Over the last few years of collecting houseplants, I've had to get quite creative with finding room to display all of them. A plant stand is one of my favorite solutions, utilizing vertical space and doubling the capacity of my indoor garden.

But, I haven't seen an indoor plant stand as clever as the IKEA ALPVIDE plant stand. Its two trays actually lift so you can carry them to the sink for watering. Even better, the raised edges mean the top tray can double as a workbench to repot plants without potting soil escaping. Or, you can use the trays to neatly store all your houseplant care accessories – really, it's super versatile.

The fact it's white is also a perk, quietly slotting into a wide range of interiors. To me, this is a space-saving piece to level up any indoor garden just in time for fall.

A Versatile Plant Stand

If you're looking for a low-effort way to create a vertical indoor garden, this IKEA ALPVIDE plant stand is an easy solution.

With two generous trays, it doubles the space for displaying plants. When full of a mix of variegated indoor plants (like this Thai Constellation Monstera from The Sill) and textural indoor ferns, you can create the look of an abundant green wall.

Or, you can use the plant stand to store all of your houseplant accessories. I personally love watering cans, plant misters, and pruning shears that look beautiful on display in between use. This glass plant mister from Wayfair, for example, is decorative in its own right.

I also love the fact the trays have a raised edge and can be wiped clean. It offers the possibility of using the top shelf as a mini potting bench. It would catch any potting soil, making it a good workspace for repotting and tending to plants.

This makes it a good alternative to having to lay out a potting mat (though IKEA have a beautiful striped one), with the shelf being at a good height to work at.

However you choose to use it, I think the minimalist design and versatile use makes it a valuable piece to add to your indoor garden.

What Shoppers Say

With a 4.3-star rating, the reviews reveal shoppers are hugely satisfied with this purchase.

'I am IN LOVE with this plant stand! The removable top tray is a game changer for me, especially with certain plants,' one five-star reviewer writes.

If you style houseplants on this plant shelf in pots with drainage holes (like these terracotta pots from Amazon), the tray can be used as a water saucer. Simply remove it from the stand and take it over to the sink to add some water for bottom watering.

'I’m using the bottom shelf for my plant sprays and two small baskets that hold the tools and supplies I regularly use for my houseplants, so it’s both beautiful AND genuinely functional,' the reviewer continues.

'[It] allows for sun-loving plants on top and the partial sun plants below,' another person adds.

As for assembly, shoppers say it's pretty straightforward.

'Easy to assemble and holds all my plants,' another shopper writes.

'It was easy to put together, it's lightweight to carry, but sturdy enough for your plants,' another reviewer reads.

Something to note, of course, is the price tag is quite high at $79.99. However, the function and aesthetic of the plant stand seems to have won over customers, who are already planning repeat purchases.

'Would I love it more at a slightly lower price? Sure. But clearly the price isn’t stopping me because I’m already planning to buy another one,' one reviewer shares.

Shop Our IKEA Edit

As well as using plant stands, you can layer houseplants to create a more abundant arrangement. You can also use houseplants for fall interiors to bring some warmth to your living room this season.

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It is always beneficial to have your pruning shears close at hand when you are out gardening. The best way to keep them safe, secure, and nearby is with a holster. If you use a pruning shear holster, it’ll be quick and easy to reach for your pruners, whatever the job.

Once you find the best pruners for you, look after them. That includes not just leaving them on the ground when you’re not using them, or throwing them in a bucket or trug. All too many gardeners have unwittingly misplaced their pruners by forgetting where they put them, or lost them to the compost heap in a bucket of garden material.

Pruning shear holsters are not just practical, but also stylish. Leather holsters (like this sheath on The Home Depot made from thick USA leather) are strong, look good, and feel comfortable, and you can get ones that also carry additional tools, like this three-pocket holster from Amazon – perfect for carrying a portable tool sharpener and gardening knife too, for example. Alternatively, canvas or rubber pruning shear holsters offer a sturdy, flexible, budget-friendly option.

The best pruning shears holsters will have a metal belt clip so it stays attached to you at all times. However, some offer a bit more. This gardening holster on Amazon is a full belt, with three functional pockets for tools and a removable pouch. Or you can opt for a gardening tool belt with lots of carrying space for tools, gloves, and other essentials.

In a holster or belt, you can carry both your pruning shears and pruning snips – perfect if you want to switch between general and precise trimming, such as going from deadheading or picking crops to cutting back perennials or pruning shrubs.

If you’ve just treated yourself to some new pruning tools, or want to stop losing any essential gardening tools again, here are some of the best pruning shear holsters to keep them attached to you while you are out in the garden.

To keep your tools in the best condition, you should also know how to clean and sharpen pruning shears. Well-maintained pruning tools make trimming easier and won’t damage your precious plants. Things like a sharpening stone, flat metal file, or whetstone are garden tool sharpening essentials, along with lubricating oil or protective spray to apply to the blades to prevent rust. Look after your pruning shears well, and they’ll give you many years of enjoyable cutting.

If you carry your tools on a belt, why not look for practical small garden tools — those that are compact but mighty. Small enough to carry easily and versatile enough for lots of different jobs.

The likes of a hori hori knife and micro garden snips perfectly fit into this category. They can be kept in a protective holster on a tool belt, close at hand for lots of pruning, harvesting, or weeding.

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October is the gardener’s last generous window. Plant spring bulbs, cool-season vegetables, hardy perennials, deciduous trees, shrubs, and bare-root roses while the soil is still warm enough to make roots but the air is cool enough to stop plants throwing a tantrum. In most temperate US regions, this is the moment to establish next year’s garden before winter closes the gate.

The exact list depends on your USDA hardiness zone and first-frost date. Gardeners in Zones 6–8 can plant almost all of the following through much of the month; Zones 4–5 should move quickly and favor bulbs, hardy trees, and protected crops; in Zones 9–11, October is often the beginning of the proper growing season for vegetables and flowers.

For a more deliciously specific edible shortlist, these 7 vegetables to plant in October will keep winter and spring meals looking considerably less beige. A good Hori Hori garden knife from Amazon is the one tool I reach for when planting bulbs, slicing through roots, and pretending I have been organized all year.

Why October Is A Planting Sweet Spot

October has a certain quiet authority. The summer’s show-offs have stopped shouting, the soil is still holding a little warmth, and rain usually does some of the watering for you. Roots continue to grow well after top growth has slowed, meaning plants can settle in without having to produce an entire opera of leaves and flowers at the same time.

I have always thought of October planting as giving the garden a head start while it is asleep. By spring, bulbs are already positioned to perform, shrubs have a root system in place, and the vegetable patch has something more useful to offer than a collection of empty beds and a lost trowel.

The essential calculation is not the date on the calendar but your first hard frost. If the ground is frozen, waterlogged, or likely to freeze within a fortnight, postpone planting trees, shrubs, and perennials until spring. In the milder South and coastal West, however, October can be positively luxurious.

Spring Bulbs For A Brilliantly Early Display

Tulips (Tulipa), daffodils (Narcissus), alliums (Allium), crocuses (Crocus), and hyacinths (Hyacinthus) are all banking on you doing the sensible thing now. Most need a cold spell to form flowers properly, then use fall’s lingering soil warmth to begin rooting.

Plant bulbs in drifts rather than military rows; nature has never arranged anything quite so sternly as a bulb catalog. I toss a handful onto the ground and plant where they land, adjusting only the ones that have made an obvious bid for the path. Aim for a hole around two to three times the bulb’s height, pointy end up, in freely draining soil.

In Zones 3–7, October is ideal for most spring bulbs. In warmer Zones 8–10, chill tulips and hyacinths in the refrigerator for several weeks before planting, and choose heat-tolerant varieties where possible. For a fuller seasonal planting plan, see these bulbs to plant in October.

Cool-Season Vegetables

October is hardly the month for tomatoes to make a comeback tour, but it is excellent for cool-season crops. Garlic (Allium sativum), spinach (Spinacia oleracea), arugula (Eruca vesicaria), kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), radishes (Raphanus sativus), peas (Pisum sativum), and fava beans (Vicia faba) all appreciate a dip in temperature.

In Zones 7–10, sow salad leaves, radishes, spinach, Asian greens, and carrots directly outdoors. Garlic can be planted in most temperate zones from October into November, provided the soil has not frozen. I like to tuck cloves into a sunny bed after adding compost, with the pointy end up and enough space between them that they will not spend spring elbowing one another.

In Zones 4–6, concentrate on quick crops under protection, or sow spinach and lettuce in a cold frame. Peas and fava beans are better suited to milder areas with well-draining soil; in a northern, wet back yard they can turn into a small underground tragedy. Our guide to types of cold frames will help you choose a setup that suits the space you have, but I personally prefer a beautiful wooden cold frame such as this from Amazon.

Establish Perennials

Fall is one of the finest times to plant hardy perennials, particularly peonies (Paeonia), coneflowers (Echinacea), hardy geraniums (Geranium), asters (Symphyotrichum), sedums (Hylotelephium), and ornamental grasses such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum).

Choose healthy container-grown plants, soak the root ball before planting, loosen circling roots gently, and set the crown at the same depth it sat in its pot. Water deeply after planting, then mulch the soil, but do not heap mulch against stems and crowns like a tiny, damp volcano.

October planting gives perennials a chance to form roots before their winter dormancy. In Zones 3–5, do this early in the month and mulch after the ground freezes; in Zones 6–8, you have more breathing room. Find more candidates among these perennials to plant in fall.

Plant Trees And Shrubs

Deciduous trees and shrubs are quietly magnificent October choices. Maples (Acer), serviceberries (Amelanchier), redbuds (Cercis canadensis), viburnums (Viburnum), hydrangeas (Hydrangea), lilacs (Syringa vulgaris), and native ninebarks (Physocarpus opulifolius) can all establish roots while their leaves are winding down for the year.

Bare-root plants are especially good value once nurseries begin shipping in dormancy, while container-grown plants remain an easy option wherever the soil can still be worked. Dig a hole no deeper than the root ball, but two to three times as wide; roots want to travel sideways, not discover a shaft to the center of the Earth.

Have a sturdy, large watering can on hand such as this watering can from Amazon and water thoroughly. Add a broad mulch ring to conserve moisture and protect against temperature swings.

Avoid fertilizing at planting time, which encourages tender top growth just as winter is clearing its throat. In colder Zones 3–5, plant at least four to six weeks before the ground freezes. In Zones 8–10, fall is often the best season of all for woody planting, because it avoids the brutal summer establishment period.

Sow Hardy Flowers

A few annuals and biennials are happier with a winter in the soil. Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus), larkspur (Consolida ajacis), calendula (Calendula officinalis), poppies (Papaver), nigella (Nigella damascena), and foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea) can be sown in fall in suitable climates. Their seed coats soften, cold helps break dormancy, and they emerge with enviable purpose when spring arrives.

I particularly like scattering Californian poppy seeds from True Leaf Market and nigella seed into a sunny, lightly raked border. Do not bury them deeply; these are not potatoes and will not thank you for subterranean ambition. In colder zones, wait until late fall, when germination will not begin until spring. In Zones 7–10, sow early enough for seedlings to establish before hard freezes, protecting them with a light row cover if necessary.

This approach also makes a garden feel less purchased and more discovered which is a useful quality when the first daffodils arrive and you would like to look faintly surprised by your own foresight.

Containers

Containers are wonderfully useful in October, especially for leafy greens, violas (Viola × wittrockiana), ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea), and bulbs planted in layers.

Use a potting mix rather than garden soil, make sure drainage holes are clear, and place pots where they can be sheltered from drying winds. In areas with repeated freeze-thaw cycles, cluster pots together and insulate them with mulch or burlap.

Frost fleece, cloches, and cold frames can extend the season without turning your back yard into a commercial growing operation. Cover crops before sunset on clear, still nights when frost is forecast, and remove covers during the day when temperatures rise. Here is how to protect plants from frost without accidentally cooking them under plastic.

What to Shop

October rewards the gardener who looks ahead. Plant now, water well while plants settle, and add labels before winter fogs the memory. By spring, your backyard will look as though it has been planning things behind your back, which, in the best possible way, it has.

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Frost is fast approaching, so I'm starting to collect everything I need to keep my plants safe. But, without a greenhouse or lots of indoor space to store tender plants over winter, it can be a struggle to figure out where to keep my most vulnerable plants. That's where pop-up plant frost tents come in.

It's an essential winterizing tool if you're short on frost-free locations and have tender perennials or shrubs to keep safe over winter. These Amazon pop-up plant frost tents, for example, simply pop open for you to position over plants or store containers in. They even come with nails to secure the tents into the ground, so they don't blow away in the wind.

It's such an easy solution to protecting plants from frost if you can't provide other shelter. The material is even non-woven so the cold is kept out while your plants get plenty of airflow, keeping excess moisture at bay and preventing issues like powdery mildew. For $36.99 for two tents, this is one the most affordable and reliable solutions I've come across for fall.

What Shoppers Say

With a 4.3-star review, I'm confident these Amazon pop-up plant frost tents work well for overwintering your garden.

The reviews reveal these tents are sturdy and strong, keeping plants safe over frosty periods.

'Works well for smaller plants the stakes provided keeps the wind from blowing they away,' one person writes.

They have a built in support structure that pops up when you open it,' another person describes.

Designed to simply pop into place, the tents have internal steel wire to provide structure. It makes it ideal for placing over plants in your border, as well as using it to protect pots and planters from frost.

'These pop-up shrub covers are strong and sturdy! They held up under three feet of snow this winter,' another reviewer shares.

Another bonus is that it folds down for compact storage, with an included bag to store away. It makes it an excellent collapsible garden tool for those lacking lots of storage space.

One thing to note about the tents is their size. They each measure 30x28x28", though you can also purchase the Amazon pop-up plant frost tents at larger sizes.

'Make sure your plant measurements are a little smaller than the size of the tents you purchase,' one shopper suggests.

It's also clear from the reviews these tents won't last indefinitely. However, the non-woven breathable material provides plenty of airflow for your plants and will keep them safe this fall and winter. Though, it should also be noted the fact it's not transparent will limit daylight exposure, so it may not be the best choice for plants relying on much brighter light – you may find a transparent frost tent, like this from Walmart, is better in this case.

Nevertheless, for $36.99 for two tents, this is an inexpensive and quick way to ensure your most vulnerable plants stay safe over the coming weeks and months.

What to Shop

One thing these pop-up tents won't work for is trees. Luckily, you can protect young trees before winter in just a few steps. Something like this tree guard from Amazon can protect your trees from wildlife damage, for example.

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You need a pruning saw for thicker stems and branches that are too big for pruners or loppers but do not require a chainsaw. You will discover lots of such wood when pruning trees and large shrubs in fall or winter.

Different pruning saws have curved or straight blades, and those blades are either folding or fixed. Each has pros and cons. Picking the best pruning saw depends on how much pruning you’ll be doing each year, the size of the wood, and whether you need to access tight spaces.

The best pruning tools fit your needs and budget. When you pick the right one and know how to use a pruning saw, it becomes an essential gardening tool for years to come. Below, we look at some of the best pruning saws on the market.

Best Folding Pruning Saw

I have always had a folding pruning saw in my pruning toolkit. I was given an older FELCO folding pruning saw when I started as a professional gardener – and that tool lasted me for many years. Now I have upgraded to a FELCO 602 and think it is one of the best pruning saws you can get.

A folding pruning saw has a blade that folds into the handle. They save storage space, are compact enough to carry in a tool bag or attach to a tool belt, and are great for general pruning around the garden. If you don’t have lots of shed storage space, you can’t go wrong with a folding pruning saw.

I have used my folding pruning saw for many different tasks over the years, including pruning fruit trees and ornamental trees and cutting thicker stems when rejuvenating old shrubs.

The FELCO 602 has a 4.7-inch chrome-plated blade that is designed to reduce friction and cut through branches easily. Its pull-cut teeth are also heat-treated to stay sharper for longer. As with all FELCO tools, all parts are replaceable, including the blade, so this tool can last for many years.

If you want a general-purpose pruning saw you can rely on each winter pruning season, this is a great option. At just 160g, it is light to use for long periods. The soft-touch coating on the handle makes pruning comfortable, and a contoured grip keeps you in control when cutting.

A good alternative I have also used and would recommend is the Stihl PR 16 folding saw available on Amazon. It is virtually the same as the FELCO in terms of length and weight, with sharp, three-sided chrome-plated Japanese teeth that glide through thick branches up to 65mm.

The only downside I have found with folding pruning saws is that the safety catch can be cumbersome. It always starts off stiff when you get a new tool, but it does loosen over time. It is an efficient opening and locking mechanism, but some brands do it better than others, so you may want to try out a tool before committing.

Best Curved Blade Fixed Pruning Saw

A fixed-blade pruning saw, as the name suggests, has a permanently secured blade and handle. They take up more space in a tool shed – but do have a hole in the handle to hang the tool if you want to declutter a shed – and aren’t as easy to carry around the garden in a bag or on a belt, but that extra size does mean more power.

If you do a lot of heavy pruning, a fixed-blade pruning saw is worth the investment. The Corona RazorTOOTH pruning saw is a powerful choice for pruning tree branches up to eight inches in diameter. The high-carbon Japanese steel blade has triple-hardened teeth to cut powerfully and stay sharp.

This pruning saw has a long 14-inch blade that cuts on the pull stroke. The extra length not only helps cut thicker wood, but the curved blade is great for cutting lower or higher branches and reduces bending and stretching.

The tool may look unwieldy if you’ve never used a fixed blade pruning saw before. However, I think it is suitable for gardeners of any level. The tool feels lightweight, and it has an ergonomic, non-slip grip that keeps you feeling in constant control while pruning even tough wood.

Best Straight Blade Fixed Pruning Saw

Curved blades help with power, but straight blades are best for precision. A straight-blade pruning saw is a great option for precise trimming of smaller branches between shoulder and waist height. It is also a better tool for tight spaces, where you need to trim at more awkward angles.

Japanese pruning tools are very popular nowadays. The brands Niwaki and Okatsune make some of the best pruners, and there are quality Japanese hedge shears and loppers available.

This Saboten Japanese pruning saw is also made with the same quality craftsmanship, with a straight Japanese high-carbon 240mm steel blade. It has a premium look, with a wooden grip – rather than the rubber ones you see on most Western pruning tools – and a wooden sheath to store the saw in.

The blade is fixed in place on the Saboten Japanese pruning saw, but you can get folding straight-blade pruning saws. That includes the FELCO 602 and this ARS folding turbocut saw on Amazon, which has a 5-3/4-inch folding chrome-plated blade. It is sharp, compact, and portable, plus the blade is replaceable.

Best Premium Pruning Saw

A pruning saw with a curved blade should be your go-to tool for cutting branches lower down or higher up. Whether that means pruning shrubs at the base or trimming higher tree branches, a curved blade is better and gives you a better purchase for efficiently pruning thicker wood.

Also, a good rule of thumb is that longer blades can cut thicker wood. The Silky Professional Series Sugoi pruning saw has a 16.5-inch curved blade capable of cutting branches up to 8.3 inches in diameter. The razor-sharp teeth are set at four angles along the blade for progressive cutting throughout each stroke, delivering strength from start to finish.

The rubber handle is designed to offer a strong grip even in wet or cold conditions. The tool comes with a protective sheath that has a locking mechanism to stop the saw from slipping out.

It is a powerful, professional Japanese gardening tool. Indeed, Sugoi actually means ‘incredible’ in Japanese. The blades can be resharpened or replaced; however, there is no denying it is an expensive option for any home gardener.

A more budget-friendly alternative is the Corona RazorTOOTH pruning saw, or the Fiskars Pro pruning saw, available at Lowe’s, if you want a strong curved TaperTooth blade that folds away for convenient storage.

There are two other categories of best pruning saws to consider. You can also get electric pruning saws and pole pruners, which offer specific benefits in terms of ease of use and reach.

These are beneficial in certain circumstances, but not all gardeners will have the need or budget to have one in their shed. Most can fulfil all their trimming needs with any of the tools above.

Electric pruners and pole pruners both have either shear or saw heads (or you can get extendable pruners with both for versatility) and can be crucial winter garden tools for all manner of trimming if you have a large garden.

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After hours of perfecting the fall planting by my front door, it still felt like something was missing – some magical lighting. Solar lighting is the easiest way to elevate your fall porch with seasonal sophistication, providing a soft glow to keep your carefully curated planting alive after dark.

I'm not talking about just any kind of solar outdoor lighting, but those with a touch of whimsy that bring the display to life. Take these Amazon allium solar lights, for example, which have a softness about them. I love their warm white glow, which gently provides some light to porch displays without taking away from the planting – the fact they're allium-inspired even means they're a natural shape to slot into planting. They're $12.82 on the current deal, so you can elevate your porch without the price tag.

Complimenting fall planters and adding a soft glow among pumpkins, these allium-style solar lights might just be the finishing touch missing from your outdoor fall decor.

Why Shoppers Love Them

These Amazon allium solar lights have been bought over 4,000 times in the last month, and the reviews reveal how satisfied customers are with their quality.

'Set-up took maybe a couple of minutes – just spread out the wires to get the look you want, stick them in the ground, and you're done,' one five-star reviewer writes.

'They've also held up through a few storms already with no issues, and I like that I don't have to think about them. They charge during the day and turn on automatically every night,' they add.

These lights are solar-powered, so it is key they receive sufficient light exposure in the day to charge. However, when operating, shoppers find them super low-maintenance.

'They're not super bright like a floodlight, but they add a nice decorative glow and the firework effect looks awesome,' a reviewer describes.

'These are just magical. We have them at the entrance to our garden and the kids just love them, I do too!' another shopper shares.

The fact the lights are warm white is ideal for fall planting, inviting a cozy, soft feel, rather than a stark light. You can also choose between having them on steady or flashing mode to personalize to your display.

'I liked these enough to buy two sets and I'm considering another. They are pretty and seem like they might last a while,' another reviewer writes.

The only issue to note from the reviews is that the wires aren't super sturdy: 'You need to get them perfectly upright in the ground or the fine filaments will start to sag and your shape will change,' one shopper shares.

However, by ensuring the stake is secure in the ground or a plant pot, you can avoid this happening. The fact the wires are malleable are intentional, so you can create the shape you want, whether alliums or fanned.

At just $12.82 on the current deal, this is one of the most affordable solutions for sophisticated lighting I've seen. It's sure to add some magic to your fall display and beyond. They'd certainly make a beautiful addition to Christmas porch decor, too.

How I'd Style Them

To create a sophisticated, understated fall porch with these Amazon allium solar lights, I would simply pop them in my planters.

Specifically, flanked either side of the porch steps or front door will add beautiful symmetry. By contrast, purchasing multiple packs to place sporadically on either side of the front garden path can create an enchanting walkway up to the porch.

Paired with pumpkins or Halloween porch planting, these lights would illuminate spooky details softly so they can be seen at night. In particular, they'd be effective at adding height to pots planted up with compact ornamental grasses and bedding plants.

I'd also pair them with muted planters to make the lights the statement moment, for example these terracotta planters from Wayfair.

What to Shop

As well as using lighting to bring your fall porch to life, consider how you style your plants. For example, this design trick makes mums look more expensive in fall and you can use ornamental peppers to add some color to your fall containers.

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We have officially entered fall, but in many parts of the US, mild temperatures can continue for a few more weeks. And while some summer plants are beginning to slow down, lantana is usually still putting on a rather remarkable show, covered in clusters of brilliantly colored flowers that seem determined to keep summer going for just a little bit longer.

I particularly like the fiery varieties at this time of year. ‘Dallas Red’, typically grown in zones 8 to 11, produces vibrant clusters of orange and red flowers that provide a welcome pop of color as the rest of the yard begins its gradual transition into fall. After months of growth, however, even the toughest lantana can benefit from a little attention to keep it looking its best.

Knowing how to grow lantana and what to do with lantana in October will depend largely on where you live. In warmer regions, plants can have weeks or even months of flowering still to come, whereas gardeners farther north might already be thinking about the first frost and whether to overwinter container-grown plants. And, if you want to add more late-season color to your yard, its not too late, as live lantana plants are available from Walmart.

1. Watering

October can be deceptive when it comes to watering. Mornings might feel noticeably cooler in northerly regions, but a lantana sitting in full sun can still dry out remarkably quickly by the end of a warm day, particularly when growing in pots by the front door, for example.

Lantana is fairly drought-tolerant perennial once established, so plants growing in the ground shouldn't need constant attention.

As mentioned, however, container-grown lantana will need checking more regularly. Push a finger into the potting mix and water thoroughly if it feels dry, allowing excess water to escape from the drainage holes. As temperatures fall, growth will begin to slow and you can gradually reduce watering accordingly.

For easy watering, try this garden hose from Walmart.

2. Deadheading

A quick tidy of your lantana plants every week or so will keep plants looking much fresher.

Using clean pruners, snip off spent flower clusters just above a healthy pair of leaves. Try these Felco pruners from Walmart if you need a new pair.

There is another good reason to do this. Lantana camara is considered one of the most invasive species in the world. Birds can spread the seeds contained in its berries, so, by removing spent blooms before berries develop can help to limit unwanted self-seeding in your yard and beyond.

Deadheading isn't essential for all modern lantana varieties however. For example, 'New Gold' is totally sterile cultivar.

'New Gold' live lantana plants can be ordered via Amazon now.

3. Pruning

Lantana in October can be looking a little unruly. After an entire summer of growth, long stems can sprawl across paths, flop over the sides of containers or begin to muscle in on neighboring plants.

You can shorten particularly long or wayward stems, cutting just above a healthy pair of leaves to encourage a neater shape.

Keep this fairly restrained, however. October isn't the time for a dramatic renovation prune, particularly in regions like zone 4 where cooler weather is only a few weeks away.

4. Stop feeding

During spring and summer, a container-grown lantana can benefit from occasional feeding to support all that vigorous growth and flowering, but there comes a point when encouraging more growth does more harm than good. That point is now.

In warmer regions, you might continue to use feed for a few weeks yet, particularly if plants are still growing well. But, in cooler zones, I would stop feeding.

5. Think about Overwintering

What happens next depends very much on where you garden. In warmer regions (like zone 10), lantana can behave as a perennial, surviving winter outdoors and keeping much of its green growth.

In colder zones, however, the first hard frost will usually spell the end for plants left outside. This is no bad thing if you treat lantana as an annual, of course.

But, if your lantana is growing in a container, October is a good time to decide whether you want to overwinter it. Before bringing any plant indoors to a greenhouse, you want to give the leaves and stems a thorough inspection. Whiteflies and spider mites can easily go unnoticed outside, and the last thing you want is to introduce them to sheltered greenhouse.

What to Shop

October doesn't have to signal the end of flowers in the yard. While lantana can keep warmer gardens filled with color well into fall, there are plenty of hardy perennials that are only just reaching their peak.

For another late-season job, see our guide to caring for asters in September, with simple tips to keep plants healthy and flowering for as long as possible.

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If there's one houseplant task to get right in fall, it's watering. Cooler temperatures and lower sunlight levels mean soil is drying out much slower this season, ultimately meaning your plants need less watering.

It's an essential part of fall houseplant care, where our precious indoor plants are susceptible to root rot, pest damage, and fungal diseases from too much water. At the same time, you don't want to pull back on watering altogether. Allowing plants to sit in drought through fall can cause dehydration and cause them to fade away.

Striking the balance can be tricky to figure out, but with the right houseplant care kit to hand you'll soon master this skill. Here, I talk through everything you need to know about identifying when to water your plants, how to do it, and the tools I often rely on to avoid watering mistakes this season (this Amazon soil moisture meter is a good place to start).

When to Water Houseplants in Fall

The best lesson I ever learned about watering houseplants is that you should abandon a set schedule. Environmental and seasonal factors constantly change how frequently houseplant soil is drying out and therefore how much water your plant needs. Instead, I always check the soil before picking up my watering can.

You can either use a soil moisture meter (which is also available from Walmart) or feel the soil with your finger. The crucial part is to not trust the moisture level of soil surface only, you need to check how wet the soil is further down to determine whether the roots have access to moisture.

In fact, it's a common fall problem for houseplant soil to form a crust on the surface, generally from indoor heating drying it out too quickly. It doesn't necessarily mean the soil below is dry and there may actually be moisture trapped beneath. It can also be the result of a build-up of salts and minerals from tap water and summer fertilizer.

If this is the case, I recommend removing the top layer, flushing the soil, and applying a fresh top layer. You may also want to consider not using tap water for houseplants to avoid this happening again.

Generally speaking, you should water houseplants once the top 1-2 inches have dried out. However, I encourage doing some deeper research into the specific needs of your plants – thirsty houseplants will need much more water than those who tolerate drought, like succulents and cacti.

How to Water Houseplants in Fall

There are a few methods you can use to water houseplants in fall.

Of course, you can use a houseplant watering can (one like this from Amazon with a narrow spout helps reach the base of your plants). Though, this is often the method most likely to result in overwatering.

Bottom watering houseplants is more effective in terms of hydrating plant roots without oversaturating them. This requires a plant pot with a saucer (like this ceramic one from Wayfair), where plants soak up just as much water as needed. A self-watering planter has a space for a reservoir which works in the same way (Amazon has sets of self-watering planters so you can use them for your entire indoor garden).

You can also use the deep watering method, soaking houseplants in a sink for 20 minutes before allowing them to drain. In fall, you'll only need to do this every other week. This will allow houseplants to fully hydrate, but take care not to do this with the houseplants most susceptible to root rot – with soil drying out slowly this season, too much water in the pot can put them at risk.

There are also some watering gadgets that can help keep houseplants watered to the right level in fall. A houseplant irrigation system (like this from Amazon) will water plants when it detects dry soil, so you don't have to remember to.

Self-watering spikes (like these from Walmart) are also handy, though I would recommend these for summer more so than fall. They provide a gradual release of moisture, ensuring plants don't dry out.

What to Shop

Alongside adjusting watering, there are indoor plant jobs many gardeners forget to do in fall. This includes checking underneath foliage for pests and moving houseplants away from heat sources.

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If you have shrubs, trees, and hedges in your yard, you'll need a good pair of loppers as part of your pruning toolkit. Loppers are long-handled tools designed to cut thicker stems than pruning shears and are primarily used to trim overgrown shrubs and smaller tree branches.

Loppers have either bypass or anvil blades, which are better for live or dead material, respectively. Different types of loppers also have telescopic handles to prune harder-to-reach places or ratchet mechanisms for additional cutting power. The best pruning tool for you depends on what you’ll be cutting, whether you need extra reach, and your budget.

This guide to the best loppers highlights the best options on the market. Each has features to help you tackle a wide range of pruning jobs around the garden and the potential to be a go-to tool for years to come.

Best Bypass Loppers

Most gardeners need a standard set of bypass loppers for the bulk of their pruning. If you have a property with shrubs and small ornamental or fruit trees, a strong, durable tool with bypass blades will be the best loppers for you. There are lots of these on the market, but few (if any) do it better than the Fiskars PowerGear2 loppers.

A bypass pair of loppers has a sharp, curved upper blade that glides past a lower blade. It is the best blade type for cutting living stems or branches without damaging or crushing them.

The Fiskars PowerGear2 loppers can prune branches up to two inches thick with their fully hardened steel blade. To make cutting easier, a low-friction titanium coating ensures the blade cuts smoothly through stems and PowerGear technology optimizes the tool’s cutting power.

It all adds up to it being a powerful tool for pruning shrubs, trees, or hedges with ease. And the trimming should be comfortable, as the loppers have ergonomic steel handles with soft grips.

Best Extendable Loppers

By design, the longer handles of loppers make them useful for reaching awkward spots, such as the center of dense shrubs to reach tricky stems or higher branches, and for cutting thicker stems than even the best pruners.

For further extended reach, extendable or telescopic loppers allow you to get even further into tall shrubs or trees, without needing to scale a ladder to prune from.

The Corona ComfortGEL extendable loppers have bypass blades for cutting live or dead branches up to 1 ½-inches in diameter and handles that extend from 28 to 35 inches. The extra reach allows you to work safely from the ground and feel in control when pruning higher branches.

The handles have an ergonomic shape and cushioning gel material to prevent any pain or fatigue when trimming. While many telescopic pruning tools have handles that extend via a twisting system, these have lightweight steel handles with easy-flip latches to extend and lock them in place.

A pricier alternative that can cut branches up to two inches thick is this Zenport telescoping ratchet bypass lopper at The Home Depot. The ratchet mechanism gives more cutting power and the handles can be extended up to 35 inches via a mechanism where you press a button and lock the handle into one of six holes.

Best Anvil Loppers

An anvil blade has a single cutting blade that meets a flat metal base. It works great at cutting thicker or tougher material. However, anvil loppers don’t make clean cuts and bruise live, delicate plant tissue, so they are suitable only for cutting dead stems or branches.

It is a pruning mistake to use anvil loppers on living tissue; it damages stems and can leave plants susceptible to pests or diseases.

If you regularly deal with lots of deadwood on your property, a set of anvil loppers may be an essential gardening tool. They can do the brunt of the hard work rather than relying on a single pair of bypass loppers for everything.

The Tabor Tools anvil loppers make light work of dead wood up to two inches thick. The tool has carbon steel blades with a non-stick coating and extra-long 30-inch handles for extra leverage. The loppers also have a compound cutting system for extra power.

With good care, the tool should last you many years. But you can get replacement cutting blades if needed.

Best Ratchet Loppers

For the toughest pruning tasks, ratchet loppers help make cutting easier. These tools have a ratchet mechanism that divides the cut into shorter steps. It amplifies the force, making it easier to cut thicker branches.

The Spear & Jackson 8290RS loppers feature carbon steel anvil blades for cutting branches up to two inches in diameter. The ratcheting action cuts in four short steps rather than a single action, increasing the force and making trimming tougher deadwood much simpler.

The lightweight aluminum handles are telescopic, ranging from 27 to 41 inches to reach taller growth, and have soft, non-slip grips for enjoyable pruning.

If you invest in good tools, you want to make sure to look after them. That includes cleaning garden tools after use, sharpening pruning tools so they work efficiently, and storing them away properly. Any cutting implements need sharpening and oiling before you store tools for winter to keep them in good condition. Any time you use them over the winter months, clean and oil them again before putting them back in the shed.

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That tricky ground under trees presents so many challenges. Firstly, there's shade to contend with, all year round if evergreen trees are involved. Then, with all those roots competing for nutrients and water there's little left for anything else. Add to that the fact that a tree's canopy is a very effective umbrella, keeping rainwater from reaching the soil below and you have a rather inhospitable spot for most plants.

Nevertheless, there are options. And one of the best and most interesting planting solutions is heuchera. Also known as coral bells, I love these tough ground cover plants for their year-round foliage, which comes in a rainbow of shades, from deep purple-black to pale apricot, zesty lime green, and claret. An added bonus are the delicate little flower spikes they send up over summer.

While heuchera is without a double one of the best plants for growing under trees, that doesn't mean narrowing down your selection will be easy. If I had to play favorites with heucheras, I might have to opt for 'Dressed Up Bal Gown' from Plant Addicts. With its ruffled, scalloped leaves in chartreuse green, it's far from the retiring plant personalities we usually associate with foliage plants. Preferring a spot in light rather than deep shade, it's one I nestle in at the further reaches of my tree canopies, where it will brighten up the scene. Here I share more of my top heuchera picks, and plenty of practical tips for planting and growing.

How To Plant Heucheras Under Trees

There's no denying it, planting under trees can be a tough job. When you're digging holes for your new heucheras, you need to find the gaps between the roots without causing damage to the tree, which can be tricky and time consuming.

I recommend arming yourself with all the comforts of the gardening world before you begin. Good padding, in the form of this Burgon & Ball kneeler from Lowes is vital, as is a small, sharp tool like the stainless steel transplanter from Burpee.

If you're tackling a large planting project in quite deep shade near to mature trees, in my experience the ground can be dry and hard. In which case, a garden auger drill bit, available at Amazon, could be useful. You can attach it to a cordless drill for some powerful, targeted help with hole-digging (as always, proceed with caution – you still need to find the gaps in the roots rather than drill through them!).

A quick note on tree roots and which will tolerate a degree of disturbance. Every tree is different, so do check before you dig. Acers, for example, tend to resent any kind of root disturbance as they have such an intricate and relatively shallow system. Those with deeper roots tolerate more planting, closer to the tree itself.

At this time of year it's a good idea to soak your planting areas well beforehand. Damp soil is so much easier to dig than rock-hard. Then find your planting spaces and dig out holes a little larger than the heucheras you're going to put in, twice the width and depth ideally. If you do this, you can add plenty of rich organic matter to the planting hole, which will improve conditions for your plants. You could use homemade leaf mould, compost or a bagged product.

Whichever heuchera varieties you choose, make sure you plant them at the same depth as they were at in their nursery pots, with the crown of the plant sitting on the surface. Water in really well and keep a good eye on moisture levels at least during their first year, and over summer.

How To Choose The Best Heucheras For Your Space

Apart from being some of the most colorful ground cover plants money can buy, heucheras are also tough, resilient and low maintenance. The majority are also evergreen, so while the rest of the backyard is tailing off in fall, coral bells really come into their own, brightening everything up brilliantly at ground level.

I like to make use of heucheras at this time of year to pick out more fall colors elsewhere: the rich reds and oranges of sorbus berries (one of the best trees for fall color), firethorn and crab apples, for example. Underplanted with similar toned heucheras, they really shine.

Under the light, deciduous branches of trees like sorbus and crab apples, the majority of heucheras will do just fine. When trees are larger and the shade canopy denser, you'll need to pick your varieties carefully, as not all heucheras do well in deeper shade. As a general rule of thumb, the darker the leaves, the more shade tolerant the heuchera.

Ongoing heuchera care is minimal. When learning how to care for heucheras, an important aspect is mulching annually in spring. Then prune out any old leaves and flower stems as they appear, and every few years divide and replant in early fall to keep them vigorous and healthy.

The Best Heuchera Varieties

'Caramel'
This is one for light shade, perhaps under a deciduous tree with similarly colored fall foliage, like a crab apple, amelanchier or Persion ironwood. The burnished bark of Prunus serrula is a match made in heaven. Also try planting in groups with other coral bells in deep wine and mahogany shades for a rich, harmonious tapestry of color.
USDA Zones 4-9
Buy Heuchera 'caramel' at Plant Addicts

'Plum Pudding'
With silvered plum-purple foliage, this is a dark, shade-tolerant heuchera that will brighten up a gloomy spot under a tree. Use it in groups for impact, paired perhaps with a white periwinkle or astrantia to pick out the silvering on the leaves. The rich pink blossom of a cherry tree in spring is also a lovely combination.
USDA Zones 4-9
Buy Heuchera 'Plum Pudding' at Garden Goods Direct

'Berry Smoothie'
Gorgeous raspberry-colored foliage that deepens to burgundy in fall. Plant it in shade or semi shade, although it'll have more flowers with higher light levels. It has a full, mounded shape and is very easygoing. I particularly love it under pink-berried rowan trees, amelanchier, cherries and North American redbud (Cercis).
USDA Zones 4-9
Shop Heuchera 'Berry Smoothie' at Nature Hills Nursery

'Autumn Bride'
One of the larger varieties, growing to around 3ft (45cm) in height and spread. 'Autumn Bride' is one of the best for dry shade, although do still add some organic matter to help it along when planting. The leaves are less showy than others, but its fresh green is always welcome under trees, where it's evergreen in milder winters.
Buy Heuchera 'Autumn Bridge' at Garden Goods Direct

What to Shop

Whether you're planning a garden for the first time or refreshing the space under some trees, I do recommend you take a look at lovely, low-maintenance coral bells, or heucheras.

They really are some of the most obliging and constantly colorful perennials available. Take your time picking your favorite varieties and you'll be rewarded for years to come.

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Houseplants go through a seasonal shift come September, as the growing season wraps up and they prepare for winter dormancy. Chinese money plants (Pilea peperomioides) are no different and come with their own set of needs this month.

If you grow a Chinese money plant, the good news is September tasks aren't hard to do. It's all about moving your plant back indoors (if it spent summer in the garden), adjusting watering to avoid issues like root rot, and rotating it so it copes with lower light levels in fall. You can even propagate your Chinese money plant this month if it has 'pups.'

Everything you need to carry out this essential care is in our houseplant care kit collection. So, with your Fiskars micro-tip pruning snips from Lowe's to hand, here's what to do with a Chinese money plant in September.

1. Move It Back Indoors

It's beneficial to place houseplants outdoors in summer, allowing them to soak up sun, warmth, and the breeze. But, when temperatures start to turn in September, it's important to move houseplants back indoors so they aren't caught in the cold.

'Temperatures below 50°F cause die back. You’ll want to keep it safe as temperatures dip,' explains Juliet Howe, award-winning horticulturist and founder of Twigs Design.

When preventing pests when moving houseplants back indoors, remember to check underneath foliage. I like to use houseplant dusting gloves (like these from Amazon) to give foliage a wipe clean.

2. Reduce Watering

One of the most important parts of fall houseplant care is adjusting watering frequency.

'Cooler days with less light, bring slower growth and less water consumption. Now is the time to stop watering on a schedule and water only when needed,' says Juliet.

Watering too frequently where the soil is taking longer to dry out can make your Chinese money plant susceptible to houseplant root rot and fungal issues.

'A good way to know when to water is to touch the soil. If the soil is dry up to the knuckle, it is time to water. Alternatively, try the bottom watering technique. When the soil is dry down to the bottom of the pot and the leaves have begun to droop slightly, place the plant in a saucer, pan or even a sink of water for about 30 minutes or until the soil is moist up to the top, then remove it from the water,' Juliet advises.

I like to use my Amazon soil moisture meter to check my houseplants' soil every time before watering.

3. Protect From Drafts

When choosing where to place your Chinese money plant for fall and winter, consider two things: light and temperature.

'A place with abundant, indirect light is ideal, like a south or southeast facing window,' says Juliet.

'Be careful of drafty windows that will expose your plant to freezing temperatures or radiators that will blast it with hot, dry air,' she adds.

Ideally, your Chinese money plant should receive 6-8 hours of bright light. You can use this grow light from Walmart to supplement light if needed.

Likewise, its ideal temperature is 60-75°F, but in fall and winter you should focus on avoiding freezing temps, as Juliet advises. This could cause browning foliage, drooping, and leaf drop.

This simple room thermometer from Walmart can help keep an eye on temperatures for your Chinese money plant.

4. Rotate Weekly

Houseplant rotation is one of the best things you can practice for your indoor plants in fall and winter.

'Rotate the pot once a week so the plant grows evenly,' Juliet describes.

By rotating your Chinese money plant's pot once a week, you ensure it receives equal exposure and encourages a more symmetrical silhouette.

It can help avoid leggy growth in September and beyond, strengthen your plant, and maintain a much more aesthetic shape.

A plant caddy (this one from Amazon has an integrated water saucer) makes it much more convenient to turn the pot regularly.

5. Propagate Pups

September is a good time to propagate Chinese money plants if they have 'pups,' or offsets

'The Pilea peperomioides is also known as the Friendship Plant. This is because it is exceptionally easy to propagate and share,' says Juliet.

'This plant produces little offsets or 'pups' around its base which are extremely easy to separate, pot and give to friends.

September is the perfect time to pot-up pups while there is still plenty of natural light and warmth for them to take root before winter,' she explains.

You may need clean and sharp pruning tools (like these pruning snips from Amazon) to remove the offsets. Optionally, you can use this rooting hormone powder from Walmart to speed up houseplant propagation.

What to Shop

Chinese money plants are also among the luckiest houseplants in some cultures, including Feng Shui. You can reap these rewards by keeping on top of optimal care and ensuring your Chinese money plant's needs are met in every season. Our guide to Feng Shui houseplant mistakes has more information you may find useful.

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There really isn't such a thing as heading out into the garden for just five minutes. For us garden-enthusiasts, strolling by flower beds can result in 10 new tasks that need attending to. This is where having pocket-sized tools is handy for quick jobs.

Many essential gardening tools are small enough to carry around with you as you work in the yard. Even better, they can solve some pretty annoying problems, from removing diseased foliage, to loosening compacted soil, and even stopping birds getting to your strawberries. This includes multipurpose tools, like this hori hori knife from Amazon, which can be used for all things pruning, planting, and weeding.

So, no more trapsing back and forth to the potting shed all afternoon – pop these tiny garden tools in your pocket, garden belt, or tool caddy.

Hori Hori Knife

If there's just one Japanese gardening tool to get your hands on, it's a hori hori knife.

As mentioned above, this multipurpose tool can weed, prune, dig holes for planting, cut garden twine, and more. This is thanks to its serrated cutting edge and pointed blade – you can even get ones with a toothed edge for pulling up weeds easily.

They're often much more lightweight than pruning shears and are far less less awkward to carry than most weeding tools.

The best part is, many hori hori knives come with their own protective holster that you can connect to belt loops or store safely in a pocket without cutting yourself.

Micro Garden Snips

There are so many pruning tools on the market, that it can feel overwhelming to know where to start. But, for tiny garden tools, a pair of micro-tip garden snips is the best pick.

It's perfect for quick deadheading, removing broken stems, and even harvesting tomatoes if you want to avoid pulling the vine.

I also find garden snips are useful for taking herb cuttings and harvesting smaller cut flowers.

Soil Scoop

Of course, you can use a trowel when it comes to potting up and repotting houseplants, but it can get a little messy. That's where one of the best tools for potting comes in: a soil scoop.

A soil scoop is a specific kind of trowel that is much rounder to contain soil. Its slender shape makes it perfect for filling smaller, narrower pots, ultimately avoiding lots of mess and saving waste..

Paired with a potting mat (like this striped one from IKEA), you can avoid losing lots of soil and keep your floor or patio clean.

Fruit Protection Bags

One of the biggest disappointments to experience when growing your own fruit is discovering that birds and rodents have to got to your crop before you could harvest. A simple fruit protection bag, however, can make all the difference.

Organza bags are breathable and allow light through, so make the perfect barrier to protect the likes of strawberries, tomatoes, and other smaller fruits from being eaten by wildlife. They often come in green or are transparent, so they don't create an eyesore in your garden.

You can even get larger bags to use on figs, peaches, plums, and more. They have a drawstring design, so you can securely fit them without damaging your plants.

Pot Feet

It's a common problem for container garden plants to become oversaturated during the wet and cold conditions of fall and winter. Even if they have drainage holes, sitting flush to the ground can restrict drainage.

Enter, pot feet. These tiny garden tools are simply feet to prop up your containers, elevating them off the ground and allowing excess water to drain more freely.

They're effective winterizing tools, offering reassurance your container plants' roots won't be sitting in soggy conditions.

Pot feet come in a wide range of styles, including terracotta and black rubber.

If you're short on storage space, consider also stocking up on collapsible garden tools. These all fold down to a smaller size to store with ease, including this Walmart garden kneeler seat and Amazon portable cold frames.

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The warm soils and seasonal rainfall make early fall an ideal window to add trees, shrubs, and perennials to spruce up a garden. However, garden centers, nurseries, and online retailers can sell potentially troublesome plants that will leave you with gardener’s remorse.

Accidentally adding invasive plants to your garden can cause problems for many years to come, as they aggressively spread and overpower other plants in your yard. They can also cause damage to buildings and even escape from your garden, disrupting local ecosystems.

This list of invasive plants to avoid in fall reveals some of the worst contenders you may see for sale – and the expert-recommended alternatives to put in your shopping trolley instead. It even includes popular plants that are invasive; ones that many gardeners enjoy but don’t realize are troublesome.

6 Invasive Plants to Avoid in Fall

The first step to avoiding regret is to check what is invasive in your area. The labels in nurseries or garden centers won’t always contain this information. You can check the USDA invasive species list, consult your own state's list, or contact your local Extension office to find out what is invasive or noxious in your area.

Bamboo

Bamboos add structure and drama to any garden, but far too many gardeners have fallen foul of planting the wrong bamboo over the years and been left to rue the mistake.

There are two types of bamboo to grow. Clump-forming bamboos, as the name suggests, grow in tightly-packed clumps – these are less risky. Running bamboos, however, produce strong, long underground rhizomes that quickly spread. These take over the garden and can even cause structural damage to buildings.

David McCary, owner at Seattle Sustainable Landscapes, says that many people add bamboo to their yards ‘because it looks good’. He adds: ‘But it spreads quickly and is very hard to get rid of and most of the time ends up coming back.’

You can dig barriers into the ground to stop bamboo from spreading, but this is not always 100% reliable. ‘No matter how carefully you contain it, it always seems to find its way outside of your intended boundaries,’ warns Jose Lopez, the owner and founder of Williams Landscaping in Chicago.

Bamboo can be very versatile, as a screening plant for privacy or as part of a Japanese garden. But it is imperative to pick the right bamboo to prevent issues

A beautiful alternative to bamboo is Calamagrostis (reed grass). The popular ‘Karl Foerster' variety adds vertical drama as it sways in the breeze and won’t flop in winds or heavy rain. You can get a live ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass at Nature Hills.

Nandina

Nandina, or heavenly bamboo, is often a popular choice for homeowners as it is a low-maintenance shrub with lovely foliage and vivid red berries in the fall. Its stems resemble bamboo (hence the name), but it is not a true bamboo; rather, it is part of the barberry family.

Despite its name also claiming it is heavenly, it is far from angelic. Instead, it is classed as an invasive plant across the southeastern United States.

As Stephen Janacek, founder of Pollinator Patch, explains: ‘Nandina domestica is common in foundation plantings across the South. The Florida Invasive Species Council lists it in Category I, and Florida's Natural Areas Inventory notes it spreads by wildlife-dispersed seeds and vegetatively through rhizomes and suckers.’

The risks from adding heavenly bamboo to your backyard are two-fold. It both suckers and spreads in your yard, and also escapes into the local habitat to inhibit native plants. It is better to opt for a native alternative that is also low-maintenance and produces vivid fall berries.

The American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is a perfect alternative, with its stunning purple berries that really stand out during the colder months. You can get a live American beautyberry plant on Amazon.

Japanese Barberry

Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) has been widely used in landscaping for many years. It is tolerant of many soil types and low-maintenance – two factors that homeowners look for when planting shrubs or adding hedges to a property.

However, it is an invasive shrub that grows into a large mass, which can hide a nasty surprise.

‘They are common in nurseries due to the color offerings, but these thorny bushes can also become a headache for a new gardener,’ warns Sara Gottlieb, Founder and CEO of Liminal Gardens.

‘Ticks, known to spread Lyme disease, love to hide and live in this shrub along with small rodents like mice.

‘Barberry has also been known to spread fungal disease, Black Stem Rust, to wheat, oat, barley and rye populations in your area. Though sold as an easy-to-grow and maintain shrub, I would stay away from them in my home garden.’

If you plant Japanese barberry, it all-too-easily spreads outside the confines of a garden and forms thick groves that crowd out native plants.

Its invasive nature has led many states to ban or restrict its sale and planting. For example, Lindsay Chastain, homesteader and founder of Waddle & Cluck, says: ‘Japanese Barberry can't be sold or cultivated in Pennsylvania because of how it disrupts natural ecosystems.’

Stephen Janacek recommends growing ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) as an alternative to Japanese barberry. You can get a live ‘Summer Wine’ black ninebark at Nature Hills to plant for a pollinator-friendly shrub with deep burgundy foliage.

Montbretia

Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora, also known as monbretia, is a hybrid variety of crocosmia that has gotten itself a troublesome reputation for escaping from gardens and crowding out native plants in wild areas.

‘Montbretia has striking orange (or red) flowers but spreads fast underground. Left unchecked, it can dominate garden beds and creep into wild areas,’ warns Jennifer Holmes at Environment Control.

‘Digging out corms before flowering can help, though large infestations may require chemical treatment by a qualified contractor.’

Crocosmia spreads in two ways, through underground corms and by seeds. After planting, it drifts and spreads across flower beds, dominating more delicate plants. Once it escapes the garden, it starts forming dense patches and outmuscling native plants.

In the US, it is classed as an invasive plant in North Carolina and across the West Coast.

You can plant crocosmia to enjoy their bold flowers and distinctive foliage, but choose the types wisely. Container-grown plants are often available in fall in nurseries or online. Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ is a popular variety with scarlet flowers and is better-behaved than monbretia.

English Ivy

English ivy (Hedera helix), or common ivy, is a popular evergreen climber, though it is sometimes sold as an easy ground cover plant too. It is fast-growing and unfussy, capable of growing in any conditions from sun to deep shade. The versatility and ease of growing English ivy have made it a popular plant for many years, but it does not come without serious potential issues.

‘English ivy is a pretty popular plant that I would not add to your garden this fall,’ claims Lindsey Chastain.

This sentiment is echoed by Sara Gottlieb. She says: ‘It can be a picturesque, fast-growing addition to your garden, but the rapid growth can come at tremendous cost to a gardener. It is a strong species that easily out-competes surrounding species; it also loves to climb and choke other plant life to gain supremacy.’

Ivy spreads rapidly as an invasive ground cover, swamping other plants and creating a perfect hiding place for rats, mice, and other pests. As a climber, it has developed a reputation for damaging fences and buildings, with its aerial roots capable of boring into bricks and mortar.

The plant also escapes gardens and grows aggressively, including dominating and shading trees. Ivy’s bad behaviour has made it a destructive invasive species in the UK. Stephen Janacek adds: ‘Washington's Noxious Weed Control Board lists it as a Class C noxious weed.’

Stephen recommends kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), also known as bearberry, as an alternative native evergreen ground cover plant. You can get a live Massachusetts Hybrid kinnikinnick plant at Plant Addicts that will grow no taller than 18 inches but spread up to six feet. The foliage changes from deep green to red-purple in fall, the pink blooms are adored by bees, and the red fall berries are popular with wildlife.

Three-Cornered Leek

Three-cornered leek (Allium triquetrum) is part of the allium family and, once it gets into your yard, you’ll struggle to get rid of it. Foragers adore these plants as a sweeter alternative to wild garlic, but they’re an invasive bulb you won’t want in your garden because they spread ferociously.

‘Three-cornered leek spreads quickly via bulbs,’ says Jennifer Holmes. ‘It can overrun garden borders and escape into woodlands, displacing native flora. Pulling up bulbs before flowering and careful disposal is essential. Persistent infestations may require repeated removal or herbicide treatment.’

It is hard to eliminate the plant as they grow from small bulblets. Any tiny bit left in the soil sees it resprout, ensuring a long battle to remove three-cornered leek if you have it in the garden.

Instead, grow an allium that isn’t as problematic, and there are many to choose from. Such as the native one-leaf onion (Allium unifolium). It is an ornamental allium with pinky-purple summer flowers in late spring. You can get Allium unifolium bulbs at White Flower Farm.

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Renovating flower beds is a great task for any fall gardening checklist. For inspiration, our guide to the best perennials to plant in fall includes 10 great options you can plant in September or October, including the likes of hostas, coreopsis, phlox, coral bells, and more to fill any beds or borders with color and texture for seasons to come.

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Over the last 20 years, landscape designer and antiques collector Stephen Block has carefully curated a lush, tropical escape in his Californian backyard. With a passion for wabi-sabi and finding beauty in imperfection, his garden is a treasure trove of collected antiques, each with a history of its own.

Through his design company, Inner Gardens, Stephen approaches his clients' garden ideas with an open mind, allowing the space, plants, and collected pieces to shape his creation. He applies the same philosophy to his own garden, where horticulture and antiques come together in the form of oversized plants, timeworn vessels, one-of-a-kind sculptures, and garden furniture sourced from flea markets across the world. Nestled beneath breathtaking foliage, each piece feels as though it has always belonged among the planting, just waiting to be discovered.

Even as friends and family gather here to enjoy the space, Stephen's mind continues to work. As the plants mature, newly acquired antiques weave into the garden's tapestry and become part of its story. For Stephen, it's this continual evolution that gives the garden its sense of abundance, character, and soul.

I Built It From the Ground Up

We've been in this garden for 20 years now, and it looks very different from when we arrived. There was practically nothing here, just 9,000 square feet of dirt and Melaleuca trees. When it came to designing the garden, I really was starting from scratch.

I haven't got a green thumb inherently. There was actually an exact moment I can recall when I became infatuated with plants. I watched a new leaf unfurl from a little rubber plant and it just blew me away. I suddenly wanted to know everything, and ended up studying horticulture at the University of Florida.

I've always approached design from the perspective of the plant world, even indoors. I joke with my architect friends that where they see a wall, I see a hedge.

This way of looking at space has stayed with me, along with the influence of the great designers and landscape architects I've worked with over the years. I've learned a tremendous amount from them, and I recognize their influence as I walk through the garden.

It's a shade garden, so I planted large Philodendron selloum on the left side, with Ligularia beneath them – one of my favorite plants, with its beautiful, unusual round leaves.

I've also been collecting staghorn ferns since college, so hanging them from the trees was non-negotiable. Amazingly, they were only a third of their current size when I first brought them here. Now, they've become one of the garden's signature oversized features.

This sense of scale is one of the things I think makes the garden. It may be a smaller space than other gardens, but the plantings are huge. It sounds a bit counterintuitive, but if you have a tiny space, you don't necessarily want to plant small – you want to plant big to make the space feel grand.

Antiques Are at the Center

My love of collecting goes right back to childhood. My parents were in the junk and used furniture business in Florida, and my mother had a great eye. That instinct to find something unusual and see its potential has become the foundation of my work.

So when I started Inner Gardens, I wanted to do something different and began collecting things. I would literally find an old bucket in the Los Angeles River, combine it with an interesting plant, and lo and behold, people snapped it up.

Over time, this grew into one of the largest collections of garden antiques in the country, spread across two locations: our main showroom in Culver City and a nursery showroom in Malibu.

In my own garden, many of these collected pieces define the space.

The thing that actually sparked my vision for the garden was a fountain I bought in South Carolina. It's classical, but has great strength and character. It became the axis of the design, and then everything else seemed to follow.

I continue to travel to flea markets around the world in search of new treasures, particularly in the south of France, Paris and Italy, and sometimes southern Spain. I love finding odd and unusual pieces that I know can be transformed when they're paired with the right plants.

Whether I'm working in a garden or an interior, my inspiration can come from a singular tree or plant, just as easily as it can from a bench or a fountain. It takes just one piece to ignite my creative vision for a space.

Wabi-Sabi Inspires Me

The garden is split in two, with an entertaining area and pool divided by a 1920s iron gate I found. I built a wall and pilasters to complete this boundary, and two antique vessels sit on top either side. They don't actually match, and vines are growing all over them, which gives them a lived-in feel that I love.

Everything in my garden is a bit wabi-sabi – the Japanese concept of embracing imperfection and accepting impermanence. It's a principle that's really important to my design and the pieces I collect. I don't like things that are perfect. If they're too perfect, I don't buy them.

I'll never forget when someone sent me a pair of 18th-century terracotta busts from Italy. They were obviously really good pieces, but they didn't show their age at all. It was as if they'd been kept in a sealed container inside a house, and I really didn't care for them.

With any garden element, whether it's a table, a bench, or a fountain, I like the fact that the gardener has knocked it over 200 times and it's got marks, broken pieces, and old paint. The more of that, the better.

In my clients' gardens, I'm always seeking to bring a feeling of age and character. If something's too shiny, I feel like it's my job to knock it down a bit.

In terms of wabi-sabi in my own garden, the fountain isn't really put together perfectly. It's actually sinking on one side, but I'm not going to straighten it.

I also have three heart-shaped stones by the pool. Those were originally tables that I found in Texas. They had old, rusty iron bases, so I repurposed them here to pay homage to my three daughters.

The table in the garden is an old farm table that's halfway falling apart. Even the turquoise-blue chairs are a collection from the south of France. They're worn, and you can see where they've been sat on for years.

This idea of being worn and lived-in is really what I think of with wabi-sabi. It's not to everyone's taste, but I think it gives these items soul and a story.

Working with the Californian Climate

One of the most challenging things about gardening in the hot summers of our Californian climate is trying to maintain a perfectly manicured lawn. It's simply too difficult to keep up with the water demand.

I've been incorporating native grasses and drought-tolerant plants because, ultimately, you can't have an English garden here. I think embracing this is driving a shift in how Californian gardens look – you don't just have to settle for desert plants; with the right plant choices, you can create a lush, abundant green garden.

In fact, many of my shade-tolerant tropical plants (including the philodendrons and ferns) have not needed much water since becoming established.

I've actually become quite anti-automatic irrigation because I find it waters indiscriminately. The right way to do it is to stick your finger in the ground or use a probe to determine whether a plant needs water or not.

As gardens age, they need less water. The issue is that a lot of people don't turn the water down, so we're wasting a lot of water in our yards.

It's Never Really Finished

The garden is mature now, so I've been able to watch it through different stages. It was once very small and bare, now abundant and full of plants. It's taught me how dynamic designing a garden really is – you have to prepare for plants to grow and change.

And I'm really proud of what I've achieved. Our friends all have their birthday parties in our garden because it feels warm, nurturing, and full. It's not stark, and it's not so highly-designed that that you feel like you're sitting on the garden, not in the garden.

I'm an inveterate collector, so I'll always be seeking out new plants and antiques to bring together here. I'm actually planning to add more staghorn ferns. There are about 18 different species and I would love to have all of them in my garden. Any spot I have on a tree is saved for them.

For me, a garden should never feel finished. It should carry the signs of the life it's lived and leave room for new things to take root.

Garden Diaries is our series where we share inspiring stories of designing and cultivating a stunning garden space. We explore how creatives, designers and tastemakers have grown a deeply personal space, inviting creativity, learning and happiness in their gardens, and how they live in these spaces.

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Suburban streets blooming with fall porch displays are a charming sight. However, if you would like to switch up your store-bought mums this year, we have some design tricks from floral experts.

With their array of colors and bloom forms, potted chrysanthemums are an attractive and inexpensive way to celebrate the season. Yet they can look so much better with some simple tweaks. It's not necessary to have a large porch or a huge budget to create an arrangement with high-end energy.

Discover what floral designers do to give budget mums a tasteful glow up with these outdoor fall décor ideas – and create a fall porch display that we'd bet Martha Stewart would approve of. This garden mums quart pot from Plant Addicts would be a great foundation for a beautiful front door feature.

Team Mums With Other Late-Bloomers

Mums are popular during the fall, as they thrive when many other plants are starting to fade. However, there are some other species that can work with these floral favorites in porch displays this time of year.

'Adding woody plant material will take potted mum displays to a whole new level,' says Jim Sutton, Associate Director of Display Design, Longwood Gardens.

'Choose perennial plants that can later be incorporated into your permanent landscaping. There are several varieties of hydrangeas, such as paniculata or oakleaf, that have been bred for fall interest. These can prove to be a very good investment.'

This Little Lime Punch Hydrangea from Plant Addicts can flower into fall with spectacular color.

Ornamental kale mixed with pansies can add an unexpected flourish to containers that persist well into cold weather too.

'Kale and pansies mixed with mums in different pots make a display far more interesting,' says Jim. 'Conifers, especially yellow foliage ones, are another way to elevate a simple mums display into something much more sophisticated.'

Add Contrasting Foliage And Texture

Mixing ornamental grasses, foliage or branches with mums is a striking option that's gaining popularity. Floral designers like to mix other eye-catching stems into displays too.

'Adding cut branches, fresh or dried, will add interest, texture and height to these displays,' says Jim. 'Colored dogwood stems (yellow or red) will stay fresh in a fall container that’s well watered, can transition to a holiday container, and often will root in giving you another plant the following year.'

This Arctic Fire Red Twig Dogwood from Plant Addicts is suitable for a container – and would look gorgeous in the garden during the winter.

'Curly willow can generally be purchased from a local florist and, if fresh, will act the same,' says Jim. 'For more drama, birch branches or birch white poles can be added to containers if large enough.

'There are several new cultivars of Heuchera on the market with nice fall foliage. Taller grasses work well too.'

'Using architectural foliage and branches is a great way to elevate your display,' says Calvert Crary, Executive Director, FlowerSchool New York. 'Tall stems can draw the eye to certain focal points, where you group your arrangement for maximum impact.

'If you want the mums to be the star, use grasses to create a “backdrop” that lets the mums stand out front and center.'

This Feather Falls Carex Plant from Burpee would add structure to a container display.

Opt for Oversized Pots

Leaving mums in their nursery pots can look a little lacklustre. Aside from placing individual plants in smart outer pots, floral designers have other tricks to make store-bought mums look more sophisticated.

Calvert likes to remove the nursery pots and group small plants together in an oversized container for a more impactful display. This also allows you to replace plants if necessary.

'Plant your store-bought mums in standard black pots and place those pots inside a larger vessel,' says Calvert. 'This way you can easily change the look of your display without needing to repot the mums when you want a fresh look.'

With their golden yellow flowers and firey red tips, these Matchsticks Chrysanthemums from Burpee offer fabulous fall color.

Group Containers And Repeat Colors

Grouping containers in coordinating shapes and sizes together is a trusted technique for garden designers. This method can work well for front porch displays too. Jim likes to place mums in attractive planters of different sizes to bring extra pazazz to the look and feel of the plants.

'Whichever plant composition you choose, putting a common chrysanthemum in a beautiful pot elevates its position,' says Jim. 'Grouping containers of varying sizes and heights adds to the impact of any mum display.'

It's not necessary to have huge numbers of potted mums for an impressive arrangement. Odd numbers are a faithful formula, so just three mums grouped together in coordinating containers will look far more impressive than one plant on its own.

'When selecting your plants, bear in mind that repeating a hue or staying within the same color family typically lends more impact to an arrangement,' adds Calvert.

Shop Decorative Pots

As you can see, it doesn't take too much time or effort to switch up basic store-bought potted mums into an expensive-looking outdoor arrangement.

'Chrysanthemums bloom all at once for a strong late-season color statement,' says Jim. 'They are also very economical, giving you a lot of value for the cost.

'Adding gourds and/or pumpkins in and around the containers is often pleasing to the eye. Grapevine can also be artfully intertwined around the containers to draw the eye through the whole composition.

'And since front porches generally offer some cover, it's easy to extend the season elegantly with these plants.'

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Terracotta pots bring a warm beauty and character to any deck or patio. They evoke a Mediterranean allure, but also create specific growing conditions that don’t suit all plants. Knowing what grows well in terracotta pots and what doesn’t guarantees happy plants and prevents fatalities.

Terracotta planters and pots are porous and allow air and moisture to pass through their walls, which means the soil dries out faster. This is perfect for any plants that don’t like sitting wet for long periods, but not for moisture-loving ones. Plants that thrive in terracotta pots like warmer soil and fast-draining conditions that dry out between waterings.

If you want a thriving container garden, this guide to the best plants for terracotta pots helps you understand which plants prefer clay and which do better in plastic or ceramic. Terracotta pots do come in many different shapes and sizes, from classic straight-sided pots and urns (like this terracotta urn jar at Target) to more modern designs. If you invest in an eye-catching pot, you always want your plants to impress too.

Rosemary

Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean, a locale of hot, dry summers and rocky, well-draining soils. This natural habitat mirrors the conditions plants experience in a terracotta pot, making rosemary one of the best plants to grow in terracotta pots.

Lindsey Chastain, homesteader and founder of The Waddle and Cluck, says that rosemary’s preference for warm soil, along with its trait of being a drought-tolerant herb, makes it a ‘good option’ for the growing conditions created by terracotta.

‘Terracotta works best for plants that like to dry out a little between waterings,’ says Lindsey. ‘Because it's clay, it also loses moisture faster.’

When you grow rosemary in pots, it is important to avoid ‘wet feet’, as the plant is prone to root rot if it sits in soggy soil for long periods. Any container for rosemary needs drainage holes, and an amendment such as grit or perlite added to the potting mix.

If you want to harvest rosemary for cooking or cocktails, this live ‘Chef's Choice’ rosemary plant at Trees.com, formerly known as Fast Growing Trees, is perfect. With a higher oil content than other varieties, it offers an astounding flavor profile.

Lavender

Lavender is another hugely popular herb, and its native heritage suits it perfectly to terracotta pots. It hails from mountainous areas of the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia (yes, English lavender is not native to England) and thrives in drier, fast-draining soil.

It ticks all the right boxes for growing in terracotta pots or planters, plus growing lavender in clay just looks right. It might just be me, but I think lavender in containers stands out far more as a statement maker in terracotta than plastic pots.

This ‘Phenomenal’ lavender plant from Trees.com is compact and perfect for pots. The purple blooms will look stunning against the earthy orange tones of terracotta and attract lots of pollinators.

When lavender sits in soggy, poorly draining soil, it succumbs to root rot, which often means the end for your plants. If you grow lavender in pots and it looks sad with grey leaves or wilted stems, it may be in the wrong pot or need more gravel added to the soil for drainage. The best soil for lavender is always free-draining.

Also, check that the container has a hole; if not, it is easy to add drainage holes to planters.

Pelargoniums

Pelargoniums, also known as tender geraniums, make a stunning show in pots. I used to work at one garden that displayed its pelargoniums every summer on tables adorned with groups of plants in terracotta pots. It was a great mixed display of colorful, fragrant blooms and foliage, and the plants loved their lives in terracotta.

The tender plants hail predominantly from southern Africa (though some are from Asia or Australasia) and have been popular in gardens for centuries. Pelargoniums come in a range of bright colors, and there are varieties with textured or scented foliage.

This collection of two live pelargonium plants at Amazon combines a Pelargonium ‘Citrosum’ and a Pelargonium crispum ‘Mosquito Shocker’, and both put out a delicious lemon aroma to enjoy.

Overall, there is a real diversity of pelargoniums available for gardeners to grow, but all types need specific growing conditions found in terracotta pots.

Pelargoniums love free-draining soil and are happy for the compost to dry out between waterings. They also thrive when they get good airflow around the roots. This combination makes them one of the best plants to grow in terracotta pots.

Having them in a pot also makes it easy to overwinter geraniums, as you can bring them indoors for the colder months.

Agastache

‘For terracotta pots, I'd recommend Agastache because they prefer drying out between waterings and not having soggy roots,’ says David McCary, owner at Seattle Sustainable Landscapes.

Agastache, also known as hummingbird mint, is a drought-tolerant perennial that grows in free-draining, rocky, and arid soils in their native habitats. They like sun and warmth and needs to be in soil that drains well. Growing hummingbird mint in wetter conditions comes with a real risk of rot.

If you want a pretty container plant for pollinators, agastache ticks all the right boxes. As the name hummingbird mint suggests, it attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to its fragrant spikes of tubular flowers, which can be purple, blue, pink, red, orange, yellow, or white.

This live ‘Kudos Red Dwarf’ hummingbird mint plant from Plant Addicts is a compact variety perfectly suited for pots. It produces scarlet blooms from June and will continue to flower all summer and well into fall with deadheading. If you want to grow hummingbird mint in pots, this is a fabulous variety to consider.

Citrus Trees

I also worked at a historic garden that had a large display of citrus trees. These were grown in terracotta pots of different sizes and brought out to create formal displays during the summer.

Such a show of citrus trees was popular in 17th-century European gardens and still looks impressive today. I am not recommending taking that grand approach, but even growing a single lemon tree in a terracotta pot makes a showpiece on a patio and fills the air with fragrance. The dark green foliage and bright fruits blend well with the earthy tones of terracotta and the combo brings a real Mediterranean garden feel to any space.

Citrus trees are plants that thrive in terracotta pots, as they need good drainage and loathe overwatering to perform at their best. They like sun, but the roots want to breathe and remain cooler.

They don’t like to bake in hotter plastic containers. Fill your terracotta pot with a good potting mix and feed citrus trees weekly in summer with a dedicated citrus fertilizer, such as this liquid citrus fertilizer on Amazon.

Terracotta pots are also heavier than their plastic counterparts, so your trees are less likely to fall over on windy days.

A ‘Meyer’ lemon tree like this on Trees.com is one of the best fruit trees to grow in pots. The thin-skinned fruit is a cross between a lemon and an orange. It has a unique sweet and savory taste, and you won’t find such fruit in stores.

What to Shop

As mentioned at the start, some plants simply won’t ever thrive in terracotta containers – no matter how hard you try. Moisture-lovers, plants with delicate roots, and others aren’t suitable for life in clay. Avoid falling foul of this with our guide to 12 plants to never put in terracotta pots.

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It's a common problem for houseplants to look a little leggy as we go through seasonal shifts. In September, straggly, weak growth is usually the result of significantly darker conditions, causing your plants to become stressed.

It's a indoor plant problem I've dealt with many times, but the good news is it's fairly straightforward to fix. When houseplants are accustomed to brighter light in summer, suddenly receiving much less light (for example, if they're tucked away from a window) can result in leggy growth as the plant searches for more light.

I turn to my houseplant care kit to prune away this weak growth and gradually acclimate my houseplants to a more optimal position with more light exposure. And it's really as simple as that – you just need a pair of reliable houseplant pruning snips to hand (like these from Amazon).

What Causes Leggy Houseplants in September?

An essential part of fall houseplant care is helping plants adjust to changing growing conditions. This includes lower light and less hours of light exposure.

When houseplants that thrive in brighter light suddenly receive far less, it can result in a stress response: stretched, weak growth that is searching for light. The fact many houseplants are still actively growing in September means there is one last growth spurt that is not being supported with sufficient light levels.

You can use this houseplant meter from Amazon to determine if your plants are receiving enough light.

The problem with leggy houseplant growth is that not only does it weaken the plant and result in long stems more susceptible to snapping, it looks unsightly. This is particular the case when it causes plant stems to be long and sparse, with big gaps between leaves (a common problem for succulents).

In turn, your houseplant becoming weak right before the coldest months makes it much more vulnerable to the cooler room temperatures and houseplant pest damage.

That's why I act as soon as I notice my houseplant's starting to look a little lopsided and leggy.

How to Fix It

There are a few steps I follow when trying to revive a houseplant from leggy growth. Just remember some patience is needed to nurture it back to good health, so don't expect an instant improvement.

1. To help a leggy houseplant recover properly, it's important to acclimate it to a more optimal position. Each houseplant has its own specific light needs, but fall and winter generally call for positioning closer to windows – you can also use a grow light to supplement light if needed (this grow light from Amazon has a convenient timer). You can gradually reposition it by moving your houseplant closer to a window for a few hours each day, giving it a gentle introduction to its new home.
2. Once acclimated, use houseplant pruning snips (these Fiskars micro-tip pruning snips from Lowe's are a good choice) to cut back the leggy growth. You should cut just below a leaf node where new growth will emerge. Just take care not to prune more than one third of the plant, which may cause further stress. And keep in mind the shape you're creating when pruning, so you get a more aesthetic end result.
3. Practice houseplant rotation going forward. This is where you simply rotate your houseplants, say once a week, so each side receives equal exposure to light. In fall and winter especially, this can help create a more symmetrical shape and prevent further leggy growth. I find a plant caddy (like this wooden one from Wayfair) makes this much easier to do.

Bonus: Propagate Your Cuttings

Depending on the condition of the stems you prune off your leggy houseplants, you can grow houseplants with cuttings to multiply your collection.

You may find rooting hormone (like this rooting hormone powder from Amazon) helps speed up houseplant propagation. However, September is a favorable time to root cuttings, with lingering warmer temperatures and the final days of summer daylight.

What to Shop

Houseplants can be such a joy in fall and winter when the garden has gone to sleep. As well as ensuring they stay healthy, you can use houseplants for fall color to create a beautiful botanical spectacle for your home.

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September and October are ideal months for planting new shrubs, trees and perennials. But before you rush off to the garden center to buy this fall’s cohort of new plants, ask yourself: What would Martha do?

With temperature extremes only predicted to intensify in 2027, the desire for climate and wildlife resilient plants is more important than ever. We always aspire to give you the best advice possible when it comes to planting choices, so this time we asked the oracle.

Speaking to Homes & Gardens, Martha Stewart revealed the shrub she plants on repeat, and recommends for all American gardens, is the humble boxwood. ‘Boxwood is one of my favourite plants. I have thousands of boxwoods on my property,’ she tells us. We asked Martha why boxwood (such as this beautiful Proven Winners Sprinter® Boxwood Shrub from Trees.com) is the plant investment to make this fall, and how to use it in your yard.

Why Martha Stewart Loves Boxwood, and You Should Too

'I'm always trying to find a plant that will be the background and, in the United States, that's going to be something that is deer resistant, slow-growing, but beautiful, strong, and with nice foliage, and that would be the boxwood,' says Martha.

There are many different kinds of boxwood on the market, she tells us, such as the Winter Gem Boxwood from Nature Hills, which turns bronze in fall and winter to give you a beautiful shift in color when the seasons change.

We also love the American boxwood from Trees.com (formerly Fast Growing Trees), which is ideal for pruning into formal garden hedges, architectural framing, and for topiary.

'Boxwoods are incredibly versatile,' says Martha. 'They're just so useful as border plants and hedges, and also as accent plants.'

Most boxwood varieties are deer and rabbit resistant, and their evergreen foliage provides year-round interest, structure and coverage. They are low-maintenance, hardy shrubs, which only need light trimming to keep them in shape. And they can usually thrive for decades.

Getting plants in the ground now will give them lots of time to get their roots cosy and established in the soil before they need to put energy back into growing.

Native Hedges to Compliment Boxwood

If you're looking for shrubs and trees to grow alongside boxwood, to add a contrast in texture or more layers of privacy, Martha recommends the native American hornbeam.

'Another nice thing are trees that grow in hedges,' says Martha. 'We have the American hornbeam, that makes a beautiful hedge as something outside of a fence, too.'

You can find beautiful American hornbeam specimens at Trees.com.

It is a resilient tree, which is fairly compact, making it perfect for hedges and for small gardens. It also doesn't mind shade, and turns the most vibrant shades of red-orange and yellow in fall, providing beautiful seasonal interest.

You can also find the American Hornbeam available to order from Nature Hills.

Potential Problems With Boxwood

The box tree moth is an invasive pest, and it's larvae, the box tree caterpillar, poses a threat to boxwood. The caterpillars can decimate plants and they spread quicky.

The issue is much more common in the UK than in the US, but there have been reports of the box tree moth on US shores since 2021. If you find any on your shrubs, you should report it your local USDA office or State agriculture department. Small outbreaks can be dealt with by hand, or by applying an insecticidal soap, such as this one from Amazon.

Boxwoods can sometimes discolor and produce yellow leaves, but there is usually an identifiable reason for this and with a few care tweaks they can be brought back to full health.

If you're concerned, and would prefer to opt for a boxwood alternative, Japanese holly, mountain laurel, yew and even azaleas are great, hardy options.

What to Shop

With fall and winter coming up, does Martha have any parting advice for us home gardeners?

'Feed your garden, and feed it now,' she says. 'So that the plants have a chance to absorb the food and the nutrients and enable them to overwinter, and they will bloom and grow nicely in the springtime.'

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A good tool caddy can make gardening feel more organized, keeping your most-used tools within easy reach as you move around the garden. Instead of making repeated trips to the shed to pick up an essential gardening tool, a well-designed caddy keeps everything in one place and ready when you need it.

If you regularly find yourself moving between different flower beds, borders and containers, a portable caddy will save you carrying all your tools separately. There's no shortage of styles and designs to suit different gardening needs, either, from open-sided totes that make it easier to see and grab bigger tools to bags with multiple pockets that keep smaller hand tools organised.

If you're looking for inspiration, we've rounded up some of the best tool caddies that you can pick up in time for fall gardening. Gardenheir's Waxed Canvas Origami Harvesting Trug has a traditional, premium feel with its sturdy, waxed canvas construction, while West Elm's Chilewich Hachiman Garden Tool Bag feels more contemporary with its sleek, waterproof design. In contrast, the Kings County Tools Wood Box Caddy from Home Depot brings the look of a traditional carpenter's toolbox to the garden, with its simple wooden design, and enough room to store essential tools.

From traditional wooden carriers to hardworking canvas totes, these 16 picks of the best tool caddies will make it easier to keep your gardening essentials close at hand.

As the season changes, a tool caddy can prove even more useful. Having all your tools for fall gardening to hand - from bulb planters to leaf scoops - means less time hunting for what you need, and more time ticking off jobs on your fall gardening checklist before the weather turns.

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It can be easy to neglect essential garden tool care when there's so much to get done in the garden itself. However, blunt, rusted tools are only going to fall apart quicker and damage your plants in the long run. That's why, picking up a few garden tool sharpening kit essentials can be a good idea – especially as we head towards winter and you prepare to put your tools way for the season.

When it comes to sharpening pruning shears (and other tools), there's a plethora of things you can use. The majority of gardeners reach for a diamond sharpening stone (like this Felco one from The Home Depot) or a whetstone (like this from Amazon). Gently stroking blades against these tools in the direction of their angle will help sharpen them up, but take care not to swipe the blade back and forth (which may cause more damage).

You can also have a portable sharpening file (like this from Amazon) to hand to sharpen tools as you work in the yard. Wearing a tool belt (I like this leather one from Amazon) makes it more convenient to carry around with you. Likewise, don't forget to store both your tools and sharpening tools safely, like in this sage green garden tool caddy from Amazon.

No matter if you have pruners, spades, or a hori hori knife to sharpen up, the below tools can help get the job done. Take care to wear protective gardening gloves (these ones from Walmart have leather palms) when working with the sharpeners, and apply some oil to the tools afterwards to protect them (this tool oil kit from Amazon has everything you need for this).

As well as sharpening your gardening tools, it's important to clean garden tools. Not only will this keep them in pristine condition, it will help reduce the spread of pests and diseases in your garden.

Once cleaned and sharpened, you can store garden tools over winter to prevent them becoming damaged. They should be kept somewhere dry and secure, so they are safe from the elements. This wooden tool shed from Amazon is one of the most stylish storage solutions I've seen.

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September is the time to prep Japanese maple for the colder months ahead. With the hot and sun baked days behind us, these plants need to recover their energy reserves quickly before heading into their dormant period.

Known for their spectacular fall color and intricately cut foliage, Japanese maple trees are a standout feature in gardens of every shape and size. Grown as bonsai trees, and as sculptural centerpieces in a border or planter, these deciduous, slow-growing trees have exquisite lines and a delicate charm that instantly elevate any outside space.

With shallow root systems and tender leaves, these versatile plants are susceptible to changeable temperatures and weather, so they do require a degree of care. This month essential tasks include judicious pruning, irrigation monitoring and prepping for cold weather (for which these large zip-up shrub protectors from Lowe's are very handy).

Prune Lightly To Maintain Shape

September is a poignant moment in the gardening year, when perennials, trees and shrubs have established, put on new growth and are settling in for the dormant period. Having nurtured them to this point, now is the time to nip Japanese maples into shape.

'Japanese maples are relatively problem free and require a very light hand in creating a graceful figure. The majority of the pruning done to maintain a graceful shape is done after the spring growth has hardened off. This period of time is the end of July into the beginning of October,' explains Daniel Schachner, horticulturist working in the Japanese Garden, Seiwa-En, at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

'During this period, any distracting or structurally problematic new growth can be controlled. The most important pruning tip is to prevent branches that will overlap or rub. A light hand is best.' Daniel also adds.

'If you have questions on pruning or are looking for a professional, the Aesthetic Pruner Association (APA) trains and certifies professionals on this type of pruning.'

A sharp, clean pair of Pro Bypass Secateurs such as these from Amazon, will make this job a joy. Plus if you love a dramatic and sculptural tree, be sure to consider Coral Bark Japanese Maple from Garden Goods Direct with it's contrasting red bark and lime foliage.

Protect From Fast Cooling Temperatures

Japanese maples often need protection in winter. Ice and snow particularly take their toll, with frozen soil preventing roots from absorbing essential nutrients and rot from setting in. The sheer weight of snow can also cause fragile branches to snap and stems to split, causing irreparable damage.

Knowing how to protect plants from frost, and taking action before cold, stormy weather arrives is a smart move, but options vary depending on the size of the tree plus where and how it is planted.

'If growing a Japanese maple in a pot in a climate that experiences freezing temperatures, it would be best to bury the pot in mulch to protect the root ball from freezing or they may be overwintered in an unheated garage,' he continues. Other preventative measures include lifting the plant off frozen ground using heavy duty rubber pot feet or a smart rolling plant caddy, both from Amazon.

For in-ground trees, winter tree care options can be limited. Frost cloths whether made from burlap, spun polysterene or breathable polypropylene fiber, all from Lowe's, can all be useful.

'Cold protection is tricky. If the tree is exposed to the wild in the winter and is small, you could do a wrapping in burlap during dormancy,' says Daniel. 'This is a difficult task, as the trees get larger and it usually is not feasible. Right plant, right place.'

Choosing a Japanese maple cultivar that suited to your climate is all important. Varieties with red leaves tend to cope with more sun in cooler climates, while those with green foliage prefer a shadier spot. 'Acer palmatum 'Emperor One' has also shown promise in cold tolerance in lower hardiness zones,' says Daniel. Find this Japanese maple variety at Lowe's.

Keep A Watch On Watering

Now is the ideal time to review your watering routine, whether you are nurturing an established Japanese maple or newly planted tree. Whether you are growing Japanese maple in a pot or planted in-ground , deep watering is invaluable and maybe not as often as you think.

'When it comes to watering, trees–in general–prefer a long, deep watering period on less frequent intervals,' says Daniel. 'Setting a sprinkler or irrigation system to run for a long period of time but only once a week or every other week is a safe choice.'

It is worth monitoring how much water is being distributed during each session, with Daniel's ideal being 2 to 4 inches. 'Testing your sprinkler system for the rate of application will help apply water properly. An irrigation audit is possible by setting out a container within the irrigated zone that can capture water to be measured.

'Most turf irrigation systems will water for a short period of time, but multiple applications per day. This can be problematic as the soil cannot properly drain moisture, and it encourages fungal pathogens in the root system. It is important to observe the soil around the tree; irrigation should only be applied if the soil is draining properly.'

If you don't wish to install an irrigation system, there are other watering solutions to try. We like the look of the Dew Right Tree Watering Donut from Garden Goods Direct or the Element Kink-Free Soaker Hose from Lowe's.

Time To Plant New Trees

September marks a short window for planting Japanese maples in the ground. With cooling air temperatures, a mellowing sun and still-warm soil, conditions are perfect for a tree's root system to settle before wintry weather kicks in.

'If you are planting a maple in the ground, early spring and mid-fall, typically in September and early October are the best times,' says Daniel. 'However, if planting a small tree, it can be done any time in the growing season with success if water is applied properly.'

Soil preparation for good drainage, is all important, and can vary depending on soil type. Loosen clay by mixing in topsoil, well aged compost or pine bark or bolster sandy soil's water retention with well rotted compost. Also, be sure to break up heavily compacted soil. This sturdy garden digging fork or Spear Head Spade, both Amazon, will easily handle the task.

Plant the tree so the graft line is above the surface and in a hole that is slightly shallower than the tree's root ball. This will discourage water from pooling around the main stem and to drain efficiently.

Top Up Mulch

This month, prior to leaf fall, is the perfect time to top up a tree's mulch layer. 'Mulch keeps soil temperature lower and helps retain moisture. When applied to an appropriate depth, it develops a fungal mat that helps to suppress weeds and break down the mulch for nutrient use in the tree,' explains Daniel.

While a mulch depth of around 4 in( 20cm) is ideal, a shallower depth will still aid plant growth and limit weed growth.

'It is important when applying mulch to any tree that the mulch must not be touching the trunk and bark of the tree. Any area above the basal flare, where the roots meet the trunk, does not handle the persistent moisture that the mulch retains and can lead to the death of the cambial layer and therefore the tree,' Daniel adds.

Organic mulch options can include homemade compost, grass clippings or fallen leaves but bought-in products such as Cleanstraw Pine Needles from Trees.comand Pine Bark Mulch Nuggets from Target will create a professional and polished finish.

What To Shop

One of the best trees for fall color, Japanese maples are just the start of a cool season garden filled with impact. Take a look at these native alternatives trees to expand your collection, and snap up some of these plants for pots in September for winter color.

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As fall crispness settles over the garden and leaves drop to reveal bare, architectural branches, our outdoor spaces undergo a quiet transformation. For many, catching a glimpse of nocturnal wildlife, from the tiny screech owl to the majestic great horned owl, is the ultimate backyard reward.

But welcoming these beautiful hunters isn't just about the thrill of a rare midnight call across the garden; it's one of the most effective, chemical-free ways to manage yard pests naturally.

As temperature drops prompt rodents to seek shelter, young owls are actively establishing new winter territories in early fall. By making a few intentional design tweaks to your plot and wildlife garden ideas, such as providing a safe nesting site (and for that we highly recommend this wooden owl nesting box, from Amazon) you can turn your garden into an indispensable sanctuary for local wildlife through the colder months ahead.

1. Create a Place for Owls to Shelter 

Across the United States, 19 distinct owl species call the landscape home. While some require highly specialized habitats, common backyard visitors like eastern screech owls, western screech owls, and barn owls adapt readily to residential plots if given the right cover.

As fall arrives and deciduous trees drop their foliage, these birds begin scouting quiet locations to roost through cold winter nights and establish spring nesting territories.

In natural habitats, owls rarely build their own nests. 'Historically, owls would nest in tree hollows, stolen hawk nests, large rock crevices, and similar places,' says Ben Team, editor-in-chief of FootstepsInTheForest.com. 'But they will also use owl nest boxes attached to backyard trees.'

Success depends heavily on choosing an owl house tailored to your local species and mounting it at an ideal height.

'You'll need to select the proper size nest box for the owls in your area – and place it in a suitable position,' Ben explains. 'The ideal location will vary from one species to the next, so homeowners will need to do a little research on the species in their region. That said, you will generally want to place the box on a large tree, near a branch that allows the birds to enter and exit easily.'

For smaller garden spaces, a compact box designed specifically for screech owls or saw-whet owls, such as the screech owl or saw-whet owl cedar nesting box from JCs Wildlife Store at Amazon, is ideal. Mount boxes 10 to 15 feet high on a mature tree trunk or post, facing away from prevailing cold winter winds.

Beyond artificial boxes, preserving natural forest architecture provides crucial roosting habitat. 'Having plenty of trees in your backyard and leaving dead snags – trees that have died and are decomposing naturally – can also help create desirable habitats for owls,' says bird expert Maren Gimpel.

In fall, consider leaving safe, non-hazardous dead wood or standing snags intact during your seasonal yard clean-up. These hollowed limbs offer natural shelter and double as prime hunting perches as foliage thins out.

2. Reduce Light Pollution and Preserve the Dark

Owls rely on exceptional night vision to navigate dark canopies and pinpoint prey under dense cover. Bright security lights and landscape uplighting create artificial glare that blinds owls, deterring them from visiting your garden.

Maren Gimpel emphasizes that simple adjustments make a world of difference, recommending turning off non-essential garden lighting at night to help attract these fascinating feathered friends to your plot.

Diana Ludwiczak, founder of BirdyBirdyBirdy.com, agrees: 'Owls prefer dark environments and bright lights can be disruptive to their natural behavior,' she notes. 'If you still need some light for practical reasons, installing dimmer switches or motion-activated lights is far less likely to disturb them.'

There are a few simple switches you can make to design an owl-friendly lighting scheme.

You don't need to sacrifice garden safety or curb appeal to maintain a dark sky. Rethinking how your outdoor space is illuminated creates an inviting sanctuary for nocturnal wildlife while retaining elegant evening ambiance.

Switch to warm LED bulbs

Standard white and blue-toned LEDs scatter glare across gardens. Swap exterior bulbs for warm white LEDs that produce a soft, amber glow far less disruptive to avian vision. These 'dusk to dawn' lightbulbs from Walmart would work well.

Install fully shielded fixtures

Replace exposed wall sconces with full cut-off fixtures that direct 100% of the beam downward onto pathways rather than into surrounding tree canopies. These motion sensor security lights from Amazon have different brightness settings and are easily adjustable to direct the beams towards the ground.

Use motion sensors and smart timers

Connect accent lighting to an outdoor smart timer, such as this one from Walmart, or motion detectors so illumination stays active only when needed.

3. Consider Their Diet

To keep an owl returning to your plot night after night, your yard must offer a reliable food supply. A single adult owl or nesting pair can consume hundreds of rodents over a single season, which does serve as an unmatched, natural form of pest control.

'Owls are predators and their primary diet consists of rodents like mice and voles,' says Diana. These small creatures may already be present in your yard. However, you could also take steps to create a rodent-friendly environment by leaving brush piles, tall grasses, wood piles, and leaf litter, she says.

In fall, leaving dedicated wild zones in discreet corners of your plot creates ideal foraging grounds for nocturnal hunters, and is an eco-friendly way of clearing yard debris.

Rather than hiding firewood, you could arrange a neatly stacked timber pile or deadwood garden feature. This provides shelter for mice and voles while adding rustic structure to winter garden borders.

Leave native ornamental grasses uncut until spring and create a leaf mulch layer under shrub borders. This organic cover harbors insects and small mammals beneath the surface. You could also add a few hunting perches near these areas to help owls listen and hunt.

While encouraging rodent activity in wild garden zones might feel counterintuitive, relying on traditional poisons will backfire completely.

If you do get visits from owls, please remember to avoid using all chemical rodenticides,' highlights Maren Gimpel. 'Owls that eat poisoned rats and mice will be poisoned themselves.'

What to Shop

Owls aren't the only natural visitors you can encourage into your yard. Why not fill your garden with plants for pollinators, add a water feature to attract dragonflies, or put up a hummingbird feeder, too?

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Gardeners can get lots of free plants by taking cuttings in September. Early fall is a great time to take semi-ripe cuttings and get exact clones of your favorite plants. Whether to expand a collection or as a contingency in case you lose any to winter frosts, take cuttings this month and plant them out next spring.

If you are new to taking plant cuttings, it may sound confusing. In a nutshell, semi-ripe material is current-season wood that has started to harden but not fully firmed. The base is hard, but the tip is soft, and shrubs should have a lot of this material in September. As they are still actively growing in early fall, these cuttings should take relatively quickly.

There are still ornamentals and edibles you can plant in September, but there is always a real satisfaction to growing plants from cuttings. Here is a lovely selection of semi-ripe cuttings to take in September, along with expert tips for success. Get started with a pair of sharp, clean pruning snips (available on Amazon) to take your cuttings.

1. Rosemary

Rosemary is a staple herb for any keen cook to have in their herb or kitchen garden. The aromatic foliage also makes it very popular outside a herb garden, such as lining pathways or making a statement in a container.

Despite being a cold-hardy plant, rosemary will struggle sitting in cold, wet soil over winter. You can grow rosemary indoors in colder climates (US hardiness zone 6 and lower) to protect it from frosts. Or you can propagate rosemary from cuttings and overwinter these indoors, just in case anything happens to your parent plants over winter.

Select healthy, straight, non-flowering shoots 4-6 inches long and remove the lower leaves so only an inch of foliage remains on the soft tip. Dip the end in rooting hormone (such as this rooting powder at Walmart) and insert up to four cuttings around the edge of a small pot filled with well-draining cutting compost.

Keep the cutting somewhere protected over winter, such as in a greenhouse or on a bright windowsill. Ensure the soil remains moist, but not waterlogged, so the cutting can be planted outside come spring.

2. Lavender

Gardeners can easily propagate lavender from semi-ripe cuttings in September. It is a great option if you have a particular type of lavender you love, or have a woody lavender that may need replacing in the future.

As some lavenders are also more susceptible to frosts or damage during cold, wet winters, it is a sensible way to plan for potential losses. If your existing plants survive winter unharmed, you can gift young lavenders to friends and family.

Pick shoots that are brown and woody at the base, yet green and flexible at the tip. Trim them to 3-4 inches long and remove the lower sets of leaves. Dip them in rooting hormone and place them around the edge of small pots; this propagation potting mix on Amazon makes a suitable free-draining soil for cuttings.

Cover the pot with a clear plastic bag to create a humid atmosphere that helps keep the cuttings moist. The cuttings should overwinter in a greenhouse or on a windowsill where they can get bright, but indirect, light. The plastic bag should be removed after the first few weeks, and the cuttings should be potted on once roots have formed.

3. Hydrangea

Hydrangeas are easy to propagate from cuttings in the fall. If you have a hydrangea variety you really enjoy, or want to encourage a friend or family member to grow hydrangeas by gifting them a plant, taking semi-ripe cuttings in September is a great way to do so.

To multiply hydrangeas from cuttings in fall, select a non-flowering shoot and cut it into a 6-8 inch piece. Snip off all the lower leaves, leaving just one set at the top, and cut the remaining leaves in half to help reduce moisture loss. Dip the cuttings into rooting hormone and place them into a pot filled with well-draining compost.

Alternatively, you can propagate hydrangeas in water. To do so, follow the steps above but, instead of a pot of soil, place the cuttings in a container of water and put that in a warm, bright spot on a windowsill. Keep changing the water at least weekly and wait until the cutting has developed two-inch roots before potting it up.

4. Salvia

Gardeners in the know appreciate that not all salvias are winter-hardy. There is a wide range of borderline or half-hardy salvias to grow, including the popular Salvia ‘Amistad’, which flowers for a long time to delight onlookers and attract pollinators throughout the season.

Taking salvia cuttings in fall insures against any potential winter losses and expands a collection. If your salvias are getting older and woody, propagating salvias in this way gives you exact clones to add to borders or pots as replacements.

Pick healthy, non-flowering stems and take 4-6 inch cuttings. Remove the lower leaves, dip the cut end in rooting hormone, and pop a number of cuttings around the edges of small pots. Each cutting should have two-thirds of its length submerged under the soil.

Water gently and cover the container with a clear plastic bag or propagator lid to boost the humidity (you can get nursery pots with humidity domes at Amazon that are ideal for cuttings). Place it somewhere warm and bright, such as a greenhouse or windowsill, and then overwinter the rooted cuttings in a frost-free place.

5. Hebe

Hebes are among some of the prettiest evergreen plants for a garden. The genus contains around 90 different species of low-maintenance evergreen shrubs that flower in summer. It includes varieties with different sizes, leaf colors, and flowers.

Not all hebes are fully winter-hardy, and many are short-lived perennial plants. If you have a unique variegated hebe or a particularly colorful variety that you adore, it pays to take cuttings so you always have plants in your collection, just in case. As hebes will impress in borders or as evergreen container plants for structure and interest, why not propagate new ones?

Take 4-6 inch cuttings of stems where the base is firm, but the tip is soft. Remove the lowest leaves, dip the base into rooting hormone, and put the cuttings into pots of compost – again, you can put more than one per pot.

Once the cuttings have rooted and been potted up into individual pots, keep them in a greenhouse, cold frame, or on a windowsill over winter. But be careful not to overwater the plants, as young hebes are known to rot sitting in sodden soil. A soil moisture tester like this at Walmart can be used to quickly test individual pots to judge when to water plants.

6. Forsythia

The sight of bright yellow forsythia flowers heralds the end of winter. Their blooms are a welcome sight at an otherwise relatively barren time of year.

Such spring-flowering shrubs bursting into life make a big impact and lift the spirits – it is understandable why any gardeners might want to add more to their yard, whether as eye-catching stand-alone shrubs or a vivid hedge. It is not only us who revel in seeing forsythia blooms, as the flowers are also vital early-season nectar for pollinators.

If you grow forsythia, there are lots of options for cultivating new plants. You can take softwood cuttings in late spring, hardwood cuttings in winter, or semi-ripe cuttings in early fall.

When you go down the latter route of taking forsythia cuttings – September is an ideal month for doing this – the plants will develop roots quickly and can be potted on in spring. These plants should then be large enough to plant out later in the year.

7. Fuchsia

There is a diverse range of fuchsias, including hardy and half-hardy varieties. Fuchsias bring vivid color and interest to yards from midsummer through to the frosts, whether in flower beds, container gardens, or hanging baskets.

Gardeners can take fuchsia cuttings of hardy and tender plants in early fall. It is a reliable way to get new clones of your favorite plants, and an easy fallback if any half-hardy fuchsias are unfortunately lost during the winter months.

Select healthy, non-flowering shoots and take 4-6 inch cuttings with pruning snips or a sharp knife, such as this horticultural knife at Lowe’s. As with others on this list, remove the lower leaves, dip the cutting in rooting hormone, and place it in a pot filled with cutting compost – you can get 3-4 around the edge of one pot.

Cover the container with a clear plastic bag or propagator lid and put it somewhere warm and bright, but out of direct sunlight.

What to Shop

September makes a great month for planning the future garden. It is a month for planting shrubs and perennials in early fall to get them established before winter, along with thinking about seeds.

The best seeds to order in September include hardy annuals to sow directly straight away – they’ll put down roots, go dormant, then burst into life and flower early come spring – and perennials that need a period of cold stratification to germinate. Also, there are cold-hardy vegetables to plant in fall that can be sown straight into the soil.

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The hummingbird migration across the US is underway, and a new interactive map could help you find out when these charming creatures are expected to pass through your area. Created by smart bird feeder company Birdfy, the map tracks migration routes across different states, so you can follow their epic journey.

With hummingbirds relying on resource-rich gardens for a rest stop during their migration, the Birdfy Hummingbird Migration Map is designed to help backyard birdwatchers know exactly when to keep feeders filled for their arrival. You can even explore migration routes of specific hummingbird species to find out which ones have been spotted in your local area.

It's a useful new tool to use alongside a smart bird feeder camera (you can explore Birdfy's range of smart feeders on Amazon), which capture the fleeting visits. Birdfy says any garden that welcomes hummingbirds plays a crucial part in their migration journey.

Track When Hummingbirds Arrive in Your Yard

August and September are when hummingbirds typically start to migrate south for winter. On this long journey (up to 4,000 miles) they stop in resource-rich backyards, seeking some respite and to refuel (even a simple glass hummingbird feeder from Amazon helps).

'With our migration map, we want to help people see the bigger story behind each visit – and realize that their own backyard can be a meaningful stop along the way,' says Allen Chen, Founder and CEO of Birdfy.

According to Birdfy, when a migrating hummingbird visits a feeder or garden along its route, that backyard becomes a stopover on its journey – and the person welcoming it becomes a so-called stopover host. The company says it is a simple shift in perspective that turns a fleeting backyard encounter into a small but meaningful part of a much bigger migration story.

The map allows homeowners to keep track of the hummingbirds that have been spotted near them, so they know when they can expect visitors in their own yard. The function to search by month and hummingbird species offers more specific insight.

As you toggle to timeline, the migration routes are revealed, showing how the likes of ruby-throated hummingbirds, rufous hummingbirds, and costa's hummingbirds have been moving through the country.

Get Ready for Their Visit

There are plenty of things you can do to attract hummingbirds to your yard and get your outdoor space ready for their arrival.

This includes installing a smart feeder (like the Birdfy Hum Feeder available on Amazon), which will allow you to capture footage of their visit. This Walmart smart hummingbird feeder is also a good choice, with multiple feeding porches to accommodate more birds.

You can also opt for standard glass hummingbird feeders (like this red one from Wayfair).

As for providing water, hummingbirds prefer a mist to a bird bath so it can be beneficial to place a solar fountain pump (like this from Walmart) in your bird bath.

Take care to keep both water and food sources clean. It's important to clean hummingbird feeders regularly to prevent the nectar spoiling and keep these birds safe.

You can also add some flowers for hummingbirds to your garden to provide nectar-rich natural food sources. Mexican bush sage for hummingbirds is a great late-season choice.

Or, pick up this pack of hummingbird wildflower seeds from Burpee to get ahead for next year.

Shop Our Hummingbird Edit

You can also prepare for hummingbirds by doing some research around the best time of day to see hummingbirds. Early morning is typically when they're most active, as they go on search for food to re-energize – this is where investing in a bird feeder camera is handy, capturing these moments for you.

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The best bulbs to plant in September include snowdrops, species tulips, alliums, fritillaries, grape hyacinths, anemones, and fragrant hyacinths - a deliberately less predictable cast that offers early nectar, naturalizing color, deer resistance, scent, and container drama. Planting time varies widely across US growing zones, so northern gardeners can begin early in the month while warmer regions should wait for cooler soil.

September planting is really an exercise in optimism with dirt under its fingernails. Choose firm, unblemished bulbs, plant into free-draining soil, and think in drifts rather than dutiful little regiments.

There is plenty else to tuck into the ground this month when considering what to plant in September, but a sturdy bulb auger from Amazon makes this particular job noticeably less punishing on the wrists.

Start With Your Zone, Not The Calendar

A bulb packet may cheerfully announce “plant in fall,” which is botanically correct but about as useful as saying one should wear a coat when it is chilly. Fall arrives at very different speeds across America.

In colder temperate climates, including USDA Zones 3 to 5, September is prime bulb-planting season. The ground is still workable, roots have time to establish, and winter arrives with sufficient authority to give many bulbs the cold period they need.

In Zones 6 and 7, planting often begins later in September and continues through October. Gardeners in Zones 8 to 10 should generally wait until soil temperatures cool, often October or November, and may need to pre-chill tulips and hyacinths.

I like to use the weather, not panic, as my guide: when nights become cool enough for a sweater but the soil is not yet a brick, it is time. If you are planting in grass or a looser, meadow-like scheme, these tips for planting a bulb lawn are particularly useful.

Snowdrops

Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) are not, strictly speaking, the showboats of spring. They do not stride into the border wearing sequins. Instead, they appear when the yard is still half asleep and rain has the personality of a damp cardigan. That is exactly why I adore them.

Plant snowdrops from Burpee in September where they can settle undisturbed beneath deciduous trees, among ferns, or at the front of a partly shaded border. They thrive in moist but well-drained soil and look best planted generously - 25 bulbs are a suggestion; 100 are a statement of intent. Their nodding white flowers are an invaluable early food source for pollinators emerging on the first mild days.

In warm regions, snowdrops can be fussy because they need reliable winter chill. But in Zones 3 to 7, they are quietly excellent naturalizers. Pair them with the earliest spring-flowering bulbs and you can make February look as though it has made an effort.

You can also find snowdrop bulbs on Amazon.

Tulips

The large hybrid tulips are lovely, of course, but they can behave like glamorous houseguests, dazzling for a weekend and then mysteriously absent the following year. Species tulips, such as Tulipa tarda, Tulipa sylvestris, and Tulipa kaufmanniana, are the more dependable cousins.

They are shorter, earlier, and wonderfully willing to return. Many open their starry flowers wide in sunshine, revealing buttery centers or sharp flashes of red, then close up again as if someone has drawn the curtains. Plant them in full sun, in gritty, free-draining soil, at the front of borders, along paths, or in troughs and containers.

I am particularly fond of small Tulip 'Little Beauty' from Burpee, whose red, white and blue flowers have the crisp cheerfulness to brighten up any soggy morning. It naturalizes well in Zones 3 to 8, especially where summers are dry. For a longer show in pots, borrow the layering approach in this guide to creating a bulb lasagna.

You can purchase a mix of tulip bulbs on Amazon.

Alliums

Alliums are the garden’s punctuation marks - round, emphatic, and impossible to ignore. Their flower heads float above borders on wiry stems, carrying purple, white, or wine-red globes that look faintly as though a small planet has become lodged in the flower bed.

For September planting, consider drumstick alliums (Allium sphaerocephalon) for deep burgundy, egg-shaped flower heads, or star of Persia (Allium cristophii) for enormous, silvery violet fireworks. Both are good choices for full sun and well-drained soil. Their oniony scent is not to every creature’s taste, which gives them a useful degree of deer and rodent resistance.

Alliums flower later than snowdrops or crocuses, bridging the awkward moment when spring bulbs are fading and early perennials are still clearing their throats. Leave the seed heads standing after flowering; they are handsome for months, and I have watched them catch low autumn light with more style than many a paid-for garden ornament. For more fall groundwork, see these plants to mulch in September.

Find allium bulbs at Burpee.

Fritillaries

If your taste runs toward the slightly strange (and why should it not?), plant fritillaries. Snake’s head fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris) bears checkered, bell-shaped flowers in moody shades of plum and ivory. It looks rather like a tiny hand-painted lantern, or perhaps a chessboard that has been caught in a rainstorm.

This bulb is ideal for moist, humus-rich soil, particularly in dappled shade or a meadow-like lawn. It is not a bulb for baking-hot, dry sites, but in the right spot it can naturalize beautifully through Zones 4 to 8. Plant it in groups and allow the foliage to die back naturally after flowering. You can find snake's head fritillary bulbs on Amazon.

Crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis) from Amazon is more flamboyant with a tall stem and a skirt of orange or yellow bells beneath a tuft of leaves. It is impressively deer-resistant, though it does have a musky odor that can divide opinion. I rather admire a plant prepared to be beautiful and slightly inconvenient.

If deer are a persistent backyard nuisance, explore these ways to stop squirrels from digging up bulbs, too - the same protective thinking is useful.

Grape Hyacinths

Grape hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum) may be tiny, but they are extremely good value in the visual department. Their clustered blue flowers look like miniature bunches of grapes dipped in cobalt ink, and they spread with a cheerful lack of self-consciousness.

Plant them near walkways, below deciduous shrubs, around the feet of roses, or in containers with species tulips. They suit Zones 3 to 8 and are among the best bulbs for naturalizing. They will multiply into a soft blue carpet over time, especially in sun or partial shade with average, well-drained soil.

For a more unusual choice, look for pale blue Muscari azureum or the two-toned Muscari latifolium. I find grape hyacinths most convincing when planted in large, loose sweeps as little clusters dotted about can look like someone has dropped a bag of blueberries. Their early flowers also work brilliantly alongside the easy container combinations in these spring bulb ideas for pots.

Find muscari bulbs at Burpee. You can also shop muscari bulbs at True Leaf Market.

Anemones

Anemones (Anemone blanda) are technically tubers rather than true bulbs, but this is not the moment for botanical pedantry. They are planted in the same fall ritual and earn their place with daisy-like flowers in blue, pink, white, and violet.

Soak the knobbly tubers for several hours before planting, then tuck them two to three inches deep into well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. In Zones 5 to 9, they can form spreading carpets beneath deciduous trees and shrubs, flowering before the canopy makes too much shade.

‘Blue Shades’ from Burpee is a particularly lovely mix, creating a soft wash of gentian blue that makes a spring border feel instantly more intentional. Plant with snowdrops and grape hyacinths for a succession that begins before most of us have located the good gardening gloves.

For more ways to make September productive, these flowers to plant in September will keep the momentum going.

Hyacinths

Hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis) are the bulb equivalent of opening a perfume bottle in a small room - unapologetic, heady, and very difficult to ignore. Their fragrance is one of the great pleasures of early spring, particularly when planted in containers near a front door, patio, or kitchen window.

In colder zones, plant the bulbs outdoors in fall after the weather cools. In mild areas, chill the bulbs in a refrigerator for 10 to 12 weeks before planting, far away from apples, which release ethylene gas and can interfere with flowering. Choose a pot with drainage such as these terracotta pots from Amazon, use fresh potting mix, and plant bulbs more closely than you would in the ground, without letting them touch.

For a container display that earns its applause, combine deep purple ‘Woodstock’, pale blue ‘Delft Blue’, and white ‘Carnegie’. A few pots by the door will scent the entire arrival home, which is a far more civilizing welcome than a pile of packages on the porch.

This mix of hyacinth bulbs on Amazon includes a wide range of colors.

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Plant most bulbs at a depth roughly two to three times their own height, with the pointed end upward. In heavy clay, plant a little shallower and incorporate compost or grit to improve drainage; bulbs dislike sitting in wet soil more than they dislike almost anything, including being admired by squirrels. Remember, the right bulb planting tools for the job will make the task faster and easier.

Do not overfeed. A modest bulb fertilizer at planting time can help in poor soil, but rich nitrogen-heavy fertilizer encourages leaves at the expense of flowers. Water newly planted bulbs once, then let fall weather do much of the work. Mark larger drifts with discreet labels, because by April one’s memory of where the alliums went can become remarkably impressionistic.

Finally, protect vulnerable plantings with wire mesh laid just below the soil surface. Remove it once shoots emerge. It is not glamorous, but neither is discovering that the squirrels have treated your carefully planned spring display as an all-you-can-eat buffet.

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As my houseplant collection continues to grow and take over every room in my house, I'm having to think of new ways to maximize space and make my indoor garden look curated, rather than cluttered. One of my favorite tools to use is a plant stand.

Indoor plant stands provide vertical space to display beloved houseplants, doubling the room you have available. I recently spotted the new IKEA BLÅKRÅKA plant stand and can't wait to get my hands on it. It's modern in design, with a clever box shelf that keeps plants contained. The best part is it's made for outdoor use, too, so it can work well for saving space on your patio.

I appreciate the fact the legs can be adjusted so plants can sit level on uneven surfaces. I really do think this is a houseplant care staple for any home, where the neutral color quietly slots into a wide range of interior styles.

For Indoors and Outdoors

This plant stand can be used in an indoor garden or to create a vertical garden on your patio.

It's powder-coated steel, making it weather-resistant. Plus, it can be wiped clean with a damp cloth. The fact the feet can be adjusted means uneven patio slabs won't be an issue, so you can set it to sit level.

Indoors, it doubles your space for plants by elevating them off the ground. The fact its narrow is also a space-saving bonus, so you could use it in entryways or to add some greenery to a smaller room.

The hole design on the box shelf not only looks nice, but it also means there's some airflow. This is important when placing plants so close together, as moisture can become trapped and cause issues like powdery mildew and rot.

How I Would Style It

I personally think this IKEA BLÅKRÅKA plant stand can become a statement piece in my indoor garden by filling it with lots of different plants with interesting foliage, mulch like the image above.

Variegated indoor plants (like this tricolor stromanthe from Trees.com, formerly Fast Growing Trees) alongside textural indoor ferns and trailing houseplants (like this golden pothos from IKEA) can create a beautiful botanical spectacle for the home.

For maximalist impact, I would then place indoor low-light plants underneath the shelf (ferns are also a good choice for this, like this Boston fern from Walmart). The effect would be a green wall for my living room – an abundant indoor garden in a compact space.

Outdoors, you can use the ground space to neatly store terracotta planters, tools, and bags of compost.

Shop Our IKEA Houseplant Edit

The IKEA BLÅKRÅKA plant stand is perfect for layering houseplants to make the most of space and create a curated look. When deciding where to position your different plants, don't make the common indoor plant mistake of neglecting how much light they need. Those that can tolerate lower light can sit beneath the shelf, for example.

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For a thick, green, and healthy lawn, you need to aerate it. Whether you do it once or twice a year, September or October are ideal months for spiking the lawn. You can painstakingly use a fork, or make life easier with a rolling lawn aerator that speeds up the job and reduces the physical effort.

Understanding when and how to aerate a lawn helps you keep your grass healthy. Aerating reduces compaction and boosts the amount of oxygen, nutrients, and water accessible to the roots.

To aerate, gardeners can use a garden fork, which is slow and tiring, or opt for something more efficient, like this Walensee rolling lawn aerator on Amazon. With a rolling drum equipped with 42 strong spikes, it will quickly spike the soil as you push it. If you need to aerate a large lawn, it will be quicker and easier with such a tool.

Benefits of a Rolling Lawn Aerator

As a professional gardener and former groundsman and greenkeeper, I have done lawn aeration throughout my career. I have painstakingly covered areas using a fork, spiking the ground at 12-inch intervals. It is a reliable way to aerate, but it takes time and physical effort. At the other end of the scale, I have used mechanical aerators. These cover large areas quickly, but come at a cost.

A rolling lawn aerator is an efficient, budget-friendly way for home gardeners to aerate their lawns without putting in lots of effort or spending a lot of money. The Walensee rolling lawn aerator is currently under $70 on Amazon and can be used in both spring and fall lawn care routines for a healthy, beautiful lawn.

I’m sure many homeowners will wonder why they aerate a lawn when it means laborious forking, potentially twice a year. A roller can become an essential gardening tool, cutting down time and effort – and making aeration more appealing. If you are lacking motivation to aerate the lawn this September, having this tool in your shed will speed things up this season and for years to come.

The Walensee rolling lawn aerator has a steel rotating drum with 42 reinforced two-inch tine spikes. These heat-treated spikes are strong and arranged in a spiral design. This ensures the tool rolls smoothly and consistently, and the soil is spiked effectively. This design also helps to prevent the spikes from bending over time.

To increase aeration, you can add stones to the rolling drum so the spikes penetrate deeper into the soil. If your soil is severely compacted, this may make the crucial difference between healthy, well-drained turf and a waterlogged lawn in winter.

The rotating drum is securely welded to the adjustable handle. This handle comes in four parts that screw together to a maximum of 71 inches. The handle has a rubber, non-slip grip so you always feel in control when aerating.

The adjustable handle makes it comfortable to use; there is no need to bend over, and certainly no need for repeated movements like when using a fork to aerate. While you do step on a fork to push the tines into the soil, don’t step on the crossbar above the drum of the roller.

It will smoothly insert the spikes into the ground without any extra encouragement, and you risk damaging the tool or yourself by stepping on it. Simply push or pull the tool at an even speed across the lawn and watch the spikes leave little holes in the turf as you go.

If you want to improve the penetration, add stones to the drum and water the lawn if it is very dry or dense before heading out with the rolling aerator. Also, try not to tread heavily on the newly-made holes as you go. The roller is 15 inches wide, so you could walk either side of the holes on each pass.

When you get the Walensee rolling lawn aerator home, all you need to do is attach the head to the handle (the necessary tools are provided), and you are ready to roll. You don’t need to worry about the spikes, which are pre-installed on the roller.

What Shoppers Say

Shoppers who purchase the Walensee rolling lawn aerator tend to agree that it works better with extra weight added to the drum. While the manufacturer recommends using stones (and states people shouldn’t use sand), some users have found more novel materials to add in when aerating.

‘I added 'deer corn' to the tube for heavier weight, and it added just enough to penetrate deeper into this god-awful clay soil we have here in Colorado without being too heavy for an old lady to do her own aeration,’ said one five-star reviewer.

‘This is a super great product,’ says another happy shopper who gave it five stars. ‘My husband put pieces of concrete and some old golf balls in it to make it heavy enough to penetrate nice and deep into the lawn.’

The reviewer also said how much better this was than lawn aerator shoes (available at Amazon), which are strap-on attachments with metal spikes to aerate as you walk over the lawn.

Any concerns that the Walensee rolling lawn aerator may be too heavy to use when loaded are alleviated by hearing experiences of those who have used the tool.

‘If your yard is anything like mine, it’s very packed dirt, so you’ll need this heavy. It’s still really easy to move with the weight,’ says one reviewer.

Another advises taking the Walensee rolling lawn aerator out after rainfall, or watering the lawn before using it.

‘The ground needs to be a little soft for this to sink in, but it does sink in much better than I expected. It is a bit of a workout, and I tend to keep the handle high to help add downward force,’ they write. ‘I'm happy with the quality and don't see any issues. It is very sturdy, and using this will become a regular part of the lawn care routine.’

It should be noted that some reviewers say the Walensee rolling lawn aerator is too light, even with added weight, and the spikes didn’t go far into the ground. How well the spikes penetrate the ground often depends on factors such as how compacted the soil is or how dry it is.

Overall, the Walensee rolling lawn aerator has received 4.1 stars out of 5 from almost 400 ratings. Among these, 75% of reviews were 4 stars or above, showing a good level of satisfaction from those who have used the tool.

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Another important job in both fall and spring lawn care regimes is scarifying. Regularly scarifying a lawn removes thatch from the soil surface and increases the water and nutrients that penetrate the soil.

While you can scarify a lawn with a spring-tine rake, it is laborious. An alternative is an electric scarifier, such as this 2-1 electric dethatcher and scarifier at The Home Depot.

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There's nothing more welcoming in fall than a well-composed porch planter, and glorious ornamental peppers are the way to go in this season of plenty. These dramatic container favorites combine to spectacular effect with other seasonal plants to deliver a porch container with real wow factor.

Whether you've got a single statement container to fill, or you're planning on going all out with your fall porch display, I've got some practical and super-creative tips to help you make the most of ornamental pepper plants.

Ornamental peppers are among the best fall decor ideas, and learning just a little about their growing conditions will give you an odds-on chance of a dramatic, color-packed display for weeks, possibly months, to come. To kick things off, I'm sharing my favorite large brown Saabira textured planter from Crate & Barrel; it will set off those brilliant fiery colors to perfection.

Planting Companions For Ornamental Peppers

If you're in the market for some great container gardening ideas, ornamental peppers offer so many possibilities . When you're choosing plants to sit alongside them in a mixed planter, let yourself be guided by the foliage color of your chosen pepper varieties and, of course, the bright pops of red, yellow, orange and even purple that the peppers bring.

Consider also complementary plants that bring different heights and habits: in every top fall container recipe you'll need something tall for impact, something to bring movement and tacticle qualities (eg grasses) and something trailing to soften the edges of the pot.

Some of my favorites include chrysanthemums in toning shades of orange, red and yellow – especially this fabulous 'Matchsticks' chrysanthemum from Burpee, whose dramatic flower heads with quilled petals would make a wonderful contrast to the rounded baubles of some of the ornamental pepper varieties.

Grasses that work well with ornamental peppers include one of my top choices, 'Red Baron' Japanese blood grass, which you can buy at Nature Hills. Its blades are tipped with deep crimson, so it makes a brilliant partner to the deep red peppers. Carex 'Prairie Fire' from RHS is also another ornamental grass with suitably rich tones, with its cascade of arching orange-green foliage in fall.

Look to heucheras too, which will work brilliantly at the edges of mixed containers. They come in such a wide range of foliage colors – check out the heuchera selection at Garden Goods – that you're bound to find a heuchera variety that's just right for your planting combo.

A highly under-rated plant in my opinion is the viola, whose lovely cheery faces would look amazing alongside your ornamental peppers. Look for violas in tones of red, yellow and orange, or try dramatic black-veined 'Tiger Eyes' viola from RHS with black-foliage ornamental peppers.

How to Care For Your Containers of Ornamental Peppers

Ongoing care for your ornamental pepper porch container is fairly straightforward. But there are a few little jobs you'll need to do to get the most from your plants and keep them looking colorful and dramatic for weeks to come.

First of all, keep an eye on irrigation, as watering plants in containers can be a little trickier than it might seem. Ornamental peppers don't generally need heaps of water, but do water deeply once the top couple of inches of compost have dried out.

Every two to three weeks, feed your ornamental peppers with a balanced liquid fertiliser, to encourage fruit production over foliage growth. This means choosing something like Luiquinox from Lowes, which isn't too high in Nitrogen.

Keep an eye out for aphids and spider mites, which can colonise ornamental peppers, especially if the weather is warm and dry. Blast them away with a hose spray or use an insecticidal soap such as Smart Grower Neem oil & Peppermint Spray from Amazon.

How to Grow Ornamental Peppers in Pots

Providing the right conditions is crucial for a color-packed, plentiful display of ornamental peppers. These plants are members of the Solanaceae (nightshades) family, which also contains potatoes, tomatoes and, less surprisingly, edible chillies and peppers. They are natives of northern regions of South America and southwestern North America, thriving in mostly dry, sunny conditions.

To replicate those conditions in a pot on the porch, to grow ornamental peppers, you'll need to provide them with a good potting mix like Wakefiled Biochar Organic from Lowes, mixed with 20-30% vermiculite, such as Sta-Green Organic Vermiculite from Lowes, which will give ornamental peppers the decent drainage they need. Remember to plant your peppers at the same depth as they were in their nursery pots.

You'll also need to pick a spot that gets around 6-8 hours of sun per day, which means you'll likely need a south or west-facing porch, depending on what zone you're growing in. The more sun you give your ornamental peppers, the brighter your peppers will be, which is key to a dramatic fall display.

Hardy to 70°F (21°C), ornamental peppers tend to be grown as tender annuals. However, if you're in USDA Zones 9-11, you'll be able to grow them all year round. For the rest of us, we'll make the most of their upright, flame-like fruits to bring energy to our containers in a special-occasion fall and Halloween planters set piece.

In terms of container material, it's wise to go for terracotta pots, as this porous material helps to keep the soil inside from getting too soggy. Its earthen color also works brilliantly with those hot pepper tones.

Pot feet are a good idea at this time of year, as they keep containers raised off the ground where they're less likely to become waterlogged. I love these round terracotta LemonRoad feet from Amazon.

For something a little bit different, why not try a hanging basket arrangement. I adore this super modern remake, the Sphere Rust Patina from Anthropologie. Add in some complementary trailing plants (see below) and you're good to go.

Ornamental Pepper Varieties to Try

The great thing about flame-like, upward-shooting ornamental peppers – and perhaps one of the reasons why they're beginning to nudge traditional September chrysanthemums out of top spot for fall container plants – is they come in so many shapes and colors, which often shift beautifully as they mature.

Chilly Chili
The long, tapered fruits of this handsome variety extend straight up like spooky yellow and red fingers (they start off greeny yellow, developing to red but you get all stages of maturatity on the plant at once). It's a compact pepper at around 10in (25cm) tall.
You can buy Chilly Chili at Garden Goods Direct

Basket of Fire
This is an edible, compact ornamental pepper with medium heat and gorgeous fruits in red, orange, cream and yellow all at the same time. To 12 in (30cm), so brilliant for small pots or planting at the front of a larger display.
Buy Basket of Fire from Nature Hills Nursery

Black Pearl
Nothing if not dramatic, this pepper has glossy near-black foliage and clusters of small, berry-like fruits that turn from black to bright red. It's sizeable too, at around 18in (45cm), and grows into a fabulous pyramid shape.
You can buy Black Pearl at Garden Goods Direct

Sangria
A beautiful spreading, slightly trailing plant to around 12in (30cm) tall and 18in (45cm) wide with very mild fruit (useful if you're concerned about children) and stunning finger-like purple and red peppers.
Buy Sangria at Garden Goods Direct

Hot Pops
A really fun plant with small, egg-shaped fruits that point up, in colours that mature from pale yellow-green to yellow, orange and red, all at once on the same plant. Super cute at just 6in (15cm) tall.
Buy Hot Pops at Garden Goods Direct

While many ornamental peppers are edible, they can be anything from bland to bitter or extremely hot, so it's best not to eat them, unless you know exactly what you're dealing with.

Putting together a dramatic container for fall interest is one of the joys of the season. A little planning now – and make sure you put ornamental peppers at the centre of your display – and you'll have a wow-factor porchway for weeks to come .

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When it comes to winterizing the garden, young trees are among the plants most in need of protection from frost and wildlife damage. Failing to put precautions in place could result in severe damage that results in the death of your tree.

Luckily, there are lots of winterizing tools you can use to protect young trees before winter, such as this Amazon tree guard which stops hungry wildlife attacking tree trunks.

Tree expert Carrie McClain also notes you can mulch your trees to offer insulation and should do one last water in fall to ensure they stay hydrated through winter. Here, with Carrie's insights, we explain three things to do to protect young trees before winter.

1. Keep Watering in Fall

It can be easy to assume you don't need to water plants as we progress into the colder conditions of fall and winter, but dry spells during these seasons call for watering and keeping plants hydrated.

'One of the most important and often overlooked steps is making sure young trees go into winter adequately hydrated,' says Carrie.

'Evergreens in particular continue to lose moisture through their needles during winter, so going into winter with adequate soil moisture can help reduce winter drying and browning,' she explains.

If you're concerned about overwatering during fall, you can use an Amazon soil moisture meter to check the soil and water accordingly. You should also give your trees a final deep watering before hard frosts arrive.

Our guide to watering trees in winter has more information on how to water them correctly during the coldest months.

2. Mulch Around the Base

'If you only do one thing to protect a young tree before winter, add a good layer of mulch around its base,' says Carrie.

Mulching is an essential part of overwintering a garden, where you use a layer of organic material to lock-in moisture and insulate plant roots as frost protection.

'Young trees are still developing their root systems, and mulch helps insulate those roots from extreme temperature fluctuations while also helping the soil retain moisture,' Carrie explains.

'Apply about 2-4 inches of organic mulch, such as shredded bark, wood chips or pine bark, over the root zone. Spread it outward around the tree rather than piling it against the trunk,' she advises.

It's problematic to pile mulch up against tree bark because it can trap excess moisture and encourage rot and disease. Providing a gap around the base allows for airflow and will help keep the tree healthy.

You can gather fall mulching materials from your yard, purchase brown mulch from Lowe's, or even use mulching mats (like these from Amazon) which are suited to smaller trunks of young trees.

3. Install a Tree Guard

Winter wildlife, notably deer, rabbits, and rodents, can also pose a threat to garden trees. When other food sources are scarce in fall, they may start to chew on bark and damage tree trunks. It can leave trees girdled and exposed to frost damage.

'Young trees are especially vulnerable to browsing and rubbing during the winter months. A simple wire cage or tree guard can create a physical barrier around the tree,' says Carrie.

'Make sure the protection is tall and wide enough that deer can't easily reach over or through it to browse the branches. And don't be too quick to remove that protection in spring. Tender new buds and fresh growth can be particularly attractive to browsing deer, so continue to keep an eye on young trees as they break dormancy and put on new growth,' she advises.

These Amazon tree guards are a good choice because they're expandable and can ensure trees are fully protected. They also have a mesh design that provides plenty of airflow.

Alternatively, use a simple mesh wire tree guard (like this from Walmart) to put a barrier in place and stop wildlife getting to the tree trunks.

You can help keep deer away from your yard by growing deer-resistant plants, too.

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