By Tamara Galbraith

As your fall garden clean-up gets underway, don't sabotage your efforts by using dirty tools.

One of the best ways to prevent the spread of fungus and other plant diseases is to prune out infected parts. However, seemingly healthy wood can also be infected, so disinfecting your pruning tools between cuts becomes very important as you trim.

In 1992, scientists at Kearney Agricultural Center in California's Central Valley tested various readily available and commonly recommended disinfectants. The disinfectants tested were chlorine bleach, hydrogen peroxide, Listerine, Lysol concentrated disinfectant, Pine-Sol, and rubbing alcohol.

The scientists found that soaking or spraying pruning blades for a minute or longer in either full-strength or 1-to-5 solution of chlorine bleach, Lysol, or Pine-Sol brought the most consistent protection. Interestingly, just dipping the blade quickly often did not disinfect properly. Chlorine bleach generally did a better job for quick dips, although none of the disinfectants proved completely effective.

Although chlorine bleach is the least expensive and generally most effective disinfectant, bleach corrodes tools quickly and--as many of us know from clumsy experience--can splash up and ruin clothes. Lysol caused the least damage to clothes and tools; keeping a small can of Lysol and an old rag in your gardening bucket is a good idea as you work your way through fall pruning.

Autumn is a good time to prepare your lawn for the year ahead, and the best time to tackle any long-term improvements. Tasks such as raking out lawn debris, eradicating moss, feeding and aerating will improve the quality of your lawn greatly if carried out on a yearly basis.

Over the years, grass clippings and debris form a “thatch” on the surface of your lawn. This affects growth of the grass and should be removed with a lawn rake. Raking also removes moss.

If grass growth is poor, aerate the lawn. You can do this by pushing using a hand core-aerator or rent a powered one. Both of these tools remove plugs or cores of soil and sod. This will greatly reduce the soil compaction and allow air into the lawns root system. After you have removed the cores, rake them away so they do not desolve and quickly fill up the holes that you have created. Apply 1/8” to ¼” of any compost as well as a palletized or crystalline gypsum. You will see great results in only a few days.

You can tidy an uneven edge at any time, but doing it in autumn will relieve the pressure at busier times of the year. Hold a half-moon edger against a board held in position with your feet. This is not an annual job.

You don’t have to make do with dried or frozen herbs just because it is winter. Some herbs such as mint, chives, parsley and marjoram, can be potted up to grow indoors or in the greenhouse for a fresh supply of winter leaves. The supply will be modest, but no less welcome.

Mint is an easy plant to force indoors, or in a cold frame or greenhouse. Lift an established clump to provide a supply of roots to pot up.

Be careful to select only pieces with healthy leaves (diseased leaves are common by the end of the season). You can pull pieces off by hand or cut through them with a knife. Plant the roots in a pot if you want to try to keep the plant growing indoors for a month or so longer. Fill an 8-10 inch pot three-quarters full with soil or potting soil; then spread the roots out and cover with more soil.

If you want a supply of tender fresh leaves early next spring, cut off the tops and put the roots in seed trays or deeper boxes, then cover them with soil. If you keep them in a greenhouse (or even a protected cold frame) you will be able to harvest new mint much earlier.

Chives also respond favorably to lifting for an extended season. Lift a small clump to pot up. If it’s too large, you should be able to pull it apart into smaller pieces. Place the clump in a pot of ordinary garden soil or potting soil, firm well, and water thoroughly. It should continue to provide leaves after those outdoors have died back, and will produce new ones earlier next spring.