Editor's note: In this new column, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden staff share expertise on gardening in the subtropics.

You may be thinking that summer will never end, but the first day of autumn is only two weeks away. It's time to do all of those garden chores that you've been meaning to do all summer.

If you want to plant trees and shrubs that have been in pots for a while, here's what to do:

Dig a hole almost twice as wide as the pot and no deeper than the pot depth. Before placing the plant in the ground, make sure its roots are not tightly bound together from being in the container too long. If necessary, cut the roots with a hand pruner or shovel to break them apart.

Place the plant in the ground, keeping the soil level in the pot at the same level as the top of the planting hole. This is important, because if you place the plant in too deep a hole, rot may occur; too shallow, and you risk stressing the plant.

Use the soil from the hole to refill after planting. The only exception to this rule is if you are using an organic matter such as mulch. If this is the case, then place your plant one or two inches below the top of the planting hole. Water the plant thoroughly and evenly so there are no air pockets in the hole.

Most plants should be watered every other day for a week, then less and less as you wean the plant from irrigation, allowing it to create an extensive root system.

Mulch should be spread out to the drip line -- an imaginary circle at the point where water drips from the leaves. The mulch will keep the moisture in the soil, inhibit weeds and ultimately decompose to provide organic nitrogen to the plant. Mulch should be about six to eight inches deep but should not touch the plant's stem as this may cause rot. Eucalyptus mulch is considered environmentally friendly and works well in a landscape setting. It is generally available at garden stores.

Planting this month will also be aided by our daily rain showers. By the time rains taper off, your newly planted trees and shrubs should be established.

September's heavy rains also make it inefficient both in terms of time and money to fertilize; however, if you are pushing young plants to faster growth, give them a light dose of fertilizer.

You also want to finish pruning and make sure your trees are correctly shaped to let wind pass through them in case of a storm.

If you have fruit trees, you should still be enjoying a good mango, avocado, mamey, papaya or sapodilla every day this month. Nothing tastes better than fruit from your own tree. Gardeners should take advantage of South Florida's climate and enjoy tasty fruit throughout the year. And, the tree canopy will make our communities greener and cooler.

We'll soon provide a fall planting guide on these pages to help you plan your vegetable and flower gardens.

And put this on your calendar: Fairchild's Edible Garden Festival and Scarecrow Contest Oct. 24-25 will feature lectures, vendors and demonstrations on how to create a fruit and vegetable garden in your yard or as a container garden.

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