The windshield is white with frost and each blade of grass starts the day with a glaze of ice on its tip.

As we start wearing gloves to work in the morning and make sure our boots are handy for the inevitable, it’s time to spruce up the houseplants.

During the summer, most of mine go outside. Even the ones that stay inside don’t get a lot of attention during the mowing season.

In the fall, they are looking a touch raggedy. Luckily, it takes only a few minutes per plant to get them into shape:

•Grab a sharp pair of scissors and cut off any leaves that are yellow (unless they are supposed to be yellow, of course) or have brown tips. Long, straggly stalks? Cut them off close to the soil. Tip: Cut until the only things left are neat and healthy.

•Clean the leaves. Tips: If you have one handy, run a feather duster over them a few times for a quick cleaning. If they still look dirty, take a damp cloth or paper towel and brush them gently.

•If the pot is ho-hum, you can always plunk it in a cache pot. That’s a fancy name for a decorative container. Use one that is large enough for the ugly pot to fit completely inside. Tips: Put enough small pebbles at the bottom of the cache pot to make the ugly pot nearly level with the top of the cache pot. Use decorative pebbles, marbles or Spanish moss to cover the soil.

For an inexpensive option for larger pots, consider using a bathroom wastebasket that matches the look of your home. I use wicker and brass ones.

Looking for some cast-iron, no-fail plants for your home?

Here are my top five favorites that can take a lot of neglect:

•Peace lily. The bigger the leaves, the better. The ones with smaller, thinner leaves are often needy little brats that sulk and droop.

•English ivy. There are some adorable variegated ones.

•Spider plant. The “babies” are cute and root easily if you want new plants. You almost never need to re-pot the “mother,” and root-bound ones seem to produce even more offspring.

•Golden pothos

•Snake plant, also known as mother-in-law’s tongue.

What are your indoor favorites?

If you’d like to share a photo of your favorite houseplant, you can send it to garden@jg.net as a JPEG attachment. We’ll post photos on We’re Digging It, our gardening blog. Just include your name, the name of the plant and what community you call home.

For an inexpensive option for larger pots, consider using a bathroom wastebasket that matches the look of your home. I use wicker and brass ones.