My amaryllis has been outside all summer. How should I care for it in the fall?  
The amaryllis should be brought indoors in mid-September. In order to bloom, amaryllis bulbs must be exposed to temperatures of 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum of 8 to 10 weeks. This can be accomplished by inducing the plant to go dormant and then storing the dormant bulb at a temperature of 50 to 55 F. To induce dormancy, place the plant in a cool, semi-dark location in late September and withhold water. Cut off the foliage when the leaves turn brown. Then place the dormant bulb in a 50 to 55 F location for at least 8 to 10 weeks.

After the cool requirement has been met, start the growth cycle again by watering the bulb and placing it in a well-lighted, 70 to 75 degrees F location. Keep the potting soil moist, but not wet, until growth appears. The other option is to place the plant in a well-lighted, 50 to 55 F location in fall. Maintain the amaryllis as a green plant from fall to mid-winter. After the cool requirement has been met, move the plant to a warmer (70 to 75 F) location.

How do I know when a watermelon is ready to harvest? 
Harvest watermelons when the underside or belly of the fruit turns from a greenish white to buttery yellow or cream. This color change is especially pronounced on the dark green skinned varieties. In addition, the fruit tends to lose its slick appearance on top and becomes dull when ripe.

For most individuals, thumping or tapping the melon is generally not a good indicator of ripeness. Rapping an immature melon with your knuckles produces a metallic ring. A ripe melon gives off a hollow or dull ring. While experienced home gardeners may be able to determine the maturity of watermelons using the thump test, most individuals will have difficulty differentiating between the sounds. 

When harvesting watermelons, leave two inches of the stem on the fruit. Watermelons can be stored at room temperature for about one week and for two to three weeks at 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. 

I would like to prune back my dogwood shrubs to within three to four feet of the ground. When is the best time to prune them? 
Late winter, early spring (March or early April) is the best time to prune dogwood shrubs. When pruning dogwoods, it’s best to remove several of the largest, oldest stems near ground level rather than cutting the shrubs back to a specific height. Removing a few of the largest, oldest stems will encourage the shrubs to produce new shoots at ground level. This type of pruning should be done every other year and will keep the shrubs healthy and vigorous. 

Pruning shrubs back to a specific height (essentially give the shrub a haircut) encourages vigorous new growth at the tops of the shoots. This results in a top heavy shrub with abundant growth at the top with little foliage at the base (due to shading).