WORKSHOPS HELPING GARDENERS BUILD UP FLOWER POWER ECO-CONSCIOUS WORKSHOPS TEACH BASICS OF TENDING PLANTS.

Byline: Eugene Tong Staff Writer

NEWHALL - Earthworms, bacteria and vegetable matter can inject new life in that stale garden if you're willing to get your hands dirty - a lesson from a smart gardening workshop Sunday hosted by the Santa Clarita Valley Rose Society.

The lecture, sponsored by the county Department of Public Works, spread the seeds of backyard and worm composting, grass recycling, and water-wise and fire-wise gardening to more than 40 amateur gardeners developing their green thumbs.

The workshops, which run until March throughout Los Angeles County, are intended to turn local residents onto gardening methods that could divert waste away from landfills and reduce chemicals in storm water runoff.

``We show people how to recycle 20 percent to 40 percent of their garbage, building up the soil, reducing water use and reducing chemicals like fertilizer, herbicide and pesticide,'' said Curtis Thomsen, a workshop instructor for the county's Smart Gardening program. ``It's a complete system.''

It's a goal that caught the attention of Chris Trinkley, 54, of Newhall.

``I may try composting,'' she said. ``I've never done it before, so I want to learn about it. I think it's good for the environment and it'll be good on my yard.''

But for Richard Strother, 58, of Valencia, composting has been a way of life - and a necessity - for years. Most homes in the Santa Clarita Valley are cursed with a heavy clay soil that requires much enriching and tilling, he said.

``Ever dug a hole in your yard?'' he said. ``It's a huge chore. It takes an hour or 2 hours (to dig a 24-inch by 24-inch hole).''

Strother's homemade compost made from mulberry tree leaves has helped him keep his home full of roses for much of the year, a delight for his wife, who's housebound, he said.

``I keep cut roses in the house all the time,'' he said. ``Last year, (my wife) spent 6 months at the hospital, and I was able to give her fresh roses every day.''

For more information on the county's Smart Gardening Workshops, call 1-888-CLEANLA or visit www.smartgardening.com.

Eugene Tong, [phone]

eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com

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(1 -- 2 -- color) At left, Curtis Thomsen speaks to a group at the senior center in Newhall as part of a Smart Gardening Workshop on Sunday; above, worms can be a major tool in getting a garden going and keeping it vital. The workshops are intended to introduce residents to new gardening methods, especially those that can help divert waste away from landfills and reduce chemicals in storm water runoff.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer