CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- When the summer blooms fade in the pots by the front door, I'll go to the garden center and find fall-blooming perennials that I want to add to my garden. I put these in the pots, temporarily, to keep the pots attractive during the autumn months. Then, before the frost, I'll put them into the ground, thereby getting more bang for my buck.

We've been adding fall bloomers to the garden over the years, and I'm loving the asters and the sedums and the Caryopteris. I brought in a few more Joe-Pye weeds by collecting seeds from the end of the driveway and dispersing them in another spot closer to the house.

The beautyberry bush is covered with purple berries. And the ornamental grasses are showing their versatility by producing large, blowsy seed heads that sway in the breeze.

I'm saving my hyacinth bean vine seeds again this fall. I just love that vine! It's a great addition to pots and it just goes crazy -- a great filler.

A co-worker asked if she should save the potting soil in her pots and reuse it next year. This is a topic of debate among gardeners. Frugal gardeners reuse the soil, but the soil can contain diseases that will stay in the soil year after year.

More important, most potting soil doesn't have much "dirt" in it -- it's got lots of organic material that is depleted after the growing season.

Like a farmer, think about "rotating" crops if you plan to reuse. If you plant tomatoes, year after year, in that same soil, it's bound to be lacking in many nutrients essential to the plant. Put something different in that pot if you're going to reuse.

Another reasonable alternative is to dump all of the soil into a large, clean trashcan or onto a large tarp. Mix in some Perlite, peat moss and, if you have it, some good compost. Adding a new bag of soil to the mix helps as well. This rejuvenates the soil, but you'll still need to add a good fertilizer when you plant. Some people use pine bark fines, or a product called soil conditioner, instead of peat moss -- it lasts longer.

I put the old potting soil into my beds each year, and get new stuff for the pots in the spring.

I'm LOL

Several readers responded to last week's column about gardening faux pas. Here are a few of the e-mails. I'll leave them anonymous, as I don't want anyone to take the heat like I did!

One reader writes: "I loved your column about 'what not to do!' I have a neighbor who has broken every rule ... including having mulch around four trees and black tubing: Looks like the trees have feet. There is nothing in nature that looks like that.

"I do have a cement bench and it is on the left side of my house; after reading what you wrote, I am going to have some man in my neighborhood move it so I can sit on it -- or would I want to? Not real comfortable, but it should be used."

Another letter: "I enjoyed your column this morning so much. Not only because it gave me a chuckle as I see the same things you have and wondered, for instance, 'Does anyone ever sit on that bench?' but also because you pointed out something I do, that I am changing as soon as I can. And that would be the mulch around the trees. Not only will it save me money and time, it will be much more pleasing to look at. Thank you for opening my mind to something I've been doing for years -- but no more! I'm excited about making my yard more pleasing and natural. I have a few faux pas, but I call them pet peeves.

"1. Every spring I see all these little (anything under 12 inches) pots go up on porches, and steps to the front door. Initially they look glorious, but in no time they are dead. They die because of the watering required to keep those little pots healthy, few can commit the time to.

"2. For some reason people plant hostas in full sun. I see them everywhere in various stages of dying because of harsh sun.

"3. Shrubs right up against the house, and newly planted borders planted with no growth room.

"Thanks for the chuckle -- fun to know I'm not alone!"

Here's another one: "This morning you asked readers to write about garden mistakes. In a summer column you mentioned the 'In the Garden' weekend at The Homestead, so my husband and I went. At that annual conference, Andre Viette, the perennial guy, frequently mentioned gum drops, i.e., one variety of plant after another that creates a hodgepodge garden. He advised home gardeners to buy larger groups of a plant, in any odd number, and plant them together to make a colorful show."

And finally: "Thank you! And don't write about my neighbor: She has vengeance on all around her. Oh my! And statues. And a gigantic flagpole like you'd find near a store. When the wind blows, the flapping of the flag gives you heart failure."

Reach Sara Busse at sara.bu...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1249.