THERE IS A SEASON ... AUTUMN IS THE TIME TO PREPARE YOUR GARDEN FOR COOL-WEATHER PLANTING.

Byline: Elizabeth Smilor Correspondent

The turn of the calendar to September brings the promise of cooler days of fall. Unfortunately, it can still be blazing hot.

``September is in between seasons,'' says Chris Greenwood, public relations director and chief rosarian for Armstrong Garden Centers. ``You never know what the weather is going to do.''

It also is a good month for planning and preparation. Decide how you want to change your space, do some shopping and get your soil ready, say the experts. When it starts getting consistently cooler, then it's time to plant.

``Fall is the best time to plant everything,'' says Chris Van Deusen, salesperson and landscape designer at Sheridan Gardens Nursery in Burbank. ``The reason is the roots get established and, come spring, everything really takes off.''

Getting ready

``September is still pretty hot,'' says Keith Peabody, salesman at Sperling Nursery in Calabasas. ``It's a good time to get the soil ready for planting.'' He suggests adding organic fertilizer to the soil because it will get microorganisms going that will help your plants take root in the fall.

``A garden will always be more successful if you enrich the soil,'' says Yvonne Savio, Common Ground Program manager for the University of California Cooperative Extension in Los Angeles County. She suggests working a small area at a time and digging down at least a foot to mix in organic materials.

Before you amend your soil, do some garden cleanup. Weed and prune flower beds, says Greenwood. As a rosarian, he suggests pruning roses by about 60 percent to 70 percent now and giving them a good feeding.

``You'll get some good blooms in October,'' he says. Wait until January to fully prune back roses. Finally, put down a thick layer of fresh mulch throughout your garden, says Greenwood.

Any clumping plants, such as daylilies, irises, Shasta daisies and agapanthus, can be divided this month or next.

``Just dig it out and break it up into sections and replant them where you want,'' says Van Deusen.

Now is a good time to plant sweet pea seeds, says Greenwood. He suggests soaking the seeds in water overnight before planting. ``If they're not planted and the weather cools, the soil is too moist, and the seeds won't germinate,'' he says.

Savio says now is also a good time to start some winter vegetables from seed. Crops such as broccoli, cabbage and beets should be started when it's still hot, she says.

``It's like a promise to yourself that it is going to get cool and you will enjoy eating these things,'' Savio says. ``The point of fall gardening is to get a good start on those plants you'll enjoy through the winter.'' Lettuce and leafy greens, however, need cool weather to germinate, she says.

Summer vegetables and herbs, such as tomatoes, basil, peppers and corn, can be dug up as they stop producing.

``Generally, in the fall they start to look ugly, and you want to rip them up,'' says Greenwood. ``Work the soil again with a good organic fertilizer. You know, get out the old mule and plow the garden!''

Lawns can use a little help about now. Fescue or cool-season lawns, which stay green all year, should be fertilized before an active growing phase begins in October, says Peabody. As the weather cools, set your mower to cut it shorter. And taper back watering.

St. Augustine or Bermuda lawns are warm-season lawns that will grow slower in the fall before going dormant. Fertilize anytime and then overseed them with rye grass later in the fall to keep them green, says Greenwood.

If you have any heavy canopy trees, get them thinned out, says Greenwood.

``We tend to get some heavy winds in the fall, and this can cause problems,'' he stresses. Finally, go shopping. September is the best time to shop for bulbs. Nurseries will have a large variety of blooms such as amaryllis, crocus, freesias, iris and tulips. Store bulbs in a cool, well-ventilated area until you're ready to plant them, advises Savio. Chill crocus, daffodil, hyacinth, narcissus and tulip bulbs in a paper bag on the lowest shelf in the refrigerator for at least six weeks, she says.

``When buying bulbs, don't go cheap,'' says Savio. ``The inexpensive ones are tiny and might take two to three years to start.''

She advises buying from a nursery as soon as they have them in stock so they haven't been out at room temperature for too long, or get them through a reputable mail-order company. For a good selection of bulbs that will naturalize in our hot climate, Savio suggests buying through a Carlsbad grower's Web site at www.easytogrowbulbs.com.

Starting fresh

``Fall is a great time to do basic planting,'' says Greenwood. ``The soil stays warm, the air cool, so plants get better-established. It's a very good time to do landscaping.''

Everything from bulbs and blooms to shrubs and trees can be planted in the fall. Get ready for spring by planting bulbs. Savio suggests planting some early, midseason and late-blooming bulbs every other week from October through mid-December, and again beginning in late January to get a long-lasting spring display of flowers.

Enrich the soil where the bulbs are to be planted with compost, bone meal and granite dust or wood ashes (but not from charcoal used in the barbecue, which contains harmful chemicals), Savio advises on the UC Cooperative Extension Web site (celosangeles.ucdavis.edu). Also, use nitrogen because bulbs need a continuous supply all winter for strong growth.

If you've been wanting to add a tree or two to your yard, fall is the time. The roots will get well-established before they go dormant, ready for the spring surge of both foliage and root growth, says Savio.

Some trees offer beautiful fall colors. These include beech, birch, coral tree, gingko, liquidambar, magnolia, maidenhair, Japanese and other maples, crape myrtles and persimmon. Avoid planting trees that are prone to wind damage. These include acacia, ash, cypress, elm, eucalyptus, California pepper and pine.

``It's great to see the color on the plant and be able to choose them,'' Savio says.

Savio shared one tip for planting trees: ``Don't just dig a hole and plunk the root ball in from the can. Rough up the root ball to stimulate the tree to send out new roots. Combine soil from the container with the native soil to create a transition area. Don't freak out that you'll kill the plant by roughing up the root ball.''

For more color, look to the flower aisle in late September and October. Plant pansies, violas, alyssum, primroses, stock and snapdragons for instant color. Armstrong Garden Centers, with locations in Glendale, Sherman Oaks, Thousand Oaks and Valencia, will have new varieties of nemesia called mango and raspberry and a new euphorbia called ``Diamond Frost,'' says Greenwood.

``In this mild climate, you can have color all year long,'' he says.

And in the fall, you can enjoy gardening.

``The soil is warm, the air temperature is nice and moderate,'' says Savio. ``It's fun and pleasant to be out in the garden again.''

FROM ANEMONES TO ZANTEDESCHIA - ALL ABOUT FALL BULBS!

What: Bulb workshop.

Where: Armstrong Garden Centers.

When: 9 a.m. Sept. 17.

Tickets: Free. Visit www.armstronggarden.com for store locations.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) DIG IN

What to plant RIGHT NOW in your garden

(2 -- color) Designer Arlene Lewis works on a fall wreath at Sheridan Gardens Nursery in Burbank.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer

(3 -- color) Get to the nursery early to purchase the best bulbs for tulips and other seasonal flowers, including this Queen of Night tulip variety.

Photo courtesy of Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center