When summer draws to a close, garden centers prepare for winter by discounting prices on in-stock nursery items, such as perennials, shrubs and trees.

How do you know if that clearance plant is a bargain or a waste of money?

When strolling through the clearance or discounted stock, observe the overall care given to the plants. Discounted plants should be watered and cared for like the regularly-priced merchandise.

Plants that appear stressed or neglected may not survive the remainder of the year or return next year, making their discounted price not worth your money.

Assess the overall health of the plant. New or maintained growth should be visible. The overall structure of the plant should be strong.

Avoid purchasing trees with double leaders or multiple dead branches. Observe for insects and signs of insect damage, such as holds in the leaves. Diseases such as fungus can be obvious.

Plants in need of pruning are acceptable to purchase. Prune dead material now and shape during dormancy in winter or early spring. Read the plant label to make sure the USDA plant hardiness zone includes Pennsylvania zones.

Summer bulbs, such as daylilies, typically are cut to about one inch or so. The leaves should be firmly attached to the bulb. Make sure the plant marker is in the pot to avoid surprises next summer.

Woodland plants, such as trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) or jack in the pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum), are dormant now, and their stems and leaves have died off. Purchasing plants such as these may be risky because the viability of the rhizome or corm cannot be guaranteed. If the price is right and you want these spring bloomers, take a chance.

Special rules may apply when purchasing clearance plants. The nursery warranty will most likely be void and the plants are not returnable. So be sure that your purchase is healthy and is likely to survive the winter.

Wage war on weeds:

Weeds block out sunlight, steal water and compete with your good plants for nutrients in the soil. Also, by August, annual and perennial weeds start to produce thousands of seeds that will germinate in your garden next spring. If left unchecked, these pesky invaders become extremely difficult to eliminate.

Continue to deadhead:

No, we are not referring to fans of the Grateful Dead rock band.

To deadhead your plants, pick or cut off old, spent flowers to allow healthy new growth and buds to form. This causes the plant to continue producing flowers instead of beginning to produce seeds as part of the normal plant life cycle. It extends the blooming season.

Check plants for diseases:

Powdery mildew is one of the most widespread and easily identifiable plant fungal diseases.

The common symptom is a grayish-white powdery mat visible on the surface of the leaves, stems and flower petals. Infections spread as spores produced in these white patches move.

Prune infected stems and remove fallen leaves, which can serve as source infections and dispose of them but never put in compost.

The fungus survives winter attached to plant parts so be sure to remove all infected parts now.

Be sure to sterilize garden tools used.

You are seeing Japanese beetles:

Japanese beetles voraciously eat almost anything. Some nontoxic ways to get rid of them include hand-picking and dropping into a jar of water with one tablespoon dishwashing detergent. Or make a simple solution of a quart of water and one teaspoon of dish soap and pour into a spray bottle and spray directly on the pests.

Insecticide soap can be used. It does not kill beneficial insects and leaves behind no chemical residues.

“Growing Green” is contributed by Diane Dorn, Lehigh County Extension Office Staff, and Master Gardeners. Information: Lehigh County Extension Office, 610-391-9840; Northampton County Extension Office, 610-813-6613.