For dedicated gardeners, here are suggestions from...

For dedicated gardeners, here are suggestions from the California Assn. of Nurserymen on what to do in the garden this week:

* Outdoor plants can dry out even in winter. Check plants under eaves, in containers and in protected areas.

* Make your first planting of gladiolus this month and follow up with additional plantings at 15- to 25-day intervals until July for color from spring to early fall.

* Early blooming shrubs to plant now are forsythia, daphnes and flowering quince.

* Slugs and snails begin working as temperatures rise. Keep your cool by using a good snail bait. Ask a certified nursery professional for a recommendation.