From barbecues and summer parties to gardening and endless games of fetch with your pup, your lawn has endured lots of activity this summer.

With cooler morning temperatures, it’s a reminder that despite the warm daytime temps, fall is just around the corner. With fall comes the need to prep your lawn and landscaping for the upcoming cooler weather.

Here are some tips on making sure your yard is ready:

1. Know How to Mow – When mowing, be sure to keep the mower blades high (3” or higher) to encourage healthy roots. The shorter you cut, the less there is to grow down deep and rejuvenate in the Spring.

2. Agree to Reseed – If all of your lawn looks dry and brown, overseed the whole lawn. If only certain areas look bare, reseed only those spots. First, cut your grass and remove clippings. Level and rake the soil til smooth. Then with a spreader, apply a seed that best suits your region and weather. Finally, water. Nothing can grow without some water!

3. Prepare with Care – Get your lawn ready for the cooler weather ahead by fortifying it with nutrients. An organize fall winterizer promotes growth, helps lawns recover from drought and increases winter hardiness. So apply an organic fall winterizer after you’ve seeded and mowed.

4. Fido First – Always use an organic lawn fertilizer or winterizer. Harsher chemical lawn products can be eaten, ingested or passed on to your dog. Keep your dog safe by keeping their paws clear of harsh chemicals by using organic lawn products.

5. Trim Branches and Bushes – Hopefully some of your trees and plants have been thriving since the spring, making for a beautiful yard (and lots of shade!) this summer. But before fall comes, trim overgrown spots, or any branches that don’t look healthy.

This can help them grow back even stronger next year, plus that means less leaves to clean up as the weather turns colder!!

6. Plant a Fall Garden – Flowers and plants that thrive in fall are abundant. Make a trip to your local nursery to find out what to plant to ensure your garden is blooming with bright fall colors come October.

You can also plant a fall vegetable garden this month. Veggies such as carrots, arugula, kale, broccoli, and beets can all thrive in fall temperatures – and who doesn’t love to feed their families homegrown produce?