Ann McCullohok, curator of plant collections at the Cleveland Botanical Garden, has the same concerns every home gardener harbors, only in spades, no pun intended. But Ann keeps a calendar reminding her what needs to be done when, a daunting job for her and her colleagues, a manageable task for the average gardener. These are her recommendations when you have a spare hour now. – It’s finally warm enough to bring houseplants outdoors for the summer. Most tender plants should remain indoors until night temperatures stay above 50 degrees. Protect them from the occasional dip in temperature with a piece of cloth, sheet or old toweling. Plastic sheeting, if used, should not touch the plants and must be removed promptly when the sun comes up. Cloches of glass, Styrofoam and cut-off plastic milk jugs can be used to protect young plans from cold temperatures.

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