I do my best every year about this time to remind local gardeners of the importance of fall gardening.
I can't say it much better than I did two years ago in this same column, so here it is again: Sit down. Don't get mad and don't turn the page quite yet. This isn't a misprint.
For local gardeners the mantra is "fall is spring."
Those three words form the foundation of successful gardening in Southern California.
Forget the calendar for a moment and read on. In Mediterranean climates, from a plant's point-of-view, there are really only two seasons: a cool season and a warm season. One season is for growing and the other is for resting.
Generally speaking, Orange County's cool season begins about now and wraps up sometime in April or May. Our warm season, on the other hand, occupies the rest of the next year, from about April or May through early fall.