It is almost fall and you know what that means - rain and cooler temperatures. If you have a plant that needs to be moved, digging and moving it during the summer is often a choice that leads to the plant’s death. However, fall is another story. All of that rainy weather can really help plants settle in after a good rain and they don’t suffer stress from 100+ temperatures.

Of course, you still need to keep an eye on things. If you have a few really hot days or a few days of no rain, you’ll want to pull out the watering can and give those plants you just moved a good, long drink.

Another good reason to move in the fall is that plants have time to establish some roots before the ground freezes. If you move them in early winter, they don’t get settled and could heave right out of the ground during the thawing and freezing cycle.

I absolutely love these adorable Tiny Print designs. There are so many floral and absolutely girly designs that are the perfect finishing touch for gardening gift baskets. (I noticed that quite a few baby themed designs are available,too.) They are planning to sell a line of Christmas cards and Christmas gift tags. The gift tags are stickers, which makes them perfect for all the forced bulbs and poinsettias you are planning to give as hostess gifts this year. (You are planning to give gardening related gifts, right?)

The cool thing is that these items can be personalized, which really gives them a ton of gardening related options. I’d like to use these cherry address labels as seed swap labels for all those little seed packets I swap back and forth.

This post sponsored by Tiny Prints

As summer comes to a close and crisp autumn weather takes the place of hot and humid weather, I can’t believe that another season has flown past. For many people, fall is all about cleaning up the garden, but don’t forget to pause to enjoy the beauty of Mums, Asters, and Plumbago in full bloom or to watch the deciduous trees change color. Fall is the time to evaluate your garden and think about what you loved and what you want to change next year.

* Once again, make a list or map of any bare or boring areas. You can fill in the areas with fall bloomers now, or wait until next spring. If you don’t want to plant now, place potted plants, such as ornamental kales and cabbages, in the bare areas for instant pizzazz.
* Dead-head mums to keep the blooms coming.
* Divide and move any perennials you didn’t have a chance to move in the spring.
* After the first hard frost, dig bulbs and tubers of tender plants. Store them carefully in a cool place until spring.
* As foliage begins to blacken and wither, gather dead plant material for your compost pile. You can keep a light layer of leaves on your plants for winter protection, but don’t let the leaves pile up, since they can become dense, impenetrable mats.
* Check your plants for insect infestations and diseases. Prune out damaged stems or pull diseased plants and throw the plant material away. Do not compost diseased plant material, since it could spread disease.
* Prune your summer blooming bushes now.
* Add a layer of fresh mulch to your garden beds to help protect your plants from heaving out of the ground during the winter months.