Lawn and Garden

Take cuttings of special annuals: An overcast day is great for taking cuttings of annuals to save for next year. Geraniums and coleus are two types that do quite well in the house for the winter. Be sure your cutting tools are clean and that you use a soil-less mix for the cuttings.

Lift summer flowering bulbs: A warm, dry day is perfect to dig up your dahlias, cannas, gladiolus and other summer flowering bulbs. You can wait until the first frost has killed the tops of the plants, then dig and dry them before storing for the winter in a frost-free location.

Divide peonies: Pick a sunny day in the fall to divide peonies. Peonies prefer to be divided in the fall and it will be easier to see where to divide the clumps if it is a bright day. Be sure to replant no deeper than 2" of soil over the buds otherwise you will not get flowers.

Plant tulips, daffodils and other spring flowering bulbs: A warm fall day is great for planting bulbs. The warm soil will easier to work in and the bulbs will get a head start preparing for winter. Daffodils in particular like to be planted while the soil is still warm from the summer.

Over seed lawn: Cool and cloudy days are wonderful for over-seeding your lawn or starting a new lawn. The cool days and nights of fall are the perfect temperature for the seedlings.

Cover annuals: If a frost is predicted, take a few moments to cover your annuals and tender vegetables with overturned pots or sheets. We usually have a couple more weeks of nice weather after the first frost, and if you protect the tender plants, you'll have more time to enjoy them.

Any Season

• Weed flowerbeds and vegetable gardens
• Visit local garden centres
• Fertilize hanging baskets and containers
• Cut flowers for your home
• Water hanging baskets and containers
• Deadhead annuals
• Inspect for aphid damage
• Mow lawn
• Take photographs of your garden

Weed flowerbeds and vegetable gardens: Pick a day just after a good rain to remove weeds from the garden. The damp or wet soil will allow you to pull weeds easily.

Visit local garden centres: Pick the stormiest day of the week to visit your local garden centre. Most people are "fair-weather" shoppers, so if you go out on a stormy day, you get the best service. This is particularly true in May and June when garden centres are the busiest.

Fertilize hanging baskets and containers: Just after a rain is a perfect time to fertilize your containers. The soil in the containers is damp and the roots can readily absorb the fertilizer since they 'feed' on the fertilizer dissolved in the water. Baskets need to be fed regularly through the season according to the package directions.

Cut flowers for your home: A cool and overcast day is the best time to cut flowers in your garden to take inside. Flowers will not wilt as fast on a cool, sunless day. Be sure to take a bucket of lukewarm water with you into the garden and place the flowers in water immediately after cutting.

Water hanging baskets and containers: Windy days cause baskets and containers to dry out quickly. Be sure to water them on a windy day, sometimes more than once. It is a good idea to water until you see water coming out the drainage holes in the bottom of the containers. That way you know you have reached all of the roots of the plants.

Deadhead annuals: A nice hot sunny day is great for strolling around the garden and picking off the spent blossoms on your annuals. Spent blooms are easy to snap off between your fingers when they are dry and deadheading regularly will promote lots more flowering in the weeks to come.

Inspect for aphid damage: Pick a bright day to inspect your plants for insects. Even the smallest aphid can be seen clearly on a nice sunny day. Use a mild detergent, insecticidal soap or just a strong blast from the garden hose to remove the aphids.

Mow lawn: A dry day is good for lawn mowing. The blade on the mower will stay sharper and cut more efficiently when the grass is cut dry.

Take photographs of your garden: An overcast day is the perfect time to take pictures of the garden. The diffused light will make the colours clearer and the dark and light contrast of shadows will be reduced.