Fall is the time to give your deciduous (leafy) trees some extra attention. Most of the root growth for these trees occur as the weather begins to cool. If your trees were stressed by summer drought, water them generously in the fall, even after they've lost their leaves. The cooler the fall weather, the less often you need to water.

If left on the ground, fallen leaves may accumulate enough to smother turf, ivy or other ground covers. Clean them up often, because it only takes about a week's worth of leaves to kill patches of your lawn. Shredding is a great way to reduce leaves on your lawn. A 2-inch layer of dry leaves can be reduced to a 1/8-inch dusting of shredded leaves with a good mulching mower system.

Make the most of leaf-raking as exercise, but don't injure yourself. Here are some tips to keep from overdoing it:

• Don't overstuff your bags.
• Lift bags by bringing them in close to the body and using your arms and legs to lift, not your back.
• Use a rake with a bent handle or build up the handle with plastic tubing so you won't have to grip so hard.
• Take frequent breaks and don't overstretch or twist your body.
• Carry leaves in a wagon or cart to avoid as much of the lifting and carrying as you can.
• Avoid raking wet leaves.

Consider starting a compost pile to recycle fallen leaves. Composting will help save on your refuse bills by recycling kitchen and yard wastes and will give you an excellent supplement for your soil. All you need for a good compost pile is water, nutrients and oxygen. Locate the pile where it can get moisture through rain — the nutrients are provided by the waste you place in the pile. To give the pile oxygen, chop or shred the pieces of waste into small, decomposable bits and turn the compost often to increase airflow.