Not only are Calendulas beautiful, they are known as 'poor man's saffron.' Use fresh or dried petals to get the same taste and color as saffron in rice and stews.(Photo: Pixabay)

Tasks

• Stake newly planted trees in windy areas.
• Clean up debris to eliminate hiding places for pests (if necessary). Or consider leaving fallen leaves and debris where they are, as many beneficial insects lay their eggs in the leaf litter – it also serves as a natural mulch.
• Irrigate citrus trees at night if frost is expected. Damage to citrus varies with variety and fruit ripeness.
• Continue to irrigate if weather remains dry.

Pruning

• Do not top or prune trees severely in an attempt to avoid raking leaves! Extreme pruning will disfigure trees and shorten their lives.
• Discard diseased wood.
• Leaf fall is the time to start pruning - except for apricot, oleander and olive trees, which should have been pruned in August.

Fertilizing

• Add bulb fertilizer to planting holes before planting bulbs.

Planting

• Fall planting ends this month. The soil will cool rapidly, which will slow root growth.
• If you wish to transplant trees in the fall, it is best to wait until December or January when deciduous and evergreen trees are dormant.
• Perennials: dianthus, euphorbia, kalanchoe, red hot poker (Kniphofia).
• Bulbs, corms, tubers: Snowdrop (Galanthus), snowflake (Leucojum), tulip (Tulipa), Watsonia.
• Fruits and vegetables: bulb and green onions, strawberry.
• Annuals: Love-in-a-mist (Nigella), primrose (Primula), pansy (Viola).
• Trees, shrubs, vines: sedge (Carex), Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus), bay laurel (Laurus).

Enjoy now

• Annuals and perennials: Mexican blue sage (Salvia leucantha), ‘Pink Muhly' (Muhlenbergia capillaris), pincushion flower (Scabiosa).
• Fruits and vegetables: Asian pears, kale, pomegranate, persimmon, winter squash.
• Trees, shrubs, vines: lantana, viburnum.
• Fall color: Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis), Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica).

Things to ponder

• Calendula petals (fresh or dried) can be used as a substitute for saffron to color rice or flavor soups and stews.

Drought tip

• Landscape watering in many areas is now restricted to one day per week. Check your city's policy for its winter irrigation schedule.