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Fall plants at The Gardens include alyssum.

Fall plants at The Gardens include Bright Lights Swiss Chard. 

To have tulips in the spring, check out the annual Bulb Mart. T

Fall is a good time to prune dead branches.

It is time to get your cool season crops in the ground. Here's a guide to what you can start planting:

Plant seeds: snap bean, beet, carrot, Swiss chard, leek, pea, bulbing onion, radish, turnip

Plant transplants: artichoke, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard, kale, kohlrabi

Plant cool season annuals: pansies, petunias, alyssum, and snapdragons for fall and winter color.

Wildflowers: For spring wildflowers, start sowing seeds this month.

Perennials: Divide perennials now through the end of the year.

Lawns: Continue to mow turf, but avoid scalping. Do not remove more than 1/3 of the leaf tissue at any given time. Mow St. Augustine at 2–4 inches and bermuda grass at 1–2 inches in height.

Pruning: Dead wood can be pruned, but hold off on additional pruning. Despite the rain that some areas received, trees and shrubs are still dealing with the stress of drought.

 Bulbs: Begin planting spring bulbs and amend the soil with organic matter for improved drainage.

The Garden Club of Houston’s 80th Bulb & Plant Mart is scheduled Oct 14 and 15. It's free. Visit the Bulb Mart at the Church of  St. John the Divine, 2450 River Oaks Blvd, Preorder bulbs now through Oct. 3 for the best selection; pickup is on location. Look for amaryllis, anemones, crocuses, daffodils, freesias, hyacinths, irises, ranunculi, as well as many varieties of tulips. For more information, visit gchouston.org

Garden tools are essential to maintaining gardens and landscapes. They remove dead and diseased wood, control shape and size, and stimulate growth. Keeping these tools clean and sharp goes beyond aesthetics. They allow you to perform tasks more efficiently while preserving the health of the plants better. Disease is easily spread from plant to plant when not cleaned properly.

Garden tools to clean and maintain properly: shovels, forks, hoes, edgers, hand pruners, shears, trowels, loppers, bulb planters, rakes, saws

Cleaning tools: Steel wool or a wire brush

These will help remove what elbow grease does not and may tackle smaller rust spots. Dry thoroughly and wipe with an oily rag to prevent rust. Tools can be disinfected by dipping into a water and bleach solution (10:1 ratio). If pruning multiple trees/shrubs, clean the blade surface after each one with a rag and bottle of rubbing alcohol (at least 70%). Ideally, tools should be cleaned after each use.

Sharpening tools: Whetstone, file, gloves, safety glasses

A whetstone or file can be used to renew a dull blade. Research a technique right for a particular tool and take appropriate safety precautions by wearing leather gloves and safety glasses.Each time we cut into our plants it creates a wound. A dull cut creates more damage to plant tissue than a sharp, clean cut.  This in turn increases the risk of disease and insect damage. The ideal cut will heal quickly to minimize risks.

 Remember that sharpening pruners or shears often require taking them apart to service correctly.

Local hardware stores may provide this service or know of someone to recommend. A quick call yielded a quote of $9 for shovels and $11 for pruners, but each tool and service will be different. 

Oiling tools is important to prevent rust. Rust is a corrosion caused by a chemical reaction between iron, oxygen, and water/moisture. This corrosion destroys the integrity of our tools. Rust is minimized when surfaces are coated with a protective oil such as a lightweight machine or motor oil. Apply oil to the surface and all moving parts, let sit, then wipe away. 

For larger tools, fill a 5-gallon bucket with sand, not quite to the top, and add a quart of motor oil, then mix well. After each use, stick the tool into the sand/oil mix. Finish by wiping with cloth.

Storage: Store tools in a location that keeps them dry to prevent rust. Hang large tools in well-ventilated location. The problem with leaning tools in a pile is that if the flooring is cement, tools can absorb moisture held in it. Small tools can be stored together in a bin.

Many residents across the Houston area are still dealing with the lingering effects of Hurricane Harvey, such as mental health issues, unsafe living conditions and financial distress.

By Dug Begley, Sam González Kelly