October gardening chores center on cleaning up

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• Picking plants with water conservation in mind

  Picking plants with water conservation in mind

  Q:I have a large empty area in my yard that I would like to landscape but I don't want to use a lot of water. What kind of plants should I be looking for? — Bill Widner, Arroyo Grande

  A: The easy answer to your question is California native plants that are drought tolerant. The harder part will be choosing from among the beautiful myriad of drought tolerant natives available to us here on the Central Coast.

  Whether brilliant reds of California fuchsia, delicate hues of yarrows, or flamboyant blue clusters of Ceanothus, many of our native ornamentals have beneficial features suited to home landscaping. As natives, they have evolved over thousands of years to be naturally adapted to our Mediterranean climate of cool wet winters and hot dry summers. Their physiology and deeply spreading root systems permit them to flourish without summer watering. They tolerate occasional pest predation, and they are generally resistant to disease.

• There’s plenty to do in your December garden

  There’s plenty to do in your December garden

  Q: Are there chores I should focus on in the garden during December? — Dennis Neil, Los Osos

  A: Wear an extra sweater and you’ll find that December is a beautiful time to work in the garden. You may need a breather from the holiday ruckus and keeping the garden tended will make for less work in the spring.

  Winter is a great time to assess what worked and what didn’t in your garden. Grab your hot coffee, tea or cider and take a stroll. The bones of your garden are more visible at this time of year. Now, you can set some goals for 2012.

• January jobs in the garden: Plant, prune, prepare

  January jobs in the garden: Plant, prune, prepare

  Q. What tasks should I be doing in my garden in January? — Philomena Reid

  A: If you’re interested in working off that holiday fare, look no further than your garden. January is a quiet month, especially on the first, and meditation is never better than when working outdoors. But just because you have survived the holidays does not mean that it is now the time to sit back and watch the weeds grow.

  The Rose Parade may be inviting, but planting a rose bush of your own is infinitely more rewarding. January is just the month. Bare-root roses are available and ready to plant. Choose according to growth habit and your growing conditions. Along the coast, disease-resistant varieties thrive in cooler conditions.

• April gardening — where’s a good place to start?

  April gardening — where’s a good place to start?

  Q: My garden is beginning to come alive. Other than the usual clean-up and watering, what needs to be done this time of year? — Jeanette Wolff, Cambria

  A: If you’re planning on adding new plants to what you have — and what gardener isn’t — now’s the time to visit a nursery to pick colors that will accentuate established plantings.

  Choose a new clivia for a shady corner, a clematis for arbors and fences. New and exciting varieties of perennials such as agapanthus, chrysanthemums, coreopsis, gaillardia, gazania, verbena and yarrow are best planted now and will give you color for many months of the year.

• May in the garden: Plant, feed, beware of frost

  May in the garden: Plant, feed, beware of frost

  May is a month for planting, fertilizing and controlling pests. But don’t be fooled by a late frost.

  Plant dahlias and gladiolus for summer color. For annuals you can plant dianthus and pansies. As the nights become warmer you can hang baskets of fuchsias and geraniums. For perennials, shop for summer and fall color with asters, coreopsis, and cornflowers.

  Now is the time to check the needs of your lawn. Aerate, feed and over-seed to get rid of bald patches. Around mid-month, feed your lawn with an even coat of highnitrogen fertilizer, watering thoroughly after application.