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• Insulate outdoor pipes to avoid freeze damage. Use plastic to cover insulation that is exposed to water.
• Inspect doormats. Once mats outside an entry door are worn, they are no longer doing an optimal job of removing dust, dirt and other abrasives from shoes. Replace them. 
• If you use a wood-burning fireplace inspect and clean the fireplace and flue before lighting your first fire. If you have a wood-burning stove, remove the stovepipe between the stove and chimney and clean that section and the pipe exhausting outdoors. Hire a professional, if needed.
• Stack firewood away from the house ... and off the ground. Firewood can contain termites and other pests.
• Apply clear wood paste wax to door edges that slightly rub.
• Store patio furniture for winter. Air should circulate around patio furniture, that is stored beneath plastic tarps. Never completely seal outdoor furniture in plastic. Legs, particularly of wood, should be supported off the ground by pressure-treated wood blocks or another material, that will keep the wood up and off wet ground.

Garden

• Plant bulbs, corms and tubers. Ranunculus, daffodils, narcissus, crocus, freesias, scillas, anemones and Dutch iris are available now. In mild winter areas buy tulips and hyacinth, but chill them in the crisper until November, or six weeks have passed before planting.
• Lawns can be seeded, re-seeded, over-seeded, or sod installed this month. The weather favors germination or growth and it takes less care to get lawns started.
• Fertilize lawns this month. Use Superfine Lawn Fertilizer.
• Transplant annuals for a winter of brilliant bloom. Snaps, stock, pansy, viola, fairy primrose, Virginian stock, sweet Alyssum, forget-me-not, bachelor buttons, Johnny-jump-ups, and Linaria are available now.
• Clean up, and keep clean, all debris under fruit trees to help prevent diseases and insects from overwintering.
• Water all rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias and keep the soil moist. They are setting buds now.
• Perennials purchased and planted now will display better color than those planted in spring. Look for Campanula, Lupine, Penstemon, Armeria (Thrift, or Sea Pinks), foxglove, candytuft, coral bells, Delphinium, Nierembergia, Yarrow, Arabis, primrose, carnation, Gazania, Basket-of-gold and Dusty Miller.
• Pick all tomatoes when night temperatures average below 50 degrees. Store ripe tomatoes in fridge at 40 degrees, eat or can the rest. Put green tomatoes indoors, uncovered and out of direct sunlight at 60-70 degrees until ripe. Make green tomato pie. Tomatoes ripen from inside out so when skin is the right color, they are ripe, ready to eat.