Shield roses from harsh winds.

Fall Frost Maps -- If it hasn't hit already, your region's first frost is likely to arrive this month. Stay tuned to television and news reports to find out exactly when. Prolong the growing season by throwing a sheet or other non-plastic material over your annuals and vegetables. In fact, for vegetables, you can cover them indefinitely with any very light landscape fabric and anchor the corners with bricks or stones. It lets in sun and rain, but prevents light frosts from doing any damage.

Fall Frost Maps

• Before the first frost, pick any late-summer flowers for drying.

Perfect Bulb Planting -- October is the month for planting spring-blooming bulbs, including tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths, though you can plant them through November as well, as long as the ground doesn't freeze.

Perfect Bulb Planting

Forced Bulbs -- It's also an ideal time to force bulbs, that is, plant bulbs in pots to store in a fridge or other cold place to then bring to bloom in the winter.

Forced Bulbs

Gorgeous Bulb Gardens -- Need ideas on how to plant bulbs? We have whole bulb garden plans to check out!

Gorgeous Bulb Gardens

Leaf Disposal -- Keep up with leaf raking. Check out BHG.com for our reader's ideas on how to dispose of leaves.

Leaf Disposal

Composting 101 -- Composting is a terrific option for dealing with leaves. It's low-cost, doesn't smell or attract animals, and it improves your soil beautifully!

Composting 101

Cover Crops -- In your vegetable garden, consider planting a cover crop. It's a great way to break up clay soil, enriches sandy soil, and is an ideal way to feed your vegetables.

Cover Crops

Storing Tender Bulbs -- Dig up and store tender bulbs, including tuberous begonias, glads, dahlias, cannas, and others.

Storing Tender Bulbs

• Empty pots for the winter and store in a covered spot. Leaving them out will cause them to crack over the winter.
• Fill windowboxes with pumpkins, mums, and cut stems of flowers that dry easily, such as sedum. Just insert the stems right into the soil!
• If the fall is dry, water newly-planted trees and shrubs.

Bird Feeding -- Fall is the time overwintering birds establish their food sources. If you haven't already, put out your bird feeding equipment.

Bird Feeding

Fall Garden Guide -- For more information, check out our fall garden guide.

Fall Garden Guide