Autumnal Gold

Bates Rewards Members Sale: 20% off All Black Pottery*!

We’ve finally made it to the most glorious part of Fall — warm days and cool nights. We gardeners are no strangers to layering up in the morning and removing articles as the mercury rises. There’s plenty to do in the garden during these golden days, so let’s get into it!

If you haven’t brought in your houseplants who live outdoors in the summer, it’s time for them to find their spots indoors. Treating them with a product like Arber’s Bio Insecticide before bringing them inside prevents any stowaways from moving to your other houseplants. Help them adjust to lower light by placing them in a South or East facing window. Remember to check for dropped leaves as they may be a sign of overwatering. Give them a little buff and shine with a microfiber towel, and wipe off any residual dirt from the pot.

We are flush with bulbs for Spring. Whether you want to force them for beautiful blooms indoors this winter or interplant them into your perennial beds, we have delights to capture the hearts of every gardener. If you want to learn more about forcing them indoors, check out this publication from the Virginia Master Gardeners. It’s also a great time to dig up tender bulbs you planted this summer like Caladium, Begonia, Colocasia, Alocasia, and Gladiolus. Once the tops are brown, remove them from the ground and let them dry. Overwinter them in coconut coir or vermiculite somewhere

cool, and remember to label them so you know what’s what next Spring.

While you’re out there dividing & transplanting your perennials, remember to bag up any diseased looking foliage separately from your compostables & pitch them. Also, resist temptation to start chopping shrubs & grasses back. I know they’re looking scraggly, but keeping the tops and seed heads up protects the plant and provides visual interest in the winter.

That’s it for this week, friends. Tune into Gardening Inside Out every Saturday at 8 am. Queue up the podcast for your next adventure, and catch Garden Snacks with Caroline. Follow our Instagram for behind the scenes fun and questions answered. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Happy Gardening,

Sara Bates

*Sale is limited to Bates Rewards Members, in-store only, ceramic pots only, through 10/29/2026