Colorful poinsettias and flowering Thanksgiving or Christmas cactus fill garden centers and homes during the holiday season. If you saved your plants from last year, it is time to get started forcing them into bloom for the upcoming holidays.

As summer comes to an end, it’s time to prepare landscapes for fall and winter. Proper fall care helps increase plants’ winter survival, supports pollinators and promotes the overall health, longevity and beauty of a landscape.

Transfer the beauty of favorite flowers onto paper or fabric to create works of art, greeting cards and gifts for family and friends. Pounding flowers is a fun and easy way gardeners of all ages can preserve the beauty of garden flowers.

Whether gardening indoors or outdoors, gardeners are likely to encounter powdery mildew on one or more of their plants.

Add homegrown flavor to any meal with garden fresh herbs that will elevate any dish. Continue enjoying them well past the end of the season by preserving favorites to use in winter meals.

Keep homegrown vegetables and those purchased at the farmer’s market fresh and tasting their best. Selecting and harvesting vegetables at their peak and storing them properly will provide maximum flavor and nutritional value from every bite.

Check the garden regularly and harvest vegetables as recommended for the best flavor and nutritional value. Look for harvesting guidelines from reliable sources like your local extension service.