STILL A GOOD TIME FOR BARE-ROOT TREE PLANTING.

Byline: JANE GATES Gardening

SANTA CLARITA - Hopefully the worst cold snap for the winter is over and we can get outside again.

As I recommended last time, it's probably best to leave any frost-burned foliage in place for now as protection against another cold spell.

I hope your gardens were protected with mulch and covers. Don't give up on lifeless looking frost victims yet. Sometimes they can re-sprout in the spring.

It's time to go to the nurseries and home supply stores to snap up the last of the bare-root trees, bushes and vines. This is the most economical way to buy them.

After a short soak in water while you dig their new homes, these plants take well to winter planting as they sleep through the whole experience and awaken in spring in their new locations.

Lilac, wisteria, fruit, nut and ornamental trees, grapes, berries of all sorts, rhubarb, asparagus and strawberries are just some items that should be in good supply. Read the directions on labeling when planting.

Some experts advise amending your soil, others say no since this is the soil where the plants will live and they need to adjust.

My opinion is that organic amendments are essential here. The soil in Santa Clarita comes in layers of sand, clay and stone. For the most part, drainage is better than most of the basin and valley areas in Southern California. But there is scant organic material available. Witness the undeveloped areas and the lack of lush vegetation.

Don't limit the organic material (compost is my first choice) to the immediate root area. Make as large a hole as you can (at least two to three times the size of the root ball) and mix the compost with the indigenous soil so the roots have room to spread. Otherwise you are likely to form something akin to a small prison for the roots in which the surrounding hard soil functions like a clay pot, stunting growth to the small area of conditioned soil. I realize this means a lot of digging in soil that is anything but easy, but careful preparation will pay off well into the future.

When planting bare-root plants, a little judicious pruning is also recommended. When the plant awakens from its winter sleep, it will grow out new shoots. By selecting the number and direction of these new shoots, you can help shape the newly growing plant. Pruning also reduces the area above ground that the newly planted roots have to service. This way the roots can grow to accommodate the top growth as it expands.

In addition to bare-root plants, there are a number of plants in the home supply stores and nurseries that like to be planted at this time of year. California natives are also a good risk for planting now. And there are plenty of pansies and other colorful annuals that can keep the winter months from looking bleak.

Spend rainy, windy or cold days checking out plant and seed catalogs on the Internet or by mail. When you plan your orders, consider that some of the seeds will be better planted next autumn rather than in the spring. Our weather patterns allow us two planting seasons, unlike most of the rest of the country.