Latest articles by Amy Draiss
-
7 Kitchen Scraps You Should Save for Backyard Birds This Fall – Give Them a Helping Hand as Temperatures DropWhile every bird feeder needs a few commercial staples, some bird-friendly nibbles may already be in your kitchen. Treat your birdies to these quick and nourishing scraps
-
Remove These 7 Flower Thugs Before They Self-Seed Everywhere – Or You’ll Be Digging Them Up Next YearEven the loveliest flowering ornamentals can cause problems if left to self-seed. Fall is the time to remove these key bloomers before they take over your backyard
-
Don’t Leave These 7 Bulbs and Tubers in the Ground Over Winter – Lift Them Now Before Your Soil FreezesThe next few weeks can make or break some of your favorite bulbs and tubers so don’t leave things to chance and lose next year’s blooms to extreme winter cold. Lift these 7 gorgeous garden classics to safeguard your future flowers
-
What Your Mums Need in October – 5 Secrets to Better Blooms This Fall and Next YearWhether you are looking to extend the flowering season of your fall favorites or encourage the strongest plants through winter, these tasks are key to years of gorgeous mum blooms
-
What Your Hostas Need in October – 6 Easy Ways to Guarantee Strong Plants and Lush LeavesWhile October signals dormancy for hostas, there are some very easy things you can do this month to give your leafy beauties a head start next year
-
What Your Thanksgiving Cactus Needs in October – 5 Easy Steps for Gorgeous Flowers that Last for LongerYour Thanksgiving cactus deserves its moment in the spotlight this holiday season, so make sure you have ticked off these easy jobs to enjoy weeks of festive blooms
-
I Managed a Garden Center for Years – and I Know These 6 Plants Give You the Biggest Bang for Your BuckSome plants earn their place many times over. These hardworking favorites deliver lasting color, impressive growth, and years of enjoyment.
-
Every Garden Needs One Plant That Makes It Feel More Private – These 7 Beauties Give You Year-Round CoverWhile fall brings out gorgeous colors, it can also signal leaf drop, so this time of year is vital for adding plants that offer privacy – and these look lovely doing it!
-
7 Underrated Perennials to Plant in October – For The Gorgeous Fall Color You Never Knew You Were MissingFor many, fall flowers usually mean mums or asters – but there are other blooms that are equally stunning, and you can plant all these fabulous flowering perennials this month
-
I’ve Used These Fiskars Pruners for 5 Years – They’re the Only Pair I Trust With My Precious HydrangeasI put these bestselling Fiskars bypass pruners through years of real garden tasks to see whether they live up to their outstanding reputation.
-
Garden Mythbusters: Is Fall Rain Enough for Newly Planted Shrubs and Trees? The Truth About WateringFall drizzle can trick you into rolling up the hose early, but do seasonal showers actually soak deep roots? Here’s why newly planted trees and shrubs need targeted watering until the ground freezes
-
7 Gorgeous Plants to Grow Near Your Front Door in Fall – To Boost Your Curb Appeal Right Through to WinterThe best entrances balance welcoming warmth for guests with unforgettable curb appeal for passersby. These cold-hardy container heroes bring instant color, rich foliage texture, and non-stop seasonal drama to your porch and doorway
-
Former Garden Center Manager Reveals the Best Time to Buy Plants for the Biggest Deals at the NurseryIn our latest installment of Garden Center Secrets, Amy Draiss, a former garden center manager shares the best time to go plant shopping for the biggest deals.
-
September is the Best Month to Attract Hummingbirds – 5 Easy Ways to Bring More Tiny Travelers to Your YardAs the great hummingbird migration ramps up this September, take a few minutes to carry out these simple tasks. That way, you can keep tiny travelers safe, fueled, and resting happily in your yard this fall
-
Garden Mythbusters: Do Pine Needles Make Your Soil Dangerously Acidic? Here’s How to Use Them with ConfidencePine needles are widely misunderstood due to rumors they can wreck soil pH, but how dangerous are they, really? We uncover the comforting reality behind the myth
-
Stop Growing These 6 Vegetables in the Ground – They Grow Better in Containers for Longer, Tastier HarvestsWhile container vegetables might often feel like the supporting act for a dedicated vegetable patch, these veg superstars thrive in pots, extend your harvest window, and give peak flavors through fall
-
Forget Mums! These 5 Low Maintenance Container Combos Bring Fresh Curbside Color that Lasts Through FallWhy go for the predictable potted options? If you want easy fall wins for pots, these gorgeous drought-tolerant combinations will dazzle all season long. Move over, mums!
-
Garden Mythbusters: Does the Pointy End of a Bulb Really Need to Face Up When You Plant It?The "pointy end up" rule has dominated fall bulb planting for generations, but what really happens when it goes in differently? If you don’t know which way is best, this will put you right…
