By Tamara Galbraith

As your fall garden clean-up gets underway, don't sabotage your efforts by using dirty tools.

One of the best ways to prevent the spread of fungus and other plant diseases is to prune out infected parts. However, seemingly healthy wood can also be infected, so disinfecting your pruning tools between cuts becomes very important as you trim.

In 1992, scientists at Kearney Agricultural Center in California's Central Valley tested various readily available and commonly recommended disinfectants. The disinfectants tested were chlorine bleach, hydrogen peroxide, Listerine, Lysol concentrated disinfectant, Pine-Sol, and rubbing alcohol.

The scientists found that soaking or spraying pruning blades for a minute or longer in either full-strength or 1-to-5 solution of chlorine bleach, Lysol, or Pine-Sol brought the most consistent protection. Interestingly, just dipping the blade quickly often did not disinfect properly. Chlorine bleach generally did a better job for quick dips, although none of the disinfectants proved completely effective.

Although chlorine bleach is the least expensive and generally most effective disinfectant, bleach corrodes tools quickly and, as many of us know from clumsy experience, can splash up and ruin clothes. Lysol caused the least damage to clothes and tools; keeping a small can of Lysol and an old rag in your gardening bucket is a good idea as you work your way through fall pruning.

Autumn is a good time to prepare your lawn for the year ahead, and the best time to tackle any long-term improvements. Tasks such as raking out lawn debris, eradicating moss, feeding and aerating will improve the quality of your lawn greatly if carried out on a yearly basis.

Over the years, grass clippings and debris form a "thatch" on the surface of your lawn. This affects growth of the grass and should be removed with a lawn rake. Raking also removes moss.

If grass growth is poor, aerate the lawn. You can do this by pushing the prongs of a fork about 15 cm (6 in) into the ground. Brush a soil improver into the holes made by the fork. Use sand or a mixture of fine soil and sand if the ground is poorly drained. Alternatively, use peat, a peat-substitute or very fine, well-rotted compost if the ground is sandy.

If your lawn is in poor condition and needs reviving, apply an autumn lawn feed, such as Dr. Earth Super Natural Lawn Food. It is essential that you use one formulated for autumn use, as spring and summer feeds will contain too much nitrogen. If the grass contains a lot of moss, apply a moss killer. Use one recommended for autumn use - the mixture known as lawn sand, sometimes used to kill moss, contains too much nitrogen.

You can tidy an uneven edge at any time, but doing it in autumn will relieve the pressure at busier times of the year. Hold a half-moon edger against a board held in position with your feet. This is not an annual job.

By Tamara Galbraith

Box elder bugs - orange and black and about one inch long - live in box elder trees in the summer, but start looking to relocate in the fall. As this pesky bug's name suggests, (female) box elder trees are the preferred winter domain, but they will also infest and feed on maple, plum, cherry, peach, pear and ash trees and fruit.

There are two types of box elder bugs: the Western species, considered less of a nuisance, is found west of Nevada, while the other, more persistent type is found in the East.

Long dry summers favor box elder bugs, and because much of the U.S. saw just those type of conditions in 2006, the box elders could be a real problem this fall.

Adults swarm on the sunny sides of buildings, particularly white or light colored surfaces and a southern exposure. They also like to cluster around the lower portion of tree trunks before making a stealthy trek into your house. Other hibernating places are under loose bark, in bark crevices, under loose siding on buildings, and in gaps under sills.

Creating physical barriers is the best long-term solution for keeping box elders from entering houses and other buildings. Seal up cracks with a good silicone caulking material, repair window screens, make sure all exterior doors fit tightly, etc. If the bugs do get in the house, use a vacuum to suck them up.

Outside the house, sprays are a temporary secondary solution. It's important to act quickly when an invasion begins because the bugs can be almost impossible to kill or remove once they've snuggled in for the winter. Hot soapy water or insecticidal soap spray, like Jungle Rain Clean Leaf, directed at bugs found massing on exterior walls will kill them, and is the least toxic method next to just locking them out.

Actually, that's not true; it's been reported that some types of ducks love to eat box elder bugs...so if you have a duck or can borrow one, let 'em go to town and chow down.

You don’t have to make do with dried or frozen herbs just because it is winter. Some herbs such as mint, chives, parsley and marjoram, can be potted up to grow indoors or in the greenhouse for a fresh supply of winter leaves. The supply will be modest, but no less welcome.

Mint is an easy plant to force indoors, or in a cold frame or greenhouse. Lift an established clump to provide a supply of roots to pot up.

Be careful to select only pieces with healthy leaves (diseased leaves are common by the end of the season). You can pull pieces off by hand or cut through them with a knife. Plant the roots in a pot if you want to try to keep the plant growing indoors for a month or so longer. Fill an 8-10 inch pot three-quarters full with soil or potting soil; then spread the roots out and cover with more soil.

If you want a supply of tender fresh leaves early next spring, cut off the tops and put the roots in seed trays or deeper boxes, then cover them with soil. If you keep them in a greenhouse (or even a protected cold frame) you will be able to harvest new mint much earlier.

Chives also respond favorably to lifting for an extended season. Lift a small clump to pot up. If it’s too large, you should be able to pull it apart into smaller pieces. Place the clump in a pot of ordinary garden soil or potting soil, firm well, and water thoroughly. It should continue to provide leaves after those outdoors have died back, and will produce new ones earlier next spring.