Fall is here and most are dreading what's coming next.

But before we have to endure winter this is the perfect time to start winterizing your yard.

Kayben Farms owner Judy Kolk says there is a number of practices people can do but it's important to give your plants one last water before the snowfall.

"We don't want our soil dry heading into winter. One of the things that happens here in this area as we all know is you get the freeze and thaw over the winter and a good thing to protect your plants from that fall that happens is to give it a good watering. It just takes it longer to thaw if it's good and wet."

Kolk advises residents that are tempted to water their plants after a Chinook to not but instead use the snow on the ground to press against the plants to keep hydrated.

People should also be adding a nice layer of mulch around their plants, Kolk says, to help protect their green friends.

"The best protection for trees and shrubs is a layer of mulch. Now having said that some years we have a real problem with rodents especially if there is a really good snow cover so you might want to pull the mulch back a little bit from the trunk so rodents can't burrow in there and chew on the trunk."

Another option is to wrap the lower trunk area with a protective cover to avoid pesky rodents from chewing.

A last fall fertilizer for your grass keeps it in good condition but residents need to remember to water it well after because fertilizer can burn the lawn.

Ice salt also can do damage if it is shoveled from the sidewalk and thrown or pushed on to your plants, it is encouraged to buy non damaging de-icer if you're unable to avoid plants in the process.

Kolk finishes her winterizing tips with the rule of thumb.

"In the next couple of weeks once you know your plants have basically become dormant, the leaves are brown, they're falling off, they're no longer actively growing that is the perfect time to water them well."

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