Christmas Cactus Bloom Care
Christmas cactus sets flower buds when it gets about six weeks of long nights, 12 to 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness, or cool nights around 50 to 55°F. Give it either signal starting in late Septem...
Cold Frame Spinach and Lettuce: What to Sow and When
For steady winter salads from a cold frame, sow spinach and cold-hardy lettuce about 6 to 8 weeks before your first hard frost, so plants reach full leaf size before days drop below about 10 hours of ...
Poinsettia Advance Buy Timing and How to Pick a Healthy Plant
The best window to buy poinsettias is late November into the first days of December, within a week or two of a store's fresh delivery. Plants bought then have had the least time under dim store lights...
Indoor Cyclamen Care
Florist cyclamen keeps flowering for two to three months indoors when it sits in a cool, bright spot, about 50 to 65°F by day and 40 to 50°F at night, and is watered from below so the tuber and crown ...
Fall Grub Control for Cool-Season Lawns: Curative Timing That Works
Fall grub control in cool-season lawns works only if you confirm grubs first and use a curative product while they are still feeding near the surface, roughly late August through mid October. Cut a fe...
When to Mulch Strawberry Beds for Winter in Cold Zones
Mulch strawberry beds in Zones 3 to 6 after the plants have been through two or three nights in the low 20s °F and the soil surface has started to freeze, usually in early to mid November. Cover the w...
Winterizing a Backyard Pond in Cold Zones: De-Icers, Netting, and Fish
To winterize a backyard pond in Zones 3 to 6, net it before leaves drop, clean out the muck by late October, stop feeding fish once the water stays below 50°F, and keep one hole open in the ice all wi...
Chainsaw Safety Gear for Fall and Winter Storm Limb Cleanup
If you are going to cut storm-downed limbs yourself, wear chainsaw chaps, a forestry helmet with a face shield and hearing protection, safety glasses, saw-rated gloves, and sturdy boots, and limit the...
Protecting Young Trees From Buck Rub During the Fall Rut
To protect young trees from buck rub, put a physical barrier around the trunk from late August through December: a 4 to 5 foot tall cylinder of welded wire or hardware cloth held off the bark by 6 to ...
Storing Terracotta and Glazed Pots Before Freezing Weather
In Zones 3 to 6, empty terracotta and glazed ceramic pots, brush them clean, let them dry for a few days, and store them in a garage, shed, or basement before nights start dropping into the low 20s °F...
Using a Broadfork to Loosen Garden Beds in Fall Without Tilling
A broadfork loosens garden soil 10 to 12 inches deep without turning it over, and fall is the best time to use one. Work beds when the soil is moist but not sticky, typically late September through ea...
Protecting Bigleaf Hydrangea Flower Buds Over Winter in Zones 5 and 6
In Zones 5 and 6, bigleaf hydrangeas Hydrangea macrophylla flower on buds that formed in late summer, so the job is to keep those buds alive until spring. After the leaves drop and the plant goes dorm...
Cornucopia Planter Ideas with Kale and Mums
Cornucopia Planter Ideas with Kale and Mums A living cornucopia planter is a wicker horn basket lined with plastic and coir, planted with 4-inch or 6-inch mums and ornamental kale at the open end, and...
Bay Laurel and Rosemary Topiaries Indoors
Bay Laurel and Rosemary Topiaries Indoors Bay laurel and rosemary topiaries survive indoor months when they get the brightest, coolest window in the house, about 45 to 65°F, and careful, even watering...
Herb Bowls for Kitchen Windows in Cool Months
Herb Bowls for Kitchen Windows in Cool Months The herbs that do best in a kitchen window from October through March are parsley, chives, thyme, oregano, and mint, with rosemary as a slower bonus. Plan...
Branch and Berry Arrangements for Fall and Winter
Branch and Berry Arrangements for Fall and Winter The longest-lasting fall and winter arrangements use bare or berried branches: red or yellow twig dogwood, curly willow, birch, winterberry, rose hips...
Eucalyptus Bundles and Fresh Greenery Care
Eucalyptus Bundles and Fresh Greenery Care Fresh eucalyptus and most cut greenery last 2 to 3 weeks indoors if you recut the stems at an angle, stand them in clean, cool water with flower food, change...
Tabletop Succulent Centerpieces for Indoor Gatherings
Tabletop Succulent Centerpieces for Indoor Gatherings A living succulent centerpiece is easiest built 1 to 2 weeks before the gathering in a shallow bowl, 3 to 5 inches deep, with a drainage hole and ...
Dusty Miller and Silver Foliage for Cool Containers
Dusty Miller and Silver Foliage for Cool Containers Dusty miller is the most dependable silver plant for fall and early winter containers. It shrugs off light frost, keeps its felted white leaves down...
Autumn Ferns for Shaded Fall Porches
Autumn Ferns for Shaded Fall Porches For a shady porch in fall, plant autumn fern Dryopteris erythrosora. It is hardy in Zones 5 to 9, its new fronds open coppery red before turning glossy green, and ...
Overwintering Potted Perennials and Shrubs in Cold Zones
Overwintering Potted Perennials and Shrubs in Cold Zones To overwinter potted perennials and shrubs in cold zones, protect the roots, not the tops. Roots in a container are far less cold-hardy than th...
Tying Up Arborvitae and Upright Evergreens for Snow
Tying Up Arborvitae and Upright Evergreens for Snow To keep heavy snow and ice from splaying or splitting upright evergreens, tie multi-stemmed arborvitae, upright junipers, and similar columnar shrub...
Winter Protection for Fig Trees in Zones 6 and 7
Winter Protection for Fig Trees in Zones 6 and 7 In Zones 6 and 7, protect in-ground fig trees after the leaves drop and before nights fall into the low 20s°F, usually in mid to late November. Tie the...
Storing Cannas, Elephant Ears, and Caladiums Over Winter
Storing Cannas, Elephant Ears, and Caladiums Over Winter North of about Zone 8, lift cannas and elephant ears right after the first light frost blackens the foliage, and lift caladiums earlier, once n...
How to Winterize Raised Beds in Cold Zones
How to Winterize Raised Beds in Cold Zones To winterize raised beds in cold zones, pull spent and diseased crops, add 1 to 2 inches of compost, then cover the soil with 3 to 4 inches of shredded leave...
Fall Broadleaf Weed Control for Cool-Season Lawns
Fall Broadleaf Weed Control for Cool-Season Lawns Fall is the most effective time to control perennial broadleaf weeds like dandelion, clover, plantain, and creeping charlie in cool-season lawns. Spot...
Snow Blower Prep Before the First Snow
Snow Blower Prep Before the First Snow Prep your snow blower in October or early November, before the first forecast storm: fill it with fresh stabilized fuel, check or change the oil, inspect the aug...
Winterizing a Sprinkler System: Drain or Blow Out Before Freeze
Winterizing a Sprinkler System: Drain or Blow Out Before Freeze Winterize an in-ground sprinkler system before the first hard freeze, when nights are forecast to drop into the mid 20s°F. Shut off the ...
Ice Melt That Is Safer for Lawns, Plants, and Pets
Ice Melt That Is Safer for Lawns, Plants, and Pets For walks and driveways next to lawns, beds, and pets, choose calcium magnesium acetate CMA or a blend labeled pet-friendly and plant-safe, and use i...
Heated Bird Baths and Winter Water for Backyard Birds
Heated Bird Baths and Winter Water for Backyard Birds A heated bird bath or a thermostatic bird bath de-icer keeps water open when temperatures drop below freezing, and it can attract more winter bird...
Peace Lily Care in Dry Indoor Heat
Peace Lily Care in Dry Indoor Heat When the furnace is running, keep a peace lily at least 3 feet from heat vents and radiators, water when the top inch of soil is dry often every 5 to 10 days in a he...
Humidity Trays and Grouping for Winter Houseplants
Humidity Trays and Grouping for Winter Houseplants To counter dry winter air, group humidity-loving houseplants together and set them on pebble or humidity trays filled with water to just below the to...
Snake Plant and ZZ for Low-Light Winter Rooms
Snake Plant and ZZ for Low-Light Winter Rooms For dim winter rooms, snake plant and ZZ plant are the two most forgiving choices. Both tolerate low light, dry indoor air, and missed waterings. The one ...
Mulch After Bulb Planting Before Freeze
Mulch After Bulb Planting Before Freeze Mulch newly planted bulbs once the top inch or two of soil has frozen or nights are reaching the low 20s °F, not on planting day. Spread 2 to 3 inches of shredd...
Overwintering Geraniums Indoors
Overwintering Geraniums Indoors Bring geraniums indoors before the first frost, once nights drop into the low 40s °F, and keep them one of three ways: as potted plants in a sunny window, as rooted cut...
Pre-Chilled Bulbs for Mild Winter Zones
Pre-Chilled Bulbs for Mild Winter Zones In Zones 8 to 10, tulips, hyacinths, and most crocus will not get the long cold spell they need to bloom well, so buy them pre-chilled or chill them yourself in...
Evergreen Urns for Thanksgiving Porches
Evergreen Urns for Thanksgiving Porches For a porch urn that looks good from Thanksgiving straight through winter, either plant a live dwarf conifer or boxwood in the center from late October through ...
Ornamental Grasses for Fall Entry Urns
Ornamental Grasses for Fall Entry Urns For a tall, moving centerpiece in a fall entry urn, plant one upright or arching ornamental grass in the center, such as purple fountain grass, a compact miscant...
Spring Bulbs to Plant in Fall in Zones 3-5
Spring Bulbs to Plant in Fall in Zones 3-5 In Zones 3 to 5, plant spring bulbs from mid September through late October, once nights stay in the 40s°F and soil at planting depth has cooled to about 55°...
How to Winterize a Lawn Mower for Winter Storage
How to Winterize a Lawn Mower for Winter Storage To winterize a gas mower, add fuel stabilizer to a full tank and run the engine for 5 minutes, or run the tank completely dry, then disconnect the spar...
Last Mow of Fall: Best Height for Cool-Season Lawns
Last Mow of Fall: Best Height for Cool-Season Lawns For the last mow of fall, cut cool-season lawns Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, fine fescue, perennial ryegrass to about 2 to 2.5 inches, which is ...
Outdoor Faucet Covers and Hose Care Before the First Freeze
Outdoor Faucet Covers and Hose Care Before the First Freeze Before the first hard freeze overnight lows near 28°F or colder, disconnect every garden hose, drain it, shut off the indoor valve that feed...
Tree Watering Bags for Fall-Planted Trees
Tree Watering Bags for Fall-Planted Trees A newly planted tree needs about 10 to 15 gallons of water per week in fall, delivered slowly to the root ball, until the ground freezes. A tree watering bag ...
Digging and Storing Dahlia Tubers After Frost
Digging and Storing Dahlia Tubers After Frost In Zones 3 through 7, dig dahlia tubers about one to two weeks after the first frost blackens the foliage, let them dry for a day or two, then store them ...
Suet Feeders and Winter Bird Feeding: What Works
Suet Feeders and Winter Bird Feeding: What Works For winter birds, the most useful setup is a suet feeder, a tube or hopper feeder with black-oil sunflower seed, and a heated bird bath, placed within ...
Shrubs You Should Not Prune in Fall (and What You Can)
Shrubs You Should Not Prune in Fall and What You Can Do not prune spring-flowering shrubs in fall: lilac, forsythia, azalea, rhododendron, mountain laurel, weigela, spring spirea, flowering quince, an...
Cleaning and Sharpening Garden Tools Before Winter
Cleaning and Sharpening Garden Tools Before Winter Before winter storage, scrub soil off every tool, dry it fully, sharpen cutting edges, wipe metal with a light coat of oil, and treat wooden handles ...
Winter Protection for Roses in Zones 4-6
Winter Protection for Roses in Zones 4-6 In Zones 4 to 6, protect grafted hybrid tea, floribunda, and grandiflora roses by mounding 10 to 12 inches of soil or compost over the base of each plant after...
Forced Amaryllis Bulbs for Indoor Winter Bloom
Forced Amaryllis Bulbs for Indoor Winter Bloom Pot amaryllis bulbs from October through early December and most will bloom six to ten weeks later, which puts flowers on the table from late November th...
Ornamental Kale and Cabbage for Cool-Season Porch Color
Ornamental Kale and Cabbage for Cool-Season Porch Color Plant ornamental kale and cabbage from early October into November, once nights settle into the 50s °F. Their pink, purple, and cream centers on...