The tropics have heated up and so should your pruning. Check the trees and shrubs in your yard one final time. Evenings are starting to cool, so it is more comfortable working in the garden. Continue to mulch but keep it 1-2 inches from the stems of all plants. Mealybugs and scale have been abundant the past few years.
Check lawns for chinch bug, armyworm and sod webworm.
A garden with many kinds of plants has fewer pests than gardens with lots of mass plantings. Avoid insect magnets like oleander, which require constant spraying. Days are getting shorter and less sunlight signals the plants to slow down their growth. Cuttings will not root as quickly. Try salvia, verbena, ageratum, celosia, nasturtium and wax begonia along with vegetable varieties of lettuce, lima beans, tomato, onion, cabbage and broccoli.