On a recent December morning, I wandered out to the vegetable patch to see how the broccoli plants were faring. I started these plants from seed in early September and transplanted them into the ground on September 26. Initially I covered them with wire cages to keep birds from shredding them, but lately the plants have outgrown the cages and I wanted to see if they were being eaten.

Birds are nibbling, but the plants are starting to form heads and I am hoping that we'll soon be eating home-grown broccoli. I noted in my garden journal that if I want broccoli for Thanksgiving, I need to set plants out in August.

I also checked the lettuce to see if there is anything left to harvest. This bed was seeded in August, and we have been eating salad greens for a couple of months. The plants are fairly bedraggled now, but a surprise was waiting for me in the garden path. Recent rains have provided enough moisture to sprout some arugula from a spring crop that went to seed. If the arugula weren't edible, I'd consider it a weed. Already the plants have one- to two-inch leaves, just right for salads and pizza topping.

If arugula seeds can sprout in December, you know other edibles will grow. Try planting fava bean, parsley, radish and spinach seeds. If you can find nursery seedlings, you could also set out kale, broccoli, lettuce, chard and other greens. Everything grows slowly now, but you can expect some delicious eating in February and March.

It's not too late to set out garlic. If you can't find garlic in nurseries, try organic garlic from the grocery store. Planted now, it will not mature until late May or June, but you can harvest green garlic at any stage.

It's also not too late to set out a few annual flowers for color. Check a local nursery to see what is available. I have a fondness for pansies and violas and usually set out a few plants in the winter vegetable patch. They add color to the beds and to my salads, too.

The peach and apple trees in my yard have lost nearly all their leaves. This leaf drop signals the start of pruning season for deciduous trees, roses and grapes. Remove diseased or damaged branches first. Then assess the tree from all directions before pruning for shape and fruit production.

Some trees, including many apple varieties, produce fruit on spurs (short stubby twigs) over many years, while other fruit trees produce fruit on new shoots every spring. Since this influences the way these trees should be pruned, consult a book, a tree expert, or Napa County Master Gardeners (office hours below) if you are not sure. For ornamental trees, prune mostly for shape.

If I waited for the roses in my garden to lose their leaves, I might never prune them. Go ahead and startcutting them back now. You will be rewarded with healthier plants and more blossoms next spring and summer.

One of my neighbors has a lovely Fuyu persimmon tree in the front yard just dripping with ripe fruit. I have found myself wishing I had my own share of those persimmons. Luckily, bare-root planting season has now begun. Plants sold in the bare-root state include deciduous fruit and shade trees; roses; vines such as clematis, wisteria and grapes; flowering shrubs such as lilacs and berries, including cane berries, blueberries and strawberries; and the perennial vegetables artichokes and rhubarb. The plants are field grown by the propagator, dug up while dormant and sold without soil clinging to their roots. Consequently, they are easier to handle than plants in pots and usually quite a bit less expensive. If you have found yourself coveting your neighbor's unpicked fruit tree, it might be time to plant your own.

Local nurseries will have their largest supply of bare-root plants in January, but now is a great time to order by mail. Bare-root plants need to go into the ground as soon as possible to protect the roots from dying out. If possible, prepare planting holes during a spell of dry weather so they are ready when you bring the plants home. If your soil is too wet for immediate planting, “heel in” the roots temporarily in damp compost or sand in a shady location. Cover the planting area to let it dry out a bit.

Whatever the December weather, you can spend some time in the garden. Maybe you will find some pleasant surprises there.

Workshop: U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will host a workshop on “Rose Pruning and Maintenance” on Saturday, January 9, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the University of California Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. This workshop will feature demonstrations of proper pruning techniques. Master Gardeners will discuss types of roses, common rose diseases and routine maintenance. On-line registration (credit card only); Mail-in registration (check only). 

Workshop: U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will host a workshop on “Fruit Tree Pruning and Care” on Saturday, January 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The workshop includes a lecture session from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the University of California Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. A hands-on session follows from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Silverado Middle School, 1108 Coombsville Road, Napa. On-line registration (credit card only) coming soon; Mail-in/Walk-in registration (cash or check only).

Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County ( http://ucanr.org/ucmgnapa/) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.