Just like daffodils or tulips, garlic bulbs are planted in the fall. Tuck some in now to enjoy mild garlic scapes, a gourmet treat, next May and June. Come July, you'll have pungent home-grown cloves in abundance..

What could be scarier than a plant pest capable of wiping out the centuries-old vineyards of France? Sacre bleu! A plant mystery presented to me one day led me on an investigation that revealed this threat to life as we know it.  

Parting is such sweet sorrow but you don't have to say goodbye to all of your tender plants. Some can be overwintered as houseplants. Some can be kept on as dormant bulbs or tubers. 

Chrysanthemums are practically synonymous with fall. Their bold colors and nose-tingling scent make them familiar -- and popular. They're inexpensive, too. How can we resist? Mostly, we don't.

Stand by for the annual fall foliage extravaganza. Gorgeous from afar when the hills blaze red and gold, a daunting prospect up close when fallen leaves carpet your lawn. Don't fret -- try some new strategies.   

I like baseball but pay no attention until we hit the playoffs - too many games! Since post-season play begins in the coming week, here's the skinny on traditional wooden bats. And another reason to fight the emerald ash borer. 

So, summer is officially over and you've still got loads of green tomatoes on your plants. If you want those puppies to ripen before frost, you need to use some creative persuasion. Try these tactics.

Crocuses blooming in fall? That's out of step with this flower's reputation as an early sign of spring. The autumn-blooming kinds include the source of the world's priciest spice - saffron, i.e., the long, reddish stamens in the heart of the flower. 

Crickets are chirping their hearts out as summer wanes, looking for love. The noisy ones that mostly stay outside are fine. The silent camel crickets that invade houses are another story. This is one scary bug. 

Love them or hate them, lawns are here to stay. New Jersey has a nationally prominent role in designing better lawn grass strains for temperate climates around the world. Rutgers University researchers have produced 440 new varieties in the past 20 years, aiming for lower maintenance and greater durability. 

In August, dahlias begin to bloom in abundance and will carry on with the show until frost. A new old-fashioned favorite in the garden or the vase, they are hard to beat for style and substance.

June through August is prime time for lightning strikes that can kill or seriously injure the unwary. Keep a weather eye peeled when you are outdoors in the summer. And learn how to protect yourself when thunderstorms roll through.

There have always been gardeners who see plant hardiness zones as a challenge, rather than a limit. With our hotter summers and the boom in plant availability, growing tropical plants has gone mainstream. If you like big and gaudy, this is for you.

True blues are rare in the garden but highly sought-after. It's not just that they set off to perfection hot hues and pale ones. There's something ethereal about flowers the color of the sky.

Tired of hydrangeas that fail to bloom? Consider upgrading to the newer re-blooming types that won't let you down. There are more choices than ever.

We may think of praying mantises as one of the "friendlier" insects, but that's only because they aren't sizing us up for dinner. They are actually ruthless (if short-lived) predators that will tackle bugs, spiders and even small birds.

It's good to have heat-resistant and drought-tolerant plants in the garden when temperatures push toward triple digits. As summers trend hotter, we'll need to rely more on these tougher plants. Actually, some like it hot. 

Of course we love trees -- most of them. The weedy Ailanthus tree is an exception. An alien invader from China, this one will take over if you let it.

Close encounters with poison ivy can cause serious harm with an oozing, blistery rash the usual result. Take defensive steps by learning to recognize this hazard in all of its guises. Forewarned is forearmed.

Nasty summer thunderstorms often blow through with high winds and damaging lightning. If storms topple or damage your trees, you'll have some decisions to make. Best advice: Bring in the pros.