This is my favorite time of year. The crab grass in my yard is dying. The lawnmower is groaning less and less on each subsequent visit. There is even an amazing amount of real grass appearing.

The experts tell us that we might get a special treat in our woodlands this fall. The theory is that a wet summer followed by a cool dry sunny fall will bring the best color. Except for close brushes by Ivan and Jeanne we are having that. We'll see.

If you have some prized tender vegetables in the garden you might wish to think about extending the season a few weeks, Commercially there is a movement toward a practice of high tunnels. In our language that is a small temporary unheated structure that resembles a greenhouse.

You can easily accomplish this with a few light pieces of PVC pipe. The pieces need to be long enough to bend into hoops. Drape some cheap clear plastic over it and you are in business. We will soon drop to daytime temperatures that will make daylong coverage desirable.

This works great with tomatoes. Unfortunately my tomatoes subcumbed to the blight several weeks ago. Despite spraying for the first time since leaving commercial production nearly fifteen years ago, disease won. Lots of things did well in my garden but the fungus did well, too. File that for action as we plan next year's vegetable garden.

If you have houseplants sitting outside it is about time to bring them in. Few of them will be happy with our present nighttime temperatures. Before they come in, check them carefully for insects. Don't bring pests into your house.

One quick solution to this problem is to submerge the plant, the pot, I mean everything, in soapy water for a short half minute. It won't hurt the plant but will suffocate the insects. Do not do this to jade or jasmine.

You still have plenty of time to complete any fall planting you are planning. A tip for October or November is to plant, wait for the ground to freeze and then mulch lightly to reduce soil temperature variations and heaving of the plant.

It's October. It's fall. If you follow baseball you know that the 84 year old record for hits in a season most likely fell. That's nothing. The number of visits my lawnmower made to the yard this year is a record I hope stands forever. Well, maybe not. This was a pretty good growing season.