The arrival of fall seems to be the topic of the moment. The obvious fear is that winter is close behind. Is it too early to start counting the days remaining until spring?

If you have some of the tender bulb or thick-rooted annuals still in the garden, time is running out if you wish to save them for next year. This list includes gladiolus, cannas, caladiums, elephant ears and dahlias as the most common ones. These won't survive our winters in the ground.

After digging, gladiolus should be quickly air dried in a warm place. Cut off the tops and shake off the remaining soil. They can be treated with a fungicide and insecticide before storage if that fits your program. With or without chemicals, it is wise to discard any bulbs showing insect, disease or physical damage. They should be stored in an airy, dark place.

With dahlias, I am referring to the tall ones with the large roots and big flowers. The smaller ones with smaller flowers are grown from seed and are not worth fooling with.

Immediately after the stems have been blackened with frost, cut off all but the last four inches. Carefully dig the tuberous roots. Discard if the crowns are damaged. Turn the roots upside down and let dry for a week. Pack them in peat moss and keep at temperatures in the low 40ies. Packing in peat moss is an excellent way to create a humidity level that's neither too wet nor too dry.

For cannas and caladiums you may wish to beat the frost, as they are a bit more temperature sensitive than the first two. Again, dry and shake off excess soil from the rhizomes. Storing in peat moss is the best with minimum temperatures of 50 degrees recommended. Good-sized damaged root sections will often be good for new plants.

Caladiums need high temperatures to get started in the spring, so of the above group they are the most difficult to keep going. So much for the bulb or bulb like plants that you plant in the spring.

Now is a good time to do any last minute planting of spring-blooming bulbs. Daffodils are easy to find and easy to grow. They are happy in most soils and do not seem bothered by lots of sun or lots of shade. They thrive in our climate and multiply freely with little attention. In five to seven years a clump may need division to prevent overcrowding. Unlike many other spring flowering bulbs, daffodils are not squirrel food.

With tulips and hyacinths pick larger bulbs. Larger bulbs have larger flowers. You can keep them going successfully with regular fertilizer if you have a sunny spot with rather light soil. Unfortunately, the best results usually come in the first year so replant regularly. Think about the squirrels with these.

There are many different crocus varieties out there. They perform very well if one can resist cutting off the tops until they have dried. It's ok to mow the crocus section of your yard at the highest setting several times. Besides, you can go faster. They also prefer the driest sections of your yard or rock garden.

Bulbs play a wonderful role in the garden. Plant the spring bloomers now. Dig and store the spring-planted ones now or forget them and start over again in the spring.