Podcast Summary: "Autumn Plant Care With The Plant Doctor"

Podcast: All Of It | Host: Alison Stewart (A) | Guest: Chris Satch (B), NYC Plant Help
Date: September 25, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Alison Stewart welcomes back Chris Satch, the "Plant Doctor" and founder of NYC Plant Help, to tackle all things autumn plant care. As the seasons shift from summer to fall, Chris shares practical advice for prepping outdoor gardens and indoor plants, answers listener questions, and debunks common gardening myths, all with his signature approachable and knowledgeable style. The conversation explores topics ranging from planting bulbs and caring for mums, to tackling pest problems and knowing when (and how) to repot or bring your plants indoors.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Seasonal Plant Care Priorities

[01:29]

• Outdoors:
  • Harvest any remaining crops if you haven't already.
  • "Now is the time to start actually really planting bulbs... anything that you want to come up in spring, like garlic bulbs or tulip bulbs, you know, crocuses." (B, 01:37)
  • Post-bulb planting: move into "garden cleanup season."
• Indoors:
  • Start thinking about bringing houseplants inside to avoid frost damage.

2. Autumn’s Star Plant: Mums (Chrysanthemums)

[02:53]

• Why mums are ideal for fall:
  • They bloom now, are frost-tolerant, come in a variety of colors, and need minimal care.
  • “They've got your purples for your Halloweens with orange... they’ve got everything now.” (B, 03:17)
• Purchasing tip:
  • Opt for mums "in bud," not fully bloomed, to maximize bloom time at home.
  • “If you do have the patience... get the ones in bud. That way you get the full flower life cycle... and it'll also give the plant a little time to get settled into your conditions outside.” (B, 04:08)
• Care tips:
  • They last until a very hard frost or first snowstorm.
  • Deadhead (remove spent flowers) for extended blooms.
  • Inspect plant health before purchasing; avoid those with pests or signs of disease.
  • “I'm not a fan of rescuing plants from the clearance aisle. I’m so sorry.” (B, 05:36)
• Pot vs. ground:
  • Either is fine for most, but planting in the ground or a larger pot tends to extend their life a bit.

3. Listener Q&A Highlights

Dill Survival & Seed Saving

[06:39] Francesca]

• Dill is not perennial in NYC; collect seeds at season’s end for sowing next year.
• “Collect the seeds... overwinter them in... a manila envelope or wax envelope...” (B, 07:28)

Big Aloe Plants: To Repot or Not?

[08:21] Sue]

• Repot into larger pots or cut back if unwieldy; breaking up large aloes can encourage bushier growth.
• “You can cut it back and force it to pup from the side... this is more of an aesthetics choice.” (B, 09:37)

Tired Houseplants & "Die Back"

[09:54] Jill]

• Plants in pots have finite nutrients. If a plant is "spent" and hasn't been repotted in over three years, repot; otherwise, add fertilizer.
• “If it’s been more than three years, I would say obligate repot. Just no questions asked, repot it.” (B, 11:39)
• Memorable moment: "That pot is that plant's universe." (B, 11:17)

4. The Science & Timing of Bulb Planting

[12:34]

• Plant bulbs in the fall while soil is workable; bulbs need a cold, dormant period ("vernalization") to flower in spring.
• "Plants know where they are within time and space... hormones and chemicals keep track of time." (B, 13:47)
• Spring planting possible only with pre-chilled bulbs.

5. Household Plant Myths: Coffee Grinds & Eggshells

[14:31]

• Works for outdoor gardens (where microbes break down nutrients), but not indoors—can lead to smelly, unproductive results.
• “Indoors, it doesn't really work... you're just kind of like putting wasted food on your plants.” (B, 15:07)

6. More Autumn Advice and Troubleshooting

Succulents Revival**

[15:42]

• "If the stem is still plump, yes. If it's all crispy, no." (B, 15:51)

Why Are Nursery Annuals Bigger?

[15:56]

• Sunlight is usually the limiting factor. Less sun = smaller plants.
• “If plants are... collapsing under their own weight, that's always a light problem.” (B, 16:41)

Fungus Gnats & Pest Control

[17:52] Melissa]

• Sticky yellow traps catch adults but don’t solve infestation (larvae live in moist soil).
• “The gnats can only live and breed where it is perpetually moist... let the soil get all the way dry.” (B, 18:51)
• For mosquito dunks, soak them for an hour before watering to activate the bacteria.

Repotting: Timing Rules

[20:41]

• “You can repot at any time of the year, so long as the plant needs it.” (B, 20:52)
• Chris offers repotting services for NYC listeners.

7. "Leave the Leaves" Campaign

[21:28]

• Encourages leaving fallen leaves on lawns or making leaf piles for biodiversity and beneficial insect habitat.
• “If you hate raking, you’ll love Leave the Leaves because there’s no raking involved.” (B, 22:55)
• Exception: Around fruit trees suffering from fungal problems, clean up leaves and fallen fruit to prevent overwintering pathogens.

8. Bulbs & Houseplant Overwintering

Amaryllis Reblooming

[23:21] Daniel]

• To rebloom, amaryllis needs a cool, dry dormant period; gradually reduce watering to trigger dormancy.
• “Unfortunately, all that wonderful growth that you just had, you have to force dormancy on the bulb.” (B, 23:47)

Bringing Houseplants Indoors

[24:43]

• Bring all non-frost-tolerant plants inside before the first frost.
• Quarantine and thoroughly clean/treat for pests before integrating with other houseplants.
• Pro tip: Consider releasing beneficial predatory insects indoors to control unwanted pests.

9. Tree & Difficult Plant Problems

Brown Rot on Fruit Trees

[26:32] Tonya]

• “That is classic brown rot. It is a very annoying fungus... infects in the spring... you should be spraying your trees in the springtime around bloom time.” (B, 27:09)
• Practice pruning for airflow, spring spraying, and diligent fall cleanup (do NOT leave leaves in this case!).

Bamboo Invasion

[28:12] Bob]

• No easy fix. Persistent digging and physical removal are the best options; chemical control like Roundup can be used, but bamboo is highly resistant and labor-intensive to control.
• “You just have to keep pulling it up and keep digging it up.” (B, 28:56)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “That pot is that plant’s universe.” (Chris Satch, 11:17)
• “I'm not a fan of rescuing plants from the clearance aisle. I’m so sorry.” (Chris Satch, 05:36)
• “If the stem is still plump, yes. If it’s all crispy, no.” (Chris Satch, on reviving succulents, 15:51)
• “If you hate raking, you'll love Leave the Leaves because there's no raking involved.” (Chris Satch, 22:55)
• (On sticky traps for fungus gnats): "By the time the fungus gnat takes flight, it has already laid eggs… the point of the yellow traps is really just to monitor the population." (Chris Satch, 18:46)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:29] – Big picture: Autumn priorities for outdoor/indoor plants
• [02:53] – Why mums are great for fall, how to choose and care for them
• [06:39] – Listener Q&A: Saving dill for next year
• [08:21] – Listener Q&A: Aloe care and aesthetics
• [09:54] – Listener Q&A: Repotting, fertilizing, and pot "universes"
• [12:34] – Deep dive: Bulb planting, vernalization, and spring blooms
• [14:31] – Myth-busting: Coffee grounds and eggshells for fertilizing
• [15:42] – Listener Q&A: Reviving succulents, why nursery plants are bigger
• [17:52] – Troubleshooting fungus gnats, best practices for eradication
• [20:41] – When to repot: "Anytime the plant needs it"
• [21:28] – “Leave the Leaves” campaign and why biodiversity matters
• [23:21] – Listener Q&A: Forcing amaryllis bulbs to rebloom
• [24:43] – Reminders on bringing houseplants inside for the winter
• [26:32] – Listener Q&A: Brown rot on fruit trees, control & prevention
• [28:12] – Listener Q&A: Combating invasive bamboo

Tone & Language

Chris Satch delivers advice in a conversational, upbeat, and reassuring style, blending encouragement ("don't feel inadequate") with pragmatic, sometimes wry humor ("If you hate raking, you'll love Leave the Leaves"). Alison Stewart keeps the pace lively and accessible, creating a welcoming atmosphere for nervous or novice plant parents. Throughout, the emphasis is on actionable advice and myth-busting, with the occasional deep dive into plant science that makes Chris a favorite regular guest.

For plant lovers, autumn gardeners, and anyone whose houseplants are looking peaky, this episode of "All Of It" offers a harvest of practical advice, comfort, and the occasional plant nerd joke—just in time for the change of season.