COLUMBIA (WACH) -- Rick Woodley, owner of Woodley’s Garden Center, says customers want to know what they should be doing now to protect their plants.

“Once we start staying down at night in the low 40s upper 30s these plants could get damaged, so now you want to start moving them off your pool decks and patios and into your greenhouses or into your own homes,” he says.

Not only is it the right time to consider protecting them, but it may be the best time to grow as well.

Woodley says, “fall is a great time of year to plant because plants are going dormant this time of year…plants establish their root system in the fall and winter so come next spring they don’t have to spend that energy on developing a root system, they spend that energy growing and getting bigger.”

He adds citrus is very popular plant in Columbia right now. Ferns and pansies are other popular choices that do well in the area.