As September rolls in, it's time to start thinking about winterizing your irrigation system. I know, it might not be the most glamorous gardening task, but trust me-taking the time to do it right now ...

Q. Last fall, my lawn was looking terrible. It had some random brown areas that ended up being overtaken by weeds. Now that spring is coming, I want to fix the grass, but I don’t know where to start.

You can irrigate your lawn or garden with an automated sprinkler or drip system. Sprinklers irrigate more widely, but they cost more and waste water.

For gardeners, summer is the best of times and the worst of times. Plants thrive in the hot weather and put down deep roots from heavy rains, but those same conditions can wreak havoc on plants.