The Mountain Gardener: Fall tasks for the gardener

It’s no secret we live in paradise here in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
No hurricanes or tornadoes wreak havoc in this beautiful place we call home. We’re spoiled, and we know it. Enjoy every minute when you go into the garden.
This month, there are a few garden tasks you might consider doing while you’re out smelling the roses.
No. 1: Slug and snail fall population-control drive
Slugs and snails turn into egg-laying machines in fall. That’s because they know they might not survive the long, cold winter and therefore need to lay lots of eggs now that will hatch in spring. They want to ensure that there will be plenty of offspring to carry on the important work of devouring our plants. Snails build up populations faster than slugs because they reproduce more often, but both are good at adding to the population.
In fall, the average snail can lay as many as 85 eggs, and each slug can lay 100 in one shot. To counteract the population explosion, apply one of the safer slug and snail baits containing iron sulfate. You’ll never get them all, but applying bait now should help reduce the number of slugs and snails that will hatch and make your life miserable come spring.
No. 2: Economic stimulus package for perennials
If flowers on your perennial plants, such as aster, campanula, calla lily, daisies, daylily, rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan) and yarrow, were smaller than normal this year, or if your plants are just too big and crowded, it’s time to divide them. Dig out each clump so the rootball comes up intact. It will take a little muscle, but think of all those calories you’re burning in the process.
Gently shake off or wash off excess soil and divide the plant with a sharp knife, pruning shears or a shovel. I like to use an old serrated bread knife for this. Each division should have leaves and plenty of roots.
Replant each immediately. You’ll increase the number of your plants and save a lot of money, too.
No. 3: Plant debris makes good
As summer flowers and vegetables give way to new plantings, add old, disease-free plants and debris to a compost pile or bin. Compost only the pest-free weeds, fallen leaves and fruit. Also mix in kitchen vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds and grass clippings. Chop up large pieces so they’ll break down faster. Keep the pile moist like a wrung-out sponge. Depending on the temperature, the size of the material in the pile, and whether you use a barrel composter or an open pile, compost can take anywhere from six weeks to six months to mature.
Diseased plant debris should be put in your compost can, where the high heat of a commercial compost operation will break it down. Cleaning up fallen, leaves, fruit and other debris will reduce the number of sites that harbor insects and diseases over the winter, too.
No. 4: Caterpillar wars
Don’t let the caterpillars get to your cabbage first. If you see small holes in the leaves, or if the new growth is chewed on your cabbage, cauliflower or broccoli plants, they are probably being attacked by caterpillars.
Search the leaves and pick off and destroy the critters, or spray with organic BT (bacillius thuringiensis or spinosad (Captain Jack’s Deadbug Brew)
No. 5: Enjoy Indian summer
Make the most of the warm weather. Winter will be here all too soon!
Jan Nelson, a landscape designer and California certified nursery professional at Plant Works in Ben Lomond, will answer questions about gardening in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Contact her at ja******@*ol.com or JanNelsonLandscapeDesign.com.