`THE BEST PLANTING SEASON'; STARTING ABOUT NOW, GARDENERS CAN LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR A PRODUCTIVE YEAR.

Byline: Carol Bidwell Staff Writer

The last of the tomatoes and zucchinis have been harvested, leaving nothing but sun-wizened vines. The petunias have gone leggy and stopped blooming, the lawn is burned and thirsty, and the roses have seen better days.

These are the sure signs of fall in the garden.

But in Southern California, that doesn't necessarily mean it's time to put your garden to bed, say local garden experts.

``The end of October through late January or early February is the best planting season in Southern California,'' said Robin Pokorski of San Fernando, president of the Southern California Garden Club.

``We don't stop gardening here in the fall and winter,'' agreed Theodora Howell of West Hills, horticulture chairman for the West Valley Garden Club. ``It's back East, the places where it snows, that people should be getting their gardens ready for winter.''

But fall gardening is different than planting in the spring, when everything seems to be racing to grow faster and bigger.

Most of the things you plant in the fall work on putting down strong roots before spring brings blossoms, so don't be disappointed if you don't see dramatic growth. Winter vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, on the other hand, do their best growing in autumn's cooler temperatures.

One bonus: Cooler temperatures - and, hopefully, rainy weather - mean less time and money spent on watering to achieve the same green garden.

Of course, there's always the Santa Ana winds - those hot winds that unpredictably blow off the desert - to contend with in the fall. But stake your plants, including young trees, to avoid the stems snapping off - and water daily when winds descend - and your garden should weather those nasty fall breezes just fine.

The dry fall winds are only one way gardening in Southern California differs from gardening in other areas, said Patricia Jones, senior gardener at the Sepulveda Garden Center in Encino, where more than 200 people farm 423 plots in the community garden.

Here are some more tips on fall gardening that may help you take advantage of our extended growing season:

Lawns: To rejuvenate a tired lawn, cut the grass short, spread winter rye grass seed, top with weed-free manure and water well, advises Pokorski. For the first week, water often enough that the manure and seed stay moist.

``Then reduce watering and cross your fingers for some winter rains,'' she said. ``Your velvety green lawn will look glorious all winter into the spring, until the warmth returns.'' If it doesn't rain, you'll have to keep watering to see green sprout.

When the new grass is 3 inches tall, it's ready for its first mowing, said Yvonne Savio, manager of the University of California Extension's master gardener program. Make sure you let the lawn become firm and fairly dry before mowing, so you don't compress the new lawn with your footsteps and the mower.

Flowers: Now's the time to plant wildflower seeds. First remove all weeds from the area you intend to plant, then rake to loosen and even the soil. Sprinkle your seeds on top and tamp them down with a rake or hoe. Keep them moist, but don't drown them, Pokorski advises. They'll be ready to bloom in the spring.

Flowering plants that can withstand the final warm days of fall - like calendula, Iceland poppy, pansy, snapdragons and stock (check with your local nursery for others suitable for your microclimate) - also can be planted now to replace summer annuals.

Fall bulbs, available at local nurseries, are still available. Chill tulips, hyacinths and crocus in paper bags in the refrigerator for another month or so before planting; other bulbs don't need chilling before planting in an area with good drainage for spring color, said Brian Sullivan, display gardener at Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge.

As mums finish blooming, cut the stalks even with the ground; new shoots will appear in spring. Cut dead growth from bird of paradise and feed with cottonseed. Give camellias a final debudding in November.

Roses: Dead-head roses but don't cut them back too much yet. Don't feed rose bushes now either; let them grow dormant. Wait until January to prune roses back substantially - many growers recommend cutting them to 18 inches tall - and remove dead canes so the bushes will give off spring blooms.

To promote growth and flowering in the spring, cut green canes a quarter-inch above a node pointed toward the outside of the bush, advises rose fancier Tressie Manor of West Hills. Although bare-root rose bushes will be available in January, you can plant rose bushes already in pots at any time of the year.

Vegetables: After you've cleared away the remnants of the summer's tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, cucumbers and other warm-season veggies, till the soil well, add some manure or other fertilizer and plant cool-season crops. The best for fall growth are broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, lettuce, beets, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, onions, radishes, turnips, parsley and all kinds of greens, including spinach, chard, kale and collards, said Jones.

``Right now is the perfect time to be planting your winter vegetable garden,'' she said. ``We're fortunate, because there are years - I can't predict whether this will be one of them or not - when we can grow practically year-round.''

If the winter is a mild one, vegetable growers should be able to harvest right through spring. But cold snaps often occur in December and January, so it's a good idea to gather plastic tarps, old bedsheets or other light covers in case plants need protection from frost.

Trees: Remove any dead branches, check for and shore up any weak or cracked branches and stake small trees against winter wind and rain storms, advises Mario Ramirez, manager of Delta Horticulture Services in Oxnard. Trim your trees now, when they're entering a period of dormancy, and give them a good dose of high-nitrogen fertilizer to help them weather the coming winter.

If there are hard-packed areas that collect water around the base of trees, use a shovel or trowel to break the soil up so water can penetrate to the roots.

Keep an eye on the color of your favorite trees' leaves: Fall color is great, but a too-early color change - or just one branch changing color earlier than surrounding foliage - can be a sign of disease or insect attack. A professional arborist can evaluate tree health and recommend treatment to avoid further damage.

Don't plant fruit trees now; they need spring warmth to flourish. But to keep the fruit trees you already have in good health, do pick up and discard any fallen fruit now; neglecting this chore can attract disease.

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos

PHOTO (1 -- color -- cover) When autumn leaves start to fall - Now is the time to prepare your garden for cool-weather planting

(2) Gardeners at the Sepulveda Garden Center in Encino are among those preparing their plots of vegetables and flowers for the onset of fall weather.

(3) no caption (gardening)

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer