Welcome to early fall planting season! Since this is one of just two prime seasons for planting each year (the other is early spring), it’s important to “plan your plants and plant your plan.” Even a little dirt can require lots of work and cost lots of green, so it’s best for busy women to think ahead.

The era of the formal living room is over. (It’s an irony we ever called those stuffy spaces “living” rooms anyway!) Few of us dare spare precious square footage — let alone our budgets — on space bedecked in hold-your-breath fancy furnishings that aren’t, well, livable.

Essentials: Food & Water

If things are looking a little tired in the garden, it’s likely because they are. Are your plants getting enough water and nutrients? For thirsty plants, some tips: First, water in the morning before the heat takes over. Mid-day watering stresses plants out, and evening watering leaves them vulnerable to disease.