15 Things to do in Fall to prepare your landscape for winter.

• Trim trees.
  Check for branches that may fall on the house in high winds. Remove dead branches, those which cross over each other, and any that hang over the roof. If you have trees growing close to your home, it may be a good idea to have an arborist come look at them and make suggestions.
• Prune back plants and bushes.
  Be sure to use proper pruning techniques. If you need help with this area of landscape maintenance, ask a landscaping professional to walk through your garden and prune for you, or with you.
• Cover lawn equipment or move indoors.
  Move all metal equipment and tools indoors. In rainy climates, equipment with metal (other than stainless steel) will rust even when covered. This, of course, includes your patio furniture.
• Close awning or patio umbrella.
• Clean your gutters and check that your downspouts are all attached.
  Do the downspouts drain onto the ground, where the water could end up in your basement? Contact a landscaping professional to assess your water drainage needs and recommend improvements.
• Prepare for icy steps and walkways.

  Consider purchasing bagged sand, deicer, or even salt pellets for steps and walkways on those frosty mornings.

  Caution: if you like to use salt, do so sparingly as salty runoff can have a negative effect on your lawn and garden plants.
• Dig up flower bulbs, such as dahlias, and store in a cool dry place.
  Place in a mesh bag and hang from the ceiling in your garage to keep away from mice and other rodents.
• Plant bulbs that bloom in early spring.
• Cut your lawn.
  It’s ok to use the mulch plug on your mower to add a little compost to your yard in the fall.
• Winterize your lawn with a fertilizer that will promote root growth during the winter months.
• Cover weed prone planting beds with newspaper and spread mulch or wood chips over them.
  The newspaper will compost in the spring and you won’t need to worry about removing it. Remember that nothing keeps the weeds away forever -- next spring new weed seeds will blow on top and produce a whole new generation of weeds on top of the weed barrier. A heavy layer of wood chips will make pulling weeds a quick and easy task for spring and summer.
• Check for water drainage issues.
  Install a drain pipe or rock garden to reduce erosion. (See number 5 above.)
• If weather permits, clean wood deck and apply a sealant to protect against rotting.
  While this is best done in the summer months, a good pressure washing now will help keep the slippery molds and mosses at bay this winter.
• Pressure wash patios and walkways to remove moss and slow the growth of new moss.
  If you do not have a pressure washer or need to remove moss from asphalt, try spaying with vinegar.
• Fill bird feeders.
  Beware...if you live near bears, you may want to reconsider this checklist item. Bird seed will attract cute (but not so welcomed) bears.