For best bloom next year, early fall is best time to transplant, divide or plant new perennials except those that bloom in the fall such as Japanese anemones, mums, and ornamental grasses. Delay transplanting peonies until mid-October. To avoid frost damage, if you are finely dividing perennials into small pieces, delay dividing until early spring.

Evergreens are best planted or transplanted in early fall.

Plant and transplant deciduous shrubs and trees after the leaves fall. Exception: delay transplanting until spring many late summer bloomers such as crape myrtle, butterfly bush and vitex. Cold hardy summer bloomers such as spiraea can be transplanted in autumn.

Plant larkspur seeds in early September for bloom next spring.

Cut herbs and flowers; bring indoors for drying.

Watch for voles. If necessary treat with Ramik.

Cut back only tall roses and butterfly bushes that are liable to "wind whip" - only as far as necessary to keep them stable. Regular pruning will be done in mid-March.

To assure bloom of Hydrangea macrophylla next year, (the hydrangeas that bloom either in pink or blue, lace cap or mop head - the old varieties; not the new rebloomers), remove just the brown dead flower heads, leaving all of the stem in tact. The new reblooming hydrangeas and all white hydrangeas (PEE GEE, oakleaf and arborescens varieties) can be cut back as far as you like (or not at all) either now or in the spring before the leaves come on.

Cut back perennials as the foliage turns brown. If the basal rosette is still green at the end of October, leave it until spring. Cut mums back only halfway. To help prevent iris borer, at the end of October cut all iris foliage to the ground and dispose of it with the trash.

Dig tender bulbs, corms and tubers. Store in a cool, dark place buried in an open bushel basket filled with barely moist peat moss. To avoid rot, do not add water to the peat moss. Never store bulbs, corms or tubers in a closed plastic bag. Exception: caladiums are packed the same way, but are stored in a warm, dark place.

Treat houseplants with insecticidal soap and Di-Syston systemic before bringing them indoors.

To bloom, Christmas cactus and jasmine must be kept cool at night. Leave outside as long as possible.

Amaryllis can withstand a light frost. Bring indoors before a hard freeze. Repot every other year at this time. Store in a cool, dark place and do not water until the flower buds or leaves emerge.

Mound up the hybrid tea, grandiflora and floribunda roses with at least 12 inches of mulch at the end of November. Hardy climbers and shrub roses do not need to be mounded.

At the end of November fertilize everything except roses and crape myrtles with a slow release, highly organic fertilizer.

Because weeds are translocating sap from the leaves to the roots, early fall is the best time to use weed killers, especially on weeds that tend to resprout from large root systems such as Canada thistle.

Apply Merit systemic to prevent next year's insect problems, especially on birches.

In early fall inspect for, and if necessary treat, wooly adelgid on hemlock. Drench with horticultural oil.

Mulch can be applied at any time of the year. If mulching to protect plants from winter's cold and alternate freezing and thawing, do so at the end of November.

Clean up the vegetable garden and plant fall vegetable transplants. It is too late to plant vegetable seeds. Garlic and shallots are best planted on Columbus Day. Do not compost any diseased vegetables. Till aged compost such as Chesapeake Blue Crab Compost into the garden. Retill if new weeds sprout.

Protect ceramic and concrete containers (planters and birdbaths) before winter. Install bird bath heaters and pond de-icers.