I just purchased a townhouse with a small, dreary back yard. When I moved in it was over run with crabgrass. I decided since the back was small and mostly wonderful Virginia clay that instead of trying to grow grass and have to purchase a mower for an area less than 5' x 15' that I would continue the hardscaping that was under the deck. (Red square pavers with pea gravel in between). I will retain small planting beds, one under the stairs that is part shade and two in each corner, one has a dogwood and the other will have a lilac once the old satellite dish is removed and I can condition that soil to plant one. I was also thinking about a dwarf Japanese maple as well somewhere back there. Someone cut back the crabgrass for me and I sprayed Roundup. I plan to lay landscape fabric since the 'soil' is all clay anyway I know it's not going to harm any real soil. My question is, do I need to remove the now dead crabgrass or can I put the landscape fabric over top of it? My other question is now that we are in mid-October would it be best to leave the backyard in its wasteland like condition for the winter or can I begin the work now knowing that I won't be able to lay the pea gravel until spring?