Don't be alarmed by a lot of leaf drop on mature plants. The foliage may also show considerable leaf margin burn now. Don't be too alarmed, both of these are normal conditions.

Irrigate as needed to keep the soil moist, but not wet.

It's too late to plant an avocado successfully this year. Being sub-tropical plants, avocados prefer to be planted during the long warm part of the year.

The fall avocado fruit season is upon us now. Late season fruiting varieties, like 'Fuerte', 'Pinkerton' and 'Zutano' may be ready to harvest. Remember, avocado fruit does not ripen on the tree; it should ripen indoors at room temperature.

Avocados are done growing for the year, so do not feed at all this month.

Continue to keep azaleas well irrigated during warm, dry or windy weather.

Bearded iris are essentially evergreen in our climate. Ignore what most gardening books may say about cutting them back and going dormant in the winter. Simply remove old browning leaves periodically through the cool months.

You may be able to see the beginnings of new growth slowly pushing out, while last years growth begins to fade away.

"Repeat-blooming" varieties they may be blooming again. Keep feeding these, but reduce the dose to about half of what you gave them in spring and summer. Older "once-blooming" varieties can have their feeding eliminated until spring.

(See also Bearded Iris and Tuberous Begonias)

A few fall blooming bulbs that are still likely in flower in Orange County include fall blooming crocus, nerine, oxalis hirta, sternbergia and zepheranthes.

Buy Hippeastrum bulbs (usually mistakenly called "Amaryllis") now, while they are in good supply.

Bedding cyclamen, although not usually considered along with bulbs, are excellent for planting now as small plants. They will provide continuous blooms from now through March or April of next year.

Lift tuberose tubers now. Store them in a cool, dark location in barely moist peat moss or planter mix until re-planting next May.

Plant most native now - through about February. Many California natives go into a summer dormant or slow-down period (an adaptation to our dry summers). To establish these plants they should be planted now, at the onset of cool weather and rains.

Cut back and divide Matilija Poppies, if necessary.

Most Sasanqua camellias are beginning their full bloom period now. Feed Sasanqua varieties after their bloom cycle has finished.

Many tangerines (also called mandarins) will be ready for harvest this month. Check the flavor of one or two first. If the sugar level is high, pick some more. If not, wait a bit longer.

Citrus may already have a few yellow leaves, especially in inland gardens. Don't worry, they are warm weather plants and suffer a bit during the next few months of cool temperatures.

Only feed potted citrus. Give them a very light application to keep the plants a bit greener into the fall months.

Many clematis offer a heavy second bloom spike during the late summer or early fall. Yours may be finishing this second bloom cycle now. Enjoy.

The foliage of your plants may look a bit ragged and be showing some dryness at their bases. The canes are also often tangled at this late date. Resist the temptation to prune now. Wait until January for most varieties.

No need to apply any more fertilizer this year.

Watering can be reduced. Continue monitoring the soil moisture, but they are using much less water now. Mature trees should not need any irrigations.

Most varieties will begin showing a lot of yellow or drying leaves. Leaf drop will be most noticeable after a rainy or windy period. By the end of the month, depending upon the weather, trees may have no leaves left or a moderate amount.

Some late producing apple and pear varieties will still have some fruit ripening.

Do not fertilize this month.

If you are in a coastal garden with very little frost this is the time to cut your fuchsias back. Fuchsias bloom on their new growth tips, therefore pruning is critical to a well-shaped plant and lots of blooms. Generally, fuchsias are cut back about 1/2 to 2/3 of their size. Gardeners in cooler inland locations will wait until mid-February to perform their annual cut-back.

These are getting ready to struggle a bit through the winter months. Don't be surprised if some yellow leaves developing. This is quite normal.

Cool season varieties are growing and blooming well, like African Daisy (Osteospermum) and South African Daisy (Gazania). If you didn't last month, feed these now. Granular fertilizers work especially well, particularly on slopes.

If you didn't do it last month and want to do a heavy cutting-back of your cool-season groundcover, do it soon. This will reduce the thatch and renew their vigor. Fertilize after the cut-back, to insure a quick recovery.

Warm-season groundcovers are settling down for the winter now. No fertilizing, minimal irrigations and no pruning at this time of the year.

This is still a perfect time to plant many cool-season and other herbs.

Herbs that can be fall-planted include anise, arugula, borage, chervil, chives, cilantro, comfrey, dill, fennel, feverfew, garlic chives, lavender, lemon grass, lovage, parsley, rosemary, salad burnet, sorrel and tansy.

Contrary to some references, do not prune hydrangeas this late in the year. Hydrangeas bloom on one-year-old stems. Pruning now will eliminate most of next year's flowers.

To try to get blue or lavender flowers on an otherwise pink plant, start applying Aluminum Sulfate to the soil. White flowered varieties are not effected and not all pinks will be effected the same. Experiment.

This is still a good month to plant new cool-season lawns, like fescue, from seed. On these lawns it is also a good time to add additional seed to thin areas.

If you did not overseed your hybrid bermuda grass lawn last month you can still do it now. In most of southern California this grass is already going semi-dormant. Growth will resume about March of next year. Annual Ryegrass is traditionally used as a winter "cover" on these lawns.

If you over-seeded your warm-season lawn with Annual Rye you should be feeding it all winter.

Remember, cool-season lawns (fescue/Marathon, bluegrass, ryegrass) should be mowed about a half an inch lower in the cool months than in the warm months. Keep mowing at this lower height for the next several months.

Fertilize cool-season lawns with a full dose, since they enjoy the cool months.

Cool season weeds (like Poa annua) are still germinating. A thick, healthy lawn is the best defense.

If you need to "de-thatch" your cool-season lawn (bluegrass and hybrid fescue/Marathon), and didn't get it done last month, this is the time to do it.

(See also Bearded Iris, Bulbs/Rhizomes/Tubers, Fuchsias and Tuberous Begonias)

Like October, this is one of the most important months in a perennial garden.

Still a big planting month for perennials. Plant now and these plants will establish themselves all fall and winter, for a great spring bloom. As you shop for these, be prepared. They are going out of bloom. Experienced gardeners don't worry and install most of their perennials and shrubs now. The main exceptions to planting in the fall are a few tender sub-tropicals like pentas and scaevola.

Most perennials do not need much, if any, feeding during the cool months. Exceptions are some potted plants and some cool-season growers (see below).

Like October, this is a great month to review your plantings for replacements or upgrades. Many perennials are short-lived and loose their vigor and form if left in the garden too long. Re-plant these now. Some approximate useful lifespans are: columbine (2-3 years), delphinium (1-2 years), euryops daisy (2-3 years), felicia daisy (2-3 years), foxglove (1-2 years), lavender (3-5 years), marguerite daisy (2-3 years), nemesia (1 year), oriental poppy (1-3 years), pelargonium (2-3 years), penstemon (3 years), phygelius (3-5 years), scabiosa (2-3 years) and verbena (varies).

Several perennials are now slowing down or going to sleep. These varieties can be cut back now to help the garden look tidier. These include achillea (yarrow), aster (perennial types, if finished blooming), baby's breath (gypsophila), most campanula, columbine (aquilegia), coral bells (heuchera), coreopsis, daylily (hemerocallis), dianthus (perennial types including carnation), gaillardia, most geranium (true geranium), goldenrod (solidago), Japanese anemone (if finished blooming), lamb's ears (stachys), lions tail (leonotis), matilija poppy (rhomneya), monkshood (aconitum), oregano (ornamental types), oriental poppy, penstemon, phlomis, phygelius, rudbeckia, Russian sage (perovskia), most salvia (sage), scabiosa (pincushion flower), shasta daisy, stokesia (stokes aster), valerian (centranthus), verbena (perennial types), and veronica (perennial types).

Some other perennials do not like a hard cut-back, at least not now, and should only be trimmed lightly to shape them and to remove any old or dead growth. These include agastache, gaura, lamium, lavender (lavandula), nemesia (perennial types), oriental poppy, pelargonium (ivy's, zonal's and martha's), penstemon and thyme.

Some perennials completely disappear from sight during the cool winter months ahead and then reappear in spring. Don't cut these back until the foliage is nearly completely dehydrated, then cut the tops off completely near soil level. Be sure to mark where these are in the garden so as not to accidentally damage them when cultivating or digging in the area. Some examples include asclepias - some varieties (butterfly weed), bleeding heart (dicentra spectabilis), caladium, calla (colored types), coneflower (echinacea), dahlia (tuberous perennial types), chocolate cosmos, kniphofia (red hot poker), liatris, true lilies (lilium), monkshood (aconitum), obedient plant (physostegia) and thalictrum (meadow rue).

A few perennials are cool-season plants in our climate and are now beginning to bloom and grow actively. If you didn't do it last month prune and shape these a bit now. Feed them a bit and they'll be even better. These include alstroemeria (except in cold inland gardens), armeria, euryops daisy, forget-me-not (myosotis), hellebore, marguerite daisy and viola (perennial types).

A few perennials are sub-tropical and frost tender. These should not be trimmed now or winter damage may occur. Wait until early spring to prune these: begonias, heliotrope, impatiens, lamium, pentas (starflower) and plectranthus.

Some perennials don't need any annual cutting back at all. Just groom these a bit now by removing any dead leaves, dead stems, old foliage, etc. and let them keep going. These include armeria, oriental poppy and statice (limonium).

Removing spent or old flowers regularly, especially from cool-season plants, will help them to produce more flowers.

Some perennials are actually biennials (or at least behave as such in our climate). For loads of spring flowers set out transplants quickly and with some luck you may still get spring flowers. These include Canterbury bells (Campanula medium), hollyhock (Alcea), Queen Anne's lace (Ammi majus), most foxglove (Digitalis) and most delphiniums. Don't wait until next spring, which beginners do. These must be fall planted to insure spring blooms and this is your last chance.

If you don't already have it, this would be the month to buy a copy of Bob Smaus' famous book on southern California gardening, "52 Weeks in The California Garden". It begins with the month of September and is a month-by-month dialogue of the activities of a local garden.

This is still a terrific time to attend educational garden seminars or meetings. Excellent programs are available and most are free, require no memberships and no reservations.

Keep making notes in your journal, especially about water, plants are coming into bloom and going out of bloom. These notes will be useful in future years.

Many roses are still blooming very well this time of the year in southern California, especially if you did a "summer pruning" in early August.

After the last big bloom of the season consider leaving the faded flowers on the plant rather than cutting them off as you normally would. They will often very set attractive seed heads, called "rose hips", especially old-fashioned varieties. These hips can be quite colorful and are an attractive addition to the fall garden.

Powdery mildew may begin appearing again on some varieties. If practical, remove infested leaves by hand. If the infestation is minor it may be best to let it go at this time of year.

(See also the information under Azaleas, Camellias, Gardenias, Hydrangeas and others)

Be cautious when pruning hedges. A hard pruning at this time of the year on many varieties will leave the plant scarred most of the winter.

As you know, or will discover with more experience, a good garden begins with the soil. Investing in the soil, managing the soil and protecting the soil are not afterthoughts in a successful garden, but the foundation. Healthy soil is living and breathing, teaming with earthworms, microorganisms, beneficial fungi, bacteria, microbes and other invisible life. This section, possibly the most important topic of all will, provides some helpful guidance to good soil care.

A thick layer of organic mulch, averaging about two inches, should be maintained on top of the soil year-round. Add additional mulch as needed to maintain this level. Applied now, a thick layer of mulch will moderate the soil temperatures, reduce weed germination, and significantly improve both soil life and soil quality.

If you have been considering inoculating your soil with beneficial mycorrhizae, this is a good month to do so. The soil temperatures are just right for quick establishment. Inoculation can be done quickly and easily in established areas by using mycorrhizae "tablets". In moist soil, poke a hole near the plant with a 3/4" rod or stick. Drop a tablet into the hole and push it in again with the stick. That's it!

We do not suggest the use of very high analysis fertilizers in a garden, especially phosphorus. Examples of fertilizers to avoid are synthetic versions with formulations like, 10-55-10, 10-30-10, etc. We don't even suggest the popular 15-30-15 formula. These formulations will inhibit or even destroy much of the soil life that is so vital to a healthy sustainable garden.

We also suggest that you not use soil-applied systemic fertilizer/insecticide combinations (especially popular with roses) that are also damaging to soil life.

Use insecticides only if necessary and even then use the least toxic product. Many of these products move into the soil and interfere with invisible soil life.

If you can, begin a compost pile or purchase a compost bin. Home compost is one of the very best ingredients you can add to your soil. Home compost helps significantly in disease suppression, increases beneficial microorganisms, improves soil structure and texture, aids nutrient retention and helps with nematode suppression. There are lots of fallen leaves from deciduous trees and these are excellent additions to a compost bin.

Seeds are in good supply now. This is an especially good time to plant seeds of all garden varieties. Be sure to mix in a few of the early-blooming (also called "short-day") varieties will bloom earlier than the others. The best of these early varieties are 'Chiffon Elegance' (formerly called 'Winter Elegance').

Be sure to thin seedlings to no more than about one every 6 inches.

When the seeds reach 4-5" pinch off the tips once to encourage branching.

(See also the information under Avocados, Citrus, and deciduous Fruit Trees)

Late this month is a good time to prune most trees (except for tender sub-tropicals like Ficus, Coral Tree, Avocado, Citrus, etc.). Few birds are nesting in trees at this season, the sap flow is reduced and the pruning will help strong Santa Ana winds pass through the canopy of the tree with little damage.

Certain deciduous trees are now showing their fall colors. If you are shopping for a tree like this it is a good time to purchase or at least make notes on the verities you like. Trees with good fall color in our climate include hybrid Liquidambars, Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo), Modesto Ash (Fraxinus), Chinese Pistache (Pistachia),

This is an especially good time to prune coniferous trees like pines and cypress, since their primary pests, bark beetles, are not active this time of the year.

(See also the information under Avocados, Citrus and Subtropical Fruits)

Some of these will still be blooming and looking good, although many will be preparing for winter. It is not unusual for many tropicals to have a big flower burst now. Look for blooms now on plumerias, hibiscus, bougainvillea and ginger.

The temperatures are beginning to drop and the days are getting shorter, so it is time to stop fertilizing completely. Let these plants harden off now, before winter. Reducing water also helps these plants get ready for the cool months ahead.

Plants are done for this year. They may want to keep growing, especially if the weather has been mild; but if you want to grow the same tubers again next year, don't let them.

If you were drying the plants off over the past month they will look pretty sad now. Gently lift the entire plant out of the soil, tuber and all. Lay it in a sunny spot to dry off for a couple of days. After the soil is thoroughly dry remove the stem (it should almost fall off) and pull off most of the roots as well.

Another perfect month for cool-season vegetable planting. Give up on warm-season plants that are hanging on and give this valuable space to the array of cool-season vegetables available now.

This is still a good time to plant garlic, onions, shallots and leeks from sets (little bulbs). For larger bulbs and cloves, get garlic and bulbing onions in the ground no later than the middle of the month.

Plant transplants or seeds of arugula, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, collards, endive, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mesclun mix, mustard, onions, parsley, peas and spinach. From seed plant beets, carrots, favas, parsnips, radishes, rutabaga and turnips.

Beets, carrots, chard, radish and possibly turnips can be planted just about year-round. All but chard are planted from seed only.

Putting in successive plantings of many vegetables a couple of weeks apart from each other will insure a constant, uninterrupted supply for the kitchen.

Cole crops like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. are often attacked by caterpillars at this time. If only a few plants, hand picking may be enough. Otherwise use BT, an safe, effective and organic solution.

Horseradish root, if harvested now, will have its best flavor.

Mound any potatoes that you planted last month.

Weeds are sprouting prolifically now. Keep them under control.

During warm spells or drying Santa Ana winds keep the garden well watered.

No need to do any pruning now. You'll make your final pruning next month.

The foliage of wisterias will be looking a bit dry and probably showing some tip burn. No need to worry, this normal.

It is best to not water or fertilize established plants at all now.