Now as summer is winding down and frost may soon be on the way, it is time to dig and store summer bulbs like dahlias and gladiolus. Different bulbs will need slightly different care. Here are some guidelines:

• Tuberous begonias- Dig tubers after the first frost; dry the tubers in the open air for a few days; store tubers in dry peat moss, vermiculite, etc, at 35-40 degrees.
• Caladiums- Dig tubers in fall before leaves lose all their color; dry the tubers in the open air for a few days; store in dry peat or vermiculite, at 70-75 degrees.
• Calla Lily- Dig rhizomes in fall after foliage withers; allow rhizomes to dry; store at 50-60 degrees.
• Cannas- Dig rhizomes in fall after first frost; let rhizomes dry for a day or two; store in dry peat or vermiculite at 40-50 degrees.
• Dahlias- Dig tuberous roots after the first frost. Before digging, cut the tops off so that a 3-4 inch section of stem remains attached. Tuberous roots tend to spread, so dig away from the main stem; try to dig the entire clump to avoid injuring the individual tuberous roots. Remove the majority of the soil from the clump; let the remainder dry and remove it once dry. Store in dry peat or vermiculite at 35-50 degrees; packing material can be very slightly moist to reduce shrinkage of the tuberous roots.
• Elephant Ears- Dig up in autumn after the first frost; allow tubers to air dry; store in dry peat or vermiculite, at 70-75 degrees.
• Gladiolus- Dig corms after the first frost; cut the stems just above the corm; air dry the corms for a week or more; store in mesh bags or slotted trays with good air circulation; store at 40-45 degrees.

The end of the growing season is here and you are on top of things! The perennial beds are ready for winter. The vegetable garden is harvested and cleaned up. The lawn is ready for the off season. You must be done, right?

Maybe not. There are always some odds and ends that we don't get done and they come back to haunt us in spring, when we want to get right to planting. Now is the time to take a few minutes and get caught up on the odds and ends.

When you are really done watering for the season, be sure to drain and store garden hoses to keep them in good shape. Remember that plants, especially evergreens, can be watered in autumn as long as the soil is thawed, so don't put hoses away too soon.

Store fertilizer and garden chemicals in an area where they will stay dry and will not freeze and thaw. Also be sure to put them in a place where children will not come into contact with them.

Clean garden tools. There is nothing worse than taking garden tools out of the garage in spring, just to find them covered with hardened soil. Cleaning your tools will also keep them in good shape and make them last longer.

For many people, fall seems like a natural time to prune, but it's not the time to prune everything. Shrubs that bloom in spring, should not be pruned now. They already have flower buds and if they are pruned in fall, the flower buds will be pruned off. Wait until the shrubs bloom in the spring and when the flowering is over, prune within two weeks to avoid cutting off buds.

Don't prune evergreens in fall. They are better pruned in late spring when they begin their new growth. Evergreens already have a tough time making it through winter and it is best to do little to them in fall.

Shrubs that bloom in late summer and deciduous trees can be pruned in fall. The best time to prune is when fall color is developing. This shows that the trees and shrubs are going dormant and pruning will not stimulate any new growth that could be damaged by winter temperatures.

Fall just wouldn't be fall without chrysanthemums or 'mums'. Many people have trouble keeping mums alive from year to year. Here are some things that can help you have success.

All mums are not hardy in our area. Some mums are classified as hardy garden mums and should do well in our winters. Other mums are known as 'florist' mums and usually are not hardy in winter. So be careful when you select mums, so that you get the correct type.

Be sure to mulch the mums in autumn after the soil cools. A couple of inches of mulch will act as an insulator and protect the root system through the winter. Also consider not cutting mums back in fall. Leaving the stems in place will help them trap snow that will also act as an insulator. This will give the root system additional protection.

Late October is a good time to apply a winterizer fertilizer to your lawn.

Colorful plants like pansies and ornamental kale will keep your garden looking bright into the cool temperatures of autumn.

Not all perennials need to be cut back for the winter. You may want to leave some that produce seed heads that might attract birds to the garden.