For dedicated gardeners, here are suggestions...

For dedicated gardeners, here are suggestions from the California Assn. of Nurserymen:

* Visit the local garden center to shop for Christmas ornaments and other decorations as well as for gifts.

* Snails and slugs love the damp winter conditions, so use natural or chemical controls to keep them from feeding on new bulb flower shoots and annuals.

* When spraying to control pests and diseases in their dormant state, be sure to cover the plant from top to bottom and even on the undersides of the leaves and on the ground around the plant.

* Take along a potted plant for the hostess at your next Christmas party.