For a festive Christmas, plant red and white cyclamen, and/or poinsettias. The poinsettias are frost sensitive, so cover with burlap if the temperature dips below freezing at night. Continue to rake leaves, clean drains, and water only if Santa Ana winds blow or if more than 10 days pass without rain. Make sure that the soil is dry or you see stress in your turf before turning on irrigation. Do not prune tender cold sensitive plants. Before winter storms do too much damage, prune pines, oaks, and other deciduous trees of weak or cracked limbs, and open up the canopies so wind can pass through them. If the trees are big, hire a certified arborist to help; find one at www.isa-arbor.com. If plants get hit by frost, resist the urge to prune away injured tissue. The damaged parts will protect inner growth from additional harm should there be another frost. (Once spring growth appears, you can cut off damaged areas above it.)
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