By Karen Chang, U.C. Master Gardener

We usually have the coldest weather in January and February, but during each of the past four years we have had an early frost in December that put an end to the winter blooms of the Mexican sage out by my driveway. Protect tender bougainvillea, citrus, fuchsia and succulents by covering them if frost is expected. If we're not having steady rain yet, continue to run the irrigation system if the soil dries out. Also water the potted plants as necessary, especially those under the eaves. There is still time to plant some vegetable seeds or some cool weather annuals, or relax a bit and leave the pruning until January.

For more seasonal gardening topics, tune in to MGTV local public access cable Channel 28 (cable only); showtimes are Thursdays at 11 a.m. and Saturdays at 7 p.m.

Soil management

Don't work the soil if it's wet now. If you already prepared holes for dormant planting, cover them so rain water won't collect and make the soil too wet to work.

One of the advantages of raised beds is that they drain and are ready to be worked more quickly after a rain. But nutrients can leach away with the winter rains; add compost to replenish nutrients or if your beds are unplanted for the winter, grow fava beans or another cover crop to add nitrogen and recycle nutrients.

Planting

As soon as the Christmas trees are gone, the bare root cane berries, fruit trees, grapes, roses and other deciduous flowering trees usually show up in the nurseries. Plant them as soon as possible after purchase or else keep the roots covered with damp planter mix or sand in a shady spot so that they won't dry out.

Sow these vegetable seeds directly into the soil: fava beans, radish, shallot and spinach. Other seeds can wait until after the cold months of January and February and the soil begins to warm.

Set out seedlings of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce and crowns of artichokes and asparagus.

Alyssum, calendula, pansy, primrose, stock and viola are good color accents that can still be planted in planter boxes or pots in a sunny spot now.

Maintenance

There are probably weeds already sprouted with the first winter rains; pull them while they're easily removed and before they put down longer roots.

Harvest any remaining olives. Gardeners, who did not treat the olive blossoms to prevent fruit development, must remove fruit from the trees. Untreated residential olive trees will provide a virtually endless supply of the devastating olive flies. The flies are very mobile and move easily from landscape trees to infest commercial groves.

Start pruning deciduous fruit, nut and shade trees. Don't prune evergreen trees and shrubs, roses or vines now, or else new growth will be stimulated and could be damaged by frost.

It's the time for the first dormant spray for fruit trees and roses. Dormant oil sprays kill over wintering insect eggs, mites, soft-bodied insects and some scales. Peaches and nectarines also need a spray of fixed copper or Bordeaux mixture to prevent peach leaf curl. For complete coverage, spray the branches, branch crotches, trunk and ground beneath the drip line.

Continue to weed, rake leaves and pick up litter to discourage garden pests from wintering over. Dispose of diseased leaves and trimmings in the garbage.

Harvest

Bring in the late summer and fall crops: broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, lettuce, peas, radish, spinach and root crops.