IT TAKES A GARDENER TO TEACH A GARDENER.

Byline: Joshua Siskin

Gardening is primarily an act of love.

For a true garden lover, what does it mean to spend hours weeding, and still more hours tending a compost pile in a state of decomposition? It means nothing because that is what love of the garden requires - utilizing every garden resource (including weeds) in the creation of a rich soil and mulch that will stimulate plant growth and prevent new weeds from emerging. True love encompasses the negative, weedy traits of the beloved no less than the positive.

And gardening, like love, is a learning process. To help Valley gardeners continue to nurture and improve their gardens, I will occasionally devote my column to reader inquiries.

Q: We just moved into a house in Sherman Oaks and were wondering if you could point us in the right direction. We have no gardening experience, and the house has rose bushes, plants, flowers. ... We don't want them to die, so we need to act quickly! As an aside, our sprinkler system is a whole other issue ... how long, how often ... we're real novices. Can you think of a way to get someone over to consult with us? Do we just call a local nursery? We need some sort of consultation on how to maintain it - very basic stuff - so we can do the upkeep.

- Steve Svenson, Sherman Oaks

A: Relax, Steve. If you are intent on doing the upkeep yourself, you will probably be an excellent gardener. I suggest you immediately seek out the proprietor of the most beautiful garden in your neighborhood. I have never known a passionate gardener who was not blessed with a generous spirit. Just knock on the door of a passionate gardener, and you will immediately be invited to tour that gardener's garden. You will learn about the idiosyncrasies of every plant you see - its bloom period, sun or shade requirements, water and fertilizer needs. Some of the plants you see and enjoy will undoubtedly find their way into your own garden.

Then, seek out a local nursery. Near Sherman Oaks you have Steven's Nursery at 12000 Riverside Drive (just east of Laurel Canyon Boulevard) and Sego Nursery at 12126 Burbank Blvd. (just west of Whitsett Avenue). These family nurseries have been around for years. They have people on staff who have lived in the area for decades and fully understand the local needs of roses, common garden perennials and annuals, as well as fruit trees and vegetable crops.

If time constraints compel you to hire a gardener for weekly services, first know this: No hired gardener, no matter how well paid, will ever lavish the love and care on your plants that you would. Again, the condition of any garden or front yard is the best advertisement for its caretaker. If you're looking to hire help, catch the gardener of a yard that strikes your fancy and hire him.

Lastly, if you have spray head sprinklers, you will never want to leave them on for more than five minutes at a time. After five minutes, the water runs off onto the sidewalk or into the street.

Q: How common is it for bird of paradise to have two flowers on one stalk, one pointing away from the other? Can I grow pepper plants in the same space each year?

- Gary Taylor, Sylmar

A: It is not at all unusual for bird of paradise to have two flowers on one stalk. In fact, most bird of paradise sheaths or ``beaks'' contain more than one flower. Most of the time, only one flower emerges but if you pry open the sheath with your fingers, you will usually find another flower ready and willing to pop up with your assistance.

In response to the second question about pepper plants: Ideally, you would rotate your crops on account of disease organisms and insect pests that zero in on crops that are grown year after year in the same spot. If you insist on growing the same crop each year, plant pink clover following harvest. Clover deters soil-dwelling pests and, being a legume, has nitrogen-rich root nodules of its own that will contribute mightily to building soil fertility.