Dear ##firstname[Friend]##,

Crystal Rennicke

Carving pumpkins for Halloween? Pick one of these nature-inspired pumpkin carving patterns to make yours unique. Then take a peek at our container contest winners and submit your entry early for our November photo challenge, thankful.

Happy Halloween!
–Crystal

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READ ON TO DISCOVER...

• Plant of the Month
• Yard Smarts
• Question of the Month
• Frugal Backyard Tip
• Submit Your Story

Proven Winners

Plant of the Month

Sapphire Aster
A dense growth habit, disease resistance and nonstop blooms are some of this aster’s virtues. Lilac blue daisy-like flowers bloom from August to October.
Botanical name: Aster x dumosus
Hardiness: Zones 4 to 8.
Size: 18 to 24 inches wide; 12 to 16 inches tall.
Growing Advice: Grow in full sun in moderate soil with good drainage. Makes an excellent container plant in a fall arrangement or with ornamental grasses. Attracts bees, butterflies and birds.

Click here for a list of favorite fall plants.

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RDA-GID

Yard Smarts

Pretty Pumpkin Centerpiece
A hollowed-out pumpkin makes a pretty container for an autumn bouquet. I use marigolds, mums, sunflowers, zinnias, berries, seed heads or other leftovers from the garden. It adds festive flair to the table or my front porch for a fraction of the cost of a regular bouquet.
–Karen Ann Bland, Gove, Kansas

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Question of the Month

RDA-GID

Time to Transplant
We have a beautiful camellia bush that we would like to move. It’s about 5 feet tall. When is the best time to move it, and should we cut it back regularly? –Betty Hellwig, Exeter, California

Melinda: Transplant your camellia anytime between November and February. This gives the plant some time to adjust to its new location before hot dry weather moves into the area.

Consider removing any flower buds that have formed. This allows the plant to focus its energy on root formation rather than flowering.

Do minimal pruning the first few years after transplanting. The more leaves on the plant, the more energy it will produce to help develop the new root system. Just remove damaged, dead and crossing branches the first few years. Then prune in spring after flowering and only as needed to maintain a strong framework and the desired size.

For answers to your gardening questions, click here.

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Frugal Gardener Tip

RDA-GID

Uses for Yarn
I have a large supply of leftover yarn—especially in various shades of green. I use it for loosely tying up my climbing vines or tall plants to trellises, posts and fences. It is an inexpensive way to recycle, and the yarn is barely noticeable against the foliage. As an added bonus, the birds pick up the small leftover pieces for nest-building.

During the winter months, I take the time to roll the yarn into a ball and store it in a plastic bag along with a small pair of blunt scissors—ready for next spring.
—Catherine Zavatsky, Bloomingdale, Ohio

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Submit Your Story

Have you committed a Backyard Blunder? Send your funny stories to our Just for Fun section using our Submit Your Story form.

Submit your story»

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