The great trick to gardening in Houston? Be prepared for extremes.

This week's deluge pounded home landscapes, many still recovering from the drought. Here's how to tend to a garden after heavy rains.

1. Don't step in garden beds while they are still soggy; exposed roots might snap underfoot.

2. Check to see if high water has washed soil and mulch from beds. Any exposed roots should be recovered with compost-enriched soil and mulch, Texas AgriLife Extension horticulturist Skip Richter said.

3. Gently lift, straighten and brace rain-beaten plants to prevent awkward growth. Take care with roots when righting a fallen plant.

4. Pull weeds. They'll come up easily in moist soil. Mulch will discourage more from germinating, Richter said.

5. Avoid digging and tilling in soggy soil, Richter said, because that destroys the soil's structure. Wait until the ground is moist, not soggy.

6. Water leaches nutrients from soil. To replenish, treat with fish emulsion or seaweed extract. Restore container nutrients with a slow-release fertilizer. Nitrogen is the primary nutrient that leaches, Richter said. Signs of nitrogen deficiency include lack of growth and poor color in older leaves.

7. Overturn wheelbarrows, pot saucers and any container holding rainwater to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

8. Eliminate snail and slug hiding places. These plant-eaters like cool, moist, dark spots such as overturned pots, or under bricks or boards.

9. Keep an eye out for fire ants that have come up for air. If necessary, apply a fire-ant bait in infested areas.

10. Watch for fungal and bacterial diseases encouraged by wet conditions. Treat disease-prone plants, such as favorite roses, with a preventative spray as soon as possible, Richter said. Remove diseased annuals.

11. Well-draining beds raised 6 or more inches help prevent prolonged wet soil that suffocates plant roots. Heavy rains provide the opportunity to look for slow-draining areas in the garden, Richter said. Consider planting a bog garden in a low, wet spot. Consider a swale (rocky creek) that will carry water away or have a professional install a system that will carry heavy rain toward the nearest city drain.