Rake fallen leaves

Blow or rake fallen leaves regularly from newly planted fescue lawns. Remove as many acorns as possible from all lawns.

see Removing Leaves from New Lawn

Plant Spring bulbs

This is the best time to plant spring-flowering bulbs now that the soil is cooler. Add fertilizer as you dig the bed.

see Planting Bulbs in Fall

Dig up elephant ear bulbs

Dig caladium, elephant ear and dahlia bulbs now while you can still find them. Store in boxes of peat moss.

see Winter Care for Elephant Ear

Fertilize fescue

Fertilize fescue lawns for a second time (and again in February and April). Use any turf fertilizer that’s on sale.

see Fertilizing Fescue

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Bring camellia blooms indoors

Enjoy sasanqua camellia blooms. Cut a few to bring indoors and float in a crystal saucer for a dining table centerpiece.

See Sasanqua Camellia and Japanese Camellia Identification

Trim chrysanthemums

Shear chrysanthemums and asters down to four inches once the flowers fade.

See Fall and Summer Care for Chrysanthemum

Replace mulch under trees

Rake out fallen leaves and replace the mulch under crabapples and dogwoods to prevent disease next year.

Neaten perennial flower beds. Remove dry stems and dead leaves. Put fresh mulch under shrubs, trees and perennials.

See Mulching Tips

Fill bird feeders

Fill bird feeders with black oil sunflower seeds. Birds will find and eat each seed and you won’t accidentally feed chipmunks and rats on the ground.

See Feeding Backyard Birds

Fertilize recent plantings

Fertilize again the pansies, snapdragons, cabbage and dianthus you planted a few weeks ago. Use a powdered, water-soluble fertilizer now but switch to a product containing “nitrate nitrogen” December thru March.

See Success With Pansies

Prepare a composting area

Prepare your composting area for fall leaves. You can make a cheap bin from 4 foot wide fence wire 10 feet long. Bend it into a circle and join the ends together. Pile in leaves as you rake them. Spray each layer with water.

See How to Build a Simple Compost Bin

Clean up old vines

Clean all of the old vines from tomato cages before putting them in storage. Pull up okra stalks plus squash and bean vines.

Bring herbs in for winter use

Bring some rosemary inside to dry for winter use. Freeze basil in water-filled plastic containers.

See Preserving Basil

Water fresh bermuda sod

Regularly water bermudagrass sod installed within the last two months. One-half inch per week will suffice.

See Late Installation of Sod

Divide ferns

Divide your hanging basket of Boston fern into thirds and plant into three new baskets. Hang in a sunny window; by spring they’ll be big enough to put outside.

see Winter Care of Boston Fern

Plant shrubs and trees

Continue to plant shrubs and trees. Even though its chilly outdoors, the soil is still warm enough to encourage root growth. Remove all of the twine, wire or paper trunk cover on each one.

see Planting Trees Correctly

Tie up roses

Tie up loose canes of climbing roses so they don’t slap against the arbor or each other on windy days.

see Roses – General Care

Water recent plantings

Water weekly the pansies and other cool-season flowers you planted earlier.

Spray or dig out weeds

Spot-spray or dig out chickweed, violets and wild onions you find in your lawn.  

see Chickweed Control

Root Confederate rose before hard frost

Rooting Confederate rose