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" &amp;quot;Thirty days has September&amp;quot; begins the ancient mnemonic rhyme for remembering the number of days in the month, and few months fly by more quickly than the last partial summer month.  Ready to Rake Northern states start getting small amounts of leaves to rake, usually by the end of September. Be sure that all equipment you use for leaf removal is ready to go. Check whether the gas engine leaf blower will start or that your exterior extension cord is still in good shape. Likewise check rakes and tarps. You&amp;#039;ll be ready to go when the leaves are really coming down. Got Pool? Prep and close the pool. Pool suppliers sell winter pool-closing kits that include algaecide, PH stabilizer and chlorine or similar chemical. The kits makes for cleaner water over the winter and an easier opening next spring. Bring in the Wood It&amp;#039;s always better to bring in firewood from the outdoors earlier rather than later. If you&amp;#039;re storing wood in the garage or on a porch, remove the existing pile and sweep the area clean. Check carefully for evidence of bugs (termites, carpenter ants, powder post beetles). Once the wood area is clean, restack, put the wood from this year down first and the drier wood from last year on top. If you&amp;#039;ve found insects in the wood, either burn it immediately or simply move the wood well away from the house and let it rot away. Don&amp;#039;t bring insect-infested wood into the house and store it even for just a couple of days. Comin&amp;#039; Through the Rye A good way to improve the soil in your vegetable patch or areas that have poor soil fertility is to plant winter rye. Find out the optimal time to plant it in your area. In many parts of the country, it&amp;#039;s early to mid September. Apply the seed at a rate of approximately two lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. or at the rate recommended by the nursery from which you bought it. Come spring, mow the rye cover with a mulching mower then turn the clippings into the soil by hand or machine. Odds and Ends 1. Call for a furnace or boiler tuneup. Generally heating/cooling companies are overbooked doing this work well into winter, but call anyway to see if you can squeeze in an appointment.  2. Seal the driveway.  3. Sweep out and clean up the garage.  4. Put away summer sports equipment.  5. Make a weather-stripping check. Buy and install replacement products while the weather is still nice.  6. Check with your local nursery or extension service about the optimal time to apply fall fertilizer and herbicide.  7. Remove and store window air conditioners. To protect the appliance from corrosion, be sure not to store it near pool chlorine, fertilizer, de-icer or corrosive chemicals. Keep all mounting hardware in a plastic bag taped to the appliance. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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