Prairies. (regional wrap-up: GL'S CROSS COUNTRY CHECKLIST FOR NOVEMBER/DECEMBER).

Trim the lawn one last time, since long grass covered with deep snow is a mouse magnet, providing the food and lodging the little critters crave. Pull back mulch at least two inches (five cm) from the base of trees so mice can't get within nibbling distance of the bark. Mulch is best spread after the ground is frozen; applied earlier, it can keep the soil from freezing and provide a home for pests.

Cut back tender roses to within a foot (30 cm) of the ground and cover them with a dry, non-edible material such as flax straw after the ground is frozen. Many gardeners like to use Styrofoam rose cones, although they are a lot of work to install. Fill the cones with dry peat for best results. There is no need to cut back hardy shrub roses now; in fact, doing so will make them bloom later next year.

Wash the leaves of houseplants to reduce over-wintering pests. As days grow shorter, pesky spider mites go into the crannies at the leaf bases and even on windowsills, where they lie dormant until spring. Wash the tops and undersides of leaves and sills thoroughly with a soft soapy cloth and then rinse with clear water.

And don't forget ... to store seeds saved from summer and fall harvests. If you have saved hardy seeds such as poppies (Papaver), you can actually sow some of them outside right away (even with a light snow on the ground) and store the rest until spring. Tropical seeds of tender annuals such as peppers are better stored ...