By Noma Edwards, Contributing Writer

Autumn is the season to look at the garden and say, “Now what?”

There is always plenty of clean-up work to do and if you haven’t started raking those leaves, now is the time to do it. Leaves make good winter protection for flowerbeds and are a great addition to the compost bin, but they can make a mess on your lawn if left too long. Shredding the leaves with your lawn mower makes quick mulch.

If you are still babying tomato plants, pull them up and hang them upside down in an unheated garage or porch before the first frost. Tomatoes will continue to ripen at room temperature.

Fall is also when you should be digging up any summer bulbs or tubers that you don’t plan to leave in the ground all winter. Clean them off and store them in a frost-free location in a mix of clean sand and peat moss. Divide and replant lilies, rhubarb, and overcrowded perennials now too. It’s also time to plant spring flowering bulbs.

Fall is a great time to plant peonies. Make sure you plant them in rich, well-drained soil. Work in plenty of well-rotted manure or compost and add a high-phosphorus fertilizer. It’s best if you can prep the soil several days in advance so it has a chance to settle before you plant.

Plant berries now so they will have a chance to develop good roots before spring; also, garlic, evergreen shrubs and trees and balled, burlapped fruit trees.

Bring geraniums and fuchsias into a cool, dark, frost-free place for the winter. Cut them both back and remember to water them lightly about once a month. You may need to put a reminder note on your bathroom mirror. I lost a beautiful fuchsia last winter because I simply forgot to give it water. So sad.

Cleaning out your garden shed and cleaning up your garden tools might keep you busy for a couple of days. I fill a bucket with sand and add a quart of motor oil, and then I plunge my garden spades and various short-handled tools into the bucket. I carefully clean the tools before putting them into the sand and this keeps them in good shape throughout the winter. I can’t use this method with my pruners however, and for them it is a thorough clean up, sharpening and maybe a little WD-40.

Here is something you can add to your autumn plans: Check your records to see how long it has been since your last tetanus booster. If it has been longer than 10 years, then get into a clinic and talk to the doctor about tetanus before returning to your garden. We are constantly getting scraped and poked from rakes and spades in our gardens. Animal bites, thorns, splinters or even spider bites can be a source of tetanus. A recent survey revealed that 60 percent of adults over age 65 had not received the booster needed to keep their tetanus immunity current. Don’t risk becoming ill when there is an easy solution.

Before you know it autumn will have given way to early winter and we will be able to take a little breather from the busy months. Curl up on the sofa with some of your favorite garden books and begin dreaming of next year’s projects.

Happy Gardening!