Just because the temperature is dropping doesn't mean you should stop taking care of your lawn. "Fall is actually the most important time to work in your yard because everything you're doing now really impacts how your yard looks next spring," says Angie Hicks of Angie's List.

If your lawn is properly winterized it will be more likely to flourish when the warm weather arrives. Hicks says, "The most important thing consumers should be doing this fall is fertilizing their lawn. Many people tend to skip out on that last fall fertilization application, but that's the one that really impacts how your yard looks next spring."

After fertilizing, experts say you should aerate your lawn for good root development. And just because it's cold, that doesn't mean you should stop mowing and watering your yard. The grass should be mowed until it stops growing and lawns need about an inch of water a week to thrive. Lawn Care Specialist Robert Andrews says, "The lawn is a growing plant, it's like a flower, it's like a tree.

If you don't take care of it, it will eventually slow down in its growth." And finally, a well-designed landscape not only looks attractive, but it can add 7% to 14% to a home's value.