Just a reminder that if you have had indoor plants “vacationing” outdoors for the summer, it is time to start acclimating them to coming back inside. A day or two inside followed by a day or two outside will give them a chance to adjust to lower light and the warmer temperature without shocking the plant by an abrupt change which often results in a lot of leaves turning yellow and dropping. Do this inside/ outside routine for a couple of weeks and the plant should be able to handle the indoor environment without too much complaining.
I also recommend spraying upper and lower sides of the leaves with an insecticide to avoid bringing in unwanted pests. Systemic insecticide granules applied to the soil is another good way to prevent a bug problem later.
If you planted your amaryllis bulb out in the garden, be sure to get the bulb dug, repotted, and brought in before we have frost. Amaryllis will not tolerate that cold of a temperature, and chances are the bulb would be ruined.
If you kept your poinsettia growing since last Christmas and want it to rebloom, it is very important to have the plant in a window where it gets only natural daylight. Plants like poinsettias initiate their flower buds when the daylight hours decrease. We are at the fall equinox, so nights and days are equal. But the night hours are lengthening and the days are getting shorter, so the plant’s photoperiod tells it that it is time to bloom. If you turn the room light on where the plant is growing, you just made the day longer and cancelled out that photoperiod, thereby totally confusing the plant … maybe I’ve totally confused you with this information, but that is how nature works. That bud initiation is usually from Sept. 15 through Oct. 25.