The hybrid amaryllis (Hippeastrum) is a tender bulb with large showy flowers that is easily grown indoors in a container by most gardeners. (Chicago Botanic Garden)

Last week’s column about birds eating seeds hit home. I do not remove the dead flowers until spring. I have photographed a goldfinch eating the seeds of the dead flowers that I left out in the middle of winter.

I have a problem with my amaryllis bulb. This bulb has been with us for many years: perhaps as many as ten or fifteen or more. It has bloomed regularly. It is in an 8-inch pot and the bulb diameter is easily 6 or more inches.

This year it has a total of ten leaves each 12 or 18 inches long. The problem is that for the last two years the bulb has tilted and is growing its foliage out at a 45-degree angle to the point that it could tip over. (The flower stem grew vertically). We have it in a sunroom with large windows 180 degrees apart. (Morning sun on one side, afternoon sun on the other.) So it doesn’t seem to be an issue of the leaves reaching out for the sun.

I guess I will have to repot the bulb in the hopes of getting it to “grow up straight”. When is the best time to do that? And should I go to a 10-inch pot?

By the way, you haven’t mentioned lantana plants recently. I have two pots with each pot starting with two 4-inch seedling pots. The flowers are a delight. They will bloom until frost kills them.

Birds eating seeds in the garden has struck a chord among readers. However, there is another school of thought on the practice. If you are a tidy gardener or have disease or fungal problems in your garden, it is highly recommended that you keep the beds free of debris. This would mean clearing the leaf litter from the ground and cutting back the dead foliage and flowers at the end of the season. This infected/infested material is buried or discarded but not added to the compost pile.

If your garden is healthy, there is no reason not to keep the dried perennials in the garden for the winter. They add visual interest to the sometimes bleak winter landscape. Additionally, many common garden flowers offer food to the backyard wildlife. Sunflowers, cosmos, rudbeckia, goldenrod, monarda. liatris, and coneflower are just some of the garden flowers that can be an important food source.

It is time to pay some attention to your amaryllis bulbs. They should be drying out and going dormant. Store in a cool, dry area, either in the pot or as a dry naked bulb. When you see new green growth emerging from the top of the bulb, pot the naked bulb and bring the potted amaryllis into the light and water regularly.

This brings us to Peter’s question about repotting. In his case, I would re-pot his bulb in fresh potting mix although not necessarily a larger pot. The general rule is to use a pot one to two inches larger than the top of the bulb.

While this sometimes creates a pot that easily tips over, the reasoning is that amaryllis performs much better when slightly potbound. The bulb is placed in the pot so the shoulders or top third of the bulb is above the soil line. I suggest staking the pot with two or more sticks and stringing twine around them to encircle the top of the bulb to prevent tipping.

As Peter noted, the amaryllis will grow toward the light so good bright indirect light and rotating the pot regularly can counteract any tendency to grow in one direction. Flower stalks can also be staked to stay straight and to decrease the tendency for pots to tip over. We are all not as fortunate to have great, even sunlight so we have to make adjustments as I suggested.

Finally, Peter mentions lantana. They are some of my must-have flowers in summer planters. Although perennial in Zones 9-11, we grow them as annuals. They belong to the verbena family. The small clusters of flowers come in red, white, orange, pink, yellow, and bicolor mixes of those colors. They need a sunny location and well-drained soil. I plant mine, a trailing variety, in coir-lined baskets on shepherds’ hooks. Besides the visual appeal of these plants, they also draw butterflies and hummingbirds into the garden.

Unfortunately, my lantana plants are still in the market packs that they came in. I didn’t get much gardening done this year as once again, unexpected health problems curtailed my gardening plans. I look forward to enjoying lantana in next year’s garden.

Sue Kittek is a freelance garden columnist, writer, and lecturer. Send questions to Garden Keeper at grdnkpr@gmail.com or mail: Garden Keeper, The Morning Call, PO Box 1260, Allentown, PA 18105.

Planting: Plant pansies, asters, mums, snapdragons, ornamental kale and other fall plants.Sow seeds that require a cold period for germination.Plant perennials, trees and shrubs. Hold bulbs until October. Divide and replant summer blooming perennials as they finish flowering.

Seasonal: Allow the final flush of flowers to go to seed. Many provide food for the birds and small mammals during the fall and winter. Pot up plants to winter over indoors. Take cuttings of those annuals that you want to winter over. Shop nurseries for end-of-season bargains or new fall arrivals.Cut back peony greens to about three to four inches tall.

Lawn: Seed, overseed, dethatch and aerate lawns September through mid-October. Apply broadleaf weed control, September through mid-October. Install sod as the weather cools, September and October. Treat for chinch bugs and sod webworms. Purchase fertilizer and, if desired, apply now until mid-October. Cut as needed, based on growth not scheduled, to a height of about 2 _ to 3 inches tall. Use a sharp blade. Keep newly seeded or sodded lawns watered; supplement rain in weeks where less than an inch. Fill in holes and low spots in lawn. Apply corn gluten-based weed control in the garden; reapply at four to six-week intervals.

Chores: Watch for frosts. Protect tender plants and get a few more weeks of color. Stop pruning. Order or buy mulch for winter but do not apply until the ground freezes. Stop watering amaryllis bulbs. Allow the bulbs to dry out and go dormant. Store in a cool dry area until they resprout in about 8 to 10 weeks.Order bulb and plants for fall shipment. Check seed inventory for late crops and fall planting. Start bringing in houseplants. Re-pot those that need it and pot up those you want to winter over indoors. Harvest crops regularly, at least every other day. Dump standing water and remove anything that may collect rainwater to help control mosquito populations. Water any recent plantings and containers anytime we experience a week with less than an inch of rain. Repair damaged screens and caulking around windows and doors in preparation for the indoor invasion of wintering over insects and rodents.

Maintain deer, rabbit and groundhog protection for vulnerable plants. Reapply taste or scent deterrents. Clean and fill bird feeders regularly. Clean up spilled seed and empty hulls. Dump, scrub and refill birdbaths at least once a week.

Clear gutters and direct rainwater runoff away from house foundations.

Tools, equipment, and supplies: Check winter/fall equipment, repair or replace as needed.

Safety: Clear lawns of debris before mowing and make sure pets, children and others are well away from the area being mown.

Store garden chemicals indoors away from pets and children. Discard outdated ones at local chemical collection events. Photograph storm damage before clearing or repairing for insurance claims and file promptly. Anytime you are outside and the temperatures are about 50°F or warmer watch for tick bites. Use an insect repellent containing Deet on the skin. Apply a permethrin product to clothing. Wear light-colored clothing, long sleeves, hats and long pants when working in the garden. Stay hydrated. Drink water or other non-caffeinated, nonalcoholic beverages. Even in cold weather, apply sunscreen, wear hats and limit exposure to sun. Wear closed-toe shoes and gloves; use eye protection; and use ear protection when using any loud power tools.