GENERAL MAINTENANCE: Check out these Tool Conditioning Tips from DIY.

Clean up plant debris You'll be eliminating hiding places for pest and diseases. All but the diseased stuff and weeds that have gone to seed can be added to your compost pile!

Frosts are common this time of year, so be ready to provide protection (in the form of lights, blankets, plastic, etc.) for frost-tender landscape plants (citrus, bougainvillea, etc.). Click here for tips from the California Rare Fruit Growers.

LAWN MAINTENANCE: Rake any leaves remaining on the lawn and add them to your compost pile. Minimize foot traffic on wet lawns. Bermumdagrass lawns...or lawns suffering from evil, wretched bermudagrass invasions... are dormant (i.e. dead-looking).

Crabgrass prevention... put down a pre-emergent now if you've had a problem with crabgrass.

Is it raining? If so, no need to water.

UC GUIDE TO HEALTHY LAWNS: Want to know what type of lawn you have and how to maintain it? Want to put in a new lawn or renovate an old one? Need lawn pest info? The new UC Guide to Healthy Lawns is an excellent resource. So is the UC "Lawn Watering Guide for California".

SHADE TREES: Having any tree concerns? Be sure to call a certified arborist for help.

BACKYARD ORCHARD TREES, SHRUBS & VINES: The following links to the University of California Backyard Orchard care sheets will keep you on track and on your way to a tasty harvest:

Finish up dormant pruning and spraying. An easy-to-remember dormant spray schedule is "Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine's Day," but if you want to know exactly what to spray, when to spray, and why you're spraying, see University of California's California Backyard Orchard page, The Big Picture- Pests and Diseases (http://homeorchard.ucdavis.edu/general-pests.shtml).

Citrus are heavy nitrogen-feeders. An application of nitrogen in late winter/early spring will provide adequate nutrients for flower and fruit set.

RECOMMENDED FERTILIZER APPLICATION RATES:

NITROGEN (N): regular application required
1 to 2 year old tree: 2 tablespoons nitrogen fertilizer 3 to 4 times per year or 1/10 lb. nitrogen fertilizer per year
3-year-old tree: 1/4 lb. nitrogen applied to dripline before watering
4+ year old tree: 1 lb. actual nitrogen per tree per year. So, if your nitrogen fertilizer contains 33% actual nitrogen (33-0-0), you will need to apply 3 lbs. Some references recommend dividing applications into thirds, totaling 3 applications per year (early spring, summer and fall). If you follow that recommendation, make sure you avoid feeding oranges and grapefruit during summer to avoid thick rinds, lower juice content and re-greening of Valencia oranges.
PHOSPHORUS (P): 1 lb. phosphate per tree every 3 to 4 years per mature tree
POTASSIUM (K): as needed (deficiency: general leaf pattern begins as a yellowing of the tips and margins, which then gets broader. Necrotic areas and spotting can develop on the leaves) 2.5 to 5 lbs. potassium per mature tree per year for 2 years if deficiency is noted.
MAGNESIUM (Mg): as needed (deficiency noted by yellowing between veins of older leaves followed by dropping.)
ZINC: as needed (deficiency symptom is "mottle-leaf", exhibited by "small terminal leaves with mottling between large leaf veins". Apply late-winter or early spring foliar spray (carefully follow label directions)
IRON: as needed (deficiency symptom is yellowing between large leaf veins... i.e. interveinal chlorosis)
foliar spray (follow label directions)
MANGANESE (Mn): as needed (deficiency: young leaves turn light green between veins, often more noticeable on tree's north side).

Combination "micronutrient sprays" are available at your local nursery if you suspect multiple deficiencies. A specialized citrus fertilizer or "citrus food" likely contains all necessary macro- and micro-nutrients.

References: California Master Gardener Handbook and the following books:

IRRIGATION: If it's raining, make sure your automatic irrigation controller is set to "off". If, however, we have a winter dry spell, you may need to water (esp. under eaves).

Insulate your exposed irrigation pipes with foam collars (available at hardware stores).

ANNUALS: Cool-season annuals can still be planted if you didn't install them in early fall. Frugal-minded gardeners will want to wait until warm-season color starts showing up in nurseries during the next couple months.

Feed fall-planted annuals this month with a slow-release fertilizer.

PERENNIALS: Avoid heavy pruning of spring/summer/fall bloomers until late winter or early spring, when new growth is just beginning to emerge. That extra foliage will help protect roots and lower leaves from potential frost damage.

Cut back fuchsias to encourage lush new growth.
Feed fall-planted perennials with a slow-release fertilizer.

WEEDS: Pull young annual weeds now while they still come up easily and haven't had a chance to form seeds.

See the UC Weed Gallery for proper identification and the UC IPM Pest Notes for how to manage them.

PESTS: Rain sends ants indoors. Click here for control measures.

Visit the IPM website for control measures. While you're on the site, check out the photos of beneficial insects as well.