Fall-blooming crocuses don't need any cold treatment; just pot them and wait for the blooms.
When temperatures begin to cool in late summer, sow greens for a fall harvest. Lettuce, arugula, spinach, kale, mei qing choi (baby bok choi), and other leafy greens still have plenty of time to germinate and produce a good crop.
Order fall-blooming bulbs now for outstanding displays in October and November. Crocuses, colchicums, cyclamen, sternbergia, and other autumn-flowering bulbs require no chilling period to bloom. Simply plant them and wait a few weeks. Their bright colors, sweet fragrances, and short stature make them perfect for autumn containers.
Take an end-of-the-summer trip to Washington, D.C., and visit the Smithsonian's new exhibit on soil called "Dig It." The National Museum of Natural History recently opened the exhibit to celebrate and explore one of our most precious resources. People will be stunned by the economic, ecological, agricultural, and cultural importance of soil. Gardeners, in particular, will gain a greater appreciation for the "dirt" beneath our feet.
