1. Plant all types of permanent landscape plants other than bare-root and tropicals.
2. Plant trees, shrubs and vines.
3. Choose and plant for permanent fall and winter color.
4. Continue to shop for spring-blooming bulbs.
5. Plant lilies as soon as you get them home.
6. Buy daffodils, freesias, ranunculus, anemones and Dutch irises; keep them in a cool, dry place until planting time.
7. Purchase hyacinth, and tulip bulbs and prechill them in the refrigerator for 6-8 weeks.
8. Plant cool-season flowers for winter and spring bloom.
9. Plant cineraria for late winter and early spring bloom.
10. Plant wildflowers.
11. Plant cool-season lawns; this is the best time of year for this job.
12. Overseed Bermuda grass with annual winter ryegrass if desired.
13. Plant cool-season vegetables, year-round vegetables, including carrots and some perennial vegetables.
14. Thin out sweet peas and pinch them back to force branching.
15. Divide, trim, and mulch plants that tend to grow in a clump and that need to be divided, including Kahili ginger, clivia, iris, daylily, moraea, bird of paradise, gazanias, and perennials like Shasta daisies.
16. Cut back zonal and ivy geraniums; finish pruning Martha Washingtons.
17. Divide hardy water lilies.
18. Divide belladonna lilies.
19. Dig up, divide and replant perennials, or mulch them.
20. Strawberries will be available soon!
21. Feed fuchsias.
22. Continue to treat blue hydrangeas with aluminum sulfate.
23. Stop fertilizing chrysanthemums and enjoy the blooms.
24. Fertilize poinsettias with a complete fertilizer high in bloom ingredients.
25. Feed roses early in October; don't fertilize in November.
26. Water deciduous fruit trees more sparingly in fall.
27. Water roses with up to 1 1/2 inches of water twice a week, unless it rains.
28. Finish pulling out faded annual flowers and cleaning pots and beds for fall.
29. Make a ball-shaped basket of malacoides primroses.
30. Thoroughly clean up the vegetable garden; pull up the last of the summer crops and compost the remains (if you have had fungus or disease problems, skip the composting and get rid of them instead).

Cacti and succulents can be repotted at any time of the year, though spring or the end of the growing season are convenient times. Many succulents present no special handling problems, but prickly cacti have to be treated with respect.

If possible, choose a soil mix formulated for cacti, as this will be well drained and have the right sort of structure and nutrient level. A soil-based potting mixture is a practical alternative. Some commercial growers use peat-based potting mixtures, but these are best avoided. Apart from the difficulty in keeping the water balance right, peat-based potting mixtures do not have the weight and structure to support large cacti and succulents. We highly recommend you use Cactus Mix.

Large specimens do not need regular repotting. Simply remove about 3 cm (about 1 inch) of soil from the top and replace with fresh cactus soil.

To handle a prickly cactus, fold a strip of newspaper, thick paper or thin card to make a flexible band that you can wrap around the plant. Tap the pot on a hard surface to loosen the root-ball. You can then often lift the plant out with the improvised handle. If it refuses to move, try pushing a pencil through the drainage hole to break the bond.

If the plant has been in the same soil for a long time, crumble away a little of it from the base and around the sides of the root-ball. But be careful to minimize damage to the roots. Just shake off loose compost.

The majority of cacti and succulents are best in pots that are quite small in proportion to the size of the top growth. It is usually best to move the plant into a pot only one size larger. If using a clay pot, cover the drainage hole with pieces of broken pot or other material.

While holding the plant with the improvised handle, trickle compost around the old root-ball. With some cacti, their shape makes this difficult to do without your hand touching the spines, in which case you can use a spoon.

With a little care in handling, you will have a plant ready to go on decorating your garden for some time to come.

How many of us remember growing up, lying under a shade tree with our back against the trunk, chewing on a piece of grass, reading a book or just sleeping?

In addition to great memories, trees bring beauty to all landscapes, and the right tree provides shade to your home, creating a cooling insulation from hot summer days. Evergreen or deciduous, many shade trees also have spectacular flower color, while others are better known for their foliage color or texture interest.

When planting your tree, consider how it might provide the maximum shade effect upon your home. A shade tree planted on the east side of your home will block the heat from the morning sun. Planting on the west and/or southwest side of your home shields the hot afternoon sun. And finally, a tree planted on the south side of your home can provide year-round sunblock protection. All three examples will help to keep your home cooler in the summertime.

If you select a deciduous tree, you will benefit in the winter from the opposite of the sun-shielding effect. Minus the foliage, the sun's rays can shine through the empty branches and help you warm the inside of your home. You certainly can't argue with that!

Along with the energy benefits, shade trees provide beauty to your landscape year-round. They offer habitats to birds, squirrels and other backyard urban creatures. Trees increase the value of our homes and the beauty of our neighborhoods. They also give back oxygen to our environment.

If you choose a deciduous tree, pick one with majestic winter form.

When you plant your shade tree, do not plant it too close to your home, patio or walls. Remember, the trees that we have mentioned all grow to heights of 30-50 feet and taller, which means they will also have a good spread and substantial root systems.

So come on in, and our staff of nursery experts will help you pick out the perfect shade tree(s) for your home. Then get ready to plop yourself under your new tree, cross your legs, pull your hat down over your eyes and ZZZZZZZ.