The leaves are falling off the tree's, there's chances of frost, and everyone knows winter is on its way. It's time to start preparing your lawn and garden for the cold winter months, Manitoban's can experience.

"Keeping it cut at this time of year. We are probably just on the edge of being to late to do a fall application of fertilizer, because the grass is going to go dormant very quickly," explained CFAM's Lawn and Garden Journal Host Duayne Friesen. "Especially with the cooler temperatures of this past week. We've had some significant frost now. That grass is going to shut down, and you aren't going to see really any benefits of the fall fertilizer. You should have put that on about a week ago."

"From here on forward, you probably won't have to mow it as much," he added. "One of the things you can do is that final mowing at the end of the year. You can mow it fairly low. Go down to the first or second lowest setting on your mower. Mow it down pretty low, so you are taking a lot of grass, which is going to have to come off in spring anyway. It prevents matting under the weight of the snow in winter."

Friesen noted you can either bag the grass clippings or mulch it back into the grass and added each way has it's own benefits.

He stated Fall is a great time to work ahead for the next growing season.

"Especially now, because our soil conditions are getting dry. It's always good to work your soil when it's drier, so that we don't compact it. In some areas of the province we have very heavy clay soil. Now in the fall, when it is drier, you can get your organic matter back. Whether that's going to be using a compost, using well composted manure, peat moss, or what ever kind of organic matter. It's a great time to work that into your soil, because in spring it's a little harder to do. That window of opportunity is a little bit tighter to find. It's easier if you can get that done now. So it's ready to go for next year. I will stress that if you are using composted material, that it is properly composted. It should look like black soil when you are adding it to the garden. If not you could be transferring a lot of weed seeds, and possible disease."

According to Friesen if you are having or had insect problems, a good way of reducing them is to stir up the first few inches of soil. This should expose the insects to the frost, and therefore eliminating them.

"Not now. Don't prune anything in your tree's or shrubs. They are trying to harden off, and get ready for winter. Although you may not see it visibly on the outside of the plant. If you are doing a punning on it, you may be disrupting the plants stability, and causing the plant to go dormant. Your not doing any kind of punning until after November first. When it's cold, and in winter mode."

He noted it still is a really good time to do some planting. He stated it's nicer to get your plants in at this time of year, and it will help them get established and ready for spring.