8 Free Flower Seeds to Collect in Early September (Before They Disappear)
Eight flowers are handing out free seeds in early September. Learn the exact signs of ripeness and how to collect, dry, and store each one.
Should You Top Indeterminate Tomatoes 4–6 Weeks Before Frost?
Topping healthy indeterminate tomatoes four to six weeks before frost may help the final crop finish. Learn which plants to top, where to cut, and how to ripen green tomatoes.
7 September Dahlia Care Tasks for More Flowers Until Frost
September dahlias often look tired just when the rest of the garden needs them most. Stems lean, spent blooms hide among fresh buds, and one dry week can slow the …
How to Propagate a Christmas Cactus in September (Without Ruining Its Holiday Blooms)
September can be a smart time to multiply a holiday cactus—but it comes with one important catch. Every cutting removes a stem tip, and those tips are where winter flowers …
Before You Fill a Large Pot With Soil, Try the Pinecone Trick—But Know the Catch
Clean, dry pinecones can lighten a large seasonal planter and reduce the amount of potting mix it needs—but the trick has an important drainage catch.
15 Scents Gardeners Use to Discourage Squirrels and Chipmunks
Squirrels and chipmunks can turn a garden into a breakfast buffet before you finish your coffee. Fortunately, their keen noses can sometimes work in your favor. The most useful scent …
12 Plants to Propagate From Cuttings in September (Before Frost)
Save 12 favorite garden plants before frost with simple September cuttings—from coleus and geraniums to hydrangea, rosemary, sage, and thyme.
11 Tough Perennials That Handle Missed Watering Once Established
These 11 drought-tolerant perennials forgive an occasional missed watering once established—while delivering flowers, texture, pollinator value, and a much easier border.
How to Grow Native Milkweed and Bring Monarchs Back to Your Garden
Native milkweed is the one plant a monarch garden cannot fake. Adult monarchs sip nectar from many flowers, but their caterpillars must eat milkweed. Put the right species in the …
Tomatoes Are Actually Perennials—Here’s How to Keep Them Alive Through Winter
Most of us pull tomato plants after the first hard frost and start again from seed the following year. That is sensible—but it is not the whole story. Tomatoes are …