Make an Indian Corn Pin

Make this adorable Indian Corn Pin with your kids. This makes a great craft for fall or for Thanksgiving. You'll need some tri-beads in fall colors and chenille stems. Once finished, you van wear it to celebrate the season, or give as a gift!

Get the instructions for this cute Indian Corn Pin 

Harvesting and Storing Herbs

I am not going to pretend to know the proper technique for every herb out there - there are far too many! But, over the years I have gathered many harvest and storage tips that have worked for me and many other gardeners.

My first tip is to be brave! So many people that write me are afraid to cut back their herb plants. Herbs are very tough with the right conditions. It's often what you least expect that hurts them-such as overwatering, too much fertilizer or too rich of a soil. Many herbs, such as lemon balm, mint, chives, sage and oregano maybe cut within two or three inches of the ground and will grow back within no time for another harvest! If you are in doubt, you can cut back by half to be cautious.

Gather your herbs, using sharp kitchen or gardening shears, in the morning after the dew has dried. You will also catch the peak flavor if you harvest just BEFORE flowering, but don't let this deter you from harvesting if you have missed that time frame. You can dry the flowers for wreaths and dried arrangements and use the leaves for cooking. If you live in a zone that freezes be sure to allow your herbs a month and 1/2 or so before frost to grow after you harvest and before the first frost.

For more on freezing, drying and storing your herbs go to FamilyCorner.com

Autumn Garden Chores

Autumn is the time for garden clean-up! I know it seems like a droll chore, but it really isn't. Any work you do now, while it's cool, will make for an enjoyable spring and summer.

Clean all of your garden and yard tools, then wipe them down with some 3 in 1 type oil on an old rag. Store them in your garage or shed together where you will easily locate them in the spring.

As your potted plants finish up, rinse out your pots and set them out to dry-then store them together for the winter in a sheltered location. If you want to clean any that may have had disease or just look a little rough, use a solution of water and bleach. Do use gloves and do this outside though! Dump the dirt from the pots in a pile and add chopped up leaves, plants you've pulled up and grass clippings. Even if you don't normally compost you can do this in a corner of your yard without much effort! The items will decompose if you dampen them now and then, and turn them with a shovel. You can add vegetable and fruit peelings too!

Gather up your lawn ornaments that you think won't weather well, and store them as well, again cleaning them first.

Take one flower bed at a time, and cut down anything that has finished blooming. If you don't do this you'll have a mushy mess in the spring. Some exceptions are plants you want to reseed, but many of them have scattered seeds, so even they can be cut down. Also any plants that are still blooming should be left to enjoy! Remember too, you still have time to move daylilies, oriental lilies, irises, peonies, and many other plants.

Planting bulbs and moving plants is a good thing to do at the same time so you can visualize where you want everything as you plant. Also, compare bloom times and try to stagger these if possible.

I like doing these chores as we get into fall instead of waiting and having to rush to get it done all at once. It makes for an enjoyable autumn season, and it's a great excuse to get outside in the yard!

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