by Laurie Keit

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If your spring bulbs are not yet in the ground, you can still plant them this month. The following tips will help you prepare your garden for winter, which begins on Dec. 21.

Year-round maintenance tasks   include keeping the base of plants free from fallen blossoms, fruit and leaf litter, which can house pests, and vigilantly removing weeds, slugs and snails. Maintenance gardeners should be instructed to limit their use of blowers to paved areas in order to protect plants and soil.

Irrigation systems should be checked and adjusted seasonally, and watering should be scheduled for early morning. Avoid stepping  on wet soil and mowing wet lawns in order to prevent long-term damage to soil structure. Leaf debris should be removed from rain gutters, downspouts, well lights, fountains and birdbaths. Plants under eaves and overhangs will require regular watering should your irrigation be turned off.

Pruning should be limited to less than one-third of each plant. Some plants resent pruning, so check before you cut! Camellias should be pruned after they have finished blooming. Spent perennial foliage should be cut to the ground. Deadhead spent flowers after bloom to encourage re-flowering. Pinch-prune tender plants and hand clip large-leaf plants. Reserve the shears for small-leaf hedge plants.

There are a number of things   you can do to help your plants survive frost. First, make sure to water thoroughly before a frost event. If you have trees that have been recently transplanted, they should be fertilized. Protect tender plants by covering them with cotton sheets or Reemay frost blankets, or by spraying them with Cloud Cover.

I don’t advocate the use of chemicals for pest and disease control. I prefer to use actively aerated compost tea to rebuild the soil food web to protect plants and soil naturally, using beneficial microorganisms. AACT is available at Lyngso Garden Materials in Redwood City.

Apply a layer of mulch, 3-4 inches deep and 2-4 inches from the base  of your plants, to control weeds and retain soil moisture. Avoid cocoa mulch, which quickly mildews on the coast and is highly toxic to dogs.

Finally, sit back with a cup of cocoa or a hot toddy, and reflect on the past growing season. Did your garden meet your expectations and needs? Which plants were successful? Did your existing plants provide year-round interest? Photographing the garden at various times of year and keeping a journal will help your future planning.

Happy holidays!

Laurie Keit has been designing residential gardens since 2001 through her company, Seasonal     Celebrations. An 18-year Pacifica resident, she may be contacted at 650-722-009, by e-mail at keit@      sbcglobal.net, or through her Web site, www.seasonalcelebrations.com.