9 yard and garden chores for fall

4. DIVIDE AND MOVE PERENNIALS The NYBG, which usually gets its first hard freeze in early November, lifts and divides perennials in September, says Choper. “You have more time in the fall,

and you also can see the scale of everything in your garden. … In the spring, you have to work from photographs or memory, which can be less accurate than seeing things at their full scale

in the fall.” Soil stays warm beyond frost, so perennial roots are active even when tops appear dead, he says. 5. ADD COMPOST AND TOP DRESS GARDENS Fall is the time to add compost because

when water in the soil freezes and thaws over the winter, it creates space for organic material to drop in, break down and feed the microbes in the soil, Choper says. Shredded leaves make an

excellent winter mulch to tuck in around plants, but avoid the plant crowns to prevent rot, he says. 6. PLANT A COVER CROP Getty Images Once his summer crops are done in his vegetable

garden, Choper plants winter rye, to help stabilize and break up the soil. Other cover crops, like clover, add important nitrogen, he says. Come spring, cover crops can be turned into the

soil, or seedlings can be planted directly into them. 7. DON’T FORGET ABOUT WATER sturti/Getty Images In some areas, particularly those that got lower than average rainfall this year,

bushes, trees and perennials may need a few extra rounds of deep watering in the fall. But once you’re done, don’t forget to turn off the outside water spigots in preparation for the freezes

of winter. 8. CREATE A SYSTEM Thomas, whose garden is about 2,000 square feet, has a science background and works for an innovation company. She uses spreadsheets to track things like

garden chores, seeds, what worked and what didn’t. “That’s the way my mind works,” she says. “I find that I’m able to understand exactly what I grew the months or the season before.” Even

something simple works, says Choper. “Get a little notebook and write down the date, what you’re doing whenever you’re doing something,” he says. “It is worth its weight in gold at the end.”

9. LEARN TO ENJOY YOUR WINTER GARDEN Kelly has a variety of evergreens in his yard and likes supporting the birds and other wildlife in winter. He sprinkles his patio table with birdseed

and has four heated water sources. And while some might see dead stalks in his garden, he sees joy: “I think it looks beautiful with snow on it.”