Pollinators make our world go round. And those of us who keep gardens have a real chance to do something to help bees and butterflies. The best way to do so is by planting the pollinator plants to feed them throughout the whole year. Sure, we can plant flowers in spring. But it’s also possible to install nectar-rich plants into the landscape in September.

So what are some of the best fall-blooming pollinator plants? Luckily, you have more than a few to choose from. To choose the right ones for the autumn landscape, though, you should select resilient perennials that bloom in the cool season and provide essential late-season food for bees and butterflies.

Here are the best plants to provide a fall feast for pollinators in your garden.

1. Asters

Are asters the best fall perennial plants for autumn? A good argument can be made that they are. Asters offer lovely daisy-like blooms in purples, pinks, and blues. These flowers offer essential late-season nectar to feed both bees and migrating butterflies. In fact, they are pollinator magnets from late summer into November.

There are a number of aster varieties, some growing to 6 feet (2 m) tall, but all are exceptional perennial plants for autumn planting. Asters don’t like hot, sunny sites, but they do need some sunshine and well-draining soil. They do best in regions with cool, moist summers and cool nights.

If you are transplanting young plants, do it in spring once all chance of frost is gone. But early September is the perfect time to transplant mature asters in containers you bought at the garden center.

Explore unique native aster plants from American Meadows online.

2. 'Autumn Joy' Sedum

It’s hard to think of a desirable attribute for a fall-blooming perennial that doesn’t apply to ‘Autumn Joy’ sedum. It’s hardy, adapts to cold climates and hot ones. It's also drought tolerant and lovely, offering thick flower clusters in autumn that are magnets for butterflies and beneficial insects during the cooler months after summer. They bloom after most summer flowers fade, providing interest into fall and early winter.

This sedum is a clump-forming succulent perennial beloved for its huge flowerheads that appear from late summer into fall. It’s a real color-show of a plant with green flower buds in late spring that open to pink flowers in summer. These deepen to rosy, coppery and bronze tones as fall arrives. And best of all, Autumn Joy provides vital late-season nectar and pollen for pollinators, including bees and butterflies.

You can find Autumn Joy sedum plants online for under $10 from American Meadows.

3. Butterfly Bush

Butterflies love butterfly bush – as the common name suggests. But this is not a one-pollinator shrub. Its panicles contain hundreds of nectar-filled florets. These bright flowers in purple, pink, and blue also draw in bees with their sweet honey fragrance. Some butterfly bush varieties have flower spikes almost a foot long and many bloom straight though the summer to the first frost.

Butterfly bush grows fast, making it weedy and even invasive in some parts of the country (check your local extension office before planting). It’s a perennial shrub with arching stems and a bushy habit. These shrubs offer an abundant late-season nectar source for fall pollinators when other garden flowers fade. Pollinators like monarch butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees will certainly be grateful!

The dark and moody 'Black Knight' butterfly bush from Trees.com (formerly Fast Growing Trees) adds a Halloween-y touch to the fall landscape.

4. Goldenrod

Goldenrod, with its bright yellow blossoms, is a favorite fall-pollinator plant in Europe, but less popular in the United States – and that’s our loss. But wait, you say. Isn’t goldenrod the plant that causes hay fever and makes you sneeze? Nope! That’s a myth that is more accurately attached to ragweed, which blooms around the same time

Goldenrod blooms from late summer and keeps those flowers coming right through the first frost. Its flowers are loaded with nectar and heavy, sticky pollen that's available to bees and butterflies when most other flowers have faded. In fact, dozens of bee species rely heavily on goldenrod pollen. This plant also supports dozens of species of native moth and butterfly caterpillars, which are essential food for songbirds.

Find the perfect goldenrod species for your yard from High Country Gardens.

5. Joe-Pye Weed

Joe-pye weed may not be the most gorgeous plant in the garden, but it's a powerhouse pollinator perennial. Its small, fragrant flowers are arranged in large, domed flower clusters that smell like vanilla. They are loaded with nectar that provides high-energy food for pollinators in late summer and fall. It’s a late-season lifeline for autumn pollinators, appearing just as other summer flowers fade.

This plant is one of the primary foods of monarch butterflies getting ready for the long trip south for winter. But it also is a staple for bumblebees and hummingbirds. As fall merges into winter, the dried seedheads offer foraging material for wild birds and beneficial insects as well.

Explore native Joe-pye weed plants online from American Meadows.

It's been almost a month since we lost Dolly Parton, but the tributes and memories are still pouring in. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more universally-loved and sincerely missed public figure.

It'd be easy to gush about Dolly's musical genius or her incredible work supporting children's literacy, but plenty of other writers are doing that. This is Gardening Know How, after all, so I want to talk to you about flowers. Wildflowers, to be precise.

Wildflowers Don't Care Where They Grow

Welcome back to Quote of the Week, where I pick out garden-related celebrity quotes and examine the wisdom behind them and the impact they can have on our lives. This week's pick isn't a quote, per se – it's a whole song.

In 1987 Dolly Parton wrote the song "Wildflowers" for the album Trio, a supergroup endeavor she recorded with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris. Here it is for your listening pleasure:

The song tells the story of a flower that sprouts in a field where it doesn't fit in. One day the flower uproots itself and takes off on the wind, ready to tackle the mysteries the world has in store for it.

It doesn't take a literature degree to tell that Dolly isn't singing about actual flowers here. She was famously born into a poor family, one child of twelve living in a one-room cabin in rural Tennessee. Buoyed by her grit, musical ability, and business acumen, she took off to tackle the music industry, building a successful career that spanned the better part of a century.

So the Garden One Day Set Me Free

While her song may express a need to break free, Dolly never spoke badly of her upbringing. She's described her father as one of the smartest people she ever knew, and credits her mother with her musical talent. The song even gives a nod to the way she was raised, crediting it with her toughness and ability to survive:

That's what the song "Wildflowers" is really about – setting out to pursue your dreams, but also being adaptable. You can't expect the world to cater to you or treat you like you're special. (We're not talking about high-maintenance plants here). If you go with the flow and let the wind carry you, you just might have a successful life free from regrets. It certainly seems to have worked for Dolly.

Grow Your Own Wildflowers

If you know your state bird (and I suspect you do), then I bet you've wondered what you can plant to make your state's official bird feel more at home in your yard?

Who wouldn't want to attract more birds to their garden? Whether your state bird is a bright red northern cardinal, a cheeky Carolina wren or the rather more unusual cactus wren, the right plants can provide one of the three most important things that all birds need: food, shelter, and somewhere to nest or shelter.

And guess what? You don't need a big backyard to make a bird sanctuary; the trick is choosing plants that work with the bird you're hoping to see. While some state birds will happily feast on berries and seeds, others are more interested in the insects living among native trees and shrubs, and a few... well, a few are, admittedly, are rather harder to tempt into an ordinary garden.

What To Plant For Your State Bird

You know your birth month bird, but do you know your state bird? And, more importantly, do you know how to attract them?

To help you out, scroll down, find your state and see which plants could help make your yard more inviting to its official feathered resident. (Just remember that several states share the same official bird, so look for the information in bold)

Northern Flicker

Alabama

Alabama's state bird is the northern flicker (also known as the yellowhammer), and, unlike many seed-eating backyard birds, these beauties spend plenty of time foraging on the ground for ants and other insects, so a bird-friendly garden doesn't need to be all about bird feeders.

Native trees such as oak, hackberry and serviceberry can help create the kind of habitat flickers use, while leaving some natural leaf litter and mature trees in place can provide additional foraging opportunities.

Willow Ptarmigan

Alaska

The Willow Ptarmigan is Alaska's official state bird, which means it is rather different from the backyard songbirds on this list. In fact, it is closely associated with tundra, shrublands and willow habitats, so the best way to support it is to think about native habitat rather than ornamental garden plants.

Native willows and birch, along with naturally occurring berry-producing shrubs (something like black chokeberry works beautifully), can provide food and cover where they are appropriate to the local landscape.

Cactus Wren

Arizona

If Arizona's cactus wren is your state bird, your garden doesn't need to look like a traditional flower border; in fact, native cacti and desert shrubs can provide shelter, nesting opportunities and food, making them far more useful than thirsty ornamental plants. Prickly pear is particularly valuable in the Southwest, with some species producing fruit that birds eat.

The trick is to work with the desert habitat you already have rather than trying to recreate an eastern-style garden (and, as an added bonus, native plants adapted to Arizona's conditions can provide food and cover while using considerably less water).

Try something like the organ plant cactus if you want a true statement plant.

Northern Mockingbird

Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas

Five states have chosen the Northern Mockingbird as their official bird, making it one of the most widely shared state birds in the country.

One of the easiest ways to make your yard more appealing to mockingbirds is to provide native berry-producing shrubs.

American beautyberry is an excellent choice in appropriate parts of the South, while other native fruiting shrubs can provide food at different times of year. Mockingbirds also eat insects, so a diverse planting that supports insect life is more useful than a garden that has been scrubbed completely clean.

California Quail

California

California's state bird is the California quail, and these ground-dwelling birds spend a lot of their time foraging and nesting on or near the ground (flying? Not so much their scene), so dense, low-growing habitat is particularly useful.

Try combining ornamental grasses with low-growing shrubs and groundcover to provide food and places to hide. Dense native vegetation can give quail somewhere to shelter from predators while producing seeds and insects for them to forage... and, while you might love a neat lawn, they certainly do not.

Lark Bunting

Colorado

Colorado's lark bunting is a prairie bird, so the best planting strategy is to think less about flower borders and more about native grasses and open prairie plants.

Allowing native grasses and seed-producing plants to remain standing can provide food and cover, while a more naturalistic planting can support the insects birds need during the breeding season.

For this bird, a little wildness is very much a good thing. Try mixing the following:

American Robin

Connecticut, Michigan and Wisconsin

American Robins are famously adaptable, but they're not simply lawn birds. They eat huge numbers of invertebrates as well as fruit, and in winter they make greater use of berry-producing trees and shrubs.

Try planting serviceberry, hawthorn or other native fruiting plants suited to your region. These can provide berries later in the year while also adding useful structure to the garden. Personally, though, I love a dogwood.

And if you're hoping to see robins hunting for worms, keeping at least some healthy lawn or open ground can help too.

Blue Hen Chicken

Delaware

This one comes with a rather important caveat; Delaware's state bird is the blue hen chicken, a domestic breed rather than a wild bird that you can realistically lure into your backyard with a particular plant (not without annoying your poultry-rearing neighbors, anyway).

So instead of promising a magic chicken-attracting shrub, use this as an opportunity to create a generally wildlife-friendly garden with grasses, shrubs and fruiting plants. Because, if your actual goal is attracting wild birds, those same plants will be considerably more useful.

Brown Thrasher

Georgia

The state bird of Georgia, brown thrashers like dense cover, leaf litter and places where they can forage, making them a good match for a slightly less manicured garden.

Plant native berry-producing shrubs and allow some fallen leaves and natural groundcover to remain. Dense shrubs can provide shelter, while fruit and the insects living among native vegetation provide food.

It's another excellent excuse not to make every inch of the garden look like a golf course (and rest on your laurels a bit rather than whip the lawn mower out every five seconds).

Nēnē

Hawaii

Hawaii's official state bird is the nēnē, or Hawaiian Goose, and this is another bird where habitat is more important than choosing one ornamental garden plant.

For gardeners in Hawaii, prioritize native Hawaiian plants appropriate to your island and habitat. Native vegetation can provide food and shelter while helping preserve the ecosystems this endemic species depends on.

This isn't a case where planting one particular shrub will bring a nēnē to your yard; try to think habitat restoration rather than backyard bird attraction.

Mountain Bluebird

Idaho and Nevada

Mountain bluebirds are associated with open country, so a garden that combines native grasses with berry-producing shrubs can provide more useful habitat than a densely planted border.

Serviceberry is one option where it is native and suited to local conditions (and, hey, there is a great deal on the Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry at Nature Hills right now). Otherwise, native shrubs can provide fruit, while grasses and open ground create foraging habitat.

The important thing is to choose species native to your particular part of Idaho or Nevada rather than assuming a plant is suitable statewide.

Northern Cardinal

Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia

If you're hoping to attract your state's official bird, cardinals are probably one of the easiest birds on this list to garden for. They're the state bird of seven states, more than any other species, and n wonder; they look stunning!

To tempt them into your yard, try planting hawthorn, dogwood, serviceberry, hackberry, sumac or other native fruiting and seed-producing plants. Cardinals eat plenty of seeds and fruit, too, which means you should have luck if you keep feeders topped up, too:

American Goldfinch

Iowa, New Jersey and Washington

The American goldfinch is a particularly easy state bird to garden for because its favorite foods are so closely tied to plants.

Plant native thistles, sunflowers, asters and other seed-producing plants, and resist the temptation to cut every seedhead down as soon as flowering finishes. After all, goldfinches eat seeds almost exclusively (although they also use shrubs and small trees for nesting).

Basically, consider this permission to leave the slightly untidy seedhead you were about to cut down out for your feathered friends.

Western Meadowlark

Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon and Wyoming

Six states share the western meadowlark, another state bird that makes a strong case for replacing some manicured lawn with native prairie grasses.

Choose something like Golden Sunset™ Yellow Prairie Grass from Nature Hills or any other plants suited to your local prairie ecosystem, allowing them to provide seeds, insects and cover. This isn't a bird that needs a carefully designed flower bed; keep things natural and relaxed.

Brown Pelican

Louisiana

Louisiana's state bird is the brown pelican, and you're unlikely to attract one by adding a shrub to your backyard. Instead, gardeners near suitable coastal or wetland habitat can support birds by planting native coastal and wetland vegetation and protecting existing habitat (sign up for something like the Wetlands America Trust).

The trick is to think bigger than the individual garden; native plants can help provide food, shelter and nesting habitat for birds, while healthy coastal vegetation also supports the wider ecosystem on which waterbirds depend. Win win!

Black-capped Chickadee

Maine and Massachusetts

Black-capped chickadees are some of the cutest state birds around, so do them a favor and gift them trees and shrubs; they can use both for both food and shelter.

Try native birch, serviceberry, dogwood and other trees and shrubs suited to your area. Native plants support insects as well as producing seeds and fruit, giving chickadees more than one reason to investigate.

A layered garden with trees, shrubs and lower planting? Way more valuable than a lawn surrounded by isolated ornamental plants.

Baltimore Oriole

Maryland

Baltimore orioles have a serious sweet tooth. They seek out ripe fruit, nectar and insects, and thus are way more likely to visit gardens filled with plants such as raspberries, crabapples and trumpet vines (this Summer Jazz™ Fire Trumpet Vine from Nature Hills is great for privacy, too!).

For a more wildlife-friendly garden, choose native fruiting trees and shrubs suited to your area, particularly those that produce dark-colored ripe fruit. Mind you, if you already have a mature fruiting tree, don't be surprised if an oriole finds it before you do.

Common Loon

Minnesota

Minnesota's common loon is another state bird that requires a slight change of thinking. Rather than trying to attract a loon to a residential garden, focus on protecting and restoring native shoreline and aquatic vegetation if you live near suitable loon habitat.

Honestly, healthy lakes and shorelines matter far more than any particular garden plant this this wonderful bird.

Purple Finch

New Hampshire

Purple finches use a mixture of woodland, shrubland and garden habitat, making a diverse planting particularly useful. Think birches, conifers and berry-producing shrubs, as these can prove a triple threat in terms of seeds, fruit, cover and nesting opportunities.

Greater Roadrunner

New Mexico

New Mexico's greater roadrunner is another state bird that appreciates a garden with a little more wild character; so, plant native desert shrubs and cacti to provide cover and support the insects, lizards and other small prey that roadrunners hunt.

Rather than filling a desert yard with exotic ornamental plants, work with the vegetation that naturally belongs there. Native Southwestern plants can provide food and shelter while also being better adapted to local heat and drought.

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Oklahoma

The scissor-tailed flycatcher is an insect-eating bird, so planting for it is less about berries and more about creating habitat that supports insects. With that in mind, then, choose native trees and shrubs suited to Oklahoma, and let your garden get a little more interesting. Eastern red cedar, American plum, serviceberry and roughleaf dogwood are all worth a look, and you certainly don't need to plant them in matching rows.

A mixture of trees, shrubs and smaller plants creates a much livelier garden, supporting far more insect life than a highly simplified landscape. And that's good news for insect-eating birds, which suddenly have somewhere to hunt, hide and raise a family.

Ruffed Grouse

Pennsylvania

Ruffed Grouse are woodland birds, so gardeners in Pennsylvania should think less about pristine borders and more about creating the kind of slightly untidy woodland edge a grouse might actually appreciate. Serviceberry (again!), American hazelnut, dogwood and viburnum (especially this Brandywine™ Viburnum from Nature Hills) are all useful native choices, providing berries, cover and plenty of opportunities for birds to forage.

Don't worry about everything looking perfectly manicured, either. A mixture of young trees, mature vegetation, fallen branches and dense shrubs creates a much more useful habitat than a garden where every inch is neatly trimmed.

In other words, this is one bird that may genuinely appreciate you leaving things a little wild. And, frankly, that's a gardening style I can get behind.

Rhode Island Red Hen

Rhode Island

Like Delaware's blue hen, Rhode Island's official state bird is a domestic chicken breed rather than a wild bird you can tempt into the garden with one magical plant. Still, think about creating a varied planting of little bluestem, American beautyberry, serviceberry and native sunflowers, giving visiting birds a mixture of seeds, berries, cover and places to forage.

And if you happen to keep Rhode Island Reds yourself? Why, that's a whole different gardening problem. Those ladies have their own opinions about what belongs in a flower bed.

Carolina Wren

South Carolina

Carolina wrens love dense, brushy habitat, making them an excellent candidate for the slightly informal garden. Wax myrtle, American holly (go for the self-pollinating Royal Family Holly Combo from Nature Hills), yaupon holly and native dogwood can all help create the thick cover these busy little birds appreciate, while also offering food and shelter for other garden visitors.

Don't be too quick to remove every fallen branch, twig or patch of natural vegetation, either. Carolina Wrens hunt among dense foliage for insects and use thick vegetation for shelter and nesting, so a garden that's a little rough around the edges can actually work in your favor.

In fact, that messy corner you've been meaning to tidy up? It could be exactly what your state bird wants.

Ring-necked Pheasant

South Dakota

Ring-necked pheasants aren't looking for a perfectly manicured flower bed. They're birds of grasslands, farmland and scrubby edges, where food and cover are often found side by side.

If you're gardening in a suitable rural area, think in terms of layers rather than landscaping. Native grasses, shrubs and dense vegetation can provide places to feed, shelter and hide, while patches of open ground give these ground-dwelling birds room to move around. So don't worry about creating a garden that looks polished from every angle; for a ring-necked pheasant, a little bit of a scruffiness may look a lot more inviting than a pristine border ever could.

Ring-billed Gull

Utah

Utah's state bird is the ring-billed gull, which presents a slightly different gardening challenge. Unless your backyard happens to come with a lake attached, you're probably not going to tempt one in with a particularly enticing flower bed.

Near suitable water, native shoreline and wetland plants can help support the wider ecosystem that gulls and other waterbirds rely on. But if your garden is nowhere near the habitat these birds prefer? Well, don't feel obliged to start landscaping like a lakeside resort. Instead, plant for the birds that actually live around you.

Honestly, a diverse native garden can provide food, shelter and nesting opportunities for plenty of local species, even if Utah's official feathered mascot remains firmly elsewhere.

Hermit Thrush

Vermont

Hermit thrushes aren't really border-and-lawn birds. They're woodland dwellers, so the more your garden can resemble a little slice of Vermont woodland edge, the better.

Keep mature trees where you can, then build up the layers beneath them with native shrubs, berry-producing plants and other woodland-friendly vegetation. That gives hermit thrushes somewhere to forage, shelter and move through the garden without everything feeling too exposed.

Think less “collection of ornamental plants” and more tiny woodland with a few gaps for you to enjoy, too!

Remember, attracting birds isn't only about food; native trees, shrubs, grasses and flowers can provide nesting sites, shelter from predators and weather, and the insects birds need to feed their young.

So whether your state bird is a cardinal, goldfinch, bluebird or something considerably less likely to visit a suburban backyard, the same principle applies: plant for habitat, not just for the bird. And if your state isn't represented here because it doesn't have an official state bird, don't let that stop you! A garden planted with native trees, shrubs, grasses and flowers can and will still welcome plenty of local birds, whether your state has given one of them an official title or not.

A garden full of feathered friends? Well worth the effort, quite frankly!

Every night through September, millions of songbirds pass silently overhead on their epic journey south. As dawn breaks, they drop into backyards searching for food to help them refuel before the next leg of their flight. At the same time, resident birds are stocking up energy reserves to survive the cold months ahead. What they need is fat, and they need it fast, at the point in the season when insects are thinning out and the wild larder is running low. This is where black oil sunflower seed can help.

Among all the seeds a gardener can harvest or buy, black oil sunflower seed stands out as the ultimate cold-weather superfood. Whether already available in your homegrown plants or added specifically to feeders, it’s something of a superseed for hungry birds this month. Among birdseed plants a gardener can grow, it's the standout because it’s about as close to concentrated fuel as a birdie can get.

While striped sunflower seeds have thick, tough hulls, black oil seeds have paper-thin shells surrounding high-calorie treats. This makes them irresistible for both migratory VIPs and year-round backyard species, especially as other natural wild food sources are beginning to wane. Stocking these seeds this month provides immediate relief for birds burning massive calories. Here’s how black oil sunflower seeds can support your feathered friends this fall.

Why These Seeds are Best

The secret to the black oil sunflower seed’s superiority lies in its packaging and content. Compared to traditional striped sunflower seeds, black oil seeds such as the great-value Happy Wings Black Oil Sunflower Seeds from Amazon feature thinner hulls. This means small-billed songbirds like chickadees will spend far less energy cracking open the shells, allowing them to absorb the goodies rapidly during high-stress migration and fall foraging. While hulled sunflowers offer convenience, they lack protective shells, so they can spoil faster and harbor dangerous bacteria when damp. So to feed birds effectively this fall, whole black oil seeds strike the perfect balance between easy opening and long-term feeder freshness.

Inside each black oil sunflower shell sits a kernel bred specifically for oil extraction, yielding a dense concentration of crude fat and essential protein. A US Fish and Wildlife Service feeding trial found that black oil sunflower seeds consistently beat striped sunflower seeds and white proso millet across nearly all songbird species. To inspect seed quality or seed hulls before filling your hoppers, use a high-clarity magnifier like the TechShare Magnifying Glass with Light, available from Amazon, to make sure you actually are dishing up the right seeds for the season.

Birds that Crave These Seeds

Early fall brings a fascinating mix of migrants and resident birds to feeding stations, each drawn to black oil seeds for specific reasons. Migratory VIPs like rose-breasted grosbeaks have heavy, conical beaks designed to crush hulls with ease, making a high-fat tray feeder their ultimate fuel stop before flying south. Purple finches travel in flocks, relying on the seed's dense fat content to sustain rapid body heat.

Red-breasted nuthatches, blessed with nimble, gripping feet and light weights, can effortlessly snatch a kernel, carry it to a nearby branch, and stash it in bark crevices for winter survival. Most move at night and drop in at dawn, so a full feeder at first light really earns its place.

Resident species benefit just as heavily from black oil seeds, as they prepare for the colder months ahead. Northern cardinals visit feeders during low-light hours at dawn and dusk, while black-capped chickadees and tufted titmice work relentlessly throughout the day, shuttling back and forth when they know there’s a hearty sunflower seed stash to enjoy.

The Cornell Lab's seed preference chart marks black oil sunflower acceptable to all nine feeder groups it tracks, chickadees through to doves. Nothing else on that chart comes close to the same spread, so one feeder and one seed type makes a huge impact. To spot arriving migrants from your window, keep a pair of high-clarity optics handy. The National Geographic 8x42 Binoculars from Walmart are great value and offer crisp, wide field viewing for tracking bird movements.

Harvesting Sunflower Heads

If you grew tall annual sunflowers this summer, you may already have a generous stash of black-oil superseeds ready to go. Heavy-yielding varieties like Peredovik or classic giant sunflower varieties like Mammoth Grey Stripe produce the oil-dense dark kernels birds crave. However, decorative varieties like Velvet Queen or pollenless types like ProCut either produce empty shells or tough, thick-hulled seeds that offer far fewer calories. So make sure you have the right seeds for your birds.

September is the prime harvest season for sunflower seeds. Heads are ready when the back of the flower shifts from green to a rich yellow or brown, the petals dry and drop, and the seeds look plump, sitting loose in the central disc. Birds usually spot this maturity before we do, so a sudden rush of finch traffic on a head is your cue. To protect ripening heads from eager squirrels, slip a paper bag or cheesecloth bag or similar over the head when the petals brown. You can buy Cotton Farm Cheesecloth Bags from Amazon. Secure it with a soft tie to buy a few extra days of ripening, while stopping seeds from hitting the dirt.

When ready, cut the stem leaving about 12 inches (30cm) of stalk. Use sharp Fiskars Titanium Micro-Tip Pruning Shears from The Home Depot for clean stem cuts. Then hang the head upside down somewhere warm, dry, and airy, with no rodents in residence. Give it 3 weeks to cure, or longer in a damp spell. Seeds drop on their own, so placing a catch bin or bag underneath saves sweeping later.

Whatever seeds stay put will come loose easily if the head gets knocked against a table edge or rubbed hard against a second head. Just make sure everything is bone dry before storage, because damp seed molds quickly, and moldy seed is far worse for birds than no seed at all.

Best Ways to Offer Black Oil Seeds

Tube feeders, platform trays, and suet cages are all great ways to dish up your black oil sunflower seeds. Hanging tube feeders are the safest default, mainly because they keep seed dry. Moisture is one of the real hazards at a feeder, since wet grain grows mold that can sicken birds. A tube also stops one determined jay emptying the lot in a single sitting. The Woodlink Seed Tube Feeder from The Home Depot is great for finches, nuthatches and chickadees, and hangs off a shepherd's hook or a low branch without fuss. Small perching birds like black-capped chickadees, pine siskins, and American goldfinches thrive on narrow tube perches.

Bigger autumn visitors like grosbeaks and cardinals prefer broader perching space. Setting out a wooden mesh tray like the Kingsyard Platform Bird Feeder from Walmart allows larger species to dine comfortably, while the mesh base ensures that rainwater drains away instantly after rain instead of holding a puddle.

For a high-energy treat, mix homegrown seeds into melted beef fat and chill in a mold to create suet cakes. These will go down a storm with tufted titmice and white-breasted nuthatches. If you prefer convenience, hang a pre-made C&S Sunflower Treat Suet Cake from Amazon inside a metal wire cage feeder. Finally, observe the 3/30 rule when putting out feeders for the fall frenzy. Place them within 3 feet (1m) of windows or beyond 30 feet (9m) to prevent fatal glass collisions.

Complement Your Sunflower Buffet

While black oil sunflower seed is the undisputed star of fall feeding, pairing your seed stations with natural garden forage creates a complete wildlife habitat. Leaving spent perennials standing provides essential foraging opportunities. Goldfinches and native sparrows will happily pick seeds out of dried coneflower (echinacea) and black-eyed Susan (rudbeckia) heads well into winter.

Planting berry-bearing shrubs can also help to pull in a different crowd. Soft-billed American robins, cedar waxwings, and hermit thrushes mostly ignore seed hoppers but will clear a fruit-laden branch in an afternoon. When selecting berrying shrubs, just match species to your hardiness zones. Native winterberry holly thrives in zones 3-9, holding bright red fruit straight into winter. You can buy best-selling Berry Poppins Winterberry Holly from Plant Addicts to set up long-term fall foraging. For northern gardens (zones 2–7), American cranberrybush offers high-pectin berries that soften after the first frost, providing critical late-season fuel.

To cater to specialized species like pine siskins and goldfinches who prefer tiny, oil-rich seeds, supplement your main stations with high-fat nyjer (thistle) seed served in fine-mesh socks or a fine-mesh feeder. You can grab 3lb bags of Kaytee Nyjer Thistle Seeds from Amazon. Scrub the feeders out every couple of weeks as well, since a crowded station spreads disease. A feeder filled this week catches birds that will be gone by November and others that will still be working the same perch in February. And never forget fresh water with dedicated bird baths and puddle baths, as your birdies are thirsty, too.

September Bird Care Essentials

Stocking your backyard bird sanctuary requires a balance of prime nibbles with practical yet pretty feeders, as well as reliable hydration sources. Give your birdies the best shot at survival with these curated fall picks to elevate your bird feeding station setup this season.

Superseed Trio

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Raised beds continue to reach new heights in popularity, meaning landscape designers are dreaming up ever-more innovative ideas. Whether you live in the city or the country, raised bed gardening is a practical option for housing flowers, foliage and vegetables, allowing you to create perfect growing conditions at a level that's easy to tend to. But it's time to forget about basic wooden boxes and think instead of raised beds that will work far harder as part of your garden design.

These raised bed ideas will inspire you if you're looking for fresh, on-trend solutions to reimagine your garden, that are achievable on a DIY basis. You don’t always need a big budget to grow plants in above-ground beds, especially if you get creative by repurposing. Everyday objects and materials can be turned into raised garden beds that not only look good but are productive, too, such as the old water tanks planted with a feast of foliage in this stunning designer garden.

Which of these innovative raised bed ideas will inspire you to add this essential garden design element to your backyard?

1. Create Color-Block Beds of Immersive Planting

A tranquil sanctuary within a compact urban space is the dream if you live in the city and want to escape from the bustle. By using raised beds to achieve wraparound planting and create a fully immersive experience, you'll make the most of a compact outdoor space like a balcony, terrace or courtyard. Use this idea, too, to create a hidden sanctuary in a larger garden. Taller raised beds means you can feel surrounded by nature, even if you live in the middle of the city, especially if you plant them with cold-hardy evergreen vines for privacy.

Painting raised beds in a vivid block color like the brilliant orange used here adds an uplifting, sunny holiday vibe, especially when combined with foliage plants. To give a similar look to existing planters, use Rust-Oleum Real Orange General Purpose Spray Paint, available from The Home Depot, which covers wood, metal and plastic and is suitable for exterior use.

2. Make Room for Wildlife With Upcycled Materials

As well as creating an appealing design feature, these innovative brick raised bed ideas are a low-tech, sustainable method that’s easy to install as well as being practical and affordable. To ensure stability, these raised beds were built with vertical rebar rods running through holes in vent bricks, but you could achieve the same effect by stacking regular bricks such as these from The Home Depot around cheap metal raised beds such as these from Walmart.

The nooks and crannies created between the bricks offer stylish shelters for beneficial bugs, making this an eco-friendly design that will benefit wildlife. Add nectar-rich plants for pollinators like the tall golden Verbascum blooms used here, and you have an incredibly stylish designer-look wildlife garden. Also known as mullein, verbascum is much favored by landscape designers for its elegant spikes of densely packed flower heads above silvery gray felted leaves. A drought-tolerant perennial, Southern Charm Verbascum plants are available from Burpee for blooms from spring to fall that attract butterflies and bees.

3. Use Hexagonal Beds for Geometric Appeal

Mixing hexagonal raised beds into a garden design adds a geometric vibe and allows a more complex play of light and shade. Whether you choose a sleek finish such as this Exaco Hexagonal Raised planter from Walmart or a more industrial feel with a metal planter like this Hexagon Galvanized Steel Raised Bed from Wayfair, moving away from a standard rectangle immediately creates interest. Raised beds of differing shapes also improves flexibility, allowing you to maximise space in a small garden.

This designer garden of hexagonal raised beds makes the most of the additional vertical surfaces by using an aesthetically appealing weathered metal. By adding smaller cubes amid the hexagonal planters, striking big-leafed plants that need to be moved indoors overwinter can be easily included, too, such as elephant ear (Alocasia Regal Shields is available from Nature Hills).

4. Repurpose a Stock Tank as a Raised Planter

Repurposed stock tanks are increasingly being seen in designer gardens as landscapers seek more sustainable backyard ideas. The growing popularity of galvanised metal tanks means that watertight troughs can now command a premium but, especially if you live in a rural area, you'll likely be able to pick up old, leaky tanks cheaply at yard sales and vintage stores.

Buying new can be done on a budget, too, and the range of Tarter galvanized steel stock tanks are easily smart enough to shine in any garden design, with a good variety of sizes – this 4-foot-long oval tank is available from Lowe's and holds 40 gallons, all the way to this 6-foot 170-gallon Tarter trough, also from Lowe's.

As long as the stock tank you choose has good depth and you add drainage holes, you can create a really productive growing space.

5. Create a Compact Raised-Bed Rain Garden

Climate change is affecting us all so there's never been a better time to make your garden more adaptable and resilient, especially to flooding. Start with small and simple changes to your plot such as directing rainwater into a raised bed planter. This not only slows the rush of rainwater through your garden but of course it means these plants get watered for free. Covering the planting surface of the soil with a gravel mulch protects soil from being washed away.

If you're already harvesting rainwater, it's also possible to use a raised-bed rain planter to take the overflow from a rain barrel such as this stylish Eco Bark Rain Barrel with a decorative planter top from Lowe's. Aquatic plants such as this Dutch rush Equisetum Hyemale add even more interest.

6. Turn a Raised Bed into a Water Feature

If you love the look of raised beds, try layering up your garden design elements by using one as a water feature. It's easier than you think to DIY a water feature using a solar-powered floating fountain and, if you take a tip from this designer garden and site it alongside your existing raised beds, you'll add light, movement and sound alongside the plants.

To make the planter watertight, you'll need to plug drainage holes and line seals with marine sealant such as this from Amazon or line a wooden planter with flexible pond liner such as this, also from Amazon.

7. Create a Conversation Pit to Escape to

Raised beds can be used as 'walls' to define different parts of the garden, especially those that benefit from privacy like a conversation pit or green space for yoga. By using raised beds to form a square with just an entrance gap, you effectively divide the space within it into a separate area of the garden with a clearly defined purpose, and it's visually appealing, too.

While this contemporary outdoor space uses raised beds to frame a sunken area with a granite fire-table for evening relaxation, you could create the same immersive effect without the level change. Using gabion cage planters such as these Raised Bed Planters from Amazon to form the 'walls' would add to the structural, architectural feel, and a simple mix of green foliage and grasses increases privacy, too.

8. Add Curves to a Raised Bed Design

If you're handy at DIY and are planning on constructing your own raised beds from wood, how about adding curves to create a captivating garden detail. As well as forming a backdrop for an integrated backyard bench, this design maximises planting space with its attractive sloping sides. Using striking groundcover plants that flower for months will stabilise the sloping soil and prevent it from being washed away, as well as adding vibrant color to the raised border.

9. Repurpose Finds into Contemporary Features

Who would ever guess that the raised beds in this designer garden were made from old filing cabinets? And who doesn't love the idea of finding something old and giving it new life with upcycling ideas, especially if you're designing a garden on a budget. As this garden proves, once painted in vibrant colors, upcycled items can add a contemporary feel to your garden as well as a homely, vintage aesthetic.

Be resourceful and think about adapting old baths and sinks, recycled plastic barrels or bins, or building a bed from free lumber such as railroad ties, because the only limit to upcycled raised bed ideas is your imagination. Just remember to drill plenty of drainage holes. Consider the safety and environmental impact of any materials you find, and opt for natural materials or those that haven't been chemically treated so they're suitable for growing plants.

Raised Beds to Create More Planting Space

Who doesn’t want more plants for free? September is a great time to harvest native plant seeds you already have in your yard and expand your gardens. Or if you want to try new native plants, exchange seeds with friends or harvest from the wild in permissible areas.

Many native perennials need a moist, cold treatment, called stratification, before germinating in spring. The cold, wet weather during winter signals the seeds to prepare for germination when the weather warms.

You can harvest those seeds now and store them till late fall or early winter, then plant the seeds in the ground or in containers for more control. If planting in containers, keep an eye on the moisture level till the ground freezes and again in the spring. To keep birds and squirrels out of the plantings, cover them with tulle, hardware cloth, or chicken wire.

Flower seeds to harvest in fall that do not need cold stratification can be planted right away. The ground is warm so seeds germinate quickly. Even if they do not germinate right away, they should emerge on their own timetable in spring. Here are the easiest-to-grow native plant seeds you can harvest in September to expand your garden for free.

Seed Saving Essentials

Native Plant Seeds to Harvest Now

When you are giving plants a haircut in midsummer, be sure to leave a few untouched so they can go to seed. Cutting off the faded flowers will also cut off seed production for that flower. And leave a few seedheads for the local wildlife, too. Birds and small mammals eat the seeds in winter when foraging for food.

The plants you want to collect seeds from should be native species and not cultivars of native plants. Most cultivars do not come true from seed. Here are five native plant species you can harvest from now to get more plants for free.

1. Purple Coneflower

Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is one of the showiest and easiest native plants to grow from seed. Its flowers – drooping, dark pink petals surrounding a center cone – are popular pollinator and songbird favorites in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 9.

It will reseed and grow on its own whether or not you collect the seeds. To start them in a different area, all you need to do is cut a few stalks with the dark brown seedheads, place them in the new area and – presto! – instant coneflowers next spring. But if you want to save seed for yourself or share with others, there should be plenty of dry, brown center cones in September.

To collect the seedheads, wait until they are completely dry then cut the dark brown, stiff cones from the stalk and drop them into a small, labeled paper bag. To remove the seeds, you can tap the heads on a table and they should fall out. Or, with gloved hands, lightly rub the cones.

Coneflower seeds benefit from cold stratification to awaken from dormancy so direct sow the seeds shallowly outdoors in the fall. Or, simulate winter by storing them in moist sand or moist paper towels sealed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for eight weeks.

To transplant seedlings in spring, sow seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the average last frost date. Lightly cover the seeds with soil and mist them daily till they germinate in about 10 to 20 days.

2. Butterfly Weed

Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is one of my top five garden plants. It is drought tolerant, blooms off and on all summer with bright orange clusters of nectar-filled flowers, and is a host plant for the monarch butterfly, growing in USDA zones 3 to 9. The seedpods split open when the seeds are ripe and dark brown seeds float out on fluffy silk. Butterfly weed reseeds on its own, but you can collect the seedpods before they open.

To harvest the seeds, cut off the pods when they are turning light brown and the seam separates easily when pressed. If you can see dark brown seeds inside then they are mature. Green or white seeds or an unyielding pod indicate the seeds are not ready for harvesting.

Once ready, break open the seam, and to keep the silk rope intact, grasp it firmly at the top and gently remove it with the seeds attached. Continue holding the top of the silk while using a finger to lightly push the seeds off the silk.

Milkweed seeds need cold stratification to break dormancy. Sow seeds shallowly outside in late fall in a sunny, permanent location with well-draining soil. Seeds remain in the soil through winter, then germinate in spring. To simulate cold stratification, store the seeds in moist sand or in a moist paper towel in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for one month.

To transplant seedlings in spring, start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the average last frost date. Sow them in deep, 4-inch (10.2 cm) cells to accommodate the growing taproot. Use a heat mat if available. Perennials spend their energy the first two years growing roots and foliage, so they may not bloom for three years.

3. Wild Bergamot

Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) is the lavender-colored, fragrant monarda that blooms abundantly in early summer, forming a large mound that increases by rhizomes as well as seeds. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds love the nectar-rich flowers that grow in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 9.

When the flowers fade, seeds mature within two months, forming dry, brown seedheads. Cut off the seedheads and place in a labeled paper bag. Allow to dry further indoors, then pull the seedheads apart to reveal the tiny, brown, oval seeds. Remove the chaff and place seeds in a paper envelope or paper bag and store in a cool, dry location.

Monarda does not need any pre-treatment to germinate, so the dry seeds can be stored until planting time. They can be planted outside in full sun in well-drained soil right now or in spring after the danger of frost is past.

To transplant seedlings in spring, start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the average last frost date. Plant them in seed starting trays or containers using a moist, soilless potting mix.

These plants need light to germinate, so sprinkle them on the surface of the medium and press down. Set the trays in a sunny window or under grow lights. Mist the soil daily till germination occurs in about one to three weeks.

4. Blanket Flower

Blanket flower (Gaillardia aristata) is a short-lived perennial with bicolor red and yellow, daisy-like flowers that attract butterflies. There are many annual and perennial varieties to choose from, but they all require well-draining soil in full sun to thrive and are hardy in zones 3 to 10.

Blanket flower blooms from midsummer to early fall, and flowers left on the plant will dry and produce seed in a rounded center that's relished by goldfinches. To harvest the seeds, cut off dried seedheads when the heads are brown or gray and seeds pull away easily. Remove the chaff and allow the seeds to thoroughly dry before storing in paper envelopes or bags in a dry, cool location.

For earlier blooming, start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost. Press the seeds onto moist, soilless potting mix and do not cover. Gaillardia seeds need light to germinate such as from a sunny window or grow lights. A heat mat is beneficial, too.

Mist daily until they germinate in two to three weeks. You also can direct sow seeds into the ground after the last frost but they may not bloom till the second year.

5. Threadleaf Coreopsis

Threadleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata) is a showy perennial with lacy, airy leaves and yellow daisy-like flowers that blooms from late spring to late summer. It grows best in full sun and well-drained, poor soil in USDA zones 3 to 9.

Threadleaf coreopsis grows easily from seed and attracts birds and butterflies. Collect the small, golden, dried seedheads about four weeks after the flowers fade. Seeds are small, black or gray, and oblong. Separate them from the chaff and store in paper envelopes or bags in a dry, cool location.

Plant threadleaf coreopsis seeds in late fall or early spring without cold treatment. They need light to germinate so press seeds lightly into the soil. To transplant seedlings in spring, start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the average last frost.

Press the seeds onto moist, soilless potting mix and do not cover. Place the container in a sunny window or under grow lights. Mist daily until the seeds germinate.

Taking cuttings is one of gardening’s most exciting leaps of faith. Cuttings that start life in little glass jars of water might be the ultimate next-generation lottery. And you know what? I don’t have a hundred percent success rate. I’m constantly drawn to preserve an old favorite or bulk out a collection of living color, but heck, I’ve seen my share of stubborn, root-free stems eventually collecting funk in jars.

Case in point: earlier this year, I nurtured a few cuttings from my prized Kong coleus through late winter, gripped with a desire to enjoy that lush magenta foliage again. Those little water cuttings rooted like troopers on my cozy windowsill, and by early spring, I was looking forward to potting them on. Imagine my dismay when just before potting day, I woke up to find these tender plant cuttings had inexplicably blackened overnight. What made it more galling was seeing the healthy white roots that still supported those lifeless stumps. Those roots were like a lush support act for a main event I would forever be denied.

Yet moments like this don’t dampen my enthusiasm for water-based cuttings. The way I see it, those heartbreaking fails make the windowsill triumphs sweeter. For every lost coleus, I’ve nurtured a stash of new plants using jars and tap water. This simple process removes many of the guessing games of pot propagation, allowing you to watch new life taking shape every day. September is the perfect month to safeguard the future of some of our most well-loved plants. Here’s my trio of personal favorites that can be rooted in water this month to multiply your blooms and fruit for free, including one that might surprise you. So grab your snips and let’s dive in.

Great Cuttings to Root in Water

If spring propagation feels like a bit of a gamble, September water cuttings are a reliable victory lap. By late summer, key plants have spent months basking in the sun, stuffing their stems full of rich plant sugars. Taking semi-ripe cuttings (stems firm at the base but bendy at the top) capitalizes on these energy reserves. Choose the right cuttings, and your stems are packed with fuel and ready to sprout. I’m tackling 3 backyard favorites this month, including one widely believed to rot in water.

Because these stems are past the tender, rot-prone softwood stage of spring, but haven't hardened into dormant wood, they are primed for fast, vigorous root growth. Placing these stems in water allows you to watch the initial white callus tissue transform into robust root networks day by day. Placing them in jars turns your kitchen windowsill into a dynamic lab where you watch new life begin in real time.

The right cuts do matter. Dull blades will crush delicate tissue, impeding water uptake and inviting bacteria. To really enjoy the benefits of propagation, it’s worth investing in a pair of highly rated Fiskars Micro-Tip Pruning Snips from Amazon for razor-sharp cuts that don’t harm the plant. Clean blades before and after use with isopropyl alcohol or diluted neem. Make a crisp diagonal cut right beneath a leaf node, where growth hormones are concentrated. Strip off lower leaves, though, as a single leaf floating underwater will quickly turn your jar into a swampy mess.

Don't grab stems showing off big blooms or heavy fruit. You want stems that have finished their seasonal display, so all energy goes into pushing out roots instead of feeding fading blooms or crops. For an extra boost, give the freshly cut nodes a quick tap in Garden Safe TakeRoot Rooting Hormone Powder from Lowe’s before they hit the water. This rooting hormone (or a water-soluble rooting liquid) is like giving your stem a double espresso before it starts its rooting marathon. Ready to meet our trio?

1. Hydrangea Cuttings in Water

If you want an instant propagation win, hydrangeas are a dream to start in water in September. Panicle types (like Limelight) and smooth varieties (such as Annabelle) root like gangbusters in water, and classic bigleaf hydrangea types (like Endless Summer) are equally rewarding. So head out into the yard with your snips or a pair of bypass shears for sturdier stems. If you want the best of the best, Swiss-designed Felco 2 Bypass Pruners from Amazon slice through stems with ease and efficiency.

Hunt for fresh, non-flowering shoots from this year's growth. You want 4-6 inch (10-15cm) stem tips that are firm at the bottom but still have some give at the top. So no thick, crusty old branches or stems weighed down by fading mopheads! Cut just below a healthy leaf node. The thing that really makes a difference to the speed of hydrangea propagation is leaf reduction. Strip off the lower leaves, and trim the top remaining leaves straight across the middle. It looks a bit silly, but halving the leaves stops the cutting from pumping out moisture faster than its fresh stem can drink.

You can pop your hydrangea stems straight into fresh water without waiting for it to harden first. A simple jar is fine for hydrangea cuttings if you are grouping a few together. However, it’s not a bad idea to split them up into separate chambers to give each root room to grow (and you’d be amazed how fast these babies can root). I like the sturdy wooden propagation stations for hydrangea cuttings. For instance, the Yibot Propagation Station with Wooden Frame, available from Amazon, has generous glass capacity for hearty hydrangea roots without risking stem slippage. Place it on a warm, bright windowsill, but keep it shaded from harsh direct sunlight.

Roots typically appear within 2-4 weeks, depending on indoor temperature and light. It’s wise to swap the water out every 2-3 days to keep it fresh. Watching these future blooming beauties root is genuinely lovely to watch. You don’t have to add anything else. However, when you do pot your cuttings on, you can add a tiny drop of Miracle-Gro Liquid Indoor Plant Food from Home Depot which is great for smaller feeds thanks to its muss-free pump dispenser. Just be sure to dilute and use sparingly with young plant starts after potting on.

2. Edible Fig Cuttings in Water

If you’ve ever dreamed of growing your own edible fig tree for free, get ready for an aquatic event that will blow your mind. Propagating edible figs in water is one of late summer’s most rewarding windowsill surprises. Varieties such as 'Brown Turkey' or 'Celeste' can root in plain water with astonishing ease. Look for pencil-thick, 6-8 inch (15-20cm) stems where the wood is just turning from tender green to woody brown.

Make an angled cut just below a node on a semi-ripe stem (where the color is shifting from green to light brown). Make sure each cutting is pencil thick and has at least 2-3 healthy leaf nodes. Avoid old, rigid hardwood, as well as overly soft green tips that lack the structural integrity to support water propagation. However, don't dunk the cutting into water just yet, as figs have a sneaky little quirk to deal with.

Fresh fig cuts bleed a sticky, milky white latex sap when cut. So if you pop the stem into a jar immediately, that sap will choke off fresh root growth. Instead, let your cut stem rest on a dry paper towel for 15 minutes to let the sap seal over nicely. Once sealed, slide the stem into water, but submerge only the bottom couple of inches (5cm). The stem needs its upper breathing pores exposed so it doesn't suffocate.

Go for jars that have a little extra height and sturdiness, such as Britegleam Tall Mason Jars from Walmart, which offer excellent support for top-heavy stems. If you can find tinted vessels, that’s also ideal for water-based fig cuttings, helping to protect delicate emerging roots from harsh sunlight.

Place the jar on a warm windowsill to accelerate growth. Figs also crave bottom warmth to trigger quicker root formation. You can buy Vivosun Waterproof Heat Mats from Amazon at 20% off for a limited deal. Placed under the glass jars, these provide ambient bottom heat, accelerating root growth. You may well see bumpy root nubs in just a couple of weeks, with healthy roots ready for soil by the fifth week.

3. Lavender Cuttings in Water (Yes, Really)

If you want to ruffle a few traditional gardening feathers, try telling someone you’re rooting lavender cuttings in a jar of water. Conventional wisdom says Mediterranean herbs turn to goop in standing water. And yes, I’ve had my share of soggy stumps in my time, I won’t lie. But you live and learn, and there is a way to harness a secret loophole this month. I’m all about dreaming the impossible dream, and with the right stems and a simple kitchen hack, you can grow lavender from little water cuttings.

The trick lies in picking the right plant and stem. By choosing semi-ripe stems with a firm, semi-woody base but soft foliage at the top, your cuttings enjoy peak resilience. Hardy English lavender types such as Munstead or Hidcote respond best, whereas tender French or Spanish varieties are more temperamental. Look for non-flowering side shoots 3-4 inches (8-10cm) long. Make sure you strip off the bottom 60% of the leaves. This is a non-negotiable to happy cuttings. A single leaf swimming in water can be a recipe for stem rot, so just leave a tuft at the tip of each lavender cutting.

To suspend these tiny stems without drowning them, here’s a handy freebie hack for you. Grab some foil like Reynolds Wrap Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil from Walmart and secure over the opening of the jar you intend to use (preferably one with a narrow neck). Poke some tiny holes with a pin or needle and slide the bare stems of the cuttings into the jar. Make sure only the bottom inch of each one dips into the water. This holds the stems upright, while keeping every leaf high, dry, and happy.

Patience is vital with lavender cuttings: unlike hydrangea and figgy snippings, they like to take their time. While hydrangeas root in a fortnight, lavender requires 4-6 weeks to push out delicate root threads. So don’t panic if you don’t see much happen for the first month. It’s worth the wait. Keep your jar on a bright windowsill, changing the water every 48 hours without fail to maintain good oxygen levels.

Since the days are getting shorter, a good grow light can help. The gooseneck Sansi Clip-On LED Full Spectrum Grow Light from Amazon is a budget way to enhance 12-hour light cycles without overheating stems. Or for something that caters to cuttings on a shelf or multiple heights, and can be adjusted easily, the Barrina T10 Full Spectrum Standing Grow Light from Amazon is currently on discount. With a few extra cuttings for insurance, this type of propagation has a decent success rate, so hold your nerve for free plants and you really can be living the dream.

When to Pot On and Plant Out

Follow these water-based plant propagation tips, and you’re well on your way to a stack of new garden beauties. But before you celebrate, remember: getting those water-based cuttings to root is just the beginning, and there are still a few more after-care tips to keep in mind. The transition from water jar to potting medium is where many growers accidentally lose their baby plants (and I’ve learned this lesson the hard way myself).

Roots born in water are soft and fragile. These roots are quite brittle, they lack fine root hairs, and they are adapted to liquid life. To prevent culture shock when moving them to solids, resist the urge to pot up at the first sign of emerging roots. Wait until those roots develop secondary branching threads 1.5-2 inches (4-5cm) long, before you make your move. Give cuttings a gentle, fluffy, ultra-breathable, well-draining soil mix or potting soil, equal parts potting mix and perlite or coarse sand.

A great-value, lightweight option is Espoma Organic Potting Mix from The Home Depot, which contains earthworm castings and kelp meal to promote steady, balanced nutrient distribution and gently cushion fragile roots during their transition. Add some Plantonix Perlite Bliss Premium from Walmart to ensure sharp drainage for young lavender and fig cuttings as they settle into pots. This airy well-draining combo gives tiny roots room to breathe and spread without getting crushed.

Once potted up, give each plant the specific TLC it craves. Thirsty hydrangeas need soil consistently moist for the first 10 days while they settle in. Tuck your potted baby figgies into 4-inch (10cm) pots and keep on a bright, sunny, frost-free indoor windowsill to protect them through winter. For container-based lavender, keep the potting soil lean and super-gritty, go easy on the watering, and keep pots indoors until spring. Nurture them through the next few months, and your new free backyard favorites will be ready to go outside come spring.

Shop Propagation Essentials

Water cuttings require remarkably little key equipment. If you can’t find anything else, there’s no shame in using a few jam jars to house your watery recruits. That said, some pretty vessels can make your propagation project a thing of beauty, and a few little extras help to make your new plants stronger and happier. To increase your chances of thriving new plants rather than rotting stems, make a little room for these helpful extras. From crystal-clear vessels to supplemental lighting, these top-rated essentials will help give your fall propagation project the best start.

Water Cutting Trio

Propagating your favorite backyard plants in water is definitely worth a shot this fall. While not every stem will make it across the finish line, the wins far outweigh the losses. Grab your snips, fill a few glass jars, and turn a sunny windowsill into a winter nursery. By next spring, you'll be planting out a fortune in future bloomers and fruity heroes. From fast-rooting hydrangeas to surprising edible figs and a lucky lavender you might never have thought possible, this classic trio is well worth taking a dip for.

While soil propagation remains the gold standard for woody plants like figs and lavender, water propagation is a fun, low-cost experiment that lets you watch root development in real time.

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!

September is the ideal time to add a bug hotel to your garden, offering beneficial insects a safe place to escape the winter weather. But don’t just head to the store and buy an insect hotel because it’s so easy to make one yourself, and you can tailor it to suit the exact style and needs of your yard. From sleek towers made from gabion cages to simple log stacks, oh-so-pretty garden sculptures of dried hydrangea blooms to robust back-of-the-border shelters, all the inspiration you need to DIY a dream bug house is right here.

Offering beneficial insects a home helps control pests in your garden, so you'll be well rewarded for your efforts. Insects are a vital part of a garden ecosystem with bugs such as ladybugs hoovering up pests like aphids, and becoming food themselves for other welcome creatures like birds. What’s more, you’ve probably already got most of what you need to DIY a bug hotel stashed in your shed already.

And if you're making one, why not make a few? While insects don’t hibernate, most enter a dormant state called diapause, when their metabolism slows right down. Insects can enter diapause at a variety of life stages from eggs to larvae, pupae or adults, which is why they need such a diverse range of habitats such as dry nooks or leaf litter. It’s estimated that an average garden accommodates over 2,000 different insect species, too, so you can understand why providing these valuable creatures with all sorts of different accommodation options is vital, whether yours is a wildlife garden or not.

Which of these creative DIY bug hotels will suit your garden best?

1. Hydrangea-Flower Hotel

Dried hydrangea flowers last well over winter and have lots of little nooks and crannies for beneficial insects to hibernate. This bug hotel was created by pushing three sticks into the soil and tying near the top to create a stable tripod, which was stuffed with twigs, teasel stems and hydrangea flowers, all left to dry in place. If you want a wildlife-friendly garden that doesn't compromise a jot on style, this statement bug hotel is the one for you.

2. Highrise Gabion Critter Condos

These striking border bug hotels are similarly stylish, made with vertical gabion baskets such as this set of three Gabion Cages from Amazon, usually used to build retaining walls. Look carefully and you’ll see that as well as pinecones and sticks, slate squares have been fitted into the gabions to make the structures more weatherproof.

3. Cute Under-Bench Crib

How adorable is this little bug house, created by packing split logs and a little imagination under an existing garden bench? This idea would be so beautiful in a cottage garden and you could easily recreate it in an existing log pile, too, by adding in a wooden frame around the bug house to keep the fuel store functional.

4. Border B&B

Here’s a neat wildlife-friendly idea that looks great at the back of a border as well as giving critters a safe spot to hibernate. It’s made from an old wooden crate filled with broken pots, seedheads, straw and airbricks, all held in place with a square of ½ inch fencer mesh such as this Steel Hardware Cloth from The Home Depot stapled to the crate walls. Bark and pinecones form a textured roof, and a stake fixed to the back and pushed into the soil keeps the lot stable. Those bright curves of the broken ceramic pot look so stylish!

5. Gabion Bug-Hotel Benches

Providing both a home for hibernating insects and a perch for tired gardeners in need of a cup of tea, gabion bug hotel benches are easy to DIY. Fill a gabion basket such as this Galvanized Steel Wire Cage from Amazon with reclaimed airbricks, pinecones, sticks and bits of bark. Then fix pressure-treated plywood, available from The Home Depot, treated with an exterior waterproofing wood sealant such as Seal-Once, also available from The Home Depot, to the top.

6. Pretty Critter Crate

Doubling up as a side table next to a favorite garden seat, this bug hotel is simply put together but all the more appealing for it. It’s made from a sturdy old wooden crate positioned on its side with stacks of old terracotta pots creating sheltered nooks for beneficial bugs. An evergreen fern flourishes in the shady conditions and adds natural beauty. A great fern to use in this spot would be the marginal wood fern Dryopteris marginalis, available from Nature Hills, as it has tough green fronds that stay vibrant in shade, only grows to a manageable 2 feet high, and is hardy in zones 3-8.

7. Stick-Stack Shack

Surely the simplest of bug hotels to construct, this criss-cross stack of sticks takes moments to make and is a welcome mid-border shelter. This is a super project if you have kids as it's so straightforward to create, and you could add a stick-foraging walk to the fun. Lay a slate or flat stone to the top of the stack and this simple shelter would be even better.

8. Flowery Flats

Using dried flowers, stems and seedheads within a metal frame, you can create a decorative garden feature that doubles as accommodation for overwintering critters. As long as all the stems are pushed in so they criss-cross in the center to form a strong, durable structure, the dried flowers and seedheads around the outside can be as pretty as you like, and some blooms such as yarrow will even dry in place for an initial burst of bright color.

This bug hotel has an old garden ornament as its frame, but you can recreate the same idea using cheap metal garden spheres such as these on Amazon fixed to a bamboo cane or stake pushed into the ground. A narrow metal obelisk such as this design from Wayfair would also make a robust frame if you wrapped wire tightly around it before pushing in all your garden-grown stems.

9. Reclaimed Brick Bug Resort

This low wall makes a textural backdrop for a drought-tolerant border and offers all sorts of safe spaces for insects to shelter. As well as the holes in airbricks, gaps of all shapes and sizes created by broken brick edges accommodate a variety of creatures. Slate chips, available in 5-pound bags from Lowe’s, have been used to plug gaps. Squeezing small balls of moistened soil spiked with creeping thyme seeds, available from Eden Brothers, into the bigger gaps would add nectar-rich flowers for pollinators too.

10. Cozy Critter Cube

This insect hotel has been made using offcuts of wood screwed together to create a box with partially open sides and filled with layers of dried leaves, pinecones and dry grass. Additional bamboo canes means it also serves as a bee hotel. A layer of reclaimed roof slates tops the layers, angled so rain runs out from the sides, keeps the critter cube dry.

For a final touch, a shallow wooden tray lined with landscape fabric and planted with low-maintenance sedum forms a living roof to feed pollinators. Using a mat of mixed hardy sedums such as this Landscaping Succulents Tray from Plants for Pets via Amazon gives a pretty mix at a good-value price point.

11. Terracotta Towers

A stack of old clay roof tiles and drainage pipes creates an attractive garden feature full of gaps for beneficial garden critters. Because clay is porous, this material will hold moisture, creating damp conditions that toads – who are voracious eaters of slugs and snails – will love, as well as drier nooks for bugs higher up. Find your nearest reclamation yard at the Salvo architectural salvage directory.

12. Modern Critter Castle

This statement bug hotel has been made using rolls of thatching reed stacked against a row of Corten steel rods, but you could easily make a smaller version using tied-up bundles of garden stems and cheap metal rebar rods, available from The Home Depot. A plethora of hibernation spots will be created between the stalks, and many stems that you may be clearing from the garden in fall are hollow, such as coneflowers, sunflowers, hydrangea, fennel and raspberry.

13. Dead Hedge Bug Hotel

A dead hedge is simply a stack of pruned branches and twigs stacked to form a dense habitat to shelter wildlife. By stacking them between pairs of fenceposts or bigger vertical branches, you create a strong structure that can be extended to form a wildlife-friendly garden boundary.

14. Artful Apartments

Create a showstopping garden-feature bug hotel by wrapping flexible stems of willow or hazel into a bowl shape, fixed to a fencepost secured in the ground and filled with smaller wrapped bundles of whatever plant matter you’ve got to hand.

15. Log-Pile Lodgings

There really isn’t an easier way to make a bug hotel than by stacking a bunch of logs in a quiet, sheltered corner of your garden. This log pile sits against a metal shed wall for stability and shelter, and has a few old terracotta pipes mixed in for aesthetics as well as extra accommodation options.

Whatever bug hotel you choose to construct, it will be a welcome addition to your garden and one of the best beautiful but budget-friendly ideas to carry your backyard into fall.

Harvesting seeds from the plants you already grow is a fantastic way to expand your garden for free. Fall is the perfect time to pluck the ripe seedheads from many plants. But if you’ve never tried seed saving, then you may not have all the equipment you need to get started. Luckily, it doesn’t require much.

Before you start harvesting flower seeds from your garden, it’s important to gather all the necessary tools. If you’ve been gardening for a while, you may already have some of these items floating around. But if not, you can pick up what you need for only a few bucks from Amazon.

Here are the essential tools you need to harvest and save seeds from your own garden. September is the ideal time to start saving seeds, so add these items to your cart now!

1. Good Pair of Pruners

If you’ve ever done any amount of gardening, you likely have a pair of pruners lying around somewhere. But if you don’t have a preferred pair of pruning shears or are looking to upgrade, I recommend these $13 Fiskars bypass pruning shears from Amazon for harvesting seedheads from your garden.

Fiskars is my go-to brand for pruning tools because they’re affordable, durable, and made from quality materials. But if you’re looking to splurge, these cult-favorite pruners from Felco are our Editor-in-Chief Melanie’s favorite pruners.

No matter what brand you choose, you will need a sharp, clean pair of pruners to cut off faded flowers that have turned into ripe seedheads by this point in the season. You can either deadhead, cutting off only the seedhead, or you can cut back plants, leaving a few inches of stem attached to the seedhead.

Leave some of the faded seedheads on the plants in your garden to provide winter food for wild birds. Allowing some of the stems to remain also creates shelter and nesting spots for beneficial insects over winter.

2. Sifter to Separate Seeds From Chaff

This is a somewhat specialty item that the average gardener probably doesn’t have, but if you’re interested in saving lots of seeds from your plants, it’s one that really comes in handy. A soil sifter, like this one from Amazon that’s currently 50% off, makes separating the actual seeds from the chaff so much easier than trying to do it by hand.

Break up the seedheads in the sifter and then sift out the seeds, leaving the chaff and other unwanted bits of plant material behind in the sifter. Throw those into your compost pile when you’re done.

This particular soil sifter comes with four different mesh screens you can swap out for different types of seeds. Use the finer screen for species with smaller seeds, like larkspur, or use the screen with the larger holes for bigger seeds, like sweet peas. I’ve tried using a regular kitchen sieve to separate seeds in the past and it has worked alright, but the ability to change out the screen definitely would have been a big help.

If you make your own compost at home, this sifter will also come in handy. Use it to filter out larger chunks of compost that still need more time to decompose. You’ll be left with a wonderful, fluffy batch of ready-to-use compost for your garden.

3. Container to Store & Sort Your Seeds

Once you’ve harvested your seeds and separated them from the chaff, it’s time to organize and store them for next season. There are many different ways you can store seeds, from paper envelopes to old pill bottles to glass jars and everything in between. But one of the best ways to store and organize seeds that our team of plant experts has ever discovered is using a craft bead organizer.

Content Editor Kathleen came up with this idea a couple years ago when she had more leftover seeds at the end of the season than she knew how to handle. She realized a craft bead organizer, specifically this one that’s only $10 on Amazon, was the perfect solution for her abundance of seeds.

This organizer can hold up to 64 different types of seeds and each variety can have its own separate container. Plus, the kit comes with labels, so you never have to wonder what type of seed is inside.

If you’re like me, you hate tossing old takeout containers in the recycling bin. I always try to find ways to reuse them around the house. But there are also some great ways to use takeout containers in the garden that I’ve discovered as well.

Whether it’s the beginning of the growing season, the heat of summer, or plants are winding down in the fall, there are plenty of uses for takeout containers in the garden. These easy ideas turn trash into garden treasure and help you grow a better landscape without spending any money.

In this latest installment of the Dirt Cheap Gardening series, I share the reasons why I always save old takeout containers to use in my garden – and how you can use them in your own yard.

More Dirt Cheap Gardening Ideas

• Why Smart Gardeners Are Stocking Up on Cardboard Boxes
• How to Turn Toilet Paper Rolls Into Useful Gardening Tools

1. Seed Starting Trays

Plastic takeout containers make great DIY seed starting trays. The containers from my local Chinese takeout restaurant are particularly well-suited to this purpose. The shallow plastic container comes with a lid – that’s often clear, which is perfect for turning the tray into a mini greenhouse.

Before you plant, you need to create some drainage holes in the bottom of your takeout container. You can do this with a drill, an awl and mallet, or you can even heat up the sharp tip of a metal skewer with a lighter to make it easier to puncture the plastic.

Poke or drill at least a handful of drainage holes into the bottom of the container, then fill it with a high-quality seed starting mix – I’ve always had great results with this seed starting mix from Miracle-Gro – and plant your desired seeds.

Make some holes in the clear lid, if your container has one, and you can use that to help hold in moisture and heat while seeds germinate and start to grow. This turns your old takeout container into essentially a mini greenhouse for free.

2. Keep Bird Baths Cool

Summer heat can turn bird baths into breeding grounds for mosquitoes, bacteria, and algae. But that takeout container from your dinner last night can solve this problem. Instead of simply refilling your bird bath every few days with water, you can use the Tupperware trick to turn it into a clean cooling station for the local birds.

Fill a plastic takeout container with water and put it in the freezer overnight. In the morning, you’ll have a giant ice cube that you can put into the bird bath in your yard to give your feathered friends a refreshing surprise. As the outdoor temperature rises during the day, the ice cube will melt and create a cool, clean new splash zone for your neighborhood birds.

This trick not only helps birds cool off during late summer heat, but it also keeps your bird bath cleaner for longer and cuts down on pests. Warm water is the ideal environment for mosquito larvae to grow as well as harmful bacteria and algae. Combine this DIY trick with a copper bird bath disc from Amazon that naturally purifies the water and keeps it algae-free.

3. Create an Ant Trap

If your garden is overrun with ants, then pull that takeout container out of the trash and turn it into a DIY ant trap. You first need to poke some holes in the bottom of your plastic takeout container – the same way you did to turn it into a seed starting tray.

Then add a tablespoon each of baking soda and powdered sugar, which you can pick up online from Target, and mix well. Don’t use regular granulated sugar because the ants will be able to separate the larger granules from the baking soda. The powdered sugar attracts the ants, but the baking soda creates a deadly reaction with their stomach acid.

If you only have a small infestation of ants, you can put the lid on your container and place it near the anthill in your yard. However, if you have a large infestation, mix in a little bit of water to create a paste. The paste is easier for them to carry back to their anthill and will eradicate some of the ants back in the hill as well as the ones who brought your concoction there.

4. Store Leftover Seeds

Takeout containers aren’t just good at storing food, they’re also good for storing leftover seed packets or large quantities of seeds you harvested from your own garden. If you have an abundance of seeds you weren’t able to plant in the spring and summer, then place them in an airtight takeout container to keep them dry and organized until next spring.

If you have any seeds that require cold stratification, you can also use a takeout container to give them a head start. You can either place the seed packets inside the takeout container in the back of your fridge in late winter (exactly when depends on the type of seed) or you can sprinkle some seeds on a damp paper towel, fold the towel, and place it inside the takeout container in your fridge.

Cover cropping isn’t just for big farms. Ordinary gardeners can use this strategy in beds of all sizes. Cover cropping means growing a crop over winter that will benefit the soil rather than as a crop to harvest. September is a good time to sow seeds for a cover crop because the soil is still warm enough for germination, and there’s time for seedlings to grow before the first frost.

So, why should you take the time to use this old farming technique in your home garden? Cover crops protect bare winter soil from erosion, add nutrients, reduce compaction, reduce weeds, and feed beneficial microbes, improving overall soil health. Here are a few ideas of cover crops you can plant now and work into the soil in spring for healthier, more productive soil.

If you're not looking to fix a single problem and just want a reliable cover crop, try this seed mix from Amazon. It contains most of the crops listed below, plus some wildflowers for good measure.

1. Winter Rye for Cold Winters

Winter rye is a tough cereal grain that germinates quickly and isn’t easily killed off by cold winter conditions. It should survive the season and grow again in spring, when you can chop it up and work it into the soil. Don’t delay doing this spring task, as winter rye grows rapidly as the weather warms and can become difficult to kill if you wait too long.

Winter rye has deep roots that break up compacted soil and reduce erosion. It’s also allelopathic, meaning it releases certain chemicals that prevent germination of other seeds. This makes it a good option for weed suppression. To sow winter rye or any cover crop this year, scatter the seeds over prepared soil, rake them lightly, and keep the area moist as seeds germinate.

2. Oats for Quick Coverage

As a cool-season crop, oats germinate and grow quickly in the cooler weather of fall. Choose this option for quick cover and a root system that holds soil in place very well. Although it might not survive the winter, oats give you a quick option for covering vulnerable soil in fall.

Although it will likely die over winter (depending on your climate), oats create a protective mat over the soil. Oats are also easy to work into the soil in spring. The dead foliage will add nutrients to your beds, and you don’t have to worry about it growing rapidly in the warmer weather.

3. Crimson Clover for Adding Nitrogen

Crimson clover is a pretty, flowering clover that offers both benefits for the soil and an attractive cover for fall, and even winter, depending on your climate. It will germinate and establish. In spring, the clover will start growing again, blooming and supporting early pollinators before you turn it back into the soil.

One of the biggest benefits of clover as a cover crop is nitrogen fixation. Clover is a legume, meaning it turns atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form, enriching the soil with nitrogen. This is a bonus for whatever plants you grow in the bed next year.

4. Hairy Vetch, Also for Nitrogen

Hairy vetch is a legume, like clover, so it’s another option you can choose if you want to enrich your bedding soil with nitrogen for next year. Hairy vetch is a little more vigorous than clover, so be prepared to work it back into the soil early in spring before it grows too much.

There are some benefits of hairy vetch compared to clover. It produces more green material, which adds more organic material to the soil in spring. It also has a stronger root system, so it is useful if erosion or compaction are big issues in your beds.

5. Field Peas for Nitrogen and Easy Spring Turnover

The last legume on our list is field peas. Like hairy vetch and clover, it fixes nitrogen to enrich the soil with this essential nutrient. It is less likely to survive winter than the other legume options, but it does grow quickly in fall, creating a carpet of green vines that will cover the soil and hold down weeds even after it dies in winter.

One benefit of field peas over other legumes is that it is very easy to turn into the soil in spring. Even if it hasn’t totally died over the colder months, it’s not difficult to control and incorporate it into the soil.

6. Annual Ryegrass for a Quick Root System

If your goal is to get roots into the soil quickly, choose annual ryegrass. Once the seeds are sown, this grass will quickly develop a dense root system that holds soil together, reduces erosion, and improves soil structure if it has become compacted over the growing season.

Annual ryegrass may survive winter to grow in spring, depending on how cold your winter gets. If it does survive, it can grow rapidly in spring, so be prepared to chop it up and turn it into the soil early before it starts to take over your beds.

The type of cover crop you choose depends on your needs. Whichever one you choose, be sure to water regularly as it establishes to give it a chance to grow before winter weather hits. In spring, each of these will need to be turned into the soil, so consider how much effort you’re willing to put into that chore. Although this is an extra task for September, growing a cover crop is a great way to get your beds ready for the next growing season.

Although you may see fewer birds at your backyard feeders this month, it’s not a moment to be “cheep” – sorry, that’s a bad joke. Wild food may be plentiful right now, but September is also a time of migration and changing weather, both of which can cause birds to expend more energy.

That’s why consistency remains important. Keeping feeders clean, well-stocked, and ready for visitors is one of the most important bird feeding basics, even when natural food is available. You never know when a migrating bird may need an easy meal or when a sudden change in weather could make foraging more difficult.

So what should you be doing now? Here are the six critical items for your “birds-in-September” to-do list.

1. Switch to High-Energy Foods

The basic rule here is simple: in September, offer foods that provide real, solid nutrition. Avoid “filler foods” such as bread, cereal, or sweet scraps. Instead, focus on high-fat, high-protein options that give birds the energy they need for migration and the changing weather ahead.

Making your own DIY suet ornaments is one of the simplest bird feeder ideas. Combine suet with seeds, peanuts, or dried fruit, then shape the mixture into balls or molds and hang them from a tree or feeder station. Alternatively, put out suet cakes, like these Pennington Feeding Frenzy No-Melt Suet Dough packs from Walmart.

Good options for September include black-oil sunflower seeds, suet, and peanuts. A bag of dried mealworms, like these Kaytee ones from Amazon, provide valuable protein and can be particularly useful for birds that are migrating or preparing for colder weather.

2. Ensure a Cool Water Source

When I was a kid, we had a Marty Robbins record (yes, I know I’m dating myself here) called Gunfighter Ballads, and my favorite song was “Cool Water.” It was about a thirsty cowboy and his mule, trekking through the desert and seeing mirages of water.

I think of that song whenever I change the birdbath in my backyard. The birds may have found plenty of berries and seeds, but the nearest alternative in my area is the Pacific Ocean – and salt water won’t do. That brings us to the second item on the list: setting out fresh water for wild birds in September and changing it regularly to keep it clean.

Clean water is essential for birds to drink and bathe in, particularly during molting season and migration, when they need to keep their feathers in good condition. If algae is a recurring problem, a Mellbree copper birdbath disk can help keep the water cleaner between changes, although it’s no substitute for regular cleaning.

A small solar-powered birdbath fountain, like this best-selling Mademax 1W solar bird bath fountain pump from Amazon can add gentle movement to the water, helping birds spot the bath and discouraging mosquitoes from laying eggs. It won’t replace regular water changes and cleaning, but it can help keep the water moving between visits.

3. Provide Warm Lodging

As the days grow shorter, the nights grow longer and cooler. Some birds seek dense plants for shelter or roosting boxes to protect them from cold, wind, and predators.

Your first step should be to clean out the shelter you’ve already set up for your feathered friends. Clear the summer nesting material out of these bird boxes. You don’t want parasitic bugs to make themselves too much at home. When they are clean, add a thin layer of wood shavings for insulation. You can also set up new roosting boxes with perches to make the birds at home.

If you want to see which birds are using the shelter without disturbing them, a Birdfy birdhouse with a built-in camera, lets you watch their visits from your phone and follow their activity remotely.

Help optimize the natural world at the same time by leaving leaf litter in place. Ground-foraging birds will take cover there. Create piles of brush from fallen branches and dried grass. Set these up in quiet areas to offer wind protection and a safe harbor from predators. Low hanging evergreen branches also offer dense protection.

4. Leave Native Seed Heads Behind

Sure, we all like a neat garden, but birds aren’t always pleased when you deadhead. Make the most of nature’s offerings by leaving late-blooming native seed heads intact, providing natural foraging opportunities. These can be vital food sources for wild birds passing through, as well as those that live in your neighborhood year-round.

Great plants with seed heads include coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, sunflowers, Joe-Pye weed, and ornamental grasses.

5. Clean Feeders Early and Often

A dirty bird feeder can endanger the birds you’re trying to help by allowing mold, bacteria, and spoiled seed to accumulate. Don’t simply dump out the old seed and refill it. Take the whole feeder apart, remove any spoiled seed and debris, then clean bird feeders with a bird-safe product, such as this Microbe-Lift Soy-Based Bird Feeder & Bird Bath Cleaner Spray from Amazon, to loosen dirt and bird droppings. Rinse every part thoroughly and let it dry completely before refilling.

If you’ve seen sick birds at the feeder, follow this with a separate disinfection step using a suitable diluted solution, taking care never to mix cleaning products.

6. Keep Safety in Mind When Putting Up Feeders

The idea of helping birds is to keep them happy, healthy, and safe. To accomplish that, you’ll need to position feeders and water dishes with care in September.

Position wild bird feeders in direct sun in fall. It’s better for them on crisp fall days. In addition, consider predators when choosing their placement. Keep feeders at least 10 feet (3 m) away from dense shrubs or trees, where predators may be lurking, and hang them around 6 feet (2 m) off the ground. Finally, avoid locations near high branches, rooftops, or fences that predators can use as launch points.

Then there are windows. Everybody knows how dangerous clear glass can be to birds. Keep feeders close to the window – within 3 feet (1 m) – or far away, more than 30 feet (10 m), to help avoid collisions.

If you have to place a feeder near a window, consider adding external bird-collision markers to the glass, like these Mesinurs decals from Amazon. These help birds recognize the window as a solid surface rather than open sky or reflected habitat.

September Bird Care Essentials

After twenty years of gardening, you learn a lot. Instagram user @peteplants has put two decades of trial, erorr, and I’m assuming a lot of dead plants into a distilled post with the seven habits he thinks genuinely make a difference. In the caption he’s quick to admit though that he doesn’t always follow every single rule, writing, "...some rules are made to be broken – I’m a rebel like that." Fair enough. Here they are anyway.

1. Plant in Odd Numbers

Three plants look more natural than two. Five looks more natural than four. While nobody is entirely sure why, the brain reads even numbers as too organized and purposeful, and odd numbers as, “Oh, I just threw this together without thinking about it.” It’s why we love the “je ne sais quoi” of the stereotypical Parisian woman. Next time you're shopping for plants, resist the urge to buy exactly two of something and buy three instead; your border will thank you.

2. Repeat Your Key Plants

Pick three or five plants you really love and use them throughout borders rather than buying one of everything that just happens to catch your eye. Repetition creates rhythm and it’s what makes a garden feel professionally designed rather than a collection of impulse purchases.

Choose anchors, repeat them, and build everything else around them. This is also a great tip for your wallet. It stops you from spendy $40 on a plant you’ve never grown before and will probably kill.

When you’re gardening, especially in this way, a kneeling pad can really come in handy. This Grenebo High-Density kneeling pad is extra thick and has the best overall rating on Amazon.

3. Plant in Drifts

Don’t dot plants around individually, but rather in loose groups. Allow them to touch, and as it says in the Instagram post, “mingle” a bit. A drift of even a relatively ordinary plant has way more impact than the same number of plants scattered around like a toddler threw confetti. The goal is something that looks like it self-seeded naturally, even though you totally spent an hour arranging it yourself.

4. Edit Ruthlessly

Okay, here is where Miranda Priestley joins the chat, and it’s way harder than it sounds. Gardeners tend to be overly optimistic, assuming the plant might do better later or next year. If something isn’t working – wrong color, wrong spot, wrong scale, just wrong in every way – “move it, or remove it.” A gap in a border is not a problem, but an opportunity. Plus, it’s way less embarrassing than failing for three seasons while you pretend not to notice.

If you’re editing your garden, you’ll need a good trowel to dig up plants. This Fiskars trowel, available on Amazon, has an ergonomic handle and a hole for easy hanging.

5. Use Evergreen Structure

Plant your yew, box, and structural shrubs first, and plant everything else through them. While it may sound like something only professional landscapers do, it’s actually the single biggest upgrade you can make to your border. Plus, it has the added bonus of looking like something in winter rather than a collection of brown sticks.

6. Let Things Self-Seed

This is the laziest hack, and yet it’s the most rewarding. Leave the seedheads on! Stop deadheading everything the second it finishes flowering, and allow things to drop where they want and be surprised to see what comes up. Self-seeding plants have a great way of finding exactly the right spot they need to be in, like a crack in the paving or the base of a wall; all places you would never think of. Some of the best combinations in a garden happen entirely by accident, and all you had to do was nothing.

When moving around self-seeded flowers, you won’t want to be walking back and forth across your garden. This garden trug on Amazon is perfect for this; it’s lightweight and won’t take up space the way a basket does.

7. Think in Layers

It may sound obvious, but many people never consider it. Tall plants at the back, medium plants in the middle, and small plants at the front. The reason this works is that every plant gets light, every plant gets seen, and the border has depth rather than just width.

Pro tip: If you're working with an island bed that's visible from all sides, put your tallest plants in the center and work outward from there. Same principle, different geometry.

None of these is complicated, and most cost nothing. Plus, once you start these, you’ll wonder how you ever gardened any other way.

Latest forecasts show summers will likely continue getting hotter so you'll be needing all the inspirational ideas you can find to keep your yard cool and comfortable when temperatures soar. You're no doubt familiar with instant ways to make your garden feel cooler in high summer heat, such as using a large parasol or shade sail and installing a retractable awning. But there are lots of more surprising ways that add to your landscape design as well as cool the space, creating an environment that is a pleasure to be in during the hottest months of summer. Late-season is the ideal time to add these cooling DIY landscape design ideas to your garden, as they'll be well established by the time next summer's heat arrives.

Taking a thoughtful approach that looks at all the different elements in your yard and how they interconnect is the solution to creating a cooler garden. Assessing smart shade ideas for your garden, reconsidering your planting choices and rethinking landscaping materials will collectively help to pull together a more cohesive approach that makes your yard feel cooler in heatwave conditions.

Which of these cooling landscape-design ideas will work best for your yard?

1. Choose a Planting Palette of Cool Colors

If your goal is a make your garden feel cooler in high summer heat, the color of the plants you choose is just as important as the variety. Opt for a color theme that relies predominantly on flowers and foliage in cooling shades of silver, gray, white, purple, blue and olive green, and steer clear of hot, bright colors like red, orange, and yellow, which have the opposite effect of visually warming up the garden.

Consider silver-leaved plants that reflect sunlight, too, naturally cooling the garden when temperatures rise. They also add an element of surprise with their magical sheen. Go for silver or gray-leaved perennials such as globe artichoke, eryngium and Senecio candicans.

2. Introduce Falling Water

There are many benefits of making water a part of your landscape design. The sound of trickling water is calming and boosts wellbeing, while adding a pond or water bowl also encourages biodiversity and will attract wildlife to your garden. A cascading water feature can play a key role in making your garden feel cooler in high summer heat too, both with its cooling sound and by directly pulling heat out of the air.

There are plenty of water features you can easily install yourself and the easiest option is an off-the-shelf water feature that runs on solar power. This means no landscaping work is involved, which keeps costs down if you're on a budget. Choose an unusual design such as this curved cascading solar water feature from Wayfair with a built-in planter and you create a standout patio focus, too.

3. Plant a Fast-Growing Shrub

It's always a good idea to look for lovely natural options to make your garden feel cooler. The delightful dappled shade cast by fast-growing shrubs will create changing patterns of light throughout the day as the sun moves round. This is one of the most affordable ideas for shade too, as the only outlay is the cost of the shrub.

Look for easy shade options like fast-growing crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), which adds 2 to 3 feet of height annually if conditions are right. Small to medium varieties like 'Center Stage' Pink Crepe Myrtle, available from Nature Hills, grow to a mature height between 10 to 15 feet tall.

Another great shade choice is one of the taller varieties of oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) like screening favorite 'Alice', available from Nature Hills, which grows to 12 feet tall and has reliable white-blush pink blooms throughout summer.

4. Layer up an Airy Feeling with Screening Plants

Layering the planting with a combination of evergreen structure, ornamental grasses and seasonal perennials helps create a space that feels cool, fresh and welcoming. The trick is to bring a feel of airiness to your yard using multi-level planting.

Aim for a loose arrangement with plenty of ground cover plants to keep soil cool and moist. Then mix tall native perennials like coneflowers and achillea with airy ornamental grasses that move in the slightest breeze for a shape-shifting middle layer. Shrubs and multi-stemmed trees complete the top storey and ensure the layers beneath are kept shaded and cool. Pruning the lower section of shrubs to reveal the open structure of stems is a trick many landscape designers use to give gardens an airy feel, and you can also remove the lower branches of trees to raise the crown and create a lighter vibe.

Using layered planting has the added benefit of naturally screening your garden for privacy if you're overlooked by neighbours.

5. Create Dappled Shade with a Privacy Screen

One of the quickest and most affordable ways to add cooling shade as well as adding to your landscape design is by using a decorative screen. They can be made from a range of materials including metal like the Corten steel sunburst screen in the design above, and can be customised to match the style and aesthetic of your outdoor space. You may decide on using several.

Not all privacy screens need to be fixed in place and landscape designers regularly opt for strategically placed standalone screens to add style as well as shade. Choose a lattice style that will allow light to pass through so your patio will feel airy and not boxed in. It's an easy trick to copy, and one that will add a unique design element as well as a more secluded feel.

6. Hydrate Dry Patio Air with a Solar-Powered Fountain

Landscape designers recommend positioning a water fountain on or near your patio, deck or other seating area as it hydrates the air, and you can benefit from the cooling atmosphere it creates. It's easy to DIY your own solar fountain water feature with a cheap floating pump like this from Amazon , making this one of the easiest patio ideas to try.

Solar fountains work by constantly recirculating water and this keeps the surrounding air hydrated and oxygenated. Easy to create and hypnotic to gaze at, they are just what your patio needs to cool the air, while also providing a valuable source of water for birds, bees and other visiting wildlife to enjoy. A solar fountain also prevents water from stagnating and becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

7. Grow a Living Canopy

Erecting a pergola is an obvious way to add shade to the garden, but creating a living roof is one of the more surprising landscaping tricks that's bound to be a conversation point. Planting fast-growing climbers to grow up and over a pergola helps prevent heat building up in the garden. The foliage blocks the sun’s rays, creating a cooler space to enjoy.

The living canopy you create will provide natural shade that's more pleasant for relaxation or dining in hot weather. It's an easy way to make your outdoor space feel cooler in high summer heat, especially if you choose fragrant climbing varieties like rose, star jasmine or honeysuckle as you will be enveloped in clouds of heavenly scent.

8. Landscape with Light-Colored Mulch

Stretches of hardscaping such as a paved patio tend to heat up the garden, especially if the pavers are charcoal gray or black. Dark-colored pavers absorb heat during the day, releasing it later once the air temperature cools, making your patio an unpleasantly hot place to be in the evening. And the smaller your garden, the hotter it will feel.

Instead choose light-colored landscaping materials that reflect sunlight such as pale natural stone and hardscaping finishes like these bone-toned porcelain pavers from Lowe's. Combine with buff gravel and white pebbles like these decorative river stones from Lowe's and you'll find your patio is considerably cooler in high summer heat.

9. Spritz your Patio with a Mister

Patio misters are a popular option for cooling down outdoor spaces. Easy to use, these systems are connected to a hose or outdoor tap. They can hang along the edge of your roof or be freestanding. The largest systems are designed to cover an entire patio or deck area, while others – like the 15-foot misting umbrella from Wayfair pictured – are big enough to cool a seating area.

Patio misters are designed to release a fine mist that's cooling without soaking you, and a great solution if you live in a hot, dry climate and are looking for smart ideas for patio shade and cooling. Mister systems are energy-efficient, providing a cost-effective solution for beating the heat without high electricity bills.

Another option is a misting fan like this Portable Outdoor Mister from Walmart which combines air and mist to keep you cool. In addition to moving the air around like a conventional fan they release mist. If you want hydrated air without the movement, a simple freestanding mister such as the Cobra Misting System from Walmart, a versatile solution for yard work and keeping pets cool.

Meghan Markle has become something of a font of gardening inspiration of late, so yes, we sat up and paid attention when she posted a photo to Instagram (amongst a carousel of other photos from her daily life) of a harvest basket.

Positively overflowing with fresh vegetables from her Montecito garden, it's the kind of image that makes you want to go outside immediately and start growing things (or picking and eating them if you’re me). After all, there's something seriously aspirational about a well-stocked harvest basket... especially when it represents a garden that's actually producing with so much abundance you can’t possibly hold it only in your hands.

Before we talk about what goes in it, though, let's talk about Meghan Markle's basket itself, because it matters more than you'd think.

How To Recreate Meghan Markle's Harvest Basket

Whether you're a fan of Meghan Markle or not, there's no denying that a proper harvest basket, sometimes called a trug, is one of the most useful things a kitchen gardener can own.

The wide, shallow design lets you carry large volumes of produce without bruising your precious herbs or crushing delicate leaves. The open weave allows air to circulate, which keeps greens fresher than a plastic bag or a deep bucket. And because you're laying things flat rather than piling them high, you can actually see what you've got, which makes sorting and washing much faster and way more satisfying.

Check out Meghan Markle's harvest basket below (it's the seventh image in the carousel):

For a budget-friendly trug that still looks the part, this handwoven wicker garden basket (available on Amazon) covers all the basics. It’s wide, shallow, has dual handles, and is easy to wipe clean after a muddy morning harvest.

If you’re willing to spend a bit of extra cash, this KOUBOO rattan basket (also available on Amazon) looks as good in the house as it does in the garden.

For cut flowers, which are equally worth growing, a deeper trug with a handle that keeps stems upright is a better choice than a shallow basket. If you grow both edibles and flowers, which is very much worth doing, two baskets is not an unreasonable investment. Think of them as the garden equivalent of a colander and a mixing bowl: technically you could manage with one, but you'll be glad you have both. Plus, if none of the above sounds appealing to you, the fact that it looks pretty on Instagram should be reason enough!

If you're cutting flowers as well as harvesting produce, this taller JJSQ wicker basket (available on Amazon) is the better choice. It has deeper sides that keep stems upright rather than letting them flop sideways.

Shop Harvest Baskets:

Of course, buying a harvest basket is the easy part of getting that Meghan Markle look. Filling it? Why, that is where the real gardening begins.

1. Work Backwards From the Basket

The most productive approach to a kitchen garden is to decide what you want to be harvesting first, then plant around that goal rather than filling beds with whatever caught your eye at the garden center in March.

For a summer basket overflowing with color and variety, which is truly the Meghan aesthetic, you need warm-season crops: corn, squash, peppers, tomatoes, beans, and zucchini. These all go in the ground in spring, need a full growing season to produce, and really hit their stride in July and August. Plant them early enough, and you'll have exactly the big armful you’ve been dreaming of in the middle of summer.

Alongside those, fast-growing crops like lettuce, radishes, and spring onions are ready within weeks and can be sown in succession (a small row every 2 to 3 weeks), so you always have something ready to pick rather than a ton followed by a sad trip to the grocery store a couple of weeks later.

2. Remember Herbs Are the Cheat Code

No harvest basket looks properly abundant without herbs, and they're the most forgiving, fastest-growing, and most versatile thing you can grow. Basil, parsley, chives, rosemary, sage, and mint all thrive in containers or beds; most are ready to harvest within weeks of planting, and a generous handful of mixed herbs transforms even a basic basket into something truly Instagram-worthy.

Herbs also do the thing that's hardest to fake: they smell amazing. A basket that smells of fresh basil and rosemary is doing more sensory work than any amount of visual styling.

3. Set Up A Realistic Season-by-Season Harvest Plan

If you want something harvestable year-round rather than just in peak summer, make like Meghan Markle and set up a simple planting framework:

Spring: Snap peas, lettuce, spinach, spring onions, radishes, strawberries, herbs. These grow fast, they’re satisfying, and really beautiful together in a basket.

Summer: Corn, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, basil. This is peak harvest season, so plant ambitiously.

Autumn: Kale, chard, leeks, carrots, beetroot. Cooler temperatures actually improve the flavor of most of these crops, and the colours are really something.

Year-round: Herbs. Always herbs. Rosemary alone is enough to make a basket look nice regardless of the season.

4. And Don't Forget The One Rule That Makes It All Work

Succession planting s the difference between a garden that produces continuously and one that has one great moment in June and then peters out. Plant small quantities of the same crop every two to three weeks, and you'll have a rolling harvest from spring through to the first frosts.

And that’s the real secret behind a basket that looks full. Not necessarily a bigger garden or more varieties of veg, but better timing and some planning ahead before you even make a hole in the ground.

The rest is simple patience and a bit of sunshine, which in Montecito is not hard for Meghan Markle.

As summer turns to fall, many garden centers move large amounts of their stock into the clearance section. That means now is a great time to look for deals on cheap plants that you were eyeing at the nursery earlier in the season. However, not all plants in the clearance section are good candidates for your garden.

That’s why I talked to Amy Draiss, our Digital Community Manager and in-house plant shopping expert. She’s a former garden center manager with 20 years experience, so she knows all the pro tricks about how to pick the best plants in the clearance section at the nursery.

This is the first article in our new series Garden Center Secrets, where we share insider tips only garden center employees know to help you shop smarter at the nursery. Here are the plants Amy says you should always pick up on sale at the end of summer and the ones you shouldn’t waste your money buying.

Best Plants to Buy on Clearance

The end of summer and beginning of fall are prime times to peruse the clearance section at the garden center. Amy says to look for these sought-after choices on your weekend visit to the nursery.

1. Any Hardy Perennial

Even if they’re out of bloom, the foliage is a little spotted, or they’re already starting to die back for the season, hardy perennial plants are an excellent choice to purchase from the clearance rack.

It is usually later in the year when plants go on sale at a significant discount, so you’re basically buying the root system and the plant’s future potential rather than what it looks like that day.

Many hardy perennials can be also planted well into late fall, giving their roots time to become established before winter. I’ve even planted perennials as late as November here in Ohio – including bee balm, veronica, and agastache – and they all came back beautifully the following spring.

Other plants that may not look their best at clearance time, such as daisies, coneflowers, daylilies, hostas, and ornamental grasses, can also be fantastic bargains.

If you prefer to shop online, American Meadows has a huge selection of perennials on sale on their website.

2. Shade & Flowering Trees

Don’t be afraid to plant a tree in the fall! In fact, fall is a great time to plant trees, especially those larger shade and flowering trees that are often marked down to make room for new inventory the following spring.

The cooler temperatures and more consistent rainfall in the fall give trees a chance to establish their root systems without having to battle the heat and drought conditions that can come with summer. Then, when spring arrives, you’ll be rewarded with fresh growth and a tree that already has a head start in your landscape.

Of course, you’ll want to make sure the tree you choose is hardy enough for your area. It’s also a good idea to talk with a garden center associate about the location where you plan to plant it. Is the area wet or dry? Does it get full sun, partial shade, or mostly shade? How much room will the tree eventually need? Taking those factors into consideration will help you choose a tree that not only looks great, but will thrive for years to come.

Trees.com (formerly FastGrowingTrees.com) is another great online source for sale trees, shrubs, and other plants. Plus, they have a helpful and responsive customer service team that can aid in your online shopping.

3. Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are another plant I would always look for on the clearance rack. They can wilt and crisp up just from looking at them the wrong way, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the plant is unhealthy or not worth buying.

By the end of summer, hydrangeas can look pretty rough above the soil, while the root system is still healthy and intact. This is especially worth considering with larger potted shrubs, which can be pretty pricey at full price.

If the plant is simply stressed from the summer heat or lack of water, it can often recover beautifully once it’s planted in the ground and given consistent moisture. And when you can get a larger, established shrub for a fraction of the original price, those savings can really add up and mean you have room in the budget to buy even more plants!

Looking for a crowd-pleasing hydrangea that looks beautiful all summer? Try a 'Limelight' panicle hydrangea that's on sale now at the Home Depot.

4. Spring-Flowering Bulbs

Okay, I’ll admit it. I only buy spring-flowering bulbs when they’re at least 50% off. Unless there’s some hot new bulb that I absolutely have to have, like this 'Chandelier' tulip from Burpee that looks like a peony, I’d rather wait and see what’s left on the clearance rack and use the savings to boost my early-spring color. Daffodils, tulips, alliums, crocuses, and other spring-flowering bulbs can be fantastic clearance finds.

The nice thing about bulbs is that they generally stay pretty fresh in their packages, even late in the season. That said, you should always check the quality of the bulbs before heading to the checkout. Give them a gentle feel. If a bulb is soft or squishy, you can easily smoosh it or push a finger through it, or if you see mold or notice an unpleasant odor, choose another package.

You want firm, healthy bulbs because they’re much more likely to produce strong growth and an abundance of flowers in the spring. And don’t worry if the packages look a little less than perfect on the outside. As long as the bulbs themselves are firm, healthy, and free of mold or rot, you can often get a great deal on next year’s garden.

5. Houseplants

Garden centers are often looking to find new homes for houseplants that aren’t looking their best in the fall, especially as they make room for holiday plants and flowers. Looking at you, poinsettias!

Luckily, many houseplants can be surprisingly resilient. Even if a plant is a little brown, lethargic, or slightly wilted, a few weeks at home with the right care can be enough to help it bounce right back. The key is knowing the difference between a plant that is simply stressed and one that has a serious problem.

Before buying, check that it isn’t severely root bound and that there are no obvious signs of pests or disease. I also like to look underneath the leaves and around the stems, since that’s where some pests can hide.

Snake plants, pothos, spider plants, and fiddle-leaf figs can all be good candidates for the clearance rack. I’m a little more 50/50 on orchids because they can sometimes be challenging to get to rebloom, but if the plant is healthy and the price is right, it can still be worth taking a chance.

You can shop clearance houseplants online from the Home Depot or visit the store in person.

Clearance Plants You Can Skip

Not every plant in the clearance area is a good deal. Amy says to avoid these problem plants that will never thrive, even with lots of love and care.

1. Evergreens With Brown Spots

Evergreens, including trees and shrubs, especially dwarf Alberta spruce with significant brown or dead sections, should be left behind. Evergreens will often not push new growth in these areas, and browning is typically a sign of insect or disease infestation, winter injury, or stress.

Flowering evergreens, such as azaleas and rhododendrons, are a different matter. If only a small branch is brown, it can usually be trimmed out without affecting the health or appearance of the entire plant.

2. Tender Perennials & Annuals

Annuals and tender, non-hardy plants are quite tempting when they’re significantly marked down at the end of the season. But they’re often not worth buying, especially if you live in an area with cold winters.

As fall approaches and bargains are plentiful, these types of plants will have little time to recover and flourish before a hard freeze comes along and kills them off. Unless you tend to bring a tender plant indoors or plan to use it for cuttings in the future, it’s usually better to spend your money on hardy perennials instead.

3. Severely Root Bound Plants

Checking the root system of any plant you’re about to purchase, clearance-priced or not, is always a good habit. Simply slide the plant out of its container and take a look at the roots.

If they’re circling the outside of the root ball but aren’t excessively tangled or matted, the plant is likely only mildly root bound and can usually be corrected at planting time by making a few vertical cuts through the root ball to encourage the roots to grow outward.

However, if the roots are extremely tightly wound and have formed a dense, matted mass, the plant is severely root bound and may have a much harder time establishing after it’s planted. In that case, it’s best to leave it behind, even if it’s heavily discounted. A clearance price isn’t much of a bargain if the plant never recovers or thrives, leaving you to waste both your time and money.

Seasonal Gardening Shopping Inspiration

As we head into the colder months, now is a great time to create next year's perfect plot. This is what our team is shopping:

The bird feeder goes up on Saturday morning, filled with fresh seed, and by Sunday night, nothing has touched it. It’s a frustrating but common experience, and one that calls for a little patience. A new feeder can sit untouched for days or even weeks while the rest of the yard stays busy.

There’s not necessarily anything wrong with your feeder. Wild birds often take time to investigate an unfamiliar object, especially when it represents a change in territory the local flock already knows by heart. They may watch it for a while before they trust it, but there are dependable bird feeder ideas that can give them a reason to take a closer look.

Most bird feeding basics still apply. Placement carries most of the weight. After that, it comes down to offering food birds recognize immediately and leaving things alone long enough for them to work it out. They may even be visiting when you’re not looking, since birds are often most active early in the day. A bird feeder camera, like the Birdfy Smart Feeder for Beginners, can reveal that hidden traffic. For the rest, try these simple fixes to help your new feeder get noticed and give birds a reason to return.

1. Start Where the Birds Already Go

Wherever birds already perch or pick through shrub litter is somewhere they visit anyway, so a feeder put there gets folded into a route already being flown. A middle-of-the-lawn placement can sit ignored for weeks.

Cover is the other half. Trees or thick shrubs within about 10 feet (3 m) give smaller birds somewhere to queue up and somewhere to vanish when a hawk cuts through. But push the feeder much closer, and that same cover turns into a liability. Branches become launch pads for the eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), while low growth hides cats.

When nothing natural sits at the right distance, an adjustable shepherd’s hook, like this Feed Garden design from Amazon, lets you hang the feeder exactly where you want it and adjust its height, giving smaller birds a clearer view and making it harder for cats to reach.

2. Consider Window Distance

Glass should be considered before the first bird even shows up. Windows mirror the sky and greenery, and a bird that mistakes the reflection for open air hits at full speed. Most people hang a feeder specifically to watch from indoors, and windows near feeders produce the highest collision rates of any glass around a house.

Closer is safer. If a feeder is within 3 feet (0.9 m) of a window, a bird has little room to build up speed before reaching the glass, so any contact is more likely to be a bump than a high-impact strike. The other commonly recommended option is to place the feeder more than 30 feet away, although that advice is less certain than it sounds, as the research only measured collisions up to that distance.

At any range, marking the glass helps. These anti-collision bird window stickers from Amazon are an attractive way to make the surface easier for birds to see.

3. Use Familiar Seed

Black oil sunflower, like this 5-pound bag from Wagner's on Amazon, is the safest opening bet on the shelf. The shells are thin enough for small beaks to crack, and cardinals, chickadees, finches, and sparrows all take it. Bargain mixes heavy on red milo do the opposite, since most eastern songbirds kick the filler onto the ground, where it sours.

Suet widens the invitation to woodpeckers and nuthatches, birds that may ignore a seed tube entirely. However, while winter bird feeding staples, suet cakes can be problematic in the summer heat. Rendered cakes hold their shape until temperatures stay consistently above 90°F (32°C), and heat drives them rancid well before they melt. Fat smeared on feathers can wreck waterproofing. No-melt suet dough copes better, like this C&S Hot Pepper Delight, which is flavored with hot pepper to deter squirrels, though the birds won't mind. Hang it in the afternoon shade, half a cake at a time.

4. Give Them Something to See From Above

Birds locate food by sight, not smell, and a loaded tube feeder offers almost nothing to look at from 30 feet up. Loose seed changes that. Scatter a handful across the lid and any other flat surface the feeder has, where it catches the light and shifts in the wind.

Ground scatter does similar work, bringing in species that rarely bother with perches, including sparrows and juncos working the grass underneath. Rodents find spilled food fast, so keep the amount small enough that nothing sits out overnight, and set a shallow tray underneath to hold the rest off the wet soil. Once regular traffic starts, taper the scattering off. By then, the feeder advertises itself.

5. Be Patient

Where feeders are already common in a neighborhood, a new one may be found within a few days. In places where nothing has been offered before, several weeks is ordinary, and longer than that happens.

Chickadees usually break the ice, along with titmice and other curious sorts. Everything else in the yard watches that first bird and draws its own conclusions. Activity tends to jump rather than build. Resist the urge to keep relocating the feeder. Every move resets the clock, and one shifted three times never gets a fair test anywhere.

6. Keep Seed Fresh

Wet seed goes bad quickly in humid heat, and mold in a feeder is not a cosmetic problem. Aspergillus fumigatus in damp seed causes aspergillosis, a respiratory infection that can kill wild birds, while A. flavus in moldy grain produces aflatoxins that target the liver. Fill the feeder with only what gets eaten in a few days, and dump anything clumped or musty.

Storage decides most of it. Seed left in its original bag in a shed sweats and molds from the inside out. This Behrens galvanized steel can with a locking lid from Walmart shuts out rodents and damp in a way the original bag never manages. Scrub the feeder every week or two in warm weather, taking it apart rather than cleaning it in place, and dry it fully before refilling.

7. Make it Squirrel-Proof – Without Spooking the Birds

Squirrels can find a feeder faster than birds do, and those first weeks decide whether it becomes a daily stop. Discouraging them early beats evicting them later. Physical distance does the real work: allow roughly 10 feet (3 m) of clearance from any branch or railing they can launch off. Anything shorter, and a gray squirrel clears it without trying.

To squirrel-proof bird feeders, use a wraparound pole baffle, like this Kitvona squirrel baffle from Amazon, mounted with its top 4–5 feet (1.2–1.5 m) off the ground. Lower than that, and they simply jump it. Birds treat that commotion as a predator event and stay clear well after it ends.

Shop Bird Feeding Essentials

Two weeks with an untouched feeder feels like failure and hardly ever is. Keep the seed dry and leave the spot alone. The first chickadee tends to turn up on an ordinary afternoon when nobody happens to be looking out the window.

It’s hard to believe Labor Day is upon us. Where did August go? Though it may still feel like summer (in Ohio at least…), fall is on its way and so are all the requisite garden and lawn cleanup tasks. Now is the perfect time to score some deals on those tools and equipment you have been eyeing in the garden center all summer.

Labor Day weekend sales don’t always live up to the hype, but I have taken the time to find some of the best garden deals this year! A low price isn’t the only factor in weighing a good deal, though. These are gardening tools that the Gardening Know How team has used in our own yards and items from brands that we trust.

Let’s dig into all the great deals you’ll find this Labor Day weekend!

Great Deals at Home Depot

Great Deals at Lowe's

Great Deals at Amazon

Great Deals Elsewhere

Sorting out the stash of garden tools in our sheds is a job we all need to do post-summer, and it looks like Walmart has already made a good start. Hundreds of garden tools are reduced and we’ve sifted through the pile to find the ones that are really worth buying. Whether you’re after loppers or a lawn mower, a trowel or a hedge trimmer, all these gardening tools have a minimum review rating of four stars so they’re worthy of adding to your backyard stash.

Let’s skip straight to the good bit with our pick of Walmart deals, shall we? Happy shopping!

Prep for Pruning

Deal With Fall Leaves

Look After Your Lawn

Banish Weeds

Trim Trees and Shrubs

Make Life Easy

Treat Yourself

Upgrade Garden Irrigation

Snap Up a Sure-Bet Shovel

Best of the Rest

Don't miss these great gardening deals from other retailers this Labor Day.

In one of his famous poems, Robert Frost wrote: “Good fences make good neighbors.” Does this apply to hedges as well? It might, if the hedge is on your property line.

Hedges are eco-friendly alternatives to fences and walls. They can provide hiding and nesting places for local wildlife, while also marking the property line.

But planting a hedge on the edge of your property is shadowed by legal concerns. Your best bet is to know the law before you begin then act carefully to make sure the hedge stays on your side of the fence.

I cover more questions like this in my Gardening Lawyer series, drawing on my experience as both a gardener and former attorney.

Benefits of Hedges

Who wouldn’t prefer a natural, lovely boundary of shrubs on the property line instead of a wall or fence? A hedge offers privacy, environmental benefits, and structural protection, but it’s green and growing. The best hedge plants have foliage dense enough to create a privacy screen, blocking your backyard from the views of curious neighbors and muffling traffic noises.

And hedges are lovely, with ample aesthetic appeal. The greenery - sometimes with seasonal colors, flowers or fruit - softens your property line but also serves as a wind block. It can also act as a sun buffer, shading backyard areas in summer while also limiting chilly winter drafts.

Finally, hedges can stabilize the soil and also provide wildlife habitat. Hedge plants with deep root systems prevent soil erosion, while the dense foliage offers nesting sites, safe areas for birds and mammals, and food sources for birds and pollinators.

Property Line Perils

Planting near your home is easy. You don’t need to worry that your neighbors won’t be happy. It’s your land and you can plant whatever you want. But when you plant anything near the property line, your neighbor might be involved. This includes property line hedging.

It’s easy to understand why you should hesitate to plant an oak sapling near the property line. That tree is going to grow tall and wide, and its branches (and maybe even the trunk) will expand into the neighbor’s backyard…and they may not like it. Hedge shrubs may be trimmed neatly, but a property line hedge raises the same issues as border line oaks. Hedges are shrubs, and shrubs can grow even faster than trees.

Laws About Property Lines and Plants

Every state has their own laws regulating plants on property lines, and some cities and even housing communities have rules too. The general law in most states allows a neighbor to cut down any part of a tree or shrub planted by a neighbor on your property line that extends into your own property. They don’t even need to ask permission.

But that’s not all. Many communities limit the height of any tree or shrub planted on a property line. Some cities and HOAs limit the species of trees and shrubs you can plant. Others won’t allow trees that block views or shade neighboring backyards.

Steps to Take Before Planting a Property Line Hedge

You can prevent problems with your neighbors over your property line hedge by acting carefully. These are the seven steps you should follow before planting your hedge.

1. Learn all of the laws relevant to planting shrubs on the property line. Check for state laws, municipal regulations, and HOA or bylaw requirements - if you live in a housing community with an HOA or a housing development where bylaws apply. Find out if species or mature heights are regulated and whether there are any setback requirements. While you are researching, see if there are laws prohibiting planting that blocks a neighbor’s view or shades a neighbor’s backyard.
2. If you are still unclear on the law, consult with an attorney.
3. Develop a plan for your hedge. Select the type of shrub - taking into account your hardiness zone and the sun exposure of the area. Note the mature height and width of the species of shrubs you have selected. If you have any questions, ask a plant expert or an arborist to be sure the species is appropriate for the location.
4. Review city records that show the location of the property line between you and the neighbor.
5. Map out where you will plant your hedge. Set plants up to 3 feet (1m) back from the property line so branches do not cross into your neighbor's yard when fully grown. Add even more access space behind the hedge so that you can maintain the hedge without walking on your neighbor’s property.
6. Talk with your neighbors. Tell them what shrubs you want to plant and their mature size. Show them your hedge map. Walk the property line with them to make sure that your understanding about its location is the same as theirs. Listen to their concerns and address them if you can.

Toilet paper – we all use it. But our daily bathroom visits result in a million little cardboard rolls that either end up in the recycling bin or the trash. What if there were ways to reuse toilet paper rolls in the garden that benefited our plants and kept this unavoidable waste from piling up in a landfill somewhere?

There actually are several clever ways to use toilet paper rolls in the garden. I’ll share how you can turn trash into garden treasure that solves a handful of common issues. From pests to pollinators to seed starting and composting, toilet paper rolls have varied applications in the home landscape.

Here are the best ways to use old toilet paper rolls to grow a better garden.

1. Stop Hungry Pests

One of the best uses for toilet paper rolls in the garden is to protect plants from pests. Seedlings are especially vulnerable to pests like cutworms and slugs, which can suddenly chomp through a stem overnight. Use a toilet paper roll like a collar around your young plants to protect their stems from hungry pests.

Squash vine borers are another pesky insect that can quickly kill your squash plants. Cut lengthwise down a toilet paper roll and wrap it around the stem of your squash plants to protect it from these burrowing pests. Cover the toilet paper roll in tin foil and push it down into the soil a bit at the base of the stem.

You can also create an easy earwig trap by filling a toilet paper roll with a damp paper towel. Place the toilet paper roll trap on its side next to the plants affected by earwigs, then the next day check to see how many pests you trapped. Place them in a bucket of soapy water to kill them.

2. Start Seedlings

This is a popular gardening hack that seems to take over the internet every spring, but it keeps resurfacing for good reason. Most of us have tons of toilet paper rolls lying around and want to save money when starting seeds in the spring. So using toilet paper rolls as seed starting pots seems like the perfect solution.

Although most toilet paper rolls are made from biodegradable cardboard, some are reinforced with glue that makes them break down slowly. If you plant them directly into the garden once your seedlings are big enough to transplant, it can cause circling roots that never reach the native soil.

To solve this issue, cut slits into the sides of your toilet paper rolls before planting, then simply fill the rolls with a high-quality seed starting mix, like this one from Miracle-Gro, plant your seeds, and grow! When it’s time to move plants outdoors, just peel back the rolls along the slits.

3. Turn Them Into a Bee Hotel

You can turn your toilet paper rolls into a pollinator-friendly hangout spot. To create a bee hotel, like this one from Amazon, where these beneficial insects can rest and nest, gather some hollow stems and sticks – bamboo is perfect for this purpose – and fill a toilet paper roll with them. Fill several toilet paper rolls and tie them together with twine to create a bigger bee hotel.

You can decorate the outside of the toilet paper rolls with paint or colorful tape that doubles as reinforcement in case the toilet rolls start to break down in the elements. Then place your mini bee hotels around your garden. You can put them near pollinators’ favorite plants or hang them in a tree where bees can stop and chill from the summer heat.

4. Add Them to the Compost Bin

As I mentioned above, toilet paper rolls are typically made of cardboard or paper that breaks down easily. That means they’re a prime brown material for the compost pile or tumbler – this compost tumbler from Home Depot is a good choice for small backyards.

To help speed up decomposition, cut up the toilet paper rolls into smaller pieces before putting them into your compost bin or pile. But like any other uncolored paper product, toilet paper rolls are perfect for composting.

Seasonal Gardening Shopping Inspiration

As we head into the colder months, now is a great time to create next year's perfect plot. This is what our team is shopping:

Okay, I have a confession. I've spent the last few weeks rewatching the original Practical Magic. But, in my defense, it's in preparation for the sequel, and I spent most of the time staring at the garden rather than paying attention to the plot, so it was "work."

I know the Owens sisters' house gets most of the attention – and understandably so – but it's the landscape that keeps pulling me back. The rambling cottage borders, the climbing roses, the weathered paths and, of course, that dreamy glass conservatory create the kind of garden that feels as though it's been growing for generations. It's a little wild, a little whimsical and impossibly romantic.

The best part is that, unlike some movie sets, this isn't a fantasy created entirely with CGI. The Victorian house was built specifically for the 1998 film on San Juan Island in Washington, complete with elaborate gardens designed to look as though the Owens family had been tending them for decades.

How to Get the Practical Magic Cottage Garden Look

While the set no longer exists, its influence certainly does. And, with Practical Magic 2 reigniting interest in the Owens sisters' world, it's no surprise that gardeners are once again looking to recreate that enchanting blend of cottage planting and Victorian conservatory style.

The good news? You don't need a cliffside mansion or a Hollywood budget. I spoke to garden designers to find out exactly which plants, materials and design tricks capture the Owens sisters' signature look.

1. Aim For Organized Chaos

The whole reason the Owens conservatory works so well is that it looks like it grew like that rather than being designed. Plants are layered at every height, including trailing vines at the ceiling, mid-height botanical clutter all over the shelves, and pots on the floor. There is no empty surface, and that’s completely on purpose. However, it never feels oppressive because the color palette is mostly green.

To get close to this look at home, whether you’re working with a full conservatory, a greenhouse, or just a large porch, the principle is the same: Work in layers (preferably 3) and resist the urge to tidy (especially if you’re a naturally organized person). Hang some dried bundles of herbs from the ceiling, cluster some mismatched pots on the shelves without spacing them out evenly, and let ivy or another climbing plant make its way across the wall.

Shop the Look:

To really capture this look, you’ll need to find plants that grow abundantly with almost no attention. For example, ferns, trailing pothos, climbing jasmine, rosemary, lavender, and any other variety of herbs that will cascade over the edges of a pot if they’re left alone.

In the Practical Magic movie, the conservatory is supposed to be an apothecary space, so herbs are obviously important. It’s best not to go for fake ones on this, as the smell of rosemary or jasmine is doing some heavy lifting when it comes to the atmosphere.

2. Steer Clear Of Formal

The outdoor garden in Practical Magic is technically a cottage garden, but one that leans more towards the untamed end of the spectrum. It's romantic rather than formal, which means no perfectly clipped hedges or geometric beds, but simply a ton of flowers that feel as if they chose to be there all by themselves.

The plant list almost writes itself. Roses, because obviously (try your birth month rose for something different). Lavender along pathways. Foxgloves for height. Hollyhocks against walls or fences. Catmint to soften any hard edges. Climbing roses or wisteria on anything that will hold them. The real key here is density: this is not a garden where you want visible soil. Every inch has something growing in it, and plants are allowed to flop, sprawl and self-seed as they please.

Shop Roses:

Aesthetically, the white picket fence is giving this “chaos” a clear frame. It keeps the garden looking romantic rather than tipping over into looking neglected. If you don’t have a fence, a low box hedge or even a stone path edging achieves the same containment effect.

The Zippity Roger Rabbit fence kit (available on Amazon) requires no digging, no concrete, and no maintenance. You get 6 feet of classic white picket fence in one box, which is all you need to frame a small cottage border.

3. And Don't Forget The The Practical Details

A few specific elements from the original set that you can actually buy or build:

Bell jars and domes:

They're all over the Owens' house, including on counters, on benches, in the garden. A simple glass dome over a small terrarium or a single herb plant immediately reads as apothecary-chic and costs very little.

A set of glass domes like these Pumtus bell jars (available on Amazon) with wooden bases can be placed over a small succulent, a bundle of dried flowers, or a candle on a shelf.

Mismatched terracotta:

The conservatory is full of pots that clearly weren't bought as a set. Source terracotta in different sizes and ages from anywhere you can find them: garden centers, secondhand stores, and markets; the more varied, the better.

Candles and lanterns:

The Owens aesthetic is fundamentally about warm light. Hurricane lanterns in the garden and candles in the conservatory do more than fairy lights to get the mood right.

Dried herbs:

Hang bundles of rosemary, lavender, and sage upside down from ceiling hooks or a wooden beam. They dry beautifully, smell even better, and cost almost nothing (not to mention are perfect for herb burning rituals).

A couple of these diplambr ceiling hooks (available on Amazon) screwed into a beam or ceiling joist is all you need to start hanging bundles. They come with all the hardware included and hold up to 35lbs, so they'll handle rosemary, lavender, and sage with ease.

The thing Practical Magic gives you, more than any specific plant list or design rules, is permission to let things get a bit out of hand (especially if you usually have a perfect-looking, highly organized garden).

“Keep rosemary by your garden gate….plant lavender for luck,” as they say in the movie. It's genuinely good horticultural advice, as it happens.

I like to schedule two haircuts a year: the first in spring and the second in fall. Cutting plants back can rejuvenate and stimulate growth. That works in spring but, as a matter of pruning basics, autumn is not a good time to do extensive pruning.

New growth from hard fall pruning won't have much time to get established before frosts set in. Damaged plants will struggle next year, too.

However, there are some plants that profit from light trims in autumn. These are the ones I head to, pruners in hand, in September.

6 Plants to Prune in September

I’m ready, willing, and eager to prune plants in my garden over Labor Day weekend. Which ones should be on my list?

1. Blackberries

Blackberry canes are the woody stems of blackberry plants. The root system and crown of the plant live for many years, while individual canes grow for two seasons. They are called primocanes in year one, then bear fruit as floricanes in year two. Then they die.

Prune blackberries and other bush fruit in September. (This category includes almost every similar plant in the berry patch, including summer-fruiting raspberries, black currents, gooseberries and red currents.) Use sharp pruners to take out the fruited stems. You can easily sharpen your pruners with a Corona carbide sharpening tool from Home Depot. And always be sure to sterilize them with rubbing alcohol before and after use to reduce the spread of disease between plants.

Essentially, you want to cut down these floricanes (second-year fruiting canes) at ground level in September. Take care not to leave stubs. Don’t trim or cut the green canes (primocanes).

2. Peonies

Is your September garden overcrowded with tall and messy perennials? Now’s the time to clean up the perennial bed, starting with peonies. Peonies are long-lived perennial plants with large, lush, gorgeous flowers.

In September, remove all the dead plant material and debris, including dead flower stems and basal foliage. The dead stems are often hollow, so trim them back low at an angle to prevent them from filling up with water and rotting. If new growth has already formed at the base of the clump, make the pruning cut just above it.

3. Rosemary

Don’t worry about annual herbs like basil or cilantro. They are dead by September or will die back soon. If they are wilted already, you can just add them to the compost. But September is a good time to take the snippers to rosemary in the perennial herb garden. These evergreen plants have aromatic needles and indigo blue summer flowers.

Rosemary and other herbs that grow in the Mediterranean region in Europe will die if they are pruned in winter. These shrubs – including rosemary, lavender, oregano and thyme – should all get trimmed in September.

But don’t head over to the perennial herb garden with the idea of chopping rosemary, or any of these herbs, to the soil. The idea is a light pruning to tidy them up, snip off browning spent stems, deadhead their withered tips and reshape them.

4. Yew Trees and Hedges

In landscaping, yew is a top choice as a foundation plant in front of homes. It is also commonly used in hedging. While many hedge shrubs won’t tolerate late pruning, yew shrubs are hardy and tough enough to sail through a September clip. Lots of homeowners prefer to clip their hedges once, and only once, every year. If this is you, think September.

One of the tricky parts about clipping a yew hedge is keeping the top level. Here’s one tried and true trick: install a guide line. What does this mean? Figure out how much lower you want your hedge to be, then push stakes down into the ground at regular intervals. Tie twine to the canes at the level you want the hedge to end up, then use that twine line as a guide as you cut.

5. Shasta Daisy

Shasta daisy plants bring joy to the garden. Their bright white petals with sunny yellow centers just make you happy. Shasta daisies don’t need frequent pruning. Don’t hesitate to deadhead, however, since you are likely to get more blooms and a flowering period that is longer.

But no matter what you do, these prolific bloomers will ultimately cease producing more of the cheerful, daisy-like flowers as the growing season comes to an end. September is usually the time.