There is a nip in the air. Several places have had light frosts, but it has not been statewide.

Statewide we have had rainfall–and a fairly good amount. It is turning into one of the most beautiful falls in years. Good moisture levels, cool temperatures, and beautiful trees. If you haven't already done so, get out and enjoy the display.

The leaves are falling, and falling and falling. They will continue to do so for more than a month. Rake or mow them to prevent them from building up too high. This is an ideal time to start a compost pile–there is plenty of raw material. Don't allow a heavy accumulation on your lawn to stay for too long, or you can smother out your grass–or keep it from going dormant naturally.

Fall is for planting, is not just an idle slogan to get you into a nursery in the fall of the year. Think about it: the soil is still warm from summer and the plants are going dormant. The root system can grow, without being slowed down with providing nourishment for leaves and new top growth. What you end up with, is a well established root system, and therefore a stronger plant next spring. Often it is the miserably hot and dry summers that cause stress to our plants. While I can't think of a better time to plant a tree, there are some plants that are marginally hardy, which you should wait until spring to plant–gardenias, some hydrangeas, etc. Since none of us can accurately predict the weather long-term–planting these marginal plants can be a bit of a crap shoot. Water is all you need at planting. Following rains, allow soils to dry out a bit and become workable before planting. Mulch and water if it gets dry this winter, then wait on spring.

By now, plants that you intend on overwintering indoors, should be indoors. Cut back on the amount of water you have been used to applying, and monitor them for a few weeks at least. If you brought any insects inside, they should become visible quickly. Left unchecked, you can infest all your plants with them. Be prepared for some yellowing leaves as the plants get acclimated to the indoor conditions.

One of the easiest way to add color to your landscape in the spring, is to plant bulbs now. November is the best time to plant spring blooming bulbs. Choose, large firm bulbs which are free of blemishes. Keep in mind, the larger the bulb, the larger the flower in the spring. Plant them in a well drained soil. If you recently had rain, allow the soil to dry out some before planting. Working in wet soils can damage the internal soil structure. Group your bulbs together for a big display of color next spring. If you want to add bone meal to the soil at planting, that can speed up the rooting process. Other fertilizers are not needed until the plants are growing next spring. Then a general fertilizer will aid in food production for the next season.

The Arkansas landscape has been a sea of color this fall. From the reds of the sumacs, blackgums and dogwoods, to the yellow of goldenrod, gingko's, and hickories, it has been a glorious fall! Add to the color in your own yard by planting winter annuals. Pansies, violas, the new panola ( a cross between a pansy and viola), diascia (twinspur), flowering kale, snapdragons, and more await you at your local nursery or garden center. These plants thrive in our cool fall and winter weather, and should take us through until spring, provided we have no ice.

Garden clean up is an ongoing chore in the garden, but more so in the fall as many plants end their growing season. Clean up the spent foliage, harvest seeds or re-sow them in the garden. Rake leaves, mulch and then store the garden tools. How well you clean up in the fall, can determine how well you get growing in the spring.

Whitefly and scale insects seemed to be less of a problem during this past growing season, but seemed to make a comeback at the tail end of the year. If you have shrubs that were hit by scale or whitefly insects sanitation is important now. You may also want to apply a dormant or horticultural oil. For an oil product to be effective, you must have thorough coverage. It kills by smothering out the insects. Cover all parts of the plants, both sides of the leaves, stems and even the soil around the plants, otherwise some eggs will survive and come back to haunt you next spring. Check the lower leaves of many of your landscape plants. Often, that is where you will find the overwintering eggs. They are small oval yellowish white masses. Pick off the heavily infested leaves and spray the rest. This can help give you a cleaner start next spring.

Holiday cactus plants are in stores everywhere. Commonly called Thanksgiving cactus, Christmas cactus or crab cactus, these cactus can bloom from November through February depending on the plant. Keep them away from drafts indoors, and don't let them get too dry when there are flower buds. Otherwise the flower buds will drop off. If you already own a holiday cactus, keep it in a cool spot, with natural bright light during the day–no lights at night, please. The cool conditions, coupled with short days will encourage flower buds to set. Once they set flower buds, bring them to any room in the house to enjoy the flowers.

Summer annual vines such as hyacinth bean, morning glory, and cypress vine have played out and need to be removed from trellises or fence rows. Save seeds to replant next spring, if they don't freely reseed on their own. Place the seeds in envelopes and label them for next spring. Store them in a cool, dry place. Keep in mind that this could be an easy and inexpensive gift to give to a gardening friend.

After your last mowing of the season, winterize your lawn mower. Disconnect the spark plug wire. Drain out all the gasoline and oil, and put in new oil. Clean out any dried grass from underneath the mower. Remove and clean the air filter. Sharpen your blades before storing so the mower is ready next spring.

Persimmons are a common November fruit. Our native persimmon is abundant all over the state, and the oriental varieties are gaining in popularity. Both types are ready to be picked when the fruits are soft, yet most wait until a frost has occurred on the natives to avoid the pucker power. The fruits persist on the trees after the leaves fall off, leaving a nice display of color. The oriental fruits are two to three times as large as the natives, and often look like an orange tree without leaves in the fall.

Harvesting of cool season vegetables continues. Carrots can lay dormant underground throughout the winter, and can be harvested as needed. Turnips and other greens may overwinter depending on the season. They can often be considered winter cover crops. Even if the tops get burned back, turnips will often re-green with spring. Consider planting some edible winter annuals. Cilantro, parsley, Bright Lights Swiss Chard, or Bulls blood turnips are just a few examples. These plants are great in the garden or on the table. Cilantro has become a popular herb which thrives in our cool weather–does much better now than when it is hot.

Don't forget about the birds. Most hummingbirds have moved on, but leave out your feeders for any late commuters. Only remove them if there is a chance a freeze will break your feeder. You won't keep birds from migrating, but you may make a difference in a birds chances of success. While there are ample berries this fall, birdseed is always welcome.