Q. Is there anything I can do now to prepare my turf for the winter?

A.Fall is a good time to improve the health of your lawn and prepare it for winter. There are a number of cultural practices that will help at this time of year.

• Clean up all fallen leaves and plant debris, especially if they exhibited any type of leaf spot or disease.
• Mow turf to the normal mowing height, which is typically 2 to 3 inches.
• Core aerate to reduce soil compaction.
• Apply a winter fertilizer. The last fertilizer of the season should be made when top growth ceases but before the turf goes dormant.  This should be roughly one week after the last mowing of the season, which is usually in the middle of November.
• Top-dress the lawn, if necessary. If your lawn needs some amendments, after core aerating, you can apply a thin layer of compost.