I've been closing up my garden for a few days now, heaping hydrangeas with raked leaves, pulling pots of non-hardy plants inside, harvesting all veg that won't survive a freeze, etc. So I guess I was prepared.... Mahoney's Garden Center sent an email saying best to cover potted mums & decorative pumpkins, so I threw some ragged old towels over them.

1. Taking in all my plants is a full day chore so I absolutely need to not be caught off guard. We have had 3 below freezing nights so far. There are always those potted dahlias that are flowering too well to let the frost/freeze take them and then others that I don't mind being done with. I have tropicals that are huge. My False Aralia is probably 9 feet tall and is really a chore to wrangle its heavy pot inside.