Everyone at the Adams County Extension Office wishes you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving with safe travel if you are going to visit family.

Speaking of family and visiting, everyone wants to have a beautiful lawn throughout the fall and winter with little effort. Here are some simple things you can do to have a clean looking lawn with wildlife to watch during the fall and winter.

Q. Is there any way I can attract wildlife and birds to my backyard?

I assume you are speaking about backyard wildlife such as; birds, squirrels, etc.

This is actually a good question. Mississippi State University just sent something out recommending people put out feeders for birds.

Because of the drought we experienced most of the past few months it was difficult for many of the summer and fall crops of nuts, fruits and seeds to mature to their maximum ability.

So putting out feeders for the birds is probably a good idea, it will provide them with an additional food source and bring more birds into your home landscape.

Q. When is a good time to stop cutting my lawn?

In Natchez our lawns have already experienced a light frost that has somewhat slowed down warm season foliar growth until next spring.

Does that mean we can put closure to our lawn mowing chores as well?

Not if you want your lawn to have that neat groomed appearance throughout the winter.

Even though much of the lawn may have already gone dormant there will still be localized areas growing, this growth will probably continue until another good frost or hard freeze hits them to completely shut down until spring.

If you begin raking leaves from the lawn you may often lift grass blades of unequal lengths creating an uneven turf canopy.

Therefore, once the last leaves have been raked and the lawn has gone completely dormant a final mowing slightly higher than the normal summer mowing height will leave a nice clean appearance to the turf.

In addition, if your lawn did not receive a fall pre-emergent herbicide application and winter weeds are already beginning to appear you may consider using a post-emerge herbicide to control these weeds or you may have these weeds around to mow throughout the winter.

I know it is the last thought on your mind right now, but if your lawn and garden equipment has seen its better days right now may be the time to look at getting it replaced.

Many lawn and garden centers are trying to clear out summer inventory and many of the tools and equipment you need may currently be on sale at bargain prices.

David carter is the director of the Adam’s County Extension Service. He can be reached at 601-445-8201.