You can't put all the tools away and forget about your lawn until spring.  It needs your love and attention the balance of the fall and all through the winter.

Here are some quick late fall tips to keep your lawn doing its best.

• Water during fall dry spells.  Even at cooler temperatures, turfgrasses need water.  If it's been more than a couple of weeks since it received water, better give it a soaking.  Better yet, get a "smart" controller.  It will monitor things to determine the best time to irrigate.

• Water in the mornings.  Evening watering invites fungal diseases, particularly brown patch in St. Augustine turf.  You can see it beginning to turn a few blades yellowish-brown in the photo.  Apply a labeled turf fungicide immediately should you see it.

• Keep mowing right up until frost.  Tall grass becomes weak grass.  Mow at the same settings you've used all season long.

• Bag your clippings, tree leaves included, and use them in the compost pile.  Don't allow them to pile up and remain on your lawn any longer than you have to.

• If you begin to see non-grassy ("broadleafed") weeds developing in your lawn, use a broadleafed weedkiller (containing 2,4-d) before winter.

• If you intend to develop new beds where grass now exists, spray the areas with Round Up or one of its clones before the first killing freeze. The spray will not contaminate the soil in any way, but it must be applied before the blades turn brown from the cold.