Frank Burns is the retired owner of Brookhaven Nurseries. He has decades of gardening experience and can answer your gardening questions. To submit a question for Burns, email news@dailyleader.com.

• What should homeowners do to prepare their lawn for fall and winter?

You may have Bermudagrass (grows best in full-sun), Centipede (tolerates partial shade), St. Augustine (tolerates shade, but is cold sensitive) or Zoysia (tolerates cold). To all these grasses, apply recommended pre-emergent herbicides, such as Fertilome For All Seasons II or Scott’s Pre-emergent in the fall to control winter weeds. Make another application in late winter to control spring and summer weeds.

• What is the best cool-season produce to grow in Lincoln County?

Kale, lettuce, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, broccoli, peas, beets and carrots.

• What is the best way to rid a lawn of fire ants?

You can successfully control fire ants by using a combination of methods before ants appear. First, use granular bait, such as Advion or Talstar to broadcast over your lawn one to three times per year. Then, use mound treatments to spot treat any mounds that survive the bait treatments. Dry treatments are the most convenient, but liquid treatments eliminate mounds immediately. Finally, use a granular broadcast insecticide to kill fire ants as they travel through treated soil. Since it is more expensive than baits, some homeowners use them only on areas typically infested with ants and use baits on the rest of the lawn.