By Karen Chang, U. C. Master Gardener

First, we must clean up debris from the summer harvest. Then we need to prepare the soil for planting spring-flowering shrubs and summer perennials. 

Soil management: Barring drought, which we haven't had in California for about 15 years, we can expect the winter rains to arrive. Then it will be too late to dig the soil, so now is the time to add amendments and prepare for planting.

Dig holes in anticipation of bare-root planting now. Bare-root fruit trees appear right after the Christmas trees disappear. Napa County Master Gardeners will present a three-part series on fruit trees starting in November. Watch for details on our web site.

Have compost delivered now while the ground is dry and hard and can be driven on.

Look for low spots in your garden where water can collect and devise a method for improving drainage. If the soil is waterlogged for a long time, roots are deprived of oxygen, and mold and pathogens will flourish.

Continue watering lawns and evergreens until steady rains start.

Planting: Get new plants in the ground now while the soil is warm so they can develop plenty of roots to support spring and summer growth. Divide overcrowded perennials. The end of summer doesn't mean the end of vegetable gardening; you can plant many fall vegetables now.

Plant artichoke and asparagus crowns, and onion, garlic and shallot sets.

Sow these vegetable seeds directly into the soil: carrots, chard, fava beans, kale, lettuce, mustard, peas, radish, spinach and root vegetables. Keep the surface of the soil moist until the seedlings are established.

Set out seedlings of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and celery.

Plant hardy perennials such as campanula, candytuft, columbine, delphinium, foxglove and verbascum.

Divide overgrown clumps of agapanthus, asters, callas, chrysanthemums, daylilies, rudbeckia, penstemon, phlox and Shasta daisies.

Plant trees, shrubs and vines from containers. Consider California native perennials and plants from other Mediterranean climates. They are suited to our climate, requiring less water and fertilizer to thrive.

Maintenance: Camilla plants usually produce too many buds, so thin them and give a last feeding.

Mulch rhododendrons and azaleas.

Remove diseased leaves from roses and dispose of them in the garbage, not the compost bin. Home compost will usually not reach a high-enough temperature to kill pathogens and weed seed.

Clean up spent annuals and vegetable leaves and trimmings. Add to the compost pile. Garden debris is a favorite home for snails, slugs and earwigs.

Harvest: Bring in the last of the summer crops: beans, carrots, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, lima beans, lettuce, melons, peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, root vegetables, shallots, summer squash, Swiss chard, tomatoes. Pick the last of the late apple varieties, figs and October peaches.