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• Check to be certain that flammable paints, thinners, stains, hazardous, and poisonous materials are stored in a locked, metal fire-resistant cabinet. Work rags and other flammable waste should be temporarily stored in a fire resistant container and then disposed of properly, to minimize the chances of spontaneous combustion.
• To minimize the annoyance of water hammer, a banging noise in water pipes, shut off the incoming water to your home. Open the highest and lowest faucets, valves or outdoor faucet, and drain all water from pipes to restore air cushions in the plumbing system.
• If a furnace is part of your air-conditioning system, check filter. Clean or replace, if necessary. Carefully vacuum dust away from your heating and cooling thermostat. Have furnace serviced for winter, if needed.
• Clean underside of range hood and clean or replace filter(s).
• Clean condenser coils or fins beneath or behind refrigerator according to the manufacturer's instructions. When moving a refrigerator away from the wall, slide it onto a sheet of hardboard or plywood. This will protect the flooring from roller or caster damage. When you slide the refrigerator back, make certain there is adequate airflow around the appliance. 
• Clean garbage disposal by grinding up two trays of ice cubes made from a mixture of 1 cup white vinegar to 1 gallon of water.
• Increase frequency of swimming pool maintenance, if the pool is being used more often than usual.

Garden

• Plant or sow fall blooming annuals. Use calendulas, pansy, Iceland poppy, snaps, sweet alyssum, primrose, stock, viola, sweet peas and forget-me-not.
• Disbud fall-blooming mums if you want large, spectacular blooms instead of masses. Leave one or two buds per stem, feed regularly until bloom.
• Cut back Coreopsis, Delphinium, Penstemon and Shasta daisies to 6 inches when flowers fade. You may get second flowering in the fall.
• Divide bearded iris. Trim fans to inverted "V" and replant one foot apart. "Aim" the leaf end towards the direction you wish the iris to grow.
• Sow seed for the following vegetables this month: carrots, chard, lettuce, peas, celery, radish, spinach, turnip, parsley, Chinese cabbage and mustard. You'll be harvesting them all winter-long.
• Remove seedpods on fuchsias to promote continued bloom.
• Fertilize summer annuals, begonias, fuchsias and container plantings.
• Train or tie any trellis-trained vegetable vines regularly. Tomatoes, cukes, melons and gourds are often trained vertically to conserve space and make for easy harvesting.
• For mid-winter bloom, plant sweet peas this month.  Sow seed of early flowering, bush, knee-high, early multiflora and vining types. Soak the seed for 24 hours before planting to ensure germination.
• Fertilize fruit trees this month.  Use 1/2 pound of sulfate of ammonia per inch of trunk diameter. Scatter broadly under the tree and water deeply. Fertilizing now helps trees build up the starches needed for winter maintenance.