• Paint the inside of your house, if needed.
   
• Remove "pop-up'' drain plugs and clean.
   
• Check valve where water enters the house, outdoor faucets, or any valves to fixtures, such as to toilet, bathroom or kitchen sink, bar, etc. Turn each off and on several times to make certain they operate properly. Check for leaks
   
• Inspect grout around sinks, tubs and showers. Repair or replace damaged areas.
   
• Inspect water heater for leaks and flush tank. Test the temperature and pressure (T & P)relief valve on your water heater by opening it and allowing some water to flow out. If little or no water flows out or it doesn't shut off, replace it. By not replacing it, you risk the heater blowing up.
   
• Clean patio furniture and prepare for winter storage. Protect metal surfaces with auto polish. Refinish wood surfaces, as needed.
   
• Clean rain gutters. Leaves and other debris will hamper drainage and may promote rusting and roof damage. Compost any leaves you remove from gutters.

Garden

• Fertilize annuals, perennials and vegetables this month.
• Apply pre-emergent herbicides to lawns to control winter annual grasses and weeds
• Seed new lawns. Take advantage of weather and lack of weeds germinating this month.
• Thin crowded clusters of camellia buds. Twist the excess buds off gently. Leave only one or two for bigger, better blooms.
• Plant annuals from seed after mid-month for winter bloom. California poppy, Clarkia, Dimorphotheca (African Daisy), bachelor's buttons, forget-me-not, Johnny-jump-up, Alyssum, candytuft, Linaria and Lobelia are all colorful candidates.
• Buy and plant transplants of these annuals: calendula, larkspur, pansy, Iceland poppy, primroses (English, polyantha, fairy), snapdragons, stock, viola, cineraria, mimulus, nemesia (on the coast) and sweet peas.
• The following perennials are available this month: Campanula, candytuft (Iberis), Coreopsis, Delphinium, Dianthus (pinks and carnations), Oenothera (Mexican evening primrose), Digitalis (foxglove), Gaillardia, Geum, Penstemon, Phlox, Salvia, Yarrow, Heuchera and Canterbury Bells.
• Buy your hyacinth and tulips now, put in a brown paper bag and place them in the crisper portion of the refrigerator until mid-November. They need a 6-8 week chilling to initiate the bloom.
• Sweet peas blooming in January? Yes, if you plant them in a trench 6 to 8 inches deep in mid-September. Soak seed overnight. Cover the trench with burlap kept moist until the seeds germinate. When new growth shows, remove burlap. When plants are 2-4 inches tall, fill soil around them until only tip pokes through. When the shoots get up to ground level cover them as before with the top showing. Provide support, string, a trellis or netting for climbing vines. Knee-high sweet peas need no support.