Fall is the time to plant spring blooming bulbs for that wonderful first show of spring that we all love! When you think of spring, daffodils (Narcissus) or maybe crocus come to mind, but there are many other bulbs for fall planting to bring gorgeous color to your spring garden. Some of these even have bloom times that extend into the early summer. These bulbs are originally from all parts of the world. Aren't we lucky that we can grow them here, too!

Preparing your soil for bulb planting is simple. Amend with a good planting mix where you intend to plant your bulbs. As you dig each hole for the bulbs, add a bulb food. Each bulb, corm, rhizome or tuber requires a different planting depth. Follow the packaging instructions or ask one of us for help.

Following this preparation and giving your bulbs the sun/shade and watering that they require will bring you a vividly colorful spring garden.

Chrysanthemums are a mainstay of the fall garden. Pots of these colorful perennials really brighten up a porch, patio, or entryway.

They can also be used to decorate indoors; the fall colors are beautiful for holiday table settings. Mums come in a variety of types including daisy (single layer of petals), button mums (tiny spheres made up of dozens of petals), and spider mums (long arching petals with tips curved upwards). Yellow, rust, gold, bronze, and maroon, as well as pink, white, red, and lavender, are just some of the many exciting chrysanthemum colors.

The Emerald Ash Borer has been discovered in Wisconsin; now is the time to protect your Ash trees. The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is an exotic beetle native to Asia that was discovered in southeastern Michigan in the summer of 2002. The adult beetles nibble on ash foliage but cause little damage. The larvae (immature stage) however, feed on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients, eventually killing the tree.

Since its first sighting near Detroit, it has spread with devastating effect, killing more than 20 million ash trees throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, northern Illinois and parts of Ontario, Canada. But it is a controllable pest and more important, there are products available that will help prevent them from attacking your trees.

Research tests over the last three years have shown that a yearly soil drench (around the base of the trunk and within the foliage drip line) with a product containing Imidacloprid is very effective. The sooner you start, the better, because it works best when started on a healthy tree. We recommend Bayer Tree & Shrub Insect Control to control and prevent Emerald Ash Borer.

Avoid applying soil drench if there is standing water under the tree. Drenching when the soil is moist is okay, (except just before a heavy rain) and may even be helpful for moving the insecticide into the root zone.

Healthy trees respond best to control measures. If you are uncertain about the health of the trees in your own landscape, place a leaf sample in a double layer of plastic sandwich bags and bring it to one of the pros in our garden center for a personalized action plan.

By Tamara Galbraith

As fall brings the fading of several nectar-producing flowers, it's time to haul out the sugar bag and make the hummingbirds happy. They need lots of energy for their migrations south, so do your part in being a responsible hummingbird fan.

The tried-and-true formula for making hummingbird nectar is 4 parts water to 1 part sugar. Use regular water and plain old white granulated sugar. DO NOT use artificial colors, such as red dye or other additives, and NEVER use honey or artificial sweeteners, as this could kill the birds.

The ingredients can be mixed using cold water (shake vigorously to dissolve the sugar); however, the nectar will keep longer if brought to a boil, then cooled. Do not let the mixture continue to boil, as it will turn syrupy.

Your hummingbird feeder should be thoroughly cleaned with hot water and mild soap, then rinsed and dried each time you change the nectar. Do not "top off" old sugar water. In hot weather, you should change the nectar twice a week. At the first sign of cloudy water or mold, clean and refill the feeder. Don't make more than the hummingbirds are eating in three days, it'll be a waste.

If you find your feeder is also providing a snack for ants, coat the hanger with a spray of cooking oil. (Many new feeders come with ant guards already built in.) Likewise, if wasps and bees are a problem, a second feeder with a higher concentration of sugar to water will give them their own eating station so the hummingbirds can drink in peace.

And, if you want to plant some hummingbird-attracting plants for next year, here's a brief list of their absolute favorites: salvia, hyssop, bee balm, honeysuckle, crossvine, turk's cap, morning glory, hibiscus, rose of sharon and scarlet creeper.

White grubs are damaging pests that begin invading lawns in early spring and again in summer. Grubs do their damage below ground, so the problem often goes undetected until too late. Beetle grubs can turn a fine looking lawn into a patchwork quilt of yellow spots. In addition, birds and other animals will often start digging up your lawn looking for the tasty grubs to feed on.

The grubs are actually larvae of beetles and other insects; most are C-shaped and off-white with a dark head.

There are several types of grubs that are capable of damaging lawns, with two life cycles in a year. When you have grubs, the damaged areas of grass can be easily lifted and many times the grubs can be seen feeding on the edge of the healthy grass in the damaged area.

Natural controls include beneficial nematodes or milky spore (a disease that specifically attacks Japanese beetle grubs), although it takes a number of applications for milky spore to become established in lawns. It's an excellent long-term solution, but doesn't help much right now.

There are chemical products that are very effective for a grub problem, but only at certain times of year.