An old proverb states that “the best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago; the second best time is now.” Although well-suited for applications from investing in your retirement fund to repairing broken relationships, the gardening application is not to be missed, either. Yes, spring is when most gardeners get excited about planting, but for so many of the aspects of gardening, a head-start months before spring in autumn—that is, today—is hugely beneficial. While you enjoy these fleeting days of beautiful fall weather, here are a few ways to plant the proverbial tree you can enjoy in the months and years to come.

First, October is the time to start your spring lawn care. Yes, we’re still almost six months away from the spring rush to get your lawn in shape for summer, but what better time than now to ensure your lawn wakes up happy next spring? Begin getting your lawn ready for a winter’s rest—that time when it slowly builds strong roots for spring—by treating with a fast-acting lime like Espoma Lightning Lime, available now at the nursery.

Treating with a heavy dose of lime in autumn will raise or maintain your soil pH through the rainy winter months, discouraging moss growth and keeping your grass lush and healthy all season. After applying lime later this month or next month, feed with Scotts Turf Builder Winterguard fall fertilizer, a blend specially formulated to build stronger, deeper roots to withstand winter’s cold weather. These two simple steps make all the difference for having a healthy lawn next spring.

Next, this month is the perfect time to plant bulbs for spring color. Every March, I hear from gardeners wishing they had remembered to plant bulbs—or, having seen them starting to bloom, asking me when the best time to do so is. So, here’s your public service announcement: plant bulbs today! We’re fully stocked with our bulbs for spring color, so stop in and browse our selection of top-quality bulbs imported from the Netherlands.

Spring-blooming bulbs like tulips, daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, and snowdrops need cold winter weather to get established for a colorful, long-lasting spring show, so for best results, plant them over the next several weeks. If you’ve tried growing bulbs before but struggled with moles, voles, or squirrels damaging or digging up your bulbs, plant each bulb with a tablespoon of MoleMax, an organic castor-oil based repellent that deters rodents.

Whatever type of bulbs you’re planting or already have in the ground from previous years, fall is the time to feed them, too, so fertilize all your spring-blooming bulbs now with a dose of Bulb-Tone or bone meal. For new plantings, sprinkle the fertilizer in the hole at the time of planting; for existing plantings, simply dust it on the soil and let winter’s rains wash the nutrients into the ground.

Finally, autumn is the best time to plant shrubs and trees, with soil temperatures warm enough to encourage rapid root development, shorter days and occasional rains to offer relief from watering duties, and the natural rhythm of the season causing plants to enter dormancy—when the above-ground portion sleeps while the roots grow and prepare for spring.

Moreover, fall is the best time to select plants with colorful fall foliage to add to your garden. No matter how basic or extravagant your landscaping style is, every garden should have four seasons of interest, and when planting in spring, it can be hard to imagine the beauty that many plants have to offer in fall.

If you need some inspiration for fall color in your yard, the next two weeks are the peak of seasonal color at local garden centers, with maples, burning bushes, weigela, barberry, dogwoods and more all putting on their show. For one of my favorites, check out the amazing colors of Full Moon maples, cousins of Japanese maple with unassuming green leaves in summer that turn jaw-dropping shades of red, orange, gold, and burgundy in autumn.

As you begin to put your gardens to bed this month and prepare for the winter months ahead, keep in mind that while it seems a long way off, spring will be here before we know it. And while it’s never too late to do the right thing—from relationships to moss control—today is the yesterday you’ll be wishing you’d planted that tree come next spring.