Mulching is a groundcover that doesn't grow such as wood chips, bark, compost, etc. Place and maintain a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch around trees and shrubs to discourage weeds and save water. Mulching is easy and can be done any season of the year.             Pruning, or trimming plants, controls growth and gives them a pleasing look. For trees and shrubs that keep their leaves year round, prune in spring or winter. Evergreens with "needle-like" leaves may be lightly pruned any time. The best time to prune trees and shrubs that lose their leaves, including fruit trees and roses, is just before their leaves return in spring. Prune citrus (lemon, orange, etc.) in spring, and prune spring flowering shrubs only after last blooms have wilted.             Fertilizer is basically plant food for lawns to keep them green and healthy. Feed lawn and shrubs in March or April during the spring, and also in June and September.             Aerating, or making small holes in lawns helps water and fertilizer soak in and keep grass healthy and strong. The best time to aerate your lawn is in the spring, at start of the growing season. If you forget or can't do it now, aerating can also be done in the fall.             Crickets   These chirping pests do little damage, but keep you up all night if they get in your house. Set a strip of duct tape, sticky side up, on the floor where you hear chirping. Place pieces of dog food about 8 inches apart. Crickets love dog food and will get stuck on the tape. Slugs   Sometimes called snails with out shells, these slimy looking creatures make regular meals of most plants. They like malt liquids, so place a small dish of beer out at night. Slugs will crawl into the beer and drown Snails   These shelled pests munch on most plants. Remove by hand picking, placing in plastic bags and dumping in trash. Most snails are found early morning or late.