GARDEN CHORES DONE IN SPRING GIVE GOOD RESULTS.

Byline: JANE GATES Garden Gates

SANTA CLARITA - The flowers are already gearing up their show. And the gardener who didn't spend the winter preparing is up for a very busy month indeed.

It's time to dig in those soil amendments if you haven't already done so. Spread compost (ideally from your own compost heap) as a top-dressing or dig it in. If you have gophers to deal with, you should have already lined your flower and vegetable beds with hardware cloth or chicken wire. It's time for spring planting in earnest.

The garden shops will be filled with a dazzling display of annuals and perennials, vegetable six-packs, as well as potted trees, vines, bushes and roses.

You will want to get as much planted as soon as possible, for this allows plant roots time to get established before the coming summer heat blasts in and desiccates the soil. Last year we had a heat wave the first week of May.

Fill in any spaces around young perennials with flowering annuals such as pansies, snapdragons and lots more. You can feel confident planting most vegetable seeds and six-pack seedlings directly in the garden but avoid winter crops - brassias: cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, Chinese cabbage and members of the pea family, including the ornamental sweet pea.

If you have a new landscape to do or an old one to renovate, it's time to get to work before heat ruins the fun. And remember, you rarely get more than you pay for, but you can certainly get less.

Do some serious research before hiring help for your landscape projects. Make sure the lowest bid isn't giving you the lowest quality that will lead, eventually, to the highest expense. Be aware that the salesperson is focused on impressing you - and you should know you are not getting a ``free consultation'' but a free ``sales call.'' Ask questions. Listen carefully. If you want something personal, you need to sit down with someone who can spend hours to get to know you and your space. Landscapers and nursery people cannot afford to take a lot of time to do this.

Make sure the person you select has what you need. If you're not sure, calling in a consultant, designer or landscape architect - depending on the size of the job - can ensure the cost of your landscaping will be money well-spent. The next gardening column will give you an idea concerning whom you need to call for different kinds of jobs in your landscape.