Which Pot Riser Option Suits Your Garden Best?

1. Pot Toes or Feet

Let’s start with the simplest, cheapest option for this essential part of fall gardening. Pot toes, also called pot feet, sit under the base of a planter with a raised section jutting out to hold it steady against the container’s outer wall. You need at least three toes for each pot, and more for larger planters. As well as being practical, some pot toes can add a decorative touch.

2. Pot Risers

Pot risers differ from pot toes because they’re designed to sit under the planter, often out of sight. Because most offer more surface area for pot bases to sit on, they’re a good bet for bigger, heavier planters or more fragile materials like terracotta. You’ll also find them a stable option for bowl planters and pots with sides that slope sharply outwards.

Plant Stand

Of course, another option to keep that all-important drainage hole free is to pop pots on a plant stand. This adds style to your patio and it's quick and easy if you want to rearrange pots. Be sure to look for rust-resistant powder-coated metal which won’t create lasting stains on your paving or decking.

More Weekend Wins

This feature is part of the Weekend Wins series, packed with quick and easy 10-minute tasks and gardening tips and tricks that bring a big reward.

Anyone with a backyard the size of the storied “back 40” has oodles of choices when it comes to flowering shrubs – because space isn't an issue. But those of us with smaller yards need to make every inch count.

And the truth is, you don't need a large yard to enjoy a spectacular display in every season. Planting compact flowering shrubs in fall gives roots time to establish before winter, rewarding gardeners with an explosion of color the following spring. What types of shrubs should you consider? You’ll want space-saving shrubs that punch well above their size.

Below is my shortlist of compact flowering shrubs to plant in fall for spring blooms. While you may want to add a few more bushes to fill up your space, these gems are a great way to get started.

Why Fall Is the Best Time to Plant Shrubs

The old saying goes that April showers bring May flowers, but in fact, the best spring flowers come from all that autumn rain. Fall is a wonderful time to plant shrubs, perhaps the very best time, if you want spring blooms.

First, the air grows cooler as October arrives while the soil is still warm. This combination supports root growth and, combined with shorter days, reduces heat stress and evaporation. Add the likelihood of fall rain, and you’ve got a wonderful window to plant shrubs.

These fall conditions help your plants establish root systems during the cooler months. That means the shrubs can invest their energy in foliage and flowers when spring arrives.

So, ready to get started? Here are seven selections that might work well for you.

1. Deutzia Yuki Cherry Blossom

• Deutzia × rosea ‘NCDX2’
• USDA zones 5-8

Yuki Cherry Blossom is a gorgeous, low-growing deutzia with adorable pink flowers. It grows to a foot or two tall and wide. Yuki Cherry Blossom makes a fabulous groundcover and is ideal for mass plantings. It delights with elegant pink-and-white bell flowers in spring, but the second act is just as dramatic: rich burgundy foliage in autumn. Try planting it as groundcover on a sunny slope.

The original Yuki Cherry Blossom (Deutzia × rosea ‘NCDX2’) is available to buy online from Nature Hills. But a newer Yuki Cherry Blossom 2.0 (Deutzia × ‘SMNDXI’) was released this year and is available at Plant Addicts. It has the same pink-and-white flowers, but they hold their color for longer, and it has a wider, tidier growing habit.

2. Baby Kim Lilac

• Syringa x 'SMNSDTP'
• USDA zones 3–8

Regular lilacs can grow into imposing plants, too big sometimes for a compact yard. But you can still have a delightfully fragrant lilac if you pick a dwarf variety like Baby Kim. This small lilac tops out at 3 feet tall and wide, but boy, does it pack in a lot of beauty in spring, with shiny, dark green leaves and a cloud of fragrant purple flowers with a rounded shape that work well in almost any sunny corner. The plus? Butterflies love this!

Baby Kim lilac is available at Trees.com, which is running a temporary 20% site-wide discount.

3. Show Off Sugar Baby Forsythia

• Forsythia x intermedia 'NIMBUS'
• USDA zones 5-8

Forsythia is no shrinking violet – it’s a tough, easy-growing, resilient, free-flowering plant. “Compact” is not a word usually associated with the species, but Show Off Sugar Baby, available at Plant Addicts, breaks the rule that forsythia shoots up quickly and gets taller than the gardener. It stops at 2.5 feet tall and wide, and – with its dense, egg-yolk yellow blooms – is a little spot of sunshine and joy in any sunny corner. Plant one as a stand-alone or a handful for a low hedge.

4. Spirea 'Double Play Doozie'

• Spiraea x 'NCSX2'
• USDA zones 3–8

You want flowers? I mean oodles of flowers from late spring through the first frost? Check out Double Play Doozie (available at Nature Hills), a compact spirea shrub that grows in a mounding shape and is about 2–3 feet tall and wide. This cool cultivar doesn’t need deadheading or shearing for repeat blooming, offering vibrant crimson flower clusters all season long. This drought-tolerant, non-invasive plant is perfect for containers, mixed borders, foundations, and mass plantings.

5. Virginia Sweetspire 'Little Henry'

• Itea virginica 'Sprich'
• USDA zones 5–9

This colorful native shrub offers shining white flowers that look like small fireworks and is THE shrub for a shady corner or mixed borders. The pure white blossoms are scented and stand out on the tidy mound of dark green foliage that grows to around 4 feet tall and wide.

ollinator-friendly, Little Henry sweetspire offers strong landscape appeal for a low-to-no-maintenance plant and provides a fiery fall display. It prefers moist soils and will tolerate wet conditions. Order Little Henry online at Trees.com.

6. Cameo Flowering Quince

• Chaenomeles × superba 'Cameo'
• USDA zones 4–9

Here’s the compact plant that will light up your garden from the first days of spring. Cameo quince, available from DAS Farms via Amazon, puts on a spectacular show starting in spring, with lush, lovely double blossoms, peachy petals, and dark green, shiny leaves. Since the flowers arrive on bare branches, the show is exceptional. Later, expect small, fragrant yellow-green fruits in late spring and summer. They become bitter when they ripen in fall, but they're best used for preserves.

Cameo flowering quince reaches about 4 feet tall and wide and prefers moist, well-drained soil and at least 5 hours of sun per day. Use it as a specimen to highlight its star power, or plant it in flowering shrub borders.

7. Mexican Honeysuckle

• Justicia spicigera
• USDA zones 8–11

Okay, warm-zone gardeners: here’s the compact flowering shrub for you. Mexican honeysuckle offers stunning bright orange flowers through most of the growing season, pleasing hummingbirds and butterflies, as well as the gardener. These tubular flowers against the light green foliage add a soft, natural, tropical look to your landscape. It grows in a mounded shape in filtered shade. Order Mexican honeysuckle at Walmart.

How to Plant for the Best Spring Display

Here are some tips to get you started on your fall planting.

• Plant 4 to 6 weeks before the ground freezes
• Pick a spot with appropriate sunlight and well-draining soil suited to your specific shrub.
• Dig a hole the appropriate size. This will usually be 2 to 3 times wider than the root ball, but no deeper than the pot itself.
• Untangle circling roots to encourage them to grow outward into the surrounding soil.
• Fill the planting hole using the soil you dug out. Don’t add heavy commercial fertilizer or excessive organic amendments right in the hole.
• Give the plant a deep soaking at planting time.
• Apply several inches of organic mulch around the base of the plant, keeping it well away from the main stem.

Whoever thought we’d be taking planting advice from Goldie Hawn? The talented actor is best known for her decades-long Hollywood career (and her enduring romance with Kurt Russell), but her garden is increasingly giving us plenty to talk about, too.

From the art of getting container planting just right (it's all down to Goldie's one-plant rule) to the beautiful floral displays of her daughter, Kate Hudson, there’s inspiration to be found in this family’s approach to outdoor spaces. And while you might not expect a Hollywood garden to offer much in the way of practical advice for the rest of us, sometimes the most effective design ideas are also the simplest.

That brings us to one particularly lovely detail in Goldie’s Pacific Palisades garden: the way plants and water work together.

Goldie Hawn's Water Garden

Yes, Goldie Hawn’s Pacific Palisades home was featured in a People magazine shoot, and the outdoor space contained one of the best accidental lessons for garden design you’ll see this year.

Perched on a fountain that flows into a pool, she is surrounded by dense, lush planting on all sides, so much so that it looks like it might swallow her up. And, while the fountain is gorgeous, the lesson has very little to do with it and more with the plants themselves. Take away the plants, and you have a nice water feature, but leave them, and your garden feels like something straight out of Jurassic Park (in a good way, and without the dinosaurs).

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Plants and water working together rather than separately is one of the most underused principles in garden design, and it applies to your tiny backyard in suburban North Carolina as it does in a Hollywood fountain at Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell’s house.

Why Water and Plants Always Win Together

Kendahl Kreps, Director of Marketing at Oase North America, explains why water and plants work so well together. She says that“water has a naturally reflective, open quality, while plants introduce texture, colour, movement and enclosure. A fountain or waterfall gives the eye a focal point; planting softens the hard edges around it and makes the feature feel integrated into the landscape rather than simply placed in it.”

Aiza, sustainability writer at GreenerPulse, emphasizes this, saying, “a still surface doubles the planting in reflection, so the garden looks twice as full for free. Moving water brings sound and shimmer; plants bring stillness and texture. One without the other feels half finished.”

In the case of Goldie Hawn’s garden, the dense green plants around the fountain slow down your eye before it even reaches the water, and that’s not accidental.

Which Plants Suit the Splash Zone?

As Goldie Hawn's garden has well and truly proven, placement is highly important, as not every plant is super happy with constant moisture around its roots. Jon Graham, CEO of Element Plumbing, Heating and Air, whose team installs outdoor water features professionally, notes that “the humidity around most water features runs roughly 15% higher than the surrounding yard; that’s why moisture-loving plants like elephant ears and Japanese iris thrive close to the source. Their broad leaves and fibrous root systems handle constant splash without rotting at the base.”

Aiza’s list for the wettest positions includes blue flag iris, pickerelweed, cardinal flower, marsh marigold, and dwarf cattail. Slightly further back, where the soil stays damp but not waterlogged: ligularia, astilbe, and hostas in shaded spots.

Kreps adds a practical favorite for smaller water features: “A common plant used near smaller water features is Creeping Jenny, which will actually use the excess splash to grow while walking itself into the feature.”

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Layering for a Lush Result

You’ll want to keep your plant design from becoming chaotic, as there is a fine line between that and lush, and the key is to make like Goldie Hawn and introduce layering. All three experts agree on the same basic formula, and Graham puts it clearly. He says, “Tall ornamental grasses at the back, mid-level sedges in the middle, and low ground covers like blue star creeper along the edge give the eye a clear path to follow.”

Kreps adds, “A lush planting scheme doesn’t mean putting dozens of different plants around the fountain. Instead, repeat a limited number of plants in groups and give each layer a clear job.”

Aiza recommends capping the palette at five to seven plants total, planting in drifts of three, five, or seven, and repeating each plant in at least three spots around the feature. The other essential: “Give the bed a crisp edge, stone or steel, so the planting reads as a designed shape even when it fills in.”

Getting the Tropical Feeling Without the California Climate

Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell live in California, where a jungle-like climate is highly achievable in their garden. However, even if you live in a cooler climate, you can still get the same thing; it just requires thinking about leaf scale rather than specific species.

“You do not need California weather, you need big leaves,” says Aiza. Hardy banana, gunnera, giant hostas like Empress Wu, canna lilies, and Fatsia japonica all create that broad-leaf drama in temperate gardens. “The trick is contrast: a few bold leaves rising out of fine ferns and grasses reads tropical even in zone 6.”

Graham adds that “in cooler climates, bold leaf texture does the heavy lifting — hostas, ligularia and hardy hibiscus all handle zone 4 winters and still produce that dense, tropical feel.”

What to Avoid

Some plants seem like obvious choices near water, but actually they should be used with caution. Graham is direct on invasive spreaders: “The biggest mistake I see is planting invasive spreaders like mint directly near the water source. They overtake beds in a single growing season and can clog pump intakes within two to three seasons if planted less than 18 inches from the feature.”

Aiza flags purple loosestrife, yellow flag iris, and running bamboo as plants that look innocent near water and then cause serious problems. And lavender or rosemary, however beautiful elsewhere, will rot quickly in a consistently damp splash zone.

The lesson from Goldie Hawn’s Pacific Palisades garden is simple, then. Treat the water feature as an anchor, but remember the planting gives it the atmosphere you’re looking for. If you get the layers right and choose plants that actually want to be there, the result looks far more expensive than it actually is.

There’s something about fall that naturally inspires new beginnings and makes us want to head off in new directions. With the arrival of brisk breezes, shifting colors and falling leaves, we often feel the urge to rearrange living spaces, including those outdoors. While spring gets most of the glory for planting, autumn is a great season for dividing, moving and relocating key established ornamentals.

If you do transplant these perennials and shrubs now, you can take advantage of unique conditions. Fall brings cool air that reduces transpiration and moisture stress, while the soil remains warm from months of sun, and depending on where you live, you’ll be seeing more rainfall. This means relocated plants have time to establish strong roots before winter sets in, and it reduces transplant shock.

Rather than wasting energy recovering from a disruptive spring move, a fall-transplanted perennial can hit the ground running early next year. This doesn’t apply to every single plant, but if you have overcrowded perennials, let’s go! By giving key plants a fresh start this October, you boost their long-term health, enhance your curb appeal, and set your yard up for its finest season yet.

Why Fall is the Best Time to Move

In my experience, it’s pretty rare to add a perennial or shrub and simply leave it in place untouched for the next decade. As landscapes mature, light patterns shift, beds crowd each other out, and soil nutrients may deplete. I plant perennials knowing that it’s very likely my hostas or peonies will, in time, need to be relocated. But that doesn’t bother me at all. It’s like kids outgrowing their shoes: relocating is a natural, normal part of growth and healthy backyard care.

Fall is considered the best season for transplanting. We have touched on changes in weather, and this generally means transplants won’t burn or dry out quickly. During spring, plants funnel energy into expanding leaves, shoots, and flower buds. If you dig up a plant in spring, you sever its feeder roots when energy demands are peak. In fall, though, top growth declines or enters dormancy, allowing the plant to redirect energy into root growth and cellular repair, which is exactly what transplants need.

While the air is cooler, the soil is still warm from summer sun. Depending on your USDA hardiness zone, this is ideal for the root growth. Plants transplanted in fall have a strong root network by spring. Also, it may not rain every day, but autumn brings more rain than summer. Plants prefer rainwater to tap water, and regular moisture favors root development. You can check ground levels before transplanting by using a diagnostic tool like the Raintrip 4-in-1 Soil Meter, available from Amazon.

Insect populations peak in summer and decline in fall, which means that your plants won’t have to be fighting aphids, mites or root-chewing grubs. This means newly moved plants won't have to battle active pest pressure while establishing in the vulnerable time after transplanting. Before moving these plants, just be sure to prepare the new site. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and enrich the backfill with rich compost or worm castings to ensure smooth, stress-free root expansion of the following plants…

Plants to Move in October

Fall transplanting isn't ideal for every plant. Keep your garden gloves off tender perennials such as dahlias, gladioli, and tropical hibiscus. You should also avoid plants with deep taproots, like false indigo or butterfly weed, and broadleaf evergreens such as boxwoods, rhododendrons, and gardenias. Broadleaf evergreens retain leaves all winter and can dry out if their roots are disturbed now. However, these 6 stars are receptive to an October move. Many can be divided at the same time, giving you free extra plants to spread around borders or share with friends.

1. Hostas

Hostas are amongst the easiest and most forgiving perennials to transplant or divide this month. Move them in fall, 4-6 weeks before your region's first hard ground freeze. This takes advantage of warm soil, while cool air prevents large leaves from scorching. A major benefit of an October move is visual. Top growth is often visible before heavy frosts flatten the leaves, helping you to position the plant exactly where you want it. Hostas work well in dappled shade, alongside ferns or coral bells.

Prepare the new site first by adding some organic leaf mold or compost into the soil. Use a sharp spade or fork to dig a ring around the outer drip line. Lift the root ball out gently. If the crown is overcrowded, slice it into smaller divisions using a sharp knife, ensuring each piece retains fleshy roots and a few eye buds. Replant at the original depth, water deeply, and apply a 2-inch (5cm) layer of organic mulch. If you need a good knife, try the versatile Fiskars Hori Hori Knife, available from Walmart. Its serrated edge is ideal for slicing through thick divisions with minimal damage.

2. Peonies

Whether you are growing classic herbaceous peonies like Sarah Bernhardt or sturdy Itoh intersectional hybrids, this month is a great time for transplanting and division. Peonies (Paeonia spp.) dislike being moved during active spring growth, but in autumn they are entering dormancy. Moving them now gives roots time to anchor into the soil before it freezes, without the stress of supporting top foliage.

Once the foliage turns bronze or wilts after early frosts, cut the stems back to roughly 2 inches (5cm) above the ground. Carefully dig around the root mass, lifting the plant without snapping the thick roots. Rinse off any excess soil to expose the pink eyes (these are the dormant buds). If dividing, use a clean knife to create sections with at least 3-5 strong eyes and a generous root.

Replant in a sunny, well-draining spot, making sure the eyes sit no deeper than 1-2 inches (2.5-5cm) below the surface. Give your peonies a gentle, slow-release phosphorus and calcium boost by adding a handful of Down To Earth Fish Bone Meal from Lowe’s.

3. Bearded Irises

If you live in a mild or moderate climate, then you can relocate crowded bearded iris (Iris germanica) this month, provided you get them settled at least 4 weeks before severe freezes so roots have time to establish. Transplanting allows you to relocate bearded iris plants to sunnier garden spots and eliminate iris borer eggs or leaf spot fungal spores that can hide in old foliage over winter.

Dig up the plant using a garden fork, shaking away loose soil. Slice or snap the healthy outer rhizomes from the central mass, throwing away the central rhizome. Inspect each piece for soft spots or borer holes, discarding damaged sections. Trim the leaves back into an inverted V shape 4-6 inches (10-15cm) tall to reduce wind rock and stress. Replant in full sun, settling the roots over a small soil mound in the planting hole. Make sure the tops of the rhizomes are slightly above the soil surface.

Add a light mulch, such as team favorite Back to the Roots Organic Premium Wood Mulch from Amazon, to reduce the risk of frost-heave. However, it’s not a good idea to divide plants at this time. Wait until late summer, after the flowers fade.

4. Daylilies

Daylilies (Hemerocallis spp.) are legendary for their resilient nature, and in moderate climates (zones 4-9) you can transplant and divide them during October. Just make sure you do this 4 weeks before the first hard frost. Over time, daylily clumps get so densely packed that flower production can drop off. Moving and dividing every 3-5 years restores vigor, resulting in larger flower scapes and a longer bloom season.

Before digging up your daylily, trim the foliage back by half to make it easier to manage. Insert your spade beneath the root ball and lever the plant out. Pull the thick, fleshy roots apart by hand or use two back-to-back pitchforks to pry the clump into divisions. Prepare your new planting hole by adding a handful of earthworm castings, such as Earth Science Earthworm Castings from Amazon. Drape the roots over the mound. Position the plant so the crown sits an inch (2.5cm) below the surface. Backfill, press firmly, water well and mulch.

5. Hydrangeas

Moving a large hydrangea (Hydrangea spp.) in midsummer can lead to severe wilt and leaf scorching. However, moving one in late October is fine, as long as your shrub has stopped flowering or entered dormancy. Whether you are relocating a bigleaf (H. macrophylla), panicle (H. paniculata), or oakleaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia), transplanting your hydrangea this month gives the extensive root system time to settle into cool, moist soil before pushing out heavy spring leaves.

Select a new location that offers morning sun and afternoon shade, and water the hydrangea deeply 24 hours before moving. Hydrangeas have broad roots that grow wide rather than deep, so dig a wide trench around the outer branch perimeter. Lift the root ball with as much soil as possible. Transfer to the new hole at its original growing depth, backfill with native soil and organic compost, and tamp. Apply a gentle, diluted seaweed drench, such as GS Plant Foods Organic Liquid Kelp from Walmart, to minimize shock after transplanting your hydrangea. Insulate the base with 3 inches (8cm) of organic wood mulch to retain moisture through winter.

6. Roses

Roses (Rosa spp.) respond well to a late October move, provided the shrub has begun entering semi-dormancy following its final bloom flush. Relocating a rose in fall allows cut root ends to callus over and sprout fine feeder roots in warm soil, giving the plant a massive jumpstart over bare-root roses planted in spring.

Prepare the new planting hole in a bright, sunny spot that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Blend in some well-rotted compost, or optionally condition the soil with a little Wakefield Biochar Premium Soil Conditioner, available from Lowe’s. This enhances aeration and water retention around deep rose roots. Make sure you water your rose bush the day before digging. Prune top growth back by a third to a half. This makes canes easier to handle and balances top weight with root loss.

Using a spade, dig a deep circle around the root ball, angling the blade inward to preserve the main taproot and roots. Lift the rose and transfer to the new site. Make sure the graft union (the bump at the base of the stems) sits 2 inches (5cm) below the soil in colder regions for winter protection. Backfill, press firmly, and water deeply.

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Fall is a great time to start a vegetable garden if you’ve never grown your own before, and these compact crops will bring an abundant harvest in a small space. Sow in October and growing vegetables is so easy as you don’t have to worry about pests or remembering to water your plants every day, and you can still raise plenty of tasty crops at this time of the year. You won’t have to wait long to enjoy your very first harvest, either, and just wait till you taste the difference between homegrown and shop-bought!

The secret to start growing your own vegetables in October is to use a raised bed or planter. Gardening in raised beds is so much more straightforward than growing veggies in the ground as it doesn’t matter a jot what your soil is like as you can instantly create perfect conditions with a tailored potting mix like Miracle-Gro Organic Raised Bed Soil, available from Lowe's.

Another big advantage to growing fall-sown veggies in a raised bed is that you can position the planter in a sheltered, sunny spot to help plants grow well in shorter days and cooler temperatures. You could even place it right up against a house wall to take advantage of your home's heat, and this also makes it simple to throw a layer of horticultural fleece over the top if you need to keep young seedlings cozy through a cold snap.

There are plenty of small-space veggies that thrive in a container, but here's my pick of the best vegetables to sow in October – all compact enough to flourish in a raised bed – if you want to grow your own this fall. So don’t keep dreaming about doing it done day – do it today!

Veggies to Sow in October

All these vegetable varieties are cold-tolerant, but tailor your choice to your zone. Position your raised bed in a warm, sheltered area of your garden and you can absolutely cheat zone recommendations to successfully grow winter crops. I would happily grow all these varieties in Zone 7 and above, and if you live in a colder zone simply choose a covered raised bed (you'll find my recommendations below) or be ready with a duvet of horticultural fleece (ditto!) when temperatures plummet, and give it a go: for the price of a packet of seeds, it’s well worth the risk.

1. Meteor Peas

Think you can’t grow peas through winter? Think again! ‘Meteor’ is an exceptionally hardy variety that’s been bred to withstand freezing temperatures so is one of the best vegetables to sow in fall, with seeds that are smooth and round so resist rot in cool wet soil far better than traditional wrinkled types. What’s more, this variety only grows to a bushy 18 inches high (rather than the wild tangle of 6-feet-high stems of many pea cultivars) so it’s a great choice for a small space. Just push some twiggy sticks into the soil when you sow and the plants will look after themselves.

While you’ll have to wait until May to enjoy the fresh peapods, the plants will get busy through fall growing a strong root system, ready to burst into growth in early spring for an early harvest. And the big advantage of a fall sowing is that you won’t have to net your plants against the pea moth, a pest notorious for ruining summer pea crops. Meteor pea seeds are available from Mr Fothergills USA.

2. Atomic Red Carrots

Carrot crops are normally sown in spring and summer but ‘Atomic Red’ is a cool-season specialist that flourishes in low temperatures. And just look at that color! Atomic Red is fully frost-tolerant and fast to grow so in milder zones you could be harvesting around 80 days after an October sowing. In colder climates, plants won’t crop until spring but the harvest will be well worth the wait: cool temperatures make the plant convert its starches into sugars to act as a protective antifreeze, so the carrots taste beautifully sweet.

As well as great flavor, Atomic Red carrots also keep their striking coral-scarlet color through cooking. With roots growing up to 11 inches long, this variety is the perfect size for a raised bed, where the loose soil will favour long, straight carrots. A fall sowing means there’s zero threat from pesky carrot flies, too. Atomic Red carrot seeds are available from Botanical Interests.

3. Dwarf Siberian Kale

The name tells you everything you need to know about this small but hardy veggie! While standard kale varieties can reach up to 3 feet tall, Dwarf Siberian kale stays at a tidy 15 inches high so it’s a smart choice for a raised planter. It survives freezing temperatures and is super-tasty too, staying tender and mild (unlike some of its curly-kale cousins that can grow tough and bitter) and becoming sweetener when exposed to fall frosts.

Young leaves can be eaten raw in salads and smoothies and if you sow in October you'll be enjoying these by late November or December – or wait a few more weeks for mature leaves to sauté with a little garlic and oil. Just be sure to only harvest the outer leaves, leaving the central crown intact, so the plants keep producing as a cut-and-come-again crop. Dwarf Siberian kale seeds are available from Eden Brothers.

4. California Early Garlic

Homegrown garlic is a delight so you should definitely find room in your raised bed to plant some cloves. Softneck garlic is best in a small space and the incredibly reliable ‘California Early’ is a perfect choice if you're at the start of your veggie-growing journey. It's very easy to grow and has a highly compact, vertical habit so you can pack plenty into your bed. California Early matures around June, too, clearing your veggie bed in time for mid-summer sowings of other crops.

Because it’s a softneck variety, California Early garlic doesn’t need the long period of freezing weather that hardneck varieties do to form cloves, which means it’ll still form plump bulbs in the warmer conditions of a sheltered raised bed. A raised bed also means you can plant a little deeper than usual, which is the expert secret to growing garlic with the plumpest cloves, even if this your first time growing this crop. California Early garlic bulbs are available from Walmart.

5. Vit Corn Salad

Being able to pick fresh greens for a winter salad is such a joy, and the taste is a far cry from the disinfected leaves sold in many grocery stores. Also known as lambs lettuce and mache, corn salad is the easiest to grow through fall and winter and ‘Vit’ is my pick for glossy, tender leaves with a gourmet nutty flavor.

This French variety is so easy to grow as it’s vigorous and naturally resistant to mildew and, as it only grows to 6 inches high in upright rosettes, it’s a great crop to squeeze in between bigger plants. Vit is incredibly resilient in cold temperatures and quick to crop too, ready to eat in around 50 days. As well as eating mache raw, you can cook the leaves as you would spinach. Organic Vit corn salad seeds are available from Burpee.

6. Purple Plum Radish

Before you brush off the idea of growing radishes, hold up! Have you ever tasted a homegrown radish? Because it’s nothing short of amazing! ‘Purple Plum’ is my pick for an October sowing because this cool-season specialist crops incredibly quickly and, in a warm, sunny spot, you could be harvesting these little heirloom beauties within a month.

Purple Plum radishes are a super choice for a small space because their roots reach peak crunch when they’re just 1½ inches wide. As they’re so quick to crop, you can squeeze them in around slower-maturing crops, too. Another good reason to choose Purple Plum for an October sowing is that – unlike most other radish varieties – they don’t become woody or pithy in damp fall soil if you don’t get round to picking them at the perfect moment.

This is another vegetable that gets sweeter when touched by fall frosts, too, and you can also eat the radish tops, raw in salads or tossed into winter stir fries. Purple Plum radish seeds are available from Botanical Interests.

7. Astro Arugula

Another must for a fall sowing is arugula. One packet of seeds will provide a wealth of peppery leaves for salads and garnishes, or try making a zingy spring-is-coming pesto by swapping out basil for arugula. ‘Astro’ is the variety to reach for when sowing in October as it still germinates quickly in cool fall soil and, unlike many other arugula, keeps producing its flavorful green leaves once daylight hours drop below 10 hours a day. It tastes good, too, with a smooth, nutty flavor and a mild peppery bite.

While Astro arugula can tolerate light frosts, growth will slow and speed as temperatures lower and rise, or you can keep a steady supply coming by popping a clear plastic cloche or horticultural fleece over your crop. While you can leave foliage to grow up to 18 inches high, a big advantage to growing your own is that you can pick oh-so tender and tasty leaves when they’re around 4 inches high, and the plant will quickly grow more of this cut-and-come-again crop. Astro arugula seeds are available from Botanical Interests.

Which is the Right Raised Bed for Me?

To successfully grow veggies in a raised bed, the planter needs to be at least 8 inches deep, and ideally a little deeper. However, few crops need more than an 18-inch depth of soil to grow well, and it's expensive to fill a very deep planter with potting soil. If you want to grow deep-rooting crops such as potatoes and heavy feeders like zucchini, it’s much more cost-effective to grow these separately in deep fabric planters, or choose an open-based planter that allows roots to grow into the ground.

If You Live in a Cooler Zone

Choose a raised planter with a built-in cover that makes it easy to keep fall-sown seeds warm for fast germination and shield plants from plummeting temperatures.

If You’re Growing Veg on a Patio or Deck

Growing veggies on your patio means you can use the warmth and shelter of your house to keep plants cozy through winter. Dark-toned paving also absorbs the sun’s heat during the day then releases it later, so a patio often escapes frost, too. If you need to shelter plants during cold snaps, simply throw a lightweight plant cover or horticultural fleece over the planter. Choose one that allows sunlight and air to pass through, like this Harvest-Guard Cover from Walmart, and you can leave it on day and night.

If You’re on a Budget

Starting a veggie bed needn’t be expensive if you opt for an open-base raised metal planter that allows plants to grow down into the soil. There are all sorts of shapes and sizes available, of varying quality, so shop smart: only buy galvanised steel (and it’s a bonus if it’s powder-coated), check for central support strips that span the planter for added strength, and look for a protective strip running around the top edge for your own comfort.

You can buy drawstring frost covers to fit most sizes of these raised beds, such as this Raised Bed Frost Cover with Insulating Aluminium Liner from Walmart, that are quick and easy to pop on and off during cold snaps.

From classic spooky faces to floral designs and pop culture-inspired creations, there are so many options when it comes to choosing your Halloween vibe – but what if your birth month pumpkin could help you narrow things down?

That's right, folks! Halloween is just around the corner, and if you’re still deciding what to do with your pumpkin, there’s a pumpkin style written in the stars for you.

Of course, if you're anything like this author, then you likely already know your birth month bird, birth month animal, birth month tree, and birth month bug, but 'tis the season to be spooky, after all! (Which, you know, explains why we're suddenly so obsessed with our birth month owls and birth month spiders). Jack-o'-lanterns, then, feel like the natural next step.

All 12 Birth Month Pumpkins

Whether you’re a fan of traditional spooky decorations or prefer something a little more creative, there’s a birth month pumpkin to match every personality.

So, grab your carving tools (or a paintbrush) and discover which carving design you should be using this Halloween...

January – The Classic Spooky Face

If you're a January baby, then your birth month pumpkin is a classic for a reason! You like to keep things traditional, and when it comes to Halloween, you know you can’t go wrong with the classics. A sinister grin, triangular eyes and a flickering candle inside? Why, they're all you need to create the ultimate Halloween pumpkin.

Your practical nature means you’d rather perfect a timeless design than follow every passing trend. After all, some things never go out of style.

Shop Pumpkin Carving Essentials:

February – The Spider

Unconventional, a little mysterious and never afraid to stand out, those born in February need a pumpkin with a twist. A spider design, complete with long spindly legs stretching across the pumpkin, is just the thing! After all, you’ve never been one to settle for ordinary.

Bonus points if you add a few smaller carved spiders or faux cobwebs around the base of your birth month pumpkin. And don't forget to smear some Vaseline to the carved edges to keep it looking its best for longer!

March – The Floral Pumpkin

Born in March? You have a creative, imaginative side, so a birth month pumpkin covered in carved flowers, swirling vines and delicate leaves is right up your street. Think intricate patterns that let candlelight shine through, creating a soft and magical glow.

I know, I know, but who says Halloween decorations have to be scary, right? Equal parts autumnal and enchanting, this is guaranteed to hold its own among all the neighborhood decorations.

Shop Pumpkin Seeds To Plant For Next Year:

April – The Monster Face

Bold, playful and a little unpredictable, you’re not afraid to have fun with Halloween. A monster-inspired design, complete with jagged teeth, wonky eyes and an exaggerated expression, is the birth month pumpkin, then, that perfectly captures your energetic personality.

Honestly, the messier and more mischievous the grin, the better. You're here to make an impression, not play it safe (and extra points if you can have your monster chomping on a smaller pumpkin, in the style of the image above!).

May – The Painted Pumpkin

Why carve when you can paint? You appreciate the finer details, so a beautifully painted pumpkin is your ideal Halloween party project. Think elegant black-and-white patterns, metallic gold accents or a rich autumnal colour palette.

If this is your birth month pumpkin, then you like things that look considered and stylish, and a painted pumpkin lets you create something special without covering your hands in pumpkin guts. Just be sure to pick up something like this Caliart Acrylic Paint Set of 24 Colors with 12 Brushes, as some other paints will just slide right off.

June – The Pop Culture Pumpkin

Born in June? Figured as much! You love a conversation starter, so why not turn your pumpkin into a tribute to your favourite film, TV show or character? From a recognisable character silhouette to an iconic symbol, there are endless ways to bring your fandom to life (although we're quite partial to the above tribute to Obsession!).

Whether you opt for a nostalgic favourite or the latest pop culture obsession, your birth month pumpkin is guaranteed to get people talking. it may be a little fiddly, though, so I recommend sketching it out properly before you get cracking.

July – The Smiling Pumpkin

Warm, sociable and full of personality, you need a birth month pumpkin that makes people smile. For you, then, the goal is a big cheerful grin, rounded eyes and perhaps a few quirky details (like the teeth seen above), all of which will give your creation a welcoming and playful feel.

Hey, it makes a lot of sense! You are, after all, all about bringing people together, so your pumpkin should be just as inviting as your Halloween gathering.

August – The Sugar Skull Pumpkin

Hardworking, ambitious and never one to shy away from a challenge, August babies need a birth month pumpkin that makes a statement. Inspired by the colorful sugar skulls associated with Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), this design features intricate floral patterns, decorative swirls and bold colours that transform an ordinary pumpkin into a work of art.

Take your time with the details, experimenting with vibrant paints, symmetrical patterns and marigold-inspired flowers. The more elaborate the design, the better – this is your chance to show off your creativity and create a pumpkin that's guaranteed to turn heads.

September – The Cat Pumpkin

Intelligent, organized and with an eye for detail, you appreciate a design that requires a little patience. A pumpkin carved with the silhouette of a sleek black cat, complete with pointed ears, an elegant curled tail and carefully cut-out whiskers, is the perfect way to put your precision to the test (or, failing that, a cute cat face as per the above!).

Take your time mapping out the design before you start carving, making sure every line is just right. You could even add a crescent moon or tiny stars for an extra decorative touch.

October – The Celestial Pumpkin

Halloween falls in October, so it makes sense that your birth month pumpkin is a real doozy! Charming, sociable and naturally drawn to beautiful things, you need crescent moons, delicate stars and intricate celestial patterns, painted in gold and silver against a midnight-black background, or carefully carved to let the candlelight shine through.

The result? A sophisticated and eye-catching design that's guaranteed to be a conversation starter at any Halloween gathering.

November – The Pumpkin Fairy House

Empathetic, passionate and with a mysterious side, you love the idea of a little magic hiding just beneath the surface. Enter stage left, then, a birth month pumpkin pumpkin transformed into a tiny fairy cottage, complete with a carved doorway, glowing windows and a winding trail of vines.

Take your design a step further with miniature details, such as a tiny chimney, a moss-covered roof or little mushrooms (you could even copy your birth month mushroom!) nestled around the base. Add a flickering LED light inside to make the windows glow, creating an enchanting scene that looks as though a woodland fairy might appear at any moment.

Shop Pumpkin Fairy House Essentials:

December – The Ghost Pumpkin

Generous, optimistic and always up for an adventure, December babies are never afraid to try something a little different. Which means (obviously) that a cheeky ghost pumpkin, complete with a wavy silhouette, playful eyes and a mischievous grin, is the perfect way to bring some fun to your Halloween display.

Don't be afraid to experiment with an unusual shape or a more elaborate design. After all, you like to take risks, and Halloween is the perfect excuse to let your creative side run wild.

So, which birth month pumpkin design will you be trying? Whether you stick to a classic jack-o'-lantern or try something a little more adventurous this year, the honest truth of the matter is this: the very best Halloween pumpkin is the one that lets your personality shine through.

Happy carving!

Hostas (Hosta spp.) are beloved backyard staples. Celebrated for their lush foliage, incredible leaf variety and excellent shade tolerance, these reliable perennials make a big impact from spring through late summer into fall. However, as October rolls in, with shorter daylight hours and potentially the season's first frosts, these blue-green leaves beauties begin to yellow, collapse, and prepare for dormancy.

While it might be tempting to view fall as a time to step back, this is a pivotal month for hosta care. Proper fall maintenance goes far beyond basic backyard tidiness and cleaning up your beds. The right interventions now can protect plant crowns, prevent overwintering pests, and reduce fungal spores. The right October care for hostas can be a vital investment in next spring’s finest plants.

Because hosta varieties vary widely, from massive Empress Wu to miniature Blue Mouse Ears, your plants may transition into dormancy at slightly different rates. But if you adjust the timings according to your hardiness zone and weather, these essential tasks will help you set the stage for an explosion of lush foliage next spring.

Best Hosta Care in October

October marks an important transition for your hostas. Above ground, the lush leaves stop photosynthesizing and begin transferring their stored starches down into the roots and crowns. This means lots of yellowing leaves, eventual foliage loss, and plant dormancy. Below ground, energy reserves fuel the development of dormant eyes (buds) that will push up as fresh leaves next April.

Understanding your local weather patterns and USDA hardiness zone is essential for timing the following tasks correctly. In colder northern climates (zones 3-5), heavy frosts often arrive by mid-month, signaling an earlier start to cutting back foliage and insulating crowns. In milder southern regions (zones 6-8), hostas may hold green leaves for a few more weeks, requiring a more gradual approach to fall cleanup.

Both in-ground hosta plantings and container-grown specimens require help before winter sets in. Taking time this month to check in with plant health, inspect leaf debris for pests, and prepare potted plants for freezing temperatures ensures every hosta in your yard enjoys a peaceful, protected dormancy. If you’re unsure about soil moisture, use the Raintrip 4-in-1 Soil Meter, available from Amazon, to get a heads-up about ground conditions before you start these tasks.

1. Reduce Watering and Stop Feeding

Your hostas are naturally preparing for a period of rest this month, so you don’t want to encourage growth right now. So stop applying nitrogen-rich fertilizers in early fall and help them rest. Feeding hostas in October encourages a sudden flush of soft leaf growth that cannot harden off before winter, wasting vital energy that the plant needs for dormancy and leaving the crown vulnerable to severe freeze damage. It’s not a bad idea to add a tiny sprinkle of a diluted seaweed tonic, such as GS Plant Foods Organic Liquid Kelp from Walmart, to help winterize roots, but that’s enough.

You also need to adjust and reduce hosta watering this month. While hostas needed consistent moisture in summer to keep their large leaves plump and turgid, autumn rainfall and cooler temperatures reduce soil evaporation. When you do want to water, check the top couple of inches (5cm) of soil first. If it feels damp, hold off. Only water during dry spells to keep roots from desiccating before the ground freezes. Once the topsoil freezes in late fall, stop watering completely until spring thaw.

2. Wait Until First Frost to Cut Back

There is some debate among gardeners as to whether or not you need to trim or prune hostas in fall, but if you do, timing matters. As long as you can see a leaf has some green or yellowish-green color, it is still working at converting light into energy and pumping those energy reserves down into the roots for next year’s growth. If you cut this process short by trimming back foliage prematurely, you risk starving the plant, resulting in smaller crowns and weaker leaf development next spring.

Even if they look raggedy, you need to wait until the leaves are clearly dead. For many, this happens after the first frosts of fall. At this point, you can use clean, sharp bypass pruners or grass shears to cut the leaf stems back to roughly 1-2 inches (2.5-5cm) above the ground. Make sure to wipe your pruners before and after use to reduce the risk of cross-contamination with a little isopropyl alcohol or some wipes, such as Clorox Disinfecting Wipes from Lowe’s.

Take care not to slice into the main crown or damage dormant eye buds sitting at the soil surface. Varieties with thick, corrugated leaves, like Frances Williams or Sieboldiana, may take longer to collapse than thin-leaved varieties, so be patient and adjust your cutting time accordingly.

3. Clean up Dead Leaves

A good fall cleanup is the best way to protect hostas from slugs and fungal disease. Fungal spores love to overwinter in decaying hosta foliage. When hosta leaves die back and collapse, this soggy blanket also creates the ultimate winter resort for slugs and snails. Slugs lay clusters of tiny eggs beneath the collapsed foliage, and these can hatch right when tender hosta shoots are emerging come spring.

Once the leaves have died, trim them back and pick up all the debris around the plants. Rake up all dead leaf material, spent flower stalks, and surrounding leaf litter. If the removed foliage was healthy, it can be composted. However, if you see leaf spots, crown decay, or pest damage, dispose in the trash to reduce the risk of spreading pathogens. For a gentle soil amendment, add a sprinkle of Down to Earth Crab Meal, from Amazon, which can help soil microbes break down pathogens.

4. Divide Big Hosta Clumps

October can be a good time for dividing overgrown hosta clumps, provided you live in a moderate or warm climate (zones 6-8). Dividing in fall means the separated sections have time to settle before winter hits (ideally, they need 4-6 weeks before the first hard freeze). However, if you are in northern regions (zones 3-5) where the ground freezes solid by November, it’s best to postpone division until spring.

To divide a mature clump, wait until foliage begins to yellow. Carefully lift using a garden fork. Using a sharp serrated knife, slice the crown into sections, ensuring each division has a cluster of roots and 2-3 dormant eyes. If you need a good knife, try the versatile and highly rated Fiskars Hori Hori Knife, available from Walmart. Replant the divisions immediately at the same depth as the original plant, firming the soil and watering thoroughly. Hostas are long-lived perennials that only require division every 3-5 years when their centers become crowded or hollow.

5. Mulch and Add Markers

Applying a winter mulch over tidy beds protects delicate crowns from the dangers of frost heaving. Frost heaving occurs when freeze-thaw cycles cause the ground to lift shallow roots out of the ground, exposing vulnerable crowns to freezing air and drying winds. So mulch is a great protection. However, timing is everything: applying too early traps residual heat and moisture against the crown, encouraging fungal rot.

Wait until nighttime temperatures drop and the topsoil begins to freeze before applying a 2-3-inch (5-8cm) layer of loose organic mulch. Go for shredded bark, pine needles, or well-rotted leaf mold. Team favorite Back to the Roots Organic Premium Wood Mulch from Amazon is a dye-free bark mulch that insulates against freeze-thaw risks while preventing spring weeds. Just avoid piling mulch directly over the center of the crown. Keep it loosely brushed around the perimeter.

Trimming back foliage will mean that crowns become invisible beneath mulch. So drive some durable, weather-resistant garden markers into the soil directly beside each crown. Labeling prevents accidental spade damage when carrying out early spring digging and helps you track special cultivars like Patriot or June. It’s a good idea to take a picture of the ground with the markers, too, just in case.

6. Protect Container Hostas

Growing hostas in pots and urns is a fantastic way to brighten up shaded patios and porches. However, container-grown hostas face higher winter risks. Because potted soil lacks the insulating mass of earth, roots can get colder much faster and plants are more vulnerable during dormancy. Extreme temperature swings can crack pots and kill dormant crowns. So it’s a good idea to protect and overwinter potted hostas.

If you are in zones 3-6, extra winter protection is essential. Once foliage dies back and soil cools, move dormant pots into an unheated garage, garden shed, or cold frame where temperatures stay between 25°F and 40°F (-4°C to 4°C). You can use rolling plant caddies to move heavier pots, such as the Bloem 12-Inch Terracotta Caddy, available from Walmart, which has 75lb capacity.

Where indoor storage space isn't available, group pots tightly together against a warm house foundation. Wrap the exterior with bubble wrap or burlap, and top-dress with straw. Check potted soil once a month during winter, and apply a small splash of water if the soil becomes bone-dry, in order to prevent root desiccation.

These fall tasks are essential for keeping your hostas healthy, protecting crowns from freezing winter weather, and eliminating pest and disease harbors. Just one crisp October afternoon tidying up your shade beds will do wonders for protecting your plants over winter and ensuring they break dormancy with lush leaves next spring.

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Cardboard mulch is being championed as a sustainable, low-cost method to suppress weeds and lock moisture into soil, but did you know it can boost your harvest, too? A USDA-funded trial found cardboard mulching was not only highly effective at reducing weeds, but increased some vegetable crops by as much as 97%. Yep, you read that right.

A variety of crops were grown over different seasons in the two-year cardboard mulch trial, a collaboration between the University of Wyoming and the USDA’s Western SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) program. The growing conditions weren’t easy, either: the trial site of Sweet Hollow Farm in Victor, Idaho, sits in Zone 4 with a super-short growing season. Yet alongside impressive yield increases, results showed weed coverage in cardboard-mulched beds at just 15%, compared to 45% in beds that were tended using traditional tilling methods.

Impressed, I decided to test out the findings for myself and back in the summer I used old cardboard boxes to mulch my vegetable bed and sat back to see what happened. Now it’s October, and I can report that my veg bed is not only 95% free of weeds but I’ve enjoyed my best-ever harvest, I'm happy to vouch for using cardboard as a mulch if you're growing vegetables. I also discovered a few vital details that make a huge difference. So, if you want to try cardboard mulching yourself – and you absolutely should, because now we know a cardboard mulch does work – here’s what you need to know for great results.

1. Use Corrugated Cardboard

While you want to block sunlight to suppress weeds, it’s vital to allow both water and air through for healthy soil and happy roots, and corrugated cardboard makes the layer less dense. In the USDA-funded trial, two layers of corrugated cardboard were used to create a dense barrier to exhaust aggressive perennial weeds such as field bindweed. I only used one layer of corrugated cardboard and it still suppressed weeds well, and the soil beneath it still smells sweet.

I was concerned that water wouldn't penetrate the corrugated cardboard but sliding a long-probe moisture meter like this from Amazon into the soil reassured me that it did. In my very unscientific tests between this mulched bed and the unmulched bed beside it, I was pleased to see the cardboard layer kept the soil moisture level far more consistent, too.

2. Check Cardboard is Uncoated

An uncoated finish also helps soil and root health as the cardboard layer is more permeable and breathable. Another reason to avoid coated cardboard is that glossy or water-repellent finish is typically made up of synthetic polymers – use it as a mulch and you’ll inadvertently be adding microplastics to your soil.

It’s not always easy to spot coated cardboard as some have matt finishes, and you need to watch out for cardboard that’s had water-resistant additives mixed directly into the pulp during production, too. To test, put a drop of any cooking oil onto the cardboard: if it soaks right in, go ahead and use the cardboard; if it sits on the surface, that’s a sure sign the cardboard contains compounds you don’t want in your soil.

3. Only Use Brown Cardboard Printed With Black Ink

While plain cardboard is best, it’s fine to use cardboard that’s been printed with black ink as that’s likely water- or soy-based and will break down safely in soil. You’ll be happy to know that the black ink used on the 20 million standard Amazon packages sent out every day is plant-based. However, highly pigmented colored inks can contain synthetic compounds that you don’t want leaching into your soil.

Similarly, skip white cardboard as this goes through chemical bleaching processes, whereas standard brown cardboard is typically made from recycled paper fibres or raw wood pulp.

4. Remove All Labels and Tape

If you’re recycling boxes that arrived by mail, it’s vital to remove all tape and shipping labels before using. These products are designed to withstand weather and rough handling so don’t think they’re just paper. Standard thermal shipping labels contain synthetic chemicals that soil microbes struggle to break down, and research shows can be taken up by root crops. Some types of paper tape are reinforced with fiberglass, so remove every last bit.

Make it easier to peel off labels and tape, and their adhesive backing, by hosing the cardboard down first and leaving it to sit for five minutes.

You could also take a tip from the USDA-funded trial which re-used cardboard from a local craft brewery down the road, and ask local companies if they have some to recycle. Like the large cardboard slip-sheets used by the brewer to separate layers of beer cans during transit before being recycled in the trial, this packaging is likely to be free of labels or tape.

5. Overlap the Edges Well if You’re Dealing With Persistent Weeds

Running perennials like bindweed can travel horizontally in search of light, so overlap the edges of cardboard sheets by at least 6 inches to ensure they don’t find their way through the barrier.

6. Cover Cardboard With a Layer of Compost

In the USDA-funded trial, a 4-6-inch layer of compost was laid over the top of the cardboard sheets before planting began. A planting hole was then punched through the cardboard, into which a seedling was transplanted. So, while taproots and the lower root system grew into the ground to access moisture, the upper feeder roots grew into the compost layer that was rich in nutrients.

As well as the lack of competition from weeds and the extra moisture locked into the soil by the cardboard layer, trial yields were undoubtedly boosted by the added compost. Standout results included winter squash, where kabocha squash saw a 28% higher yield and spaghetti squash saw a 40% higher yield than the same crops in tilled control beds. Onions and shallots also fared exceptionally well with red onions seeing a 62% higher yield and shallots showing an increased yield of 97%.

Such a thick layer of compost wasn’t practical for my backyard veggie bed or my budget, so I experimented with leaving half of the bed with only the cardboard mulch, and half with a 2-inch layer of compost covering the cardboard layer. While weeds were effectively suppressed in both sides, and all plants cropped exceptionally well, the half with compost-covered cardboard was more productive when it came to crop yield.

I’m all for creating a low-maintenance garden with maximum reward for minimal effort, so I’ll definitely be using this method again. Though it took a little while to lay the cardboard mulch, I easily got that time back several times over because of the reduction in weeding and watering. It's also an easy way to increase the abundance of harvested crops in a small veggie bed like mine.

Cardboard boxes are a great resource for gardeners and can be used for all sorts of tasks from adding cardboard to balance plant material when composting to laying out sheets of cardboard to kill grass in preparation for a new border. Overall, a cardboard mulch made growing backyard veggies much easier, and as I usually mulch with compost once a year anyway, there was no cost but plenty of reward, and I recommend you give it a go.

October is a busy month for amaryllis. If a bulb has been resting dry in a closet or basement since late summer, it's close to being ready for another growth spurt. Other pots spent the summer on a deck or sunk into a garden bed, and those have different needs. What you do with amaryllis in October sets up this winter's flowers.

Amaryllis care this time of year depends on where the bulb spent the summer. Store-bought holiday amaryllis are Hippeastrum, tropical bulbs native to Central and South America, and frost will kill them. Soggy mix is the other big danger, since it can rot the bulb. For a dormant bulb, the main job is picking the right week to start it. A plant coming in from outdoors usually needs a rest before it will bloom again.

From the day it's potted and watered, a bulb usually needs six to eight weeks to flower, though some bloom faster and others lag. That puts mid-to-late October right in range for December flowers. Pot up a second bulb a week or two after the first, and the color can carry on into January – handy, since it also raises the odds of a bloom on Christmas morning. Here are the key steps to take to ensure holiday flowers.

1. Wake Dormant Bulbs at the Right Time

Stored bulbs benefit from a cool, dry rest before you encourage them to grow again, usually for about eight to 10 weeks. A bulb that went into storage in late August is probably ready now, while one stored in late September has only had a few weeks.

A green tip pushing up from the bulb's neck is a good sign that growth is restarting, although you don't need to wait for one to appear. Give the bulb a gentle squeeze, too. A healthy bulb should feel firm and solid, much like a good onion. Soft spots or fuzzy mold can indicate rot, particularly if the bulb feels mushy underneath. If it's still firm and healthy, it can stay in its old pot as long as the potting mix is in good condition.

2. Bring Outdoor Amaryllis Indoors Before Cold Weather

Amaryllis can't take frost, and temperatures under about 35°F (2°C) can injure the plant. Across much of the North, frost has already arrived by mid-October, while in warmer parts of Zone 8 and farther south, bulbs planted in the ground can often stay put under 2 to 3 inches (5–8 cm) of mulch. Bring potted bulbs inside when frost is in the forecast.

While you're moving your plants indoors, check the bulbs for signs of damage. Narcissus bulb fly (Merodon equestris) larvae sometimes tunnel into bulbs left outdoors over summer, and a bulb that gives under your thumb may be infested or rotting.

Once your potted amaryllis are safely indoors, think about how to prepare them for winter. Unlike bulbs bought specifically for Christmas flowering, those that have spent summer outdoors aren't necessarily on track for holiday blooms. If the foliage has naturally died back, a cool, dim rest at around 50 to 55°F (10–13°C) for eight to 10 weeks can help prepare them to flower again, although blooms may not appear until late winter. If the leaves are still green and healthy, however, there's no need to force dormancy.

3. Repot Only When Needed

An amaryllis flowers well in a snug pot, and a bulb can usually go three or four years before it needs a bigger one. A bulb pressing against the pot's side is one sign it's time to repot an amaryllis; roots poking out of the drainage holes are another. Replace old mix that stays wet for days, too.

The new pot should be only 1 to 2 inches (2.5–5 cm) wider than the bulb and about twice as tall, with a drainage hole. A fresh mix, like Espoma Organic All-Purpose Potting Mix (available on Amazon), gives the roots a clean start. How deep should the bulb go? At least the top third should stay above the soil line.

4. Start Watering Gradually

Water the pot well right after planting, then let it drain thoroughly. The bulb has no leaves yet and uses very little water, so you probably won't need to water again for at least a week. Check the mix first, though, and only add more water when it's starting to dry out. Keep it lightly moist rather than wet, and pour around the edge of the pot instead of directly onto the bulb.

When new growth reaches 2 to 3 inches (5–8 cm), the plant gets thirstier, so water whenever the top inch (2.5 cm) of the mix feels dry. The pot should never sit in standing water. A decorative outer pot with no drainage hole, such as this terracotta bowl planter from Wayfair, looks nicer than a saucer and can conceal the nursery pot inside. Just remember to tip out any water that collects.

5. Move It to a Bright, Warm Spot and Turn the Pot

While the stalk and leaves develop, amaryllis grow best at about 70 to 75°F (21–24°C) in a south-facing window with at least four hours of direct sun, away from heat vents. Days are short by late October, though – pale, floppy leaves are usually the first sign a window is coming up short.

On gray days, screw a full-spectrum LED grow bulb into a lamp near the plant. Home Depot carries one with a standard base. Give the pot a quarter turn every few days so the stalk grows straight. Once the buds swell, a tall stalk can get top-heavy and tip over. An inexpensive set of bamboo plant stakes with clips, like these from Amazon, will hold it up. Push the stake in near the rim, away from the bulb. The open flowers also last longer in a cooler spot out of direct sun.

6. Begin Feeding Once Growth Starts

So why not feed the bulb right away? Fertilizer on a bulb with no leaves can kill the roots, and nothing is growing yet to use it. If the flower stalk pushes up first, which happens often, keep waiting until the leaves join it. From there, a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer at about half strength every two weeks or so is plenty. Espoma organic indoor plant food, available on Amazon, is an even 2-2-2 formula. Keep feeding it after the flowers fade while the leaves rebuild the bulb for next year.

An amaryllis stalk can grow noticeably from one day to the next, and it's hard not to check on it every morning. After the flowers fade, cut off the stalk once it yellows and keep the leaves growing in a sunny window through spring and summer. Come next October, the same bulb can be ready for this list all over again.

Shop Amaryllis Bulbs

Canned beans, tomatoes, and soup move through plenty of kitchens at a steady clip, and the empties usually get a quick rinse before they go out with the recycling. At that point, old tin cans still have plenty of life left. They’re stiff, hold soil and water without leaking, and cost nothing after being discarded.

Cans make for one of the easiest garden recycling projects, and the basic projects need nothing fancier than a hammer, a nail, and a can opener. One can might hold a pepper seedling in March, then lose its bottom at transplant time and slip right back over that same plant as a cutworm collar. That’s a lot of mileage out of something headed for the curb.

I start my stash in fall. Soup and chili season brings in a steady supply, and a box of clean cans in the shed will be ready when seed starting rolls around in late winter. Some can go to work right away, too – as lanterns on chilly evenings or as a winter home for hollow stems cut back during fall cleanup.

Prep Every Can Before It Goes Outside

Clean cans first. Hot, soapy water and a bottle brush get the food out, and a soak loosens the label and glue. The edges are the real hazard. If you’ve got a smooth-edge can opener, like this Oxo Good Grips one on Amazon, use it, since it cuts through the side seam and leaves a dull lip. Regular openers leave a sharp ring. Pinch any jagged bits flat with pliers or take a file to them, and wear gloves for this part.

Won’t they rust? They will, eventually. On most cans, the “tin” is only a thin coating over steel, and rain and wet soil wear through it over time. That takes a while, and a can with a few orange spots still holds soil and water just fine for seasonal jobs. I paint the outside of any can that’ll sit out for a long stretch, and punch drainage holes so water doesn’t sit in the bottom. A can too far gone can usually still go in with the metal recycling.

Without further ado, in this latest installment of our Dirt Cheap Gardening series, here are my eight favorite ways to upcycle tin cans.

1. Start Seeds Without Buying Pots

Thin plastic cell packs can split or tip over, but a tin can is heavier and less likely to get knocked around. You can use cans to start seeds or root cuttings. Turn one upside down on a scrap board and tap a nail through the bottom in several spots to make drainage holes – a basic 16-ounce claw hammer, like this Irwin one from Amazon, is plenty for the job.

Fill your tin can pots with a light, sterile seed-starting mix, such as Espoma Organic Seed Starter from Walmart, instead of garden soil. Metal doesn’t breathe like terracotta, so feel the mix before you water. When it’s time to transplant, cut the bottom out with the can opener and push the root ball up and out.

2. Use Tin Cans as Pest Deterrents

A tin can can help protect seedlings from a few garden pests, although it won’t keep them all away. Burying a can around a young plant may make it harder for slugs to reach, but they may still climb over it, so don’t rely on it as a dependable barrier.

Where a can collar is more useful is against cutworms. These caterpillars hide in the soil by day and chew through young stems at ground level after dark. Cut a can open at both ends, slip it over the seedling, and press it 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) into the soil, leaving a couple of inches above ground. Put it in place when you plant, while the seedling is most vulnerable.

You can also hang cans near vulnerable plants as a makeshift bird scare. Moving, clattering cans may startle birds, but the effect can wear off as they get used to them, so treat it as a short-term deterrent. Perhaps try alternating tin cans with a predator decoy, like the Dalen Lifelike Great Horned Owl Decoy Bird Repellent on Amazon.

3. Keep Things Organized

My potting benches end up buried under twine, plant labels, and hand tools. A few cans fix that for free. Drop a ball of garden twine (like this PerkHomy green jute twine from Amazon) into one can, and it won’t roll off the bench anymore. Put labels and pencils in the next can, and pruners and a trowel in the one after that. Mark each one with a weatherproof Garden Marker pen (on Amazon) so you don’t have to guess later. Nail them to the shed wall through the back.

4. Use it as a Compost or Fertilizer Scoop

Bare hands make a mess of granular fertilizer, bone meal, and compost, and a clean can scoops them out without bending or cracking the way a plastic cup might. Make it do double duty. Pour a measured cup of water in, scratch a line at the waterline with a nail, and you’ve got a rough measuring cup for any rates listed in cups. Keep a second can just for compost.

Fertilizer residue can speed up rust, so knock the scoop clean after each use, store it dry, and never bring it back into the kitchen.

5. Create a Mini Herb Planter

Thyme, chives, and oregano stay compact enough to grow in a can on a sunny windowsill or balcony rail. Get the drainage holes in first, then paint the outside. Home Depot stocks Rust-Oleum Stops Rust spray paint in gloss white, and white is the better pick for a patio since dark cans heat up fast in full sun.

Skip painting the inside, and let the paint cure before you plant. This time of year, aim for a south- or west-facing window. In summer, a can on a hot patio can dry out quickly.

6. Make DIY Lanterns for Fall Evenings

Punched-tin lanterns throw speckled light across a patio table, and they’re a nice touch now that it gets dark earlier. Freeze a can full of water first. The ice keeps the walls from denting while you tap a nail through them in dots, swirls or stars. Once it thaws, dry it and paint it if you like, then drop in a battery-operated LED tea light, which you can get from Walmart in a pack of 12. An LED carries far less fire risk than a candle if wind tips a lantern into dry leaves. Thread wire through two holes near the rim to hang it.

7. Build a Bug Hotel for Solitary Bees

Many native bees are solitary and nest alone in narrow tunnels rather than hives. A tall can filled with hollow stems gives them just that. Fall cleanup supplies the material. Bamboo, reeds, and the hollow or pithy stems of sunflowers, sumac, or raspberries all work in mixed widths. Cut them a little shorter than the can so the rim shelters the openings, keep a closed node at the back when possible, and pack them in tight. Keep the bundle dry over winter.

Around the last spring frost, mount the can on its side about 5 feet (1.5 m) up, facing southeast. Replace the stems every one to three years to keep mites and fungal disease from building up.

8. Make Plant Labels

The other ideas on this list use the cans, but this one makes use of the lids by turning them into plant labels. Flatten each lid carefully, then write the plant name on it with a permanent marker. You can attach it to a wooden stick or tie it to a plant support with garden twine. The metal stands up to rain better than paper labels, and you’re giving a useful second life to something that might otherwise go in the recycling. Be careful handling the edges, which can be sharp.

Clean cans don’t take up much room on a shed shelf, and they keep a lot of little purchases off the shopping list. Start a stack this fall, and by seed-starting season there’ll be one ready for nearly every job!