For the home lawn:

• New seeding with good soil preparation
• New sodding with good soil preparation
• Core aeration alone
• Core aeration with topdressing
• Core aeration with topdressing and over seeding
• Provide a fall fertilization
• Have a soil test done to get a benchmark
• Mow until cold weather as needed
• Sharpen the mower blades for next spring

For the perennial beds:

• Fall weed management
• Cut back and clean up appropriate perennials
• Apply compost to the beds
• Have a soil test done as a benchmark
• Plant spring flowering bulbs

New bed preparation for 2020 growing season:

• Have a soil test done for the first time
• Clear the area of turf and weeds
• Work the soil as deep as possible
• Apply compost to the new bed
• Work the compost into the soil profile

Build your first compost pile or fill a compost Bin:

• Add those greens (including lawn clippings) and browns (including fallen leaves) as you clean up annual and perennial beds
• As it is built, mix well
• Add some soil as a starter or activator during the build and whenever you add to the pile or bin
• Add water and keep it moist for good decomposition

Finally, fall really is a great time for planting trees, shrubs and evergreens.

        Before you buy and plant:

• Consider location, soil type, and plant hardiness and choose plants that fit all three categories
• Have utilities and cable located before the first shovelful
• Remember, the planting hole should be wider at the top than at the bottom and of ample size
• Give attention to any circling roots if it is container-grown

        When you plant:

• Plant trees with the flair roots at the soil line or slightly above the soil line
• Water well when planted and continue to water well into the late fall, as needed
• Optionally, mulch with several inches of straw mulch to slow the cold and allow root growth well into the late fall and early winter

About the author: Richard Hentschel’s expertise extends across several subject areas with specialties in lawn care, fruit tree production, woody ornamentals, and home and community gardening. During his 45-year career in horticulture and agriculture, Hentschel became a well-known and respected expert for commercial and homeowner audiences, industry organizations, and media. He retired from University of Illinois Extension in April 2022 with nearly 30 years of service as a Horticulture Specialist and Educator in northern Illinois.