* Lemon (large-sized)

* Lily-of-the-valley tree (Crinodendron patagua)

* Modesto ash (Fraxinus velutina ‘Modesto’)

* Mulberry (Morus alba, fruitless varieties)

* Olive (Olea europaea)

* Pecan (Carya illinoensis)

* Sawleaf zelkova (Zelkova serrata)

* Southern California black walnut (Juglans californica)

* Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)

Not all trees are appropriate, said Tom Larson, owner of Integrated Urban Forestry, a consulting company that specializes in trees and vegetation.

“If an inappropriate tree is used or the treehouse isn’t installed properly, the tree could weaken, decline and even die,” he said.

While building a treehouse is a lot of work, choosing the right tree is probably your most critical decision, agreed Fullerton consulting arborist Alden Kelley.

“Trees good for treehouses tend to have strong, tough, hard, durable wood,” Kelley said. “They also have an open canopy structure that has room for the treehouse and doesn’t make the removal of many branches necessary.”

Other trees commonly found in Orange County yards can be used for treehouses if provided with additional support, Powers said. He has constructed treehouses that are held up by large, vertical beams camouflaged by vines.

“Trees that need additional support include ones that are big enough to accommodate the treehouse but not structurally sound or mature enough,” Powers said. “Other trees that need support are ones that have limbs that aren’t in the right position to accommodate the treehouse. In such cases, you might have three corners of the treehouse supported and just have to provide support for one corner.”

Trees that Powers says can make a good treehouse subject but often require support include the California pepper tree, eucalyptus, Italian stone pine and Aleppo pine, Ficus nitida and Ficus rubiginosa.

The tree’s structure will dictate the treehouse’s size, shape and height, said Orange consulting arborist James Barry.

“Many people aren’t aware that once a branch is at a given height on an established tree, it’s going to be at that same height forever,” Barry said. “That means that the treehouse will stay at the same level.”

When deciding on the height of the treehouse, consider access, Powers said. “Do you want the treehouse to be easily accessible to small children . . . or do you want it more secret? We built one treehouse for a client with teenage sons. The entrance could only be reached by a single rope.”

* Strong, tough, hard, durable wood, which doesn’t secrete resin or gum when punctured;

* a low-branching structure or low-trunk divisions;

* and moderate maturity (15 years or older, but not extremely old or declining). Age will vary according to tree type.

(If you don’t have a mature tree and would like to grow one, there are a few eucalyptus that could grow big enough in about seven years, said Barry, who suggests Eucalyptus nicholii, E. polyanthemos or E. rudis. .

* Well-rooted in moderately deep soil (preferably 24- to 28-inch soil depth).

* Few or no surface roots.

* Branch structure open enough to allow construction of treehouse without need to remove more than three or four moderate- to small-sized branches that are 1 to 4 inches in diameter. No branches larger than 4 to 5 inches in diameter at branch base should be removed.

* No thorns or sharp-pointed leaves that could injure.

* Evergreen. Although some deciduous trees are strong enough to hold a treehouse, most experts suggest using an evergreen because of the sense of year-round privacy.

* Not overlooking your neighbors. While you might want to see the treehouse from your kitchen window so you can keep an eye on the kids, your neighbors probably don’t want the treehouse overlooking their bedroom window. Keep their privacy in mind.

* In an open space away from power lines, fences, walkways, patios or other structures that could worsen a fall.

*

Manufactured cushions that make a fall less traumatic include Safety Deck II, available at Mat Factory in Costa Mesa ([714] 645-3122) and Fibar System, available by calling Mamaroneck at (800) 342-2721.

* If you receive a camellia as a gift, don’t keep the plant indoors for more than 10 days, because it will suffer from the dry, warm air.

* Camellias require well-drained soil high in organic matter. When planting in the ground, amend the soil by at least 20% with an azalea/camellia planting mix or other acid planting mix.

* Camellias make excellent container plants. Plant gallon-size camellias in 12- to 14-inch pots and 5-gallon ones in 16- to 18-inch containers. Use a potting soil high in organic matter or an acidic planting mix.

* Plant camellias so the trunk base is above the soil line, and always keep this base clear of debris and soil.

* Maintain the roots at an even temperature year-round by mulching with a 2-inch-thick mulch of homemade or bagged compost.

* Fertilize monthly when not in bloom with an acidic plant food. Fertilizing when in bloom is not necessary, because camellias bloom on stored-up energy. Over-fertilizing can lead to burned leaf edges, excessive leaf drop and spotting on leaves.

* Camellias are shallow-rooted and need to be well-watered but should never be soggy. Water camellias when the soil has just reached the dry side. Thoroughly soak the soil.

* Watch for aphids on new growth when the weather warms in the spring. Treat with a strong blast of water or insecticidal soap.

* Avoid camellia petal blight, a disease that causes flowers to rapidly turn brown, by keeping the ground clear of dropped leaves and flower heads. If the plant has petal blight, remove all affected flowers and any mulch and dispose of it all in a covered trash bin.

* Prune camellias right after they finish flowering to whatever shape you desire. Make sure to remove dead or diseased wood and to thin where branches are closely spaced. Encourage upright growth by pruning lower branches.

DECEMBER PLANTING LIST

Although you may be preoccupied with the holidays, you don’t need to neglect your garden. A number of plants can be put in the ground this month.

Because of the short amount of daylight this time of year, seeds will take longer to germinate than it says on the seed packet. If you don’t want to wait, it’s best to plant transplants whenever possible.

FLOWERS

African daisy

Alyssum

Armeria (sea pink)

Calendula

Candytuft

Carnation

Cyclamen

Delphinium

English daisy

Foxglove

Gaillardia

Hollyhock

Iceland poppy

Larkspur

Nasturtium

Pansy

Penstemon

Poinsettia

Primula

Santa Barbara daisy

Snapdragon

Society garlic

Stock

Sweet Pea

Viola

Wildflowers

VEGETABLES

Artichoke

Arugula

Asparagus

Beet

Broccoli

Brussels sprout

Cabbage

Carrot

Cauliflower

Celery

Collards

Endive

Garlic

Kale

Kohlrabi

Leek

Lettuce

Mustard green

Onion

Parsley

Parsnip

Peas

Radish

Rhubarb

Rutabaga

Potato

Salsify

Spinach

Strawberry

Swiss chard

Turnip

TREES & SHRUBS

Australian fuchsia

Australian tea tree

Azalea

Blue hibiscus

Camellias ( C. Sasanqua )

Cape mallow

Flowering maple

Westringia

BULBS

Amaryllis

Anemone

Calla lily

Canna

Crocus (chilled 8 weeks)

Daffodil

Dutch iris

Freesia

Gladiolus

Grape hyacinth

Hyacinth (chilled 8 weeks) lily

Narcissus

Ranunculus

Tigridia

Tulip (chilled 8 weeks)

Watsonia

Yoder offers the following planting tips.

* Plant in semi-shade. Japanese anemones prefer a location somewhat protected from harsh sun. Yoder grows his under deciduous trees that shade them during the hot summer months and give them more light during cooler months.

They look best under high branching trees or in front of tall plants such as shrubbery.

* Consider eventual size. Japanese anemones grow into a leafy clump that is about 2 feet across and around.

* Prepare the soil. Amend with homemade or bagged compost. Japanese anemones like a fairly rich soil that is well-draining. If a spot is slow-draining, improve drainage before planting or choose another site.

* Try containers. Japanese anemones will grow in containers as long as the pot is large enough. Replant a 1-gallon anemone into a 12- to 14-inch pot. When the plant becomes root-bound, repot to a larger container or divide the roots in spring, discard excess and replant.

* Fertilize twice a year. Japanese anemones aren’t heavy feeders. Feed them in the fall and spring with a slow-release chemical fertilizer or organic fertilizer.

* Water regularly but don’t over water. Japanese anemones aren’t drought tolerant, but they aren’t overly thirsty either. Keep the soil slightly moist but never soggy.

* Be patient. Japanese anemones are slow to establish but will fill out and spread quickly once they get going, as long as their roots aren’t disturbed. They are long-lived perennials that will grace your yard with flowers every fall for many years.

* Stimulate new growth by removing dead leaves and cutting spent flower spikes off at the plant base.

* Propagate in spring. Japanese anemones are easily propagated from root divisions. Simply dig up the plant and separate the roots into 1- or 2-inch clumps, which can then be replanted. By fall, they should be blooming again.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

OCTOBER PLANTING GUIDE

October is one of the best gardening months in Orange County. Our weather is not yet chilly, but by now the sweltering days of summer have usually passed.

It’s also time for a changing of the guard from warm-season to cool-season crops. The following is a sampling of what can be planted this month.

FLOWERS: from seed or starter plants

Agapanthus

Alyssum

Bachelor’s button

Calendula

California poppy

Campanula

Canterbury bell

Carnation

Chrysanthemum

Dahlia

Delphinium

Dianthus

English primrose

Felicia

Foxglove

Iceland poppy

Impatien

Japanese anemone

Lantana

Larkspur

Lavender

Michaelmas daisy

Nemesia

Pansy

Rudbeckia

Scabiosa

Scented geranium

Schizanthus

Shasta daisy

Snapdragon

Stock

Sweet pea

Sweet William

Viola

Wildflowers

Yarrow

*

VEGETABLES

Artichoke

Asparagus

Beet

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Carrot

Cauliflower

Celery

Collards

Endive

Garlic

Horseradish

Kohlrabi

Kale

Leek

Lettuce

Mustard greens

Onion

Parsnip

Scabiosa

Scented geranium

Schizanthus

Shasta daisy

Snapdragon

Stock

Sweet pea

Sweet William

Viola

Wildflowers

Yarrow

*

VEGETABLES

Artichoke

Asparagus

Beet

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Carrot

Cauliflower

Celery

Collards

Endive

Garlic

Horseradish

Kohlrabi

Kale

Leek

Lettuce

Mustard greens

Onion

Parsnip

Pea

Radish

Rhubarb

Rutabaga

Salsify

Shallot

Spinach

Swiss chard

Turnip

*

HERBS

Chamomile

Chive

Cilantro

Comfrey

Dill

Feverfew

Lavender

Oregano

Parsley

Rosemary

Thyme

* Researched by JULIE BAWDEN DAVIS / for The Times

Containers of forced bulbs also make an inexpensive yet impressive holiday gift, Bailen said. And forcing is a fun activity for children, who can check on the bulbs’ progress each day.

Several types of bulbs can be forced indoors, though paper-white narcissus, hyacinth and amaryllis are by far the easiest, Bailen said.

If you’re looking for holiday bloomers, paper-whites and South African varieties of amaryllis are the most reliable, said Dan Davids of Davids & Royston Bulb Co. Inc. in Gardena, a wholesale bulb company that distributes to nurseries in Southern California.

Other bulbs that may respond to forcing include some varieties of crocus and tulips, Chinese sacred lily (Narcissus tazetta), Soleil d’Or (Narcissus tazetta), Iris danfordiae and Iris reticulata.

Bulbs are self-contained plants that store energy inside of themselves to produce flowers. When you force a bulb, you cause it to use up its food reserve.

Generally, a bulb that has been forced has used up its food supply, Davids said. “It probably won’t come back again, so the general recommendation is to discard most forced bulbs,” he said.

There are two methods for forcing bulbs, both fairly simple. Water forcing can be used to grow hyacinth, narcissus or crocus. Place the bulb in a conical container, above the water line. Roots grow toward and into the water, and the bulb sends up shoots and flowers. Bulbs in direct contact with water will rot.

Another method of forcing is to plant the bulbs in a pot of pebbles, sand, vermiculite or perlite. These mediums don’t provide nutrients but hold the plant upright.

All types of bulbs can also be forced in potting soil. Bulbs such as amaryllis require soil-forcing rather than water-forcing to successfully bloom out of season.

Keep the following simple guidelines in mind.

* Choose bulbs that are large and firm, Bailen said. Reject any that are soft, as they will probably rot during forcing.

If you’re unsure about what bulb varieties are good for forcing, ask a nursery worker for assistance. Just about any bulb can be forced, but many aren’t very successful at it. Flowers may be poor, or the stems may be too floppy for a heavy flower head and will simply lie over the sides of the pot.

* Some bulbs must be pre-chilled before forcing. Pre-chill hyacinth, crocus and tulips, Davids said. Place them in a paper bag, or a plastic bag that has holes, and put them in the vegetable crisper drawer of the refrigerator (away from fruit such as apples, which will release ethylene gas that can cause the bulbs to rot).

“Don’t skimp on chilling,” said Davids, who suggests chilling bulbs at least four to six weeks. “If you don’t chill certain bulbs enough, they won’t grow very tall.”

* Select an appropriate container. If you will be forcing a bulb over water, purchase a hyacinth vase or similar container that has an hourglass shape. This allows you to fill the bottom with water and set the bulb on top, above the water but not touching it.

When forcing in sand, vermiculite, perlite or potting soil, choose a container that is wide and shallow and doesn’t have drainage holes.

Terra-cotta bulb planters are good choices because terra-cotta breathes and will allow excess water to evaporate.

* To plant water-forced bulbs, place them tip-end up, one-eighth of an inch to one-quarter of an inch from the surface of the water but not touching it. If water-forcing in pebbles, embed the bulbs tip-end up so that half to three-fourths of the bulb is covered, Davids said. For bulbs planted in soil, sand, vermiculite or perlite, set them tip-end up with half to three-fourths of the bulb covered. Water the medium until it is thoroughly dampened but not soggy.

Davids, however, counters this conventional approach. He believes that placing the bulbs in a cool, dark area is unnecessary.

The foliage comes in a variety of striking colors, such as pale cream, amber, bright gold-yellow, pink, salmon, apricot, brilliant red, orange, bronze, scarlet, maroon and purple-black. Some come in solids, while others have striping and edging in corresponding colors.

Phormiums’ often large leaves blend with most landscapes, but look especially good in Mediterranean gardens.

New Zealand flax also complement tropical-style gardens, said Gary Matsuoka, owner of Laguna Hills Nursery in Lake Forest, which carries a variety of phormiums.

“Phormiums soften up the edges in a tropical garden,” he said. “They look nice with hibiscus and they’re lower maintenance than agapanthus and daylilies.”

There are two species of phormiums. The more common is Phormium tenax, which makes a dramatic statement in the garden. A large, 8- to 9-foot plant with upright, swordlike leaves, it usually comes in shades of green, bronze and maroon. P. tenax does well in drought-tolerant gardens, requiring little water.

The other species, P. cookianum, also known as mountain flax, is 4 to 5 feet tall and 5 to 6 feet wide. It has drooping, weeping foliage that creates a soft, grassy look.

Hybrids resulting from combinations of the two species have the most brilliant colors and come both in upright and arching forms.

Phormiums range in size from just 5 or 6 inches (Thumbelina) to 8 feet (Sundowner), Baldwin says. Phormium leaves range from as small as half an inch across to as large as 4 inches. Some varieties have variegated foliage.

P. tenax and P. cookianum both flower in the spring and early summer. P. tenax flowers are reddish-orange and grow up to 2 inches long, and cookianum flowers are yellow-green and 1-inch long. Hybrid varieties usually don’t flower.

Although some phormiums seem delicate, don’t let them fool you. Many New Zealand flax are hardy troopers that stand up to salt spray and thrive in coastal conditions. Some P. tenax can even live in wet soil, as long as their crown isn’t buried. As a matter of fact, the word “tenax” means sturdy.

In general, hybrid and cookianum phormiums aren’t as durable as tenax, but they are still strong plants.

As their name suggests, these flax are originally from New Zealand. They were first cultivated by the ancient Maori, who began colonizing the islands in about 1200. They discovered that the plant was tough and fibrous and used its fibers to make baskets, matting, headbands and household items.

In 1773, Capt. James Cook discovered flax during his second voyage to the South Pacific. European settlers who followed were quick to export shiploads of flax to Great Britain, as it was found to be the strongest natural fiber then known. Europeans gave New Zealand flax the botanical name, Phormium (from the Greek phormos, for basket).

In modern times, San Francisco architect Thomas Church popularized New Zealand flax in the 1950s and 1960s, using them as accents, informal screens and as sculptures in containers.

For the next 25 years, people lost interest in phormiums. It wasn’t until the mid-’80s that growers began introducing new, more colorful hybrids, which boosted flax to today’s level of popularity.

To grow phormiums, keep these tips in mind:

* Choose your planting location carefully. The more sun phormiums receive, the richer their color will be. Be careful where you place droopy leaved types, however, as these are susceptible to sunburn, Matsuoka said. Plant these types in a location that is protected from the harsh midday sun.

* Avoid planting phormiums in walkways, as they have a tendency to trip passersby, Baldwin says.

Driving in Rancho Santa Margarita isn’t a necessity for the town’s more than 25,000 residents. Bike and walking paths link all residential neighborhoods to major recreational facilities, shops, schools, day-care centers, a post office and restaurants. The town has a traditional center that includes homes, restaurants, shops, a library and soon-to-open movie theater. Many other businesses are located in Rancho Santa Margarita as well.

“Our objective was to create a place where people could live, work and recreate near their home,” said Reese, who bought an 1,800-square-foot, three-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home for $190,000 when the town was begun in 1986. “We wanted to create an old-fashioned hometown atmosphere where people could experience a more nurturing lifestyle.”

To many residents and onlookers, the planners of Rancho Santa Margarita have been successful. In a 1992 episode of “20/20,” Barbara Walters dubbed the town a modern-day Shangri-La. Developers from throughout the nation and other countries regularly come to study the community’s design.

Although developers sought a hometown feel and beautiful setting, they knew that affordable housing was important too. When the first homes went on sale in 1986, condominiums were priced as low as $55,000 and single-family detached homes began at $113,000. Prospective owners camped out to ensure a home.

Today affordability is still a major attraction of Rancho Santa Margarita, said Jack Cable, a Realtor and manager of the Coldwell Banker office in Rancho Santa Margarita.

“Right now we have 11 different tracts with homes for sale, all in [a variety of] price ranges,” said Cable, who has lived in the community for almost seven years.

In resale homes, on the low end there are one- and two-bedroom condos from 600 square feet to 1,100 square feet, ranging from $58,000 to $100,000. Mid-range, you’ll find two- to three-bedroom houses with two to 2 1/2 baths from 1,000 square feet to 1,800 square feet that run from $148,000 to $200,000. On the upper end, there are 2,000- to 3,000-square-foot, four- and five-bedroom houses with 2 1/2 to three bathrooms for $210,000 to $400,000.

New-home construction is underway in several neighborhoods by a variety of builders, including John Laing Homes, K. Hovnanian Co., Hertel Homes, Kaufman & Broad Home Corp., Warmington Homes, Chadmar Homes and Newcrest Development. Lewis Homes just bought 500 lots in the community and is to begin building single-family homes immediately in the $160,000 to $270,000 price range.

Plants are healthier and more disease resistant when the soil is re-mineralized, say rock-dust supporters. Fruits and vegetables fertilized with rock dust taste better, experts say, and rock dust helps to loosen clay soil typically found here.

“I wouldn’t be a farmer today if I didn’t use rock dust,” Cannard says. “It’s important to build the soil, because you can’t grow high-life plants out of low-life soil. Thanks to the rock dust, my plants have a good mineral supply. They’re strong and healthy and are never bothered by bugs.”

Although soil is primarily composed of pulverized rock, years of supporting plant life depletes most of the minerals and nutrients, says plant pathologist David Miller, an associate professor at Oberlin College in Ohio.

Standard fertilizers of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium don’t contain micronutrients that plants need to thrive.

R.J. Schwichtenberg of Hummingbird Landscape Care in Orange likens the use of rock dust versus traditional chemical fertilizers to eating wheat bread instead of white.

“Rock dust is a more whole product that is sustaining and more satisfying,” says Schwichtenberg, who sells organic food directly to clubs and co-ops. “Rock dust is naturally integrated into the soil. . . . Chemical fertilizers . . . leave behind a high ratio of salts, which can be damaging to the soil.”

Unlike soluble chemical fertilizers that give plants a rush of food and then leach away, rock dust is a slow-release amendment that will continue to work for months.

Plant pathologist Miller has been studying soil amended by rock dust, as well as the nutrient level of plants grown in such amended soil, for six years.

“We’ve seen evidence that rock dust makes vegetables more nutritious,” Miller says. “It definitely increases the microbe level in the soil, which means that more minerals are passed to the plants.”

Soil microbes such as mites, nematodes, worms and other small insects thrive in a high-mineral environment. Once they die and decay, they release minerals in a form readily available to plants.

When it comes to soil health, concentrate on the unseen world of microbes, says Walt Zmed, owner of Earth Wealth, a mail-order company in Canoga Park that sells rock dust.

Santa Barbara organic farmer John Givens has also had luck with the mineral-rich powder on one parcel of his 150 acres.

“We’ve used the dust since 1987 and have been able to grow a variety of vegetable crops on land that was difficult to farm,” he says.

OK, now the bad news.

It’s difficult to find.

Armstrong’s Home and Garden Place in West Los Angeles is one of the few sources in the Southland.

“Rock dust sells out really quickly when we get it in,” says assistant indoor garden manager Peter Crist.

Although rock dust is hard to find in the nursery, mail-order companies sell it. Bagged rock dust costs as little as $6.50 for a 20-pound bag, which will cover about 50 square feet.

Because most soils have been greatly depleted of minerals, experts suggest adding generous amounts of rock dust for the first two or three years, then switching to yearly maintenance. A mature rose bush would take three to four pounds a year, while a mature tree would require about eight to 10 pounds a year, Zmed says.

*

In the 1890s, American chemist Julius Hensel wrote the book “Bread From Stones,” which covered the benefits of using rock dust on plants.

Don Weaver, author of the book “Survival of Civilization,” which focuses on the use of rock dust to regenerate the soil and forestall the next Ice Age, discovered rock dust in the late 1970s.

Interest grew in the United States 25 years ago, and rock dust is now used by a small, growing number of home gardeners and organic farmers.

You can also find dwarf bush varieties for containers, pickling cucumbers and many “burpless” types.

To have luck growing cucumbers, Krupnick suggests the following tips:

* Find a sunny location. Cucumbers like full sun. If you live in a hot inland area of Orange County, though, a little afternoon shade is recommended so that the plants don’t become stressed.

Make sure they get at least five to six hours of full sun each day.

* Prepare the soil by working in organic material such as homemade or bagged compost. Work the material down at least eight inches, going as deep as a foot if you can.

* Avoid bitter fruit by watering cucumbers properly. They have deep tap roots and require long, slow soakings. Make sure they don’t dry out. Don’t water overhead, which promotes mildew.

* Fertilize when planting with a well-rotted manure or a well-balanced organic fertilizer. The plant probably won’t need any more fertilizing unless it becomes pale yellow. Yellowing leaves are usually an indication of nitrogen deficiency. Apply a dilute solution of fish emulsion to fix the imbalance.

* Give cucumbers something to grow on, such as a trellis or fence. Growing cucumbers on a structure protects them from rotting, mold and mildew, which occurs with soil contact. Suspended growth also saves space, makes harvesting easier and enables the longer varieties to grow straight.

* Plant cucumbers in the garden two at a time, two or three feet apart. Or plant them singly six to eight inches apart.

* Discourage birds by covering seedlings with berry baskets. Remove them when plants get larger.

* Watch for cucumber beetles and aphids, which can spread wilt.

On aphids, use soap spray or a strong blast of water. Cucumber beetles look like green spotted or striped ladybugs. Smash any you find.

To keep cucumber beetles away, cover plants with a lightweight garden cloth. Once flowering begins, remove the cover so the cucumbers can be pollinated. Avoid insecticides that harm bees, or your cucumbers may not get pollinated.

* Pick cucumbers before they get too large.

For more information or to receive a free catalog, call Shepherd’s Garden Seeds at (408) 335-6910.

* Carrots grow especially well in raised beds and containers because the soil is easier to control. In containers, use a good potting mix and add compost for extra richness. Also stick to dwarf carrots under five inches long such as Short and Sweet, Tiny Sweet, Red Core Chantenay, Little Finger and the golf-ball-size Thumbelina.

* When you work ground soil, loosen it to at least 18 inches.

* Add a fertilizer high in phosphorus when planting, such as bone meal, which promotes strong root growth.

* Even with well-prepared soil, it’s best to choose a carrot variety suited for our heavy clay soil. Such types tend to be short, blunt and/or round. Stay away from long, thin carrots.

* Choose a location that gets sun most of the day. Make sure the area drains well; waterlogged carrots will rot.

* Carrot seeds are tiny, brown and hard to see. Get an even distribution by mixing seeds with sand. Some seed catalogs sell seed tape, which is biodegradable tissue paper with seeds attached. You can also buy a carrot seed dispenser.

* Plant carrot seeds about one-eighth-inch deep and keep them moist but not soaked. If they dry out, they will quickly die.

* Prevent carrot seeds from washing away when watered by covering them with burlap or newspaper and watering until they germinate.

* Have patience. Carrot seeds can take several weeks to germinate.

* Thinning is usually necessary to get a good crop. Hand-pull the carrots when they reach 1 to 2 inches high. You want them to eventually be 2 inches apart.

* Carrots need frequent fertilizing. Use diluted applications of an all-purpose fertilizer containing phosphorus.

* Keep carrot plants evenly moist. Alternating wet and dry conditions will cause carrots to split.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Seed Catalogs Let You Start at Beginning

Here’s a sampling of mail-order companies that carry a variety of carrot seeds. All offer free catalogs.

* Gurney’s Seed & Nursery Co., 110 Capitol St., Yankton, SD 57078, (605) 665-1930.

* Nichols Garden Nursery, 1190 N. Pacific Highway, Albany, OR 97321, (503) 928-9280.

* Park Seed Co., Cokesbury Road, Greenwood, SC 29647, (800) 845-3369.

* Shepherd’s Garden Seeds, Order Department, 30 Irene St., Torrington, CT 06790, (408) 335-6910.

* Stokes Seeds, P.O. Box 548, Buffalo, NY 14240-0548, (716) 695-6980.

Many people plant penstemon as annuals, but they will grow in the garden for years and continue to spread, says Kitano.

Penstemon come in six-packs, four-inch pots and gallon cans and can be grown by seed. For healthy penstemon plants, consider the following tips:

* Find a sunny area in the garden where the penstemon has room to spread. The first year it will grow two or three feet high. By the second year it will spread to two feet across.

* Don’t plant in heavy clay soil where it would be subject to root rot. If soil has a lot of clay, amend with redwood compost in the amount of three cubic feet per 50 square feet.

* Add a starter fertilizer high in phosphorus and potassium when planting. These minerals initiate strong root and stem growth, which are critical for a healthy plant. Once the plant puts on new growth, it has become established. At that time begin fertilizing with a mixture high in nitrogen to encourage lush foliage.

* Water daily until established unless there is rain and weekly thereafter. Water twice a week when the weather is hot.

* Start seed in a planting tray or pots and transplant in the garden when the plant has become root bound. This occurs when the roots start coming out of the bottom of the pot or when you tap the container lightly and remove the plant and the soil is encircled by roots.

* If planting in containers, use a pot no smaller than six inches. Within a year you will probably have to move the plant to an 18-inch pot. Surround the base of the plant with small, draping flowers such as alyssum or lobelia.

* Deadhead on a regular basis to get blossoms more quickly. Cut off each dead flower stalk at the base of the plant.

* Keep an eye out for holes in leaves, as insects such as grasshoppers and caterpillars love penstemon.

A good dwarf variety is the Chinese delphinium. It thrives in containers and grows to 1 foot or less. It comes in shades of blue and has serrated foliage that has a lacy look.

To successfully grow delphiniums, Kanno suggests keeping the following tips in mind.

* Delphiniums are tall, narrow plants that look best when planted in groups or clusters of three or six. Plant them in a sunny spot and avoid setting them in a straight line.

* Provide fertile, loose, well-draining soil. Generously amend with compost or planter mix when planting.

* Plant delphiniums at the same level of the existing root ball, being careful not to cover the root crown, which is where the roots and top of the plant join.

* Fertilize at planting and regularly with a balanced organic fertilizer, such as 5-5-5 or 10-10-10 or use a synthetic time release fertilizer such as 14-14-14.

* Mulch in winter and spring. This will keep the roots warm in cold weather and cool when temperatures rise. The mulch will also help maintain a moist soil and will slowly break down the soil and condition it.

* Water delphiniums on a regular basis. They do best when kept evenly moist. Don’t allow them to dry out.

* Put out snail bait. Snails and slugs find delphiniums especially tasty.

* After delphiniums finish flowering, cut flower spikes in half and leave a hollow stem. This will encourage new, healthy growth at the bottom. Once foliage appears at the plant base and looks sturdy, completely cut off the old stems.

Delphiniums can be purchased as plants or seed through a variety of catalogue companies, including:

* Park Seed Co., Cokesbury Road, Greenwood, S.C., 29647-0001, (800) 845-3369. Carries seeds and plants. Free catalogue.

* Wayside Gardens, 1 Garden Lane, Hodges, S.C., 29695-0001, (800) 845-1124. Carries plants only. Free catalogue.

* W. Atlee Burpee & Co., 300 Park Ave., Warminster, Pa., 18974, (800) 888-1447. Carries plants and seeds. Free catalogue.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

December Planting List

Although your thoughts are probably on the holidays, the weather remains nice for gardening, and there are still a number of flowers and vegetables that can be planted now.

But because of the short amount of daylight we have at this time of year, be aware that seeds will take much longer to germinate than it says on the seed packet. If you don’t want to wait, put in transplants when possible.

Flowers from seed or starter plants

African daisy

Alyssum

Calendula

Candytuft

Carnation

Cyclamen

Delphinium

English daisy

Hollyhock

Iceland poppy

Larkspur

Pansy

Penstemon

Primula

Shasta daisy

Snapdragon

Stock

Viola

Vegetables from seed or starter plants

Artichoke

Arugula

Beet

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Carrot

Celery

Endive

Garlic

Kale

Kohlrabi

Lettuce

Mustard greens

Onion

Parsley

Peas

Radishes

Spinach

Swiss chard

Turnip

Researched by Julie Bawden-Davis / For The Times

“Rare fruit trees enable you to have fruit all year-round,” Sawyer said. “During the colder months, when warm-weather fruits such as peaches and plums aren’t bearing, you can harvest guavas and cherimoyas.”

Not all rare fruits bear in winter. “When a fruit grows depends on the tree and variety,” said Eunice Messner of Anaheim Hills, a member of the Rare Fruit Growers and a rare-fruit gardener for more than 14 years. “The sapote has more than one crop each year; some trees fruit all of the time.”

Most rare fruit trees are evergreen. Many are attractive landscape additions that lend a tropical air to the garden; blooms, foliage and fruit can be very colorful.

Some rare fruit tastes like more common fruit, while others can’t be compared to standard North American varieties.

One popular exotic fruit is the cherimoya. This is similar in taste to the pineapple but is not acidic.

The black sapote, on the other hand, has no comparison, said Roger Meyer, who runs a rare-fruit nursery from his home in Fountain Valley. He has more than 30 types of rare fruit plants, including a large collection of kiwis and jujubes.

“The black sapote is known as the chocolate pudding tree,” he said. “It’s a green fruit that looks like road tar inside but has the taste and consistency of chocolate pudding.”

Another unique plant is the miracle fruit.

“This is a little red berry that you suck on,” Meyer said. “The berry doesn’t have much flavor, but if within a half an hour you eat a lime or lemon, you’ll find that the miracle fruit has cut your mouth’s ability to taste acid. The lemon or lime will taste like the sweetest orange you’ve ever had.”

Jujube is another unusual fruit that has two distinct tastes. “When picked green it tastes like a dry, sweet apple,” Meyer said. “Left to dry on the tree it has the taste and texture of dates.”

Rare fruits might sound like they’d be difficult to grow, but many are surprisingly easy. Even more temperamental varieties can be successfully grown if you keep a few tips in mind:

* Educate yourself about the tree you are planting. Because their native habitats don’t fluctuate in temperature much, some rare fruit trees are sensitive to climate changes.

* Know the microclimate in your yard. Because of factors such as positioning of housing and existing vegetation, your yard may be five degrees cooler or warmer than your neighbor’s.

The inland, flatland areas of Yorba Linda, Anaheim and Trabuco Canyon are generally the coldest parts of Orange County, while it’s warmer in areas along the coast and at some selected hillsides in Fullerton and Villa Park. Because heat rises, many hillsides are warmer than flat areas.

* Plant rare fruit trees on the south side of your house whenever possible, because it is the sunniest in winter. Never plant on the north side because it gets very little winter sunlight. Plant as close to the house as possible, as reflected heat will warm the tree. Don’t plant a tree that has large, invasive roots too close to your house, however.

* To protect fruit trees from overnight frost, throw a cotton bedsheet over the plant; make sure to remove the sheet first thing in the morning. If the plants are small, you can place a cardboard carton over them.

* Water your rare fruit trees regularly, because they are native to climates that get a lot of rainfall and aren’t very forgiving when they experience drought. This is especially important for fruit trees in containers, because they have no water reservoir to draw from. Don’t overwater, though.

* Mulch rare fruit trees to keep the soil evenly moist and regularly fertilize with an all-purpose fertilizer.

* Buy growing trees. Although rare fruit trees are generally started by grafting seedlings onto an existing root stock, it’s best for the new rare-fruit grower to purchase a tree.

When choosing trees, consider what its size will be at maturity, keeping in mind that some trees such as the mango don’t grow as large here as they do in the tropics. They can still take up a great deal of room, though.

Visit the rare-fruit tree collection at the Fullerton Arboretum, on the Cal State Fullerton campus, to see how large the trees can get. The trees were planted more than 10 years ago by the Rare Fruit Growers. They are between the gift shop and Heritage House.

* When planting in containers, use pots no smaller than 15 gallons. Also make sure that the particular type will thrive in a container.

* Exotic fruit trees are more difficult to find than your average tree. Area nurseries that specialize in rare fruit trees include Roger Meyer in Fountain Valley, (714) 839-0796 (call in the evening), and Laguna Hills Nursery in Lake Forest, (714) 830-5653. You can also find a variety of rare fruit trees at the annual Green Scene plant sale, which is held at the Fullerton Arboretum in late April.

For information about the Orange County, California, Rare Fruit Growers, including a complimentary copy of their newsletter, which lists meeting information, write to the membership chairman, Orange County Chapter, 1430 West Ave., Fullerton, CA 92633.

The tree is tropical looking, with large, oval-shaped leaves. It is very susceptible to cold weather and must be protected from frost. For a good crop of large-sized fruit, which can get up to five pounds each, hand-pollinate this plant, because we don’t have the right variety of tropical insects to do the pollinating. The tree bears from December to March.

* Jujube is one of the most popular fruits in China and is often called the Chinese date. When picked fresh it tastes like a dry, sweet, crispy apple. When allowed to dry on the tree, it tastes like a date.

It’s a small tree that has some narrow varieties good for cramped spaces. It’s also not particular about soil conditions. You’ll find fresh fruit from mid-August to the end of October, depending on the variety. Dried fruit can be harvested in late fall and winter.

* Miracle fruit is a small, almost flavorless berry that you suck on before biting into a lemon or lime. The fruit has properties that change the taste buds and cut the tongue’s ability to taste acid for about a half an hour. As a result, limes and lemons taste like sweet oranges.

This is a small shrub that can be grown in a container. It should be protected when the weather cools. It also requires acidic soil and fertilizer.

* Pineapple guava, also known as feijoa, is green and has fuchsia-like flowers that are edible. Many non-fruiting varieties are used as decorative plants in Southern California.

It is a small plant that can be kept under 10 feet. There are tiny seeds in the fruit, which has a creamy texture. This tree bears fruit September through January.

* Surinam cherry is an alternative to the bing cherry, which won’t grow in our mild weather.

It produces cherry-sized, ribbed fruit that is orange to orange-red. It is very juicy and has a tropical taste that slightly resembles the bing cherry. This large bush or small tree bears throughout the year, with its main crop in spring or summer.

* White sapote is hard to find in the market because it is soft and doesn’t transport well. It has thin green skin and a yellow-white, creamy flesh that tastes like custard with a slight lemon flavor.

Place cyclamen out of direct sunlight. If you plant them in the ground, they go dormant and lose their leaves from June through August.

* Kaffir lily (Clivia miniata) : This evergreen perennial has tuberous roots and is actually a member of the amaryllis family. It is native to South Africa and blooms from December through April. If left undisturbed, clivia will return every winter for years.

The kaffir lily comes in yellow/orange and red/pink. The flowers are funnel shaped, the foliage dense and dark green. They grow best in bright but not direct light.

Annuals

* African daisy (Dimorphotheca) : These daisy-like flowers grow best in light soil with moderate watering and full sun. They are often used as a ground cover and come in several colors, including yellow, white, orange, apricot and salmon.

* Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis) : This plant also produces flowers that look like daisies in a variety of colors, including orange, bright and soft yellow, apricot and cream. The leaves are long and narrow and slightly sticky, and the plant lasts several days when cut.

It is a highly adaptable plant that will grow in most soils and a variety of moisture conditions. Deadhead often to prolong bloom.

* Iceland poppy: This plant is a perennial, but it’s grown as an annual because it doesn’t bloom in the summer and tends to look ratty in warmer months. During the holiday season, it has cup-shaped flowers that perch at the end of long, slender stems. It comes in a variety of vibrant colors, including yellow, orange, salmon, rose and pink as well as cream and white.

To prolong blooms, flowers should be picked frequently. Once cut, the flowers last for three to five days. For the longest display possible, seal moisture in the flowers by searing the cut stems with a flame before placing them in water.

Poppies need full sun, good drainage and light feeding. Do not overwater them. Keep them evenly moist but not wet.

* Ornamental cabbage or kale: These annuals are edible but are more often grown for their richly colored leaf rosettes, which are deep blue-green and edged with white, cream, rose or purple. Kale has a looser head and is more heavily fringed than cabbage.

* Snapdragon: If transplants of this annual are set out in early fall and the plant reaches the bud stage before night temperatures drop below 50 degrees, it will begin blooming around Christmastime.

Snapdragons require full sun and should not be watered overhead, as they are prone to rust.

* Stock: This plant has papery, fragrant flowers in spiky clusters that are a staple in flower arranging. The flowers are also fragrant and come in a variety of colors, including white, pink, red, purple, lavender, cream and blue. Stock is subject to root rot, so plant where drainage is good.

There are a variety of sizes of stock, including midget stock, such as the Trysomic Seven Weeks strain, which is just 12 to 15 inches tall. Standard stock such as the Giant Imperial strain grows from two to 2 1/2 feet tall.

Perennials

* Camellia: Many of the sasanqua varieties of camellias bloom heavily in December. One aptly named camellia is ‘Yuletide,’ which has a profusion of small, single, bright red flowers on a dense, compact, upright plant.

Sasanquas vary in form from upright and bushy to spreading and vine-like. Many of them tolerate sun. Like all camellias, they must be kept well watered and do best in an acidic soil.

* Christmas heather (Erica canaliculata) : This evergreen shrub has tubular flowers that come in pink and reddish purple. In our mild climate, it blooms well during the holidays. The flowers are great for cutting and last for weeks in or out of water. The plant’s leaves are a dark green on top and white underneath.

Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)

Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki)

Liquidambar (Liquidambar styraciflua) ‘Burgundy,’ ‘Festival,’ ‘Palo Alto,’ ‘Rotundiloba’

Maidenhair tree (Gingko biloba) ‘Autumn Gold’

*

Plants with seed heads and pods

Agave species

Blue oat grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens)

California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum)

Deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara)

Fountain grass ( Pennisetum rubrum ): red or purple

Giant feather grass (Stipa gigantea)

Maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis) ‘Gracillimus’

Money plant (Lunaria Annua)

Yarrow (Achillea filipendulina; A. millefolium)

*

Plants that produce berries or fruit

California pepper tree (Schinus molle)

Chinaberry tree (Melia azedarach)

Christmas berry bush (Heteromeles arbutifolia)

English holly (Iliex aquifolium)

Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki)

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)

Mahonia

Natal plum (Carissa macrocarpa)

Night jessamine (Cestrum nocturnum)

Pomegranate (Punica granatum)

Rhaphiolepis

*

Ornamental bark or stems

African sumac (Rhus lancea)

Cajuput tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia)

California sycamore (Platanus racemosa)

Chilean blueberry (Luma apiculata)

Compact strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo ‘Compacta’)

Corokia (Corokia cotoneaster)

European white birch (Betula pendula)

Evergreen elm (Ulmus sempervirens)

Gum myrtle (Angophora costata)

Ironbark eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sideroxylon) : red or pink

Lemon-scented gum eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora)

Pink crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica ) ‘Rosea’

Pittosporum (Pittosporum tenuifolium)

Strawberry madrone (Arbutus ) ‘Marina’

White Ironbark eucalyptus (Eucalyptus leucoxylon)

Many plants have a festive berry display in the fall and winter, such as pyracantha or firethorn, which has a wide variety of berry colors to choose from, and the California pepper tree, which is covered in sprays of rosy-red pepper berries that hang on through winter and attract birds.

Many gardeners also appreciate trees that have attractive bark or whose branches, when bare, can resemble stunning aerial sculptures.

The crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) has smooth, textured bark that gets striking blotches of brown, rust and orange, especially after rain and a little sunshine.

Although many Southlanders avoid deciduous plants, those are usually the plants that give a feeling of seasonal change, Vanderhoff said.

“Deciduous plants aren’t as labor-intensive as they might seem,” he said. In many ways, they’re easier than evergreens, because they only lose their leaves once a year, whereas evergreens can lose leaves all year long.

Near a ficus, plant a ginkgo tree, which produces a profusion of golden yellow leaves that linger–until they drop all at once.

Or next to your juniper, you can plant a Chinese flame tree (Koelreuteria bipinnata ). This has leaves that turn yellow for a short time before dropping. The plant’s showy, two-inch seed capsules hang in clusters of orange, red and salmon.

Most seed heads and pods last through autumn and some on into winter, although they will succumb to rough weather, especially Santa Ana winds and hard rain. Although leaves tend to change color and drop by the end of autumn, many berries hang on to plants throughout our climate’s mild winters. Textural bark often looks even better in rainy, cool weather.

The best benefit about this type of fall garden is that very little maintenance is required. If you’ve taken good care of the plants in spring and summer, they should produce ample seed and fruit in the fall, said Laguna Beach landscape architect Ann Christoph.

If you do light pruning in the garden, be careful not to remove any seed heads you wish to keep, because they won’t grow back. Also be careful not to knock off seed pods and capsules.

For a real fall garden show, put away your pruning sheers and just watch, Vanderhoff suggested.

“Let the plants grow in their natural manner, rather than doing a lot of formal clipping and tidying, and you’ll probably see something different,” he said.

No matter what your garden design, there is something with fall interest that will fit into your landscape, said landscape designer Jeff Garton, co-owner of Paradise Designs Inc. in Dana Point.

When planning a landscape with plants that have seed heads or pods or interesting stem structures, consider their placement. Set such plants against a clean background such as a bare wall rather than in front of a busy landscape, where they can get lost.

Also consider lighting, both day and night. Ornamental grasses and leafy or lacy trees, for instance, look best with back lighting that accents them as they move in the wind.

Plants with unusual seed heads or sculptural branching look best with front lighting, which creates interesting shadows on a plain background.

Ornamental bark is best seen up close, so plant at eye level, and near windows, if possible, for a full effect, Garton said.

You can also set some of these plants off by placing them among evergreens.

With this type of garden, Garton cautioned: “Realize that the plants you let go to seed may reseed in other areas of your yard and that some of these plants have pollen, which may be a problem for allergy sufferers.”

When it comes to a more natural garden, a gardener has to have tolerance, Vanderhoff said.

“There will be some leaf drop and seed scattering,” he said. “But it’s all a part of winter and fall. Why not go out and rake up the leaves and enjoy the change of seasons your yard has to offer?”

In high temperatures, you can damage even healthy plants with too much watering, said Hollister. “Though fuchsias like moist conditions, they will develop a fungus in the root system if they are kept continually wet and soggy.”

With your finger or a moisture gauge, check your plants before watering to make sure they are truly dry. Some plants look wilted in the hot sun but are actually wet at the root zone.

This occurs because the leaves are losing water faster than the roots can pump water to them, said Hollister. Blindly watering in this case interrupts the pumping of water to the leaves. Let the roots continue pumping uninterrupted and the plant should perk up by the end of the day when the sun is low.

One thing you can’t overdo is mist delicate plants. Misting greatly increases the humidity level around the plants and lowers the temperature, creating the type of habitat in which they thrive.

There is a nozzle mist head known as Fogg-it that fits on the end of your garden hose and sprays a super fine mist on plants.

Tustin gardener Ed Fishburn mists the delicate plants in his arbor daily. He created the arbor refuge 25 years ago for his moisture-loving plants. Over the years, the 10-by-20-square-foot area has housed a variety of heat-sensitive plants, such as staghorn ferns and fuchsias.

He has misters attached to the roof of the arbor, which run once or twice a day for 20 minutes, depending on how hot it is.

“Without the arbor and misting system, many of the plants would die in the hot sun and heat of summer,” said Fishburn, who relaxes under the arbor in a lawn chair on hot days.

Other tactics suggested by experts for protecting delicate plants in the heat include:

* Move container plants to cooler, shadier quarters, such as under a patio or tree.

* Temporarily shade immovable plants with a barrier, such as shade cloth or a movable plant that can withstand hot sun.

* Mulch to keep plants moist. Good mulches include homemade compost, planter mix and peat moss for acid loving plants, such as azaleas.

* Give your lawn enough water. During hot weather, grass should be watered for three, five- to 10-minute periods about an hour apart. If you water too much at once, 95% of the water doesn’t soak in.

To make sure your lawn is getting the water it deserves, test your sprinkler system by placing empty cans throughout the yard. Turn on the sprinkler for two minutes and then turn it off and then check the water level in the cans to make sure the water is evenly distributed.

* Use a plant anti-transpirant. Most of the water taken up by plant roots is lost when the leaves transpire. Anti-transpirants, such as the product, Cloud Cover, reduce water loss through the leaves without compromising plant health.

* Avoid cooking the roots of potted plants. This can easily be accomplished by placing pots close together so they shade each other.

* Protect exposed branches and trunks of avocado and mango trees from sunburn by whitewashing them with a light colored Latex paint.

* Be on the lookout for warm-weather pests. While you’re indoors seeking shelter, pests such as the spider mite and white fly can destroy your landscape.

Spider mites thrive in dry, dusty conditions, so regularly knock them off with a strong spray of water on the plant leaves. Whiteflies must be treated with a pesticide using a five-day spray cycle. For caterpillars and worms, such as the tomato hornworm, use Bacillus thuringiensis (BT).

Seacoast 1 is the area right on the ocean. Plants located here must tolerate extreme conditions, including salt in the soil and salt spray.

Seacoast 2 is the area adjacent to Seacoast 1, which is protected by natural barriers such as other plants or boulders, or artificial barriers such as a wall or house. In this zone plants must tolerate some salt, but they aren’t actually sprayed by salt water.

Seacoast 3 is the area even further back. While still greatly influenced by salt air, the soil generally has no salt. In this area plants must be used that tolerate some salinity.

The width of each zone varies along with the terrain, so it’s up to individual gardeners to determine where their garden falls.

“In many ways we’re luckier to be gardening on the coast,” says Kawaratani. “We can safely do planting in the summer along the coast that you wouldn’t dream of doing inland at this time of year. Our weather is mild enough to install new lawns now. Inland during the summer you would have to water a new lawn constantly to keep it from burning up.”

It’s also much more comfortable to work in a coastal garden during the summer. Where the inland gardener is restricted to early-morning and evening gardening, the seacoast gardener can comfortably garden during most of the day.

Despite its benefits, coastal gardening does present challenges.

Perhaps the most disappointing limitation of gardening near the ocean is the inability to grow certain plants that need high heat.

Some flowering plants have trouble surviving on the cooler coast. Roses tend to mildew and rust when there isn’t a lot of sun, as do zinnias, hollyhocks, crape myrtle trees, petunias and vinca.

“Many tomato and pepper varieties that require hot summer temperatures don’t do well along the coast,” says Kawaratani. “If these vegetables do set fruit, it’s not likely to grow very big or ripen. To grow tomatoes, you must choose smaller types that were bred for coastal conditions, such as Early Girl.”

Cantaloupe and other melons also don’t grow well, if at all, without high heat.

Some fruit trees won’t thrive because of the lack of winter chilling along the coast. Peach and apple trees need winter temperature dips to produce fruit in the spring and summer.

There are a few varieties bred for coastal growing, however. Bonita and Babcock peaches and Gordon and Beverly Hills apple varieties do well on the coast.

*

Gardening rules, however, were made to be broken. Just ask Laguna Beach gardener Robert Andri, whose garden sits on a bluff overlooking the ocean.

“Although I try to choose plants that do well on the coast, if I see something I want that is beautiful and isn’t for the coast, I will try it anyway, and everything I’ve tried has grown,” said Andri, who does his own landscaping.

“They told me that Japanese black pines [Pinus thunbergia ] and plumeria wouldn’t grow on the coast, but I’ve got them growing in my garden,” he says. “They also said that bougainvillea would get torn up by the wind, but it’s doing fine.”

By using PVC pipe and creating dams, Andri has fashioned waterways in his bluff, which is made up primarily of sandstone. To install his 18-foot black pines, he drilled holes in the sandstone and inserted the trees, which are thriving in very little soil.

To deal with the damaging salt air common at the seashore, Andri rinses off his plants by hand every other day to remove salt buildup.

There are plants that can take salty air, including carissa, myoporum, ice plants, yucca, manzanita, Monterey cypress and the aptly named saltbush. Many of these are desert plants that have a high resistance to alkalinity and salinity.

When you aren’t sure what will grow in a questionable area, Kawaratani suggests planting a saltbush or myoporum. “If they won’t grow in that location, then it’s too salty for anything to grow,” he says.

Plants that can do well on the coast often have small or waxy leaves that prevent damage from wind and salt air. They are also able to reduce the rate at which they lose water.

Another challenge is that pests and diseases tend to multiply faster in the coastal climate. “When the weather becomes overcast and the humidity is high, it’s like a hothouse here,” says Kawaratani. “Snails, slugs and insects thrive in moist conditions. This weather is also an incubator for various lawn diseases and foliage problems.”

Although the practice was unusual when Keefe started working from home in the 1970s, today a growing number of people are choosing to conduct business at home. California has nearly 5 million home offices, according to Debra Schacher of the Home Office & Business Opportunities Assn. of California, which is based in Irvine. Throughout the country in 1993, about 2.1 million people started a home-based business.

“Home-based businesses are proliferating,” agreed Rudy Lewis of the National Assn. of Home Based Business in Baltimore, which provides support and development assistance to home-based businesses.

“We’ve identified 200 professions that are adapted to home office work, and by the year 2000 we project that there will be 300 to 400,” Lewis said. “Thanks to advances in telecommunications, a lot of businesses are heading home.”

Besides the obvious financial perks of operating a home business, such as low overhead, there are relationship benefits.

People who work at home often feel they have the best of both worlds, especially when there are children. While earning a living, they can monitor their children’s activities. And their schedules are often flexible enough to fit in special occasions that other working parents may find difficult, if not impossible, to attend.

“If I choose to go to a special function at my daughter’s school during the day, I don’t have to ask a boss for time off,” Keefe said. “Just recently she was awarded Student of the Month. In the morning, I took her to the school assembly and went back to work later.”

But having a home-based business isn’t without its challenges.

“One of the problems with home-based businesses is that many people, including the person’s family, don’t see it as a legitimate business,” Lewis said. “I’ve been working from home for 10 years now and answer 300 to 400 calls a day from people all over the country. My mother still doesn’t think I’m really working.”

Lewis notes that often spouses and others think the home worker can also watch children, which usually isn’t possible, especially when the kids are young.

“Even your neighbors can cause problems by dropping in to chat when you’re trying to work,” he said.

Because of the challenges of mixing family and home-based work, Lewis urges people who are thinking about setting up shop at home to do a family plan before doing a business plan.

“A home-based business can have a devastating effect on the family,” he said. “Some businesses will spread all over the home and take on a life of their own. It’s best to discuss the business with the entire family and set ground rules before starting.”

“I sometimes have difficulty with people thinking because I’m not taking photographs one day that I’m not working,” he said. “In reality, I’m always working. There’s much more to my business than photography.”

Keefe also finds child care essential.

“It would be very difficult to work from home without child care,” he said. “I can’t just bring my daughter home from school, feed her and then put her in front of the TV while I go back to work. That’s not healthy or even safe.”

Until recently, Sandra Davidson, 35, of Laguna Niguel, worked around the schedules of her two children, which often meant early mornings and late nights in her home office. A month ago she hired a live-in worker to help with child care and office work, and life became much easier.

“My job is very demanding and stressful,” said Davidson, who is financial officer for a small, privately held Orange County manufacturing company that she and her husband own.

“Before I had child care, I constantly felt behind on my work and worried about neglecting my kids,” she said. “Although people often expect to take care of their children when they work at home, it’s not really feasible. Parents who go to an outside office would never dream of taking their children to work every day.”

“In some ways I feel like I have less time for my kids than when I was working outside of the home,” said Caldwell, 48, who runs a graphic design company and publishes College Mania Magazine out of her Tustin home.

“If we had stayed in Mammoth Lakes, our daughter would have grown up truly isolated and alone, thinking she was the only deaf person in the world,” says Talbot, now an educational sign language interpreter. “We wanted her to have a chance to become literate and reach her potential.”

The Talbots’ dream for their daughter, now 10, has come true.

Although she started out in deaf classes, Alaina, with her sign language interpreter, has attended the “hearing side” of her school since first grade. Now in fifth grade, she reads far above her grade level and plans to go to college.

“We gave up a lot, but it was worth it,” Talbot says. “We were able to give our daughter the biggest gift–a command of the world around her. Now her future is almost limitless. The experience has also made us draw closer as a family.”

Nine percent of the population age 3 years and older is deaf or hard of hearing, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. There are a number of possible causes for hearing loss, such as heredity, meningitis, chronic ear infections, rubella (while the mother is pregnant), CMV (cytomegalo inclusion virus) and Rh blood factor. Sometimes the reason for deafness is unknown.

Whatever the cause, having a deaf family member has its challenges, says Esther Zawolkow, co-founder of the S.E.E. Center for the Advancement of Deaf Children in Los Alamitos.

“When someone is deaf, communication is challenging and puts a big burden on the family,” Zawolkow says.

“People don’t realize how much effort each connection with your deaf child takes,” says Talbot, who signs and speaks to her daughter.

“If you want a well-adjusted deaf child, you need a lot of time and a supernatural amount of patience. Whenever you communicate, you must connect face-to-face and make sure your message is understood. You can’t just yell something across the room.”

Despite the challenges she and the rest of the family have faced communicating with Alaina, Talbot says she feels very close to her daughter.

“Because we must connect every time we communicate, I have a wonderful, rich relationship with Alaina,” Talbot says. “The deafness has taught me how to really listen to her without being distracted, and I know she appreciates my efforts.”

Some children such as Alaina are completely deaf and need sign language to communicate. Others have residual hearing and may find lip-reading possible.

The S.E.E. Center encourages families to use a total communication approach, which means sign language, speech training and lip-reading.

Even when a child can lip-read, signing is still useful for the family, Zawolkow says.

“When family members sign, it opens up all kinds of doors for communication,” she says. “Without their own language, deaf children feel isolated. When the family can communicate through signing, deaf children are exposed to the world around them and learn the way hearing children do.”

Although not every family member knows signing, an increasing number of people are learning the language, Zawolkow says. “Our sign language classes are always full. Parents, siblings, grandparents and other extended family often attend.”

Larry Rosen’s son, Christopher, 7, has very little hearing but is able to lip-read well. The family also uses sign language to communicate.

“When we discovered that he was deaf at age 2, we decided it was best to use all modes of communication so we could give him every possible advantage,” says Rosen, 45, president of the S.E.E. Center and a professor of psychology at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Rosen’s family learned to sign to communicate with Christopher, including his grandmother, who was in her 70s at the time.

He recalls the year he failed to prune an apple tree–and the resulting poor crop.

“The tree grew upright, and there was just a little fruit at the tips of branches,” he said. “When apples aren’t pruned and allowed to grow, they will grow upward and produce too much shade for fruiting. Apple tree branches actually need to be spread out for good fruit production.”

*

Citrus trees should not be treated the same way as deciduous fruit trees. The only pruning the citrus generally require is thinning out crossing branches and removing sprouts that develop at the base of the tree.

Many deciduous trees fruit on branches that are a year or more older. For this reason, it’s important to know what you’re doing before you wield the pruning shears. Over-pruning can be just as damaging as under-pruning.

“Some fruit trees have fruiting wood that is 2 to 3 years old,” Gelling said. “If you accidentally cut off those branches, you won’t have fruit again for a few years.”

When you prune a fruit tree back too hard, you force it into a vegetative mode, which may lead to no fruit for a few years, agrees Fullerton consulting arborist Alden Kelley.

“Pruning for fruiting requires striking a balance,” he said. “There’s an art to fruit tree pruning; you need to use logic and intuition and work with each tree according to its individual growth habits and fruit production.”

Age is also a factor. In general, in the first few years, you train a tree for form, Kelley said. When the tree becomes more established, you concentrate on preserving the fruiting wood. *

Don’t be surprised if your pruned fruit tree doesn’t look all that attractive. “Properly pruned fruit trees tend to have a stubby, uneven look,” Barry said. This occurs because most fruit tree pruning involves heading, or cuts to shorten branches. Thinning or removing entire branches isn’t done as much because you could cut off fruiting wood. Instead, you find last year’s fruiting wood and cut branches off above that point.

There are three ways to find fruiting wood, Barry said. One method is to remember where the tree flowered and fruited the year before. (To make things easier next pruning season, in the summer when your tree is flowering or fruiting, take a picture and then refer to it when you’re pruning).

The third way is to be familiar with your particular type of tree. For instance, with peach trees, you’re not going to see any flower buds. They will fruit on all 1-year-old wood, so you should concentrate on preserving that. To locate plum fruiting wood, however, you should look for bud clusters.

While pruning, also keep in mind a few basic rules that apply to all trees, Kelley said. When shortening any branch, make sure there is a suitable side branch one-third to one-half its diameter that is moving in the same direction. This branch can take over for the branch you are removing.

Always make sure to cut out crossing branches, which can rub against one another and allow disease to enter a tree.

When removing any branches, make sure not to cut into the branch collar, which is near the trunk. Making a flush cut on the tree will make it susceptible to disease and can cut off the tree’s food and water supply, Kelley said. Always leave a couple of inches of a branch protruding from the main trunk.

Trees that have been neglected and not pruned or pruned incorrectly can be saved, Barry said.

“If you prune a tree slowly in stages over a couple of years and allow it to store energy, you can get a tree to fruit again,” he said.

You should also lightly prune your fruit trees in the summer after they’ve finished fruiting, Barry said. This prevents heavy branches from breaking and gets more light to the tree. Providing the entire tree with ample light is important because summer is the time when fruit trees store energy for fruit production the following winter.

APRICOTS To find the fruiting wood on apricots, look for small clusters of buds.

How deeply the loss is felt during the holiday season depends on a number of things, including who the loved one was, how he or she died and how far along a person is in the grieving process.

“The bereavement process is often more difficult for the person who lost a loved one suddenly, and if the deceased is his or her child. That can take a lifetime to get over,” says Slocum. “Every Christmas, parents can’t help but think of what could have been.”

Denise Crofton says that it’s too painful to think about what life could have been like for her pretty, athletic, outgoing daughter. “When we see babies, it kills us to know that we’ll never be grandparents and our daughter will never be married,” she says. “It’s very difficult to think about, so we try not to.”

The Croftons find the holiday season as painful today as it was the first November and December they spent without her.

“Our first Thanksgiving we went to a coffee shop at 4 in the afternoon for turkey, dressed in terrible, dirty sweats. That first Christmas we drove through the Pacific Northwest and spent Christmas morning in a hotel room holding onto each other and crying,” she says.

Subsequent holidays haven’t been any easier for the Croftons. “We thought the pain would soften, but it hasn’t,” she says.

Crofton’s daughter, Alexa, was found to have incurable adrenal cancer in late January, 1991, and died less than four months later at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange. Although she had been suffering from a variety of symptoms since her senior year in high school, doctors didn’t diagnose her condition until she became seriously ill and returned home during her first year at college in Indiana.

By the time doctors removed the tumor in her left adrenal gland, the cancer had spread throughout her body. Despite doubts, she did survive surgery and spent the next few weeks in and out of the hospital until she told her mother she loved her and died in her father’s arms May 27, 1991.

Since their daughter’s death, the Croftons have received many invitations to friends’ houses for the holidays, but they always decline.

“It is too difficult for us to celebrate the holidays,” says John Crofton, 54, who retired in 1985 from an executive position with a fast-food restaurant chain to spend more time with his daughter.

“The void is tremendous,” he says. “We had it so good and now we can’t have it, so why bother watching another family celebrate? I suppose there’s a little bit of jealousy involved.”

“We normally open presents in the morning with the entire extended family, but that particular Christmas we decided to open them on Christmas Eve, just the three of us. Alexa really enjoyed that,” he says.

Although they won’t celebrate, remembering their daughter during the holiday season is important to the Croftons.

“We talk about Alexa and the good times we shared,” says John Crofton. “Whenever something triggers a memory, we’ll share it with each other and other people. We are very open to hearing from her friends as well.”

People who have lost someone like to talk about the person and like others to mention him or her, says Denise Crofton.

“I love it when people say her name,” she says. “The more people mention Alexa and talk about her, the more therapeutic it is for me. The absolute worst would be if she was forgotten.”

Thirty friends visited Alexa in the hospital the day before she died and there were 750 to 800 people at her funeral. Even though she’d only attended college in Indiana for one semester, 100 people showed up at her memorial service there.

No doubt it’s high school crushes that often lead us years later to class reunions.

“Once you leave school, life as it was is never the same,” Hancock says. “When we think about crushes, it reminds us of that special time. Many of us go to reunions to rekindle those memories. We also go back genuinely curious to see what happened to someone we had a crush on.”

At high school reunions, it’s not uncommon for people to confess their crushes. Telling all can sometimes be therapeutic.

“When a person confesses, it takes the energy and emotion out of the crush and gives a sense of closure,” Hancock says.

For the person who didn’t know about the crush, it can be flattering.

Sherry, who is single, says she kept a low profile in high school and didn’t think she was very memorable. Since then, the 48-year-old self-employed Orange word processor has been shocked to hear how many people had crushes on her in high school.

“At my 20th reunion, a former classmate came up to me and said that he and four other men would leave their wives for me; they all had big crushes on me in high school. My first reaction was, ‘Why didn’t you tell me then?’ ”

Recently, at her 30th reunion, Sherry was approached by a classmate who recalled seeing her walk in the door the first day of seventh grade.

“He said he remembers thinking, there she is, and he’s had a crush on me ever since,” she says. “We’re going out for dinner after all these years.”

*

It’s not unusual that people don’t tell one another about crushes in high school, says Hancock. “Because of cliques and the way rumors get started, high school isn’t a safe place to reveal crushes,” she says. “Once you are out of school, you don’t have to see these people on a day-to-day basis, so it’s much safer to tell.”

Finding out that someone you had a crush on felt the same way can be a satisfying experience.

When Carrol, 48, who’s single, recently went to her 30th reunion, she talked with a man she’d had a crush on during her junior year.

“He was on the football team and sat next to me in English class,” says the Tustin graphic designer. “I thought he was really cute and an easy-going guy. I tried to flirt by making all kinds of eye contact, but he didn’t seem to know I was alive–until I started dating a guy from another school. When I walked into class with my new boyfriend’s ring around my neck, he was shocked and began to pay more attention to me,” she says.

“It was really nice to know that he remembered me and thought I was attractive then and now,” she says.

While some people like to visit reunions to see the person they had a crush on, others prefer memory to reality. Greg, 41, a married Orange County physician, doesn’t want to see the girl he had a crush on in junior high. Part of the girl’s allure, he says, was the fact that she came from the “wrong side of the tracks.”

“She was from a community of bikers that lived in our area,” he says. “It was exciting to think I liked her, especially since she was so different from me and ran around with the party crowd.”

When Greg’s dad saw him with her one night, though, he forbid him to see her. He and his family soon moved from the area, and he never saw her again.

“For decades I was mad that he had forbidden me to see her,” he says. “It wasn’t until years later that I understood why. Getting me away from that crowd was the best thing for me. Today that particular group of people have major drug and marital problems. The last I heard, things hadn’t worked out very well for her. I prefer to keep my idealized image of her in the eighth grade.”

For this reason, it’s very special when childhood friends eventually get together in a relationship, Hancock says. “That history creates a very special bond.”

“If a person is continually bringing up a past relationship, he or she hasn’t resolved past issues and those issues are contaminating the current relationship,” he says. “The person needs to resolve the anger and confusion over the past before continuing with the new relationship.”

Bringing up a past relationship to measure a new person against an ex-flame is also very destructive, says Soltani. “If a woman says to her boyfriend, ‘You’re acting just like my ex-husband,’ she’s driving a wedge between them.”

Mentioning another partner to evoke anger or jealousy is also bad news.

If, on the other hand, a person is describing a significant situation that an ex-partner was a part of, then that would be a reasonable reason for reminiscing, Soltani says. The beginning of a relationship is also a natural time to share information about former lovers.

“The start of a relationship is a discovery period for couples, and it’s not unusual to talk about ex-partners at this time,” says Soltani.

“Sharing past relationships is a natural part of trying to get to know one another and can reveal valuable information,” he says. “Knowing what worked and didn’t work in past relationships is a critical part of building a strong foundation for the new relationship.”

Although Katie appreciates brevity when it comes to talking about the past, she does rely on the information she receives from new boyfriends.

“What people say about their past relationships is much more revealing than what they say about themselves,” she says.

When they talk about an ex, it can often be a good indication of whether the new relationship has a chance.

“If he describes how something an old girlfriend did bugged him,” says Katie, “and I do the same thing, then I know we’ve got a problem.”

Ann, who asked that her name be changed, is a 55-year-old Santa Ana lawyer. She has two main reasons for finding out about a boyfriend’s past relationships: “For obvious reasons, I want to know where that person has been sexually, and, as a feminist, I am keenly interested in what a man thinks of women. If he is continually discussing female partners in a negative manner, that will probably stop the relationship for me.”

“Rather than asking why a man divorced his wife, which will often elicit a planned answer, I will ask something very innocent, such as how he met his ex-wife. That kind of question doesn’t raise any walls, but a man’s answer and the way he talks about his ex-wife can be very revealing,” she says.

Ann has found that men usually don’t ask her questions about past relationships. When she’s interested in continuing a relationship, she will disclose things about ex-partners so that the man gets to know her better.

Although men may not ask questions, they are often just as curious as women, says psychologist Soltani.

“Men may not want to admit their interest, because it could be seen as a sign of weakness, so they will tend to camouflage their curiosity,” he says.

Joe, 29, an Irvine resident who is a director of sales and marketing in the telecommunications industry, says that he’s found some women to be quiet about past relationships.

“Some women aren’t very verbal or open about the past,” he says.

When Joe is with women who are slow in revealing information, he tries to focus on the present and future, and hopes that nothing drastic went on in the past. He’s been in situations, however, where it would have been better to know crucial information about their past sooner in the relationship.

“Women will want to know every detail about my marriage and what went wrong–exactly what happened and on what dates,” says Dave, who lives in Huntington Beach and works in the oil industry.

For young couples who have a baby and then get married, statistics show that the marriage often doesn’t survive, Stark says. “The challenge of supporting a family is hard enough for adults. It puts unusual strains on young people who have never had that kind of responsibility.”

“Physically, there is no question we are more ready in our teens for parenthood, but we are more psychologically ready at a later age,” says Arthur Kovacs, a Santa Monica psychologist who specializes in family life transitions. “Marriages seem to work best if there is an orderly progression that begins with dating and discovering the contours of (the partner’s) personality, decision-making rituals, and assignment of responsibilities, such as who takes out the trash.”

Adds Stark: “Depending on how much work experience or schooling a young parent has had, it can be very difficult to raise a child. Many young people don’t yet have careers and find it impossible to survive on low-paying jobs.”

Some young people view early parenthood in a negative light, according to two studies conducted in the late 1980s. In the 1987 National Survey of Children, four out of five youths aged 18 to 22 agreed that becoming a teen-age parent is “one of the worst things that could happen to a 16-year-old girl or to a 16-year-old boy,” according to the Los Angeles-based Children’s Action Network.

Only 15% of the births to school-age mothers (aged 17 and younger) were described by the teens as having been wanted at the time–although that percentage more than doubled for mothers ages 18 to 19, according to the 1988 National Survey of Families and Households.

Those young parents who have the financial and emotional support of their family often have an easier time adjusting to parenting.

Nava has her family to thank for helping her survive single parenthood. For a time, she was living with her son’s father, who was 20 when the baby was born, but he became overwhelmed by the responsibility of raising a child and left when Tony was 10 months old.

“My family lives close by and has been very supportive,” says Nava. “If it wasn’t for (them), raising Tony would have been much more difficult. I would have missed out on a lot more things, like my senior prom.”

Nava was 17 was Tony was born, a senior in high school. She and her son eventually moved in with her mother and then with her father. Mother and son went out on their own when Nava was 20.

“My brothers are there for Tony every step of the way,” Nava says. “If he gets in trouble and I’m having a hard time dealing with him, they’ll talk to him. He really looks up to them. They also attend his soccer games when I can’t.”

Nava admits that it’s been a long, tough road all by herself. She finished high school the first year of Tony’s life doing homework in between feedings. After school she worked part time to earn enough money for such necessities as baby formula.

Once she graduated from high school, Nava realized that she needed to learn a trade to support herself and her son, so she attended school to become a medical assistant.

Her schedule was grueling.

From 7 a.m. to noon she worked as an phone operator. Afterward, she would return home, eat lunch and go to school from 2:30 to 7 p.m. After school she would have dinner and play with her son for a few minutes before putting him to bed. Then she would tackle her homework until about midnight.

Perhaps the hardest part of the early years for Nava was not having any time for herself.

“I wanted to have my kids before I was 25, so that I could be a young parent,” says Dougherty, now 40 and living in Tustin. “I wanted to have fun with them, versus there being a big generation gap.”

“In my opinion, younger parents make their kids more street-smart than older parents,” she says. “If I fell down when I was younger and hurt my knee, my mom would say, ‘It’s going to happen.’ But if one of my friends who had an older parent scraped her knee, her mom would rush for a Band-Aid. Older parents tend to baby their children more.”

Cussing is simple to do, can be done almost anywhere, costs nothing and gives you immediate gratification. If you worry about upsetting others, you can even cuss in your head and offend no one.

I agree that you should never expose young children to cussing. I have a 3-year-old daughter, and when I’m with her it’s heck, shoot and geez . But when she’s not around, when I’m in the privacy of my own room or talking on the phone to a close friend or relative about something upsetting, the closet cusser in me emerges.

Don’t get me wrong. I can go whole days without cussing. When you first meet me, I censor my language. I probably won’t cuss in front of you for months.

I also believe that cussing shouldn’t be done for cussing’s sake. I can’t stand movies where every other word is a cuss word. I also find nothing amusing about a comedian who constantly cusses because he or she has no imagination.

Cussing is like anything else–if you overdo it, it loses its significance and can sound silly. But well-placed, well-chosen cuss words can be quite powerful. Just ask my husband, who knows how mad I am by the cuss words I choose. When he hears certain words, he knows things are serious.

I’ve even taught close friends how powerful and stress-reducing cussing can be. Before we met seven years ago, one friend rarely cussed and had never said a few of the really “bad” words. After hanging around me for a while that changed, to the disbelief of her mild-mannered husband. Now when she starts cussing, he’ll say, “You’ve been hanging around Julie again.”

Rather than be ashamed of her newfound skill, my friend told me that when she’s angry, nothing makes her feel better than spouting a few choice words. She’s found cussing works especially well with her husband. Recently when they were visiting relatives and he sat immobile on the couch while help was obviously needed, she swept by and hissed an unprintable directive.

“In our 28 years of marriage,” she marveled to me later, “I’ve never seen him move so fast.”

I know many people would never dream of saying certain “gutter” words, but frankly, I don’t know what the fuss is about. The truth is, words are what we make them. People assign significance to “bad” words. We could have easily branded phooey or fiddlesticks with negative meanings, but we didn’t. If people didn’t give cuss words such a bad reputation, maybe there would be less shock and disappointment when they’re used.

And for those who have led cuss-free lives up until now, don’t knock it until you try it. The next time you’re upset, cuss all alone and see how much better you feel.

You never know. You may find cussing to be a calming influence. If not, I have a few things to say about that. But you’ll have to use your imagination.