​​     Aside from wondering when or if we’ll get some more rain later this Spring, the weather has been blissful, with 70s in the daytime and high 40s during the nighttime.  Seeds and transplants from winter like chard and parsley and cilantro and spinach are filling out enough to already harvest their outer leaves a couple of times.  Some bok choy and tatsoi are even reacting to the daytime heat and beginning to bolt (going to seed) but still delightfully sweet, either as additions to raw salads or stir-fried for roll-ups or burritos, or added to soups.  The first tomatoes I’ve been transplanting as I found my usual varieties at nurseries are a good foot tall and starting to blossom (which I’ll remove until the plants are two feet tall and therefore with better-established root systems). 
 
Upcoming Tomatomanias
     For lesser-common tomato varieties, there are several upcoming Tomatomania dates and sites on my Garden Events page – see https://www.gardeninginla.net/submit-your-garden-events.html . 
     Note that each site has its own COVID procedures. 
     For more dates and sites as they’re scheduled, go to https://tomatomania.com/ .
 
More Planting
     Continue to sow seed and transplant the cool-season veggies, including beets, carrots, celery, chard, herbs, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuces, green onions, bulb onion seed and sets, parsley, peas, peanuts, potatoes, radishes, shallots, spinaches, strawberries, and turnips.
     Transplant bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi and tatsoi seedlings.  These should bear through Spring and into early Summer.
     Plant summer-blooming bulbs, corms, and tubers -- including acidanthera, agapanthus, tuberous begonias, caladiums, calla lilies, canna lilies, dahlias, gladiolus, hemerocallis, tuberous iris, ixias, tigridias, tuberoses, and watsonias. Repeat plantings through May for continuous bloom through the summer.
 
Wait To Plant Warm-Season Lovers
    Hold off for another month or so to transplant warm-season veggies other than tomatoes – like cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, and squash – until the soil (not air) temperature feels comfortable to hold the palm of your hand on. 
     Planting these warm-season lovers into cold soil now will just chill them, and they won’t really recover and thrive for longer than you should have waited.
     A good cue when to proceed with planting these is when overnight temperatures are consistently in the upper 50s.
 
Pluck Off Strawberry Blossoms
     If your established strawberry plants are producing blossoms, pluck them off through April or May -- whenever the warm weather has settled in for good.  You want the plants to conserve their first real burst of fruiting energy into large sweet berries rather than small tart ones. Unless, of course, you're desperately wanting that very first berry, even if it is tart.
 
Last Fruit Tree Pruning and First Feeding
     As fruit trees start blossoming and putting out their first leaves, make your last pruning cuts and first fertilization, scattering it out to a foot or more beyond the drip line.  Then water it into the soil so it starts to “melt” downward and be available for the tree’s feeder roots in the top 12-18 inches of soil. 
 
California Arbor Day = March 7
     Arbor Day is celebrated in California on March 7 in honor of horticulturist Luther Burbank's birthday. (National Arbor Day is celebrated on the last Friday in April, but many states observe Arbor Day on different dates throughout the year based on the best tree-planting times in their areas.)
     Burbank is famous for his work improving varieties of flowers (like Shasta Daisy), fruits (Santa Rosa Plum), grains, grasses, vegetables (Russet Burbank Potato), and trees.
     See my 9/23/15 Blog on  my visit to Burbank's home and garden in Santa Rosa.                                            
More Gardening Tips
See March on my Monthly Tips page.

​Fig putting out its new leaves and first "bebra" crop on last-year's wood that will ripen in early June.  Main fruit crop will appear on this year's new wood and ripen in July/August according to its specific variety.

Chasmanthe "Duckittii", yellow chasmanthe, wonderfully bright color during normally gloomy February

Chasmanthe floribunda, orange chasmanthe, like the yellow one, creates clumps of bulbs over several years' time.

Hardenbergia's delicate purple pea-like blossoms are intensified by their teeny lime-green centers.  I accidentally discovered that leaving the bush unpruned after early July results in this wonderful waterfall of color now in February.

Single and double paperwhites.

Salvia blooming all year long, although less now.

Bees love rosemary.

     This year, with its lack of frost in the lower elevations, has enabled multiple seedings and transplantings since Fall, and this weather promises to continue for at least a couple of weeks. 
      Even though assorted critters have munched their way through many of my sprouts and seedlings,  many more thankfully have survived so I still have more than enough to find niches to plant them. 
     One bed I’ll leave alone was supposed to be intermixed bok choy, chard, cilantro, kale, lettuce and parsley.  It is those, but many of last year’s breadseed poppies from a nearby area sprouted amongst the edibles, and I love them too much to pull them up or try to transplant them (their long taproots don’t like being moved, as I’ve learned in the past).  Of course, when I harvested the pods last year and scattered the seeds where I wanted them to come up this year, they didn’t sprout.  Sometimes you just have to adjust yourself to where the seeds want to sprout and thrive!  
     In another bed, where I’d replanted purchased broccoli starts and just now removed their soda-pop greenhouse protection, they seem to be doing well, without any munchers enjoying them (yet). Sometimes just trying again and again is finally successful – and still less expensive than purchasing from a grocery store, especially when - like broccoli - the potential eating season is so very long.  Perseverence!
     I’ve tried seeding a couple of new kinds of greens, and they’ve come up nicely and haven’t been munched, so I hope at least a couple of them will thrive so I can enjoy eating them!  It’s always nice to add something new to the garden each time around!
 
Transplanting My First Tomatoes
     I transplanted my first tomato plants – a Sungold Cherry – a month ago, as soon as I saw a healthy one at an Ace Hardware store.  I know that the Sungold – as an "indeterminate" type - will continue growing and bearing fruit for the entire summer, so getting this really early start will hopefully give me tomatoes extra early as well. 
     I transplanted a second tomato plant – a Celebrity – 2 weeks ago, and a third – another Celebrity – just yesterday.  The Celebrity plants – since they’re "determinate" types – will grow only so much and then bear all of their fruit within a couple of weeks.  By staggering plantings of these, I hope to have a continuous supply with one bush starting to bear at about the time a previously-planted one has finished bearing.  I’ll continue this pattern of planting another Celebrity plant every 2 or 3 weeks through perhaps April or May.  After that, the heat will have probably settled in and precluded planting more plants that will actually thrive because it’s just too hot for the plants to establish themselves, develop nicely, and then bear fruit.  I've tried to keep planting in the past, but the plants just didn't do well and I just don't want to spend the money for the water needed to keep them struggling!
     I’m currently eating from a Sungold volunteer that sprouted among my boysenberry plants just down the slope from where the Sungold was planted last year.  It's a bit tart, but definitely with real tomato flavor, as opposed to those things from the grocery store.
 
Don’t Transplant Any Other Summer Crops!
     Tomatoes are the only warm-weather-loving summer crop that can tolerate our still-chilly weather now and get nicely established and begin growing. 
     Other warm-season crops will literally glare at you in angry agony that you've forced them to deal with both cold soil and cold air all night long, and they’ll never really thrive once the weather and the soil warms because they've been so stressed out now. 
     Best to wait at least another month or two to purchase transplants and get them into the soil, and then they’ll take off in appreciation that their roots and foliage are warmer!
 
Last Pruning
     Finish heavy pruning of dormant trees and shrubs that will bloom in summer and fall, and also roses, grapes, and vine berries. 
     For beginning gardeners, doing this pruning when you see the first green buds is fine because you can actually see where the growth is coming from and consequently where to cut. 
     However, even if you can’t get to doing this pruning within a week or two, be sure to trim extra long branches within the month to help limit the tree’s or shrub’s potential gangliness and possible breaking of those branches when they’re full of fruit later this spring.
 
Pull Those Weeds Now!
     Get rid of the weeds now while they're small and before they form flowers or seeds, and you'll have fewer weed problems later.
     Watering the area to be weeded the day before the job will soften the soil and ease the removal of the weeds' entire root systems, preventing resprouting.
     A handy tool to use to pry up entire root systems is the pronged "asparagus fork" that looks like a slightly bent stick.
     If you pull out a weed that has already formed its seedhead, do not leave it in a walkway as mulch or compost it, since the weed will continue to mature and possibly scatter its seed before it finally dies.  This kind of recycling you really don’t want!
 
More Gardening Tips
For more timely gardening tips, see February.

     With our promised rain for this weekend and next week, be sure to prepare your seeding trays and your garden beds to transplant whatever’s available at nurseries.  Seeding and transplanting will both be more successful when the entire area of soil is moist to at least a six-inch depth.  And, as you winter-prune your fruit trees and perennials, you can propagate the trimmings to share with fellow gardeners.
 
Seeding

• Some seeds to start either in trays or in the soil include celery, chard, cilantro, kale, leeks, lettuces, mustards, green and bulb onions, parsley, peas, radishes, and spinaches.
• Sow root crops like beets and carrots and turnips directly into the soil where they’ll mature. Their long roots want to grow straight down without being interrupted or grow curly because they’ve hit a rock or been transplanted (since you can't really position that long skinny root to be really straight).
• For wildflowers, scatter directly where they’ll grow.  Sow some right before the promised rain and another batch right after the rain so both batches of seeds can lodge in moist soil from the first rain and then get another sprinkling with the next rain to settle the seeds in even further.
• Plant garlic cloves, bulb onion sets, and shallots directly into the soil where they’ll mature. Once they’ve extended their roots, they don’t like being disturbed without a setback.

 
Transplanting

• Transplant more cool-season perennial roots like artichoke and asparagus crowns and rhubarb rhizomes, grapes and berry vines, and strawberries, along with broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chard, chives, cilantro, kale, leeks, lettuces, mustards, parsley, and spinaches.
• Of the warm-season crops, transplant ONLY tomatoes, which do fine when placed into the chilly soil.  However, DON'T PLANT ANYTHING ELSE that thrives in warm weather, like cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, and squash, even if they’re in the nursery.  If you transplant these now, they’ll just sit and pout at you, as if angry that you’ve stuck them into cold soil, and they’ll never really recover and thrive even once the weather and soil stay consistently warm.  Best to wait until the weather is consistently above 70 degrees, and the soil feels barely cool to the touch (test with the palm of your hand).  Then, the transplants will thrive as they develop in the warmth.

 
Use Prunings To Propagate New Plants

• Take cuttings of fig trees that have about 8 nodes (where the leaves emerge from the stem), cut just below the bottom node, place into a 1-gallon pot with either soil or potting mix, water in, and place in bright light to root.  In a couple of months, tug on the cutting, and if it resists it probably has developed some initial roots.  Keep moist in the container through the summer and into the fall as it develops foliage.  Transplant then, once the beating heat of summer has passed but the soil is still nice and warm to help the extensive root system develop more fully as it gradually acclimates to cooler weather for overwintering.  Remove any fruits that form so all the plant’s energy goes into extending its root system.  Next June and August you’ll have a strong plant and a great crop!    
• Dig clumps of perennials, separate into smaller groups, and replant.  To propagate perennial plants like Justicia and sage and geraniums, cut a branch right below the 6th or 7th node.  Keep the top 4 or 5 leaves, but cut larger ones in half crosswise to lessen the amount of foliage that must be supported as the roots develop.  If you remove too many entire leaves instead of leaving these half-leaves, there’s the risk that a pet or other animal (or you) will break too many off so the plant can’t do its photosynthesis to enable the plant to root.

 
Frost Still Possible

• The end of January is the “average” last frost for our area, but higher altitudes may still get some frost a bit later.
• Frost is most likely on dry, windless, clear nights.
• Plants are less susceptible to frost damage when they have been sufficiently watered so the soil or planter mix remains barely moist.
• Frost settles straight down, so best to provide coverings directly above plants.  Side coverings can be additionally helpful, but the top coverings are critical.
• Keep frost-protection coverings, especially those made of plastic sheeting, away from directly touching the foliage, or the foliage may more readily freeze.

 
More Gardening Tips
For more timely gardening tips, see January and February.

1.  Lettuce plant protected by juice bottle, 2.  Bottle removed, 3.  Plant harvested leaving 2 innermost leaves to continue growing, 4.  Protective bottle replaced onto plant.

     Yay for the wonderful rains that dribbled and torrented our gardens on late Sunday and Monday! Lightning blasts and thunderous claps set off neighbors’ security lights, and then the soft pitter-patter on our roof became heavier downpours.   Gentle drops turned into bucketfuls.  By daytime on Monday, the initial onslaught evolved into alternate sun and rain and drizzle that is best for slowly and consistently absorbing into the soil.  
     This pausing between bouts of rain is important to allow the water filling the air pores in the soil to drain out before the next batch of water comes down.  If this drainage can’t happen, the new water flows off of the surface of the soil and into gutters or the street, which of course is a lost resource.
     Such delight that I’m sure only we gardeners appreciate fully!

Gardening tasks right after rainstorms

1. No stomping in the garden.  With all the water filling the air pores in the soil for hours after a good rain, you don’t want to walk in the garden because your weight will literally push out the water and compress the soil particles, which will result in roots that can’t breathe or grow between the particles.  Wait at least a full day until you walk in the garden, even in the pathways.  If you absolutely must walk in the garden, then lay down a broad piece of lumber or garbage can top or something similar so your weight is spread out.  
2. Dig gently when transplanting seedlings or planting bulbs.  Move the soil as little as possible.  Remove a scoopful with a small hand trowel, place the seedling or bulb in, and gently crumble the soil back on top to avoid compressing the soil.  Sprinkle with just enough water to settle the soil around the plant or bulb.
3. When rain is promised again later this winter – or even when you apply overhead watering throughout the year – make a point of doing any digging or harvesting activity the day beforehand so you’ll not be tempted to do so until two days after the rain to allow the rain to drain naturally and retain the air pores.

Protecting plants from frosts

1. Frost is likely on dry, windless, clear, cold nights. Be concerned when temperatures in the high- to mid-30s are forecasted, especially for lower areas in your garden like the bottom of a hill or against a fence that don’t have good air circulation to sweep the cold further away.
2. Plants are less susceptible to frost damage when they have been sufficiently watered, so soil or planter mix remains barely moist. However, more water may stimulate new growth or drown the plant, since roots and foliage don't circulate moisture quickly during cold weather. 
3. Provide protection of seedlings with mini-greenhouses made from clear plastic milk or water jugs with their caps removed and their bottoms cut off. Place the jugs over the seedlings after the bed has been watered well. Press the jugs about one-half inch deep into the soil to prevent the entry of pests such as cutworms at the soil level and to lessen the chance of the jug being blown away during windy gusts. Remove the jugs when the foliage begins to crowd inside the jug, or when night temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees.  
4. Frost settles directly down, so provide protection for larger plants from above as well as from the sides. 
5. Keep frost-protection coverings, especially those made of plastic sheeting, away from the foliage, or the foliage may more readily freeze. 
6. If plants are damaged by frost, don't remove any of the dead foliage or branches. Plants may look messy, but these damaged portions will protect sensitive growth further inside the plants from later frosts. Wait to start trimming the dead stuff until new  growth begins again in spring – you may find that branches which appeared dead are indeed alive and well after all. 
7. Don’t fertilize frost-damaged plants until spring growth begins, when more frost is unlikely.

For more timely gardening tips, see January.

Is your garden growing frustratingly slowly?  Have you sown seeds weeks ago and only a couple have emerged?  Even though it's been pleasantly in the 70s during daytime, night-time temperatures have been only in the high mid- to high- 40s here in my Pasadena garden, and this means that everything grows sssslllllooooooowwwwwlllllyyyy.  Apparently the cooler night-time temperatures – not the warmer daytime temperatures - are what determines how the garden proceeds.  Here are some other considerations to help you feel that you’re doing the most you can for your garden now, while being patient and appreciative when you do see something green growing.
 
Direct-Seeding
     Seeds that are large enough to handle easily – like chard and peas – and root crops – like beets and carrots – should be sowed directly where they’ll mature.   
     For the larger seeds this means avoiding the 10 days or so of delay when they’re transplanted later and need that extra time to resettle into their new homes. 
     For root crops, this enables the roots to grow straight down into the prepared soil – although we all enjoy the funny shapes some carrots develop when their fine roottips must swerve around an obstruction. 
     The only drawback is that, for those of us whose garden is some distance from our homes, we need to visit the just-sown space frequently to make sure that conditions continue to be right for germination.
 
Starting in Trays for Later Transplanting
    Most seeds can be started in trays and transplanted later, except for carrots.
     The advantage is that trays can be kept closer to or in our homes for frequent monitoring. 
     The disadvantage is that the little plants will need to be transplanted into the garden later, with probably some loss of some of the seedlings and delay as little plants reacclimate to their new homes.
 
Some Tricks for Each Veggie
Bok Choy and Tatsoi - Space about an open hand-width apart to allow foliage to develop fully before harvesting.
Broccoli – Space about 2 feet apart to allow foliage to develop fully without crowding the next plant.
Cabbage, Cauliflower – Space a good 3 feet apart to allow for full spread of foliage before the single head is harvestable.  Since these are one-time harvests, you can place them away from general traffic since you'll need to access the area only that once.
Carrots – Seeds generally take a full 3 weeks to germinate.  They’re not strong enough to push through crusted soil, so are best sown with radishes which will germinate within a couple of days and then keep the soil “moving” as they develop so the carrots don’t have to struggle to come up.  Even so, my carrots that were sown almost two months ago are just now coming up.    
Chard and Kales and Mustards – Space at least a foot apart to allow for full development of leaves before harvesting (leaving several smaller inner leaves to continue developing).
Cilantro – Sow in blocks so you can harvest by cutting batches of stems an inch or so above soil level.  They may or may not resprout more harvestable stems before they bolt and go to seed with the merest amount of warmth.
Leeks – Transplant at least 2 inches apart to allow full development before pulling up at harvest. 
Lettuce – Transplant a hand-width apart since you’ll be harvesting outer leaves and leaving the inch-size inner leaves to continue developing.   
Onions – Space green onions only an inch apart, since they won’t spread much further before harvesting.  Space dime-size bulblets about 4 inches apart, since these will develop into 3-inch globes when they're ready to harvest in late May and June.
Parsley – Sow in wide blocks where they’ll mature so you can harvest by cutting stems an inch above the soil level so more stems can develop for harvesting again in another month or two.
Peas -- Last year, I resowed my peas three times between October and January, assuming that the previous sowings had been eaten or rotted...and then they all came up in February. 
Radishes – They come up quickly, so are great to sow with carrots that need the help to emerge.
Spinach – Space varieties that mature to only about 4 inches wide a stretched-out-hand width, and a bit wider for larger-leafed varieties, since you'll keep outer leaves harvest and allow the inner ones to continue developing.
 
Sprinkle Mulch Onto Seedbed
     Sprinkle a very thin layer of fine-grained mulch over a batch of just-sown seed so it’ll keep the seeds in place and the soil barely moist and therefore lessen crusting of the soil and encourage germination and development.  This works especially well with carrots since the seeds aren't very strong in being able to push up through crusted-over soil.
 
Sprinkle Water Onto Seedbed
     Gently sprinkle water onto the seedbed or trays, moving frequently and repeatedly back and forth to thoroughly moisten the bed at least an inch deep without blasting the seeds around.
     Repeat this gentle sprinkling every other day or so, preferably in the late afternoon so the soil remains moist overnight and into the next day to encourage germination.
 
Warm Beds with Clear Plastic
     To help concentrate daytime warmth and increase germination, cover the bed with clear plastic sheeting. Anchor down the edges with soil or rocks to keep out slugs and other critters who love the succulent sprouts, and to keep the sheeting from blowing away.
 
Protect Beds from Critters
     If critters like skunks and other diggers love searching for slugs in your just-sown beds, stretch fruit-tree netting over the bed and anchor the edges so they can’t get into the area.
         If other munchers love those just-transplanted seedlings, cover them with plastic bottles with the bottoms cut off.  But remove them once the plants start peaking out of the tops! 
     If flying insects like cabbage moths are flitting about, cover the area with spunbonded polyester landscape fabric to keep them out.

More December Garden Tasks
See ​December Monthly Tips 
​

       What is Compost?  Is it different from mulch?

                               Why Make Compost?

                    How to Start:  An Enclosed Bin
​

                          How to Start:  An Open Pile

    How to Start:  Sheet, Lasagna, Worm Composting

      Plant Materials to Use:  Moist Greens = Nitrogen

        Plant Materials to Use:  Dry Browns = Carbon

                               Materials to Avoid: 
    Meat, bones, dairy, fat, oil, feces from meat-eating
           animals, diseased or pest-infested plants,
          herbicide-treated plants, weeds and seeds

            Putting Materials Together:  Small Pieces,
                      1 Part Green to 2 Parts Brown

                Constructing A Pile in Layers:  3x3x3
       Coarse brown base, small green, small brown,
         dirt or compost or potting mix, moisten, etc.

                            How Long Will It Take?

                              When Is It Done?

                                 Troubleshooting

               How Do I Use Compost In My Garden?
  Benefits sandy soil, clay soil, soil structure; nutrients
​       are more immediately available to plant roots;
         resulting in healthier plants that more easily
                          resist diseases and pests

​A home composting system can be as simple as gathering together bits and pieces from meal preparation and mixing with dried leaves from the garden, or as complex as processing measured ingredients in specific steps and exacting timeframes.  It’s up to your choice of how you spend your time and effort to achieve your desired results.  Here are some considerations.
 
What is compost? Is it different from mulch?
Compost is decomposed organic material that you can no longer tell what its original ingredients were.  Mulch is also of organic material but may be partially decomposed or not at all, and is generally laid on top of the soil.
 
Why Make Compost?

• Composting continues Nature’s recycling plan.  A diverse pile of kitchen and garden waste will eventually decompose; but when materials are purposely chosen, mixed together, kept moist and aerated, the process accelerates with beneficial microbes, bacteria, and fungi doing the work. 
• According to CalRecycle (https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/organics/homecompost), “Home composting is an effective and efficient way to dramatically reduce your waste stream at home, while doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint. Organic material sent to landfill creates methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to the negative impacts of our changing climate. By making compost, you are creating a valuable soil amendment that you can use to benefit your landscape, boost plant growth and sequester carbon.”

 
How to Start

• Home composting can be accomplished in an enclosed bin or tumbler, or in a pile that’s either free-standing or corralled with wire or palettes or netting. 
• Sheet or Lasagna Composting entails layering materials on top of a garden bed and letting it incorporate shallowly into the soil as it decomposes.
• Vermi (Worm) Composting requires a dedicated container and can be accomplished indoors.  It’s best used when only a small amount of kitchen waste is available; and close attention to the worms’ needs is required.

 
Plant Materials to Use

• Moist Greens = Nitrogen = fresh grass clippings, green leaves, vegetable and fruit trimmings, coffee grounds, tea leaves, egg shells, weeds, vegetable plants; and manure from herbivorous animals like chickens, turkeys, cows, horses, goats or rabbits.
• Dry Browns = Carbon = dry grass clippings, small twigs, dried leaves, hay, shredded paper, wood chips, sawdust (not from treated wood).
• Size = Smaller pieces, especially of dry brown material, will decompose more quickly.
• Proportion = For quickest decomposition, use about 1 part nitrogen/green materials to 2 parts carbon/brown materials in each layering.

 
Materials to Avoid
To reduce the potential for pests or odors, avoid animal products like meat, bones and dairy; anything with fat or oil like baked goods and salad with dressing; feces from meat-eating animals like dogs, cats, and humans; diseased or pest-infested plant matter, herbicide-treated grass or plants, perennial and seed-bearing weeds, and hay (which has weed seeds).
 
 
Constructing a Pile

• Plan for a compost pile that is three feet wide by three feet deep by three feet tall. Smaller piles may not achieve sufficiently high temperatures to kill bad organisms and weed seeds. Larger piles can achieve composting temperatures more easily, but need more frequent turning to ensure optimum oxygen supply.
• There’s no need to purchase a “starter” or inoculant.  The plant material, soil, and previous compost can serve this purpose.
• Start with a 4-6” base layer of coarse dry brown materials to allow air penetration under the pile.
• Add a 2-3” layer of green materials.
• Add a 2-3” layer of smaller-sized brown materials.
• Top with a dusting of dirt or unscreened, mature compost or used potting mix.
• Wet the pile, making sure that the edges as well as the center are equally moistened.
• Continue making additional layers in this order and end by sprinkling the top layer well.
• During hot and dry weather, you may have to moisten the pile more frequently between adding more layers.
• During wet weather, you may need to cover the pile to shed off rainwater.

 
How Long Will It Take?

• Composting can be accomplished with more effort and faster results, or with less labor and a longer finish that may not kill all weed seeds or pathogens. The time of year and size and type of materials will also affect the rate of decomposition.  Depending on these variables, the process may be completed in a month or in a year.

• A “hot” pile requires turning of all materials and remoistening the pile every couple of days. Finished compost may be available in a month or two.
• A “cold” pile that is left to decompose by itself with no turning may result in much material that doesn’t break down and must be screened out when the pile is deconstructed.  Finished compost make take 6 months or a year.

 
When Is It Done?

• Compost is ready when its texture is uniform, dark brown and crumbly with a pleasant, earthy aroma, and you can’t recognize any of the original materials.  Any remaining chunks of material can be screened out and put back into a new pile.
• There is no “expiration” date for finished compost.  You can let it continue to “cure” before applying to the garden.

 
Troubleshooting

• If the pile gets too wet or dense with food scraps, it will smell bad, and composting will slow down or stop altogether because the beneficial microbes – bacteria and fungi – decomposing the ingredients  need oxygen to live and have died. Add more carbon/brown material, turn and fluff the pile with a pitchfork to incorporate air.
• If the pile is too dry, decomposition will stall, and ants may set up nests.  Add more nitrogen/green material, turn and remoisten the pile; ants will move elsewhere.
• If insects, rats, racoons appear, there may be meat or fatty foods in the pile.  Remove these items from the pile, turn the pile and remoisten to increase temperature; use an animal-proof bin.

 
How Do I Use Compost in My Garden?
Compost is an excellent amendment for soil of any type.  Its benefits include:

• Helping sandy soil to retain water.
• Helping clay soil to drain better.
• Improving soil structure friability.

• Nutrients are more immediately available to plant roots.
• Healthier plants can more easily resist diseases and pests.

Salvias continuing their year-round bloom

     I do love gardening at this time of year, when air temperatures are in the 70s and soil temperatures are still warmish.  Seeds germinate easily, and transplants galore are available at nurseries.  But the munchers are also active – my entire batch of seedlings were beautifully sprouting one day, without their baby leaves the next day, and even stems shorn to the soil level the next.  And this was when my seed trays were six feet in the air on top of a rack! Another reason to be relieved and thankful that we gardeners aren’t limited to what we can grow at home, that we have our local nurseries and online resources!
 
Pumpkins Alive!
     Given the end-of-the-month festivities, toast -- don't toss -- your pumpkin seeds when you carve your Jack O'Lantern. Separate the seeds from the stringy pulp by washing the seeds well. Spread them on a cookie sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt if desired. Toast them for three or four minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, stir, and toast another two or three minutes until they're evenly golden. Cool them to room temperature, and enjoy!
 
Plants Overwintering Edibles
     The entire slew of cool-season veggies that love the cool weather and will provide a wide range of flavors and textures and colors for your culinary delight – including artichokes, asparagus, fava beans, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, chives, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, radishes, rhubarb, sage, spinaches, shallots, and thyme.
     Just about any broccoli variety will do well in our area. After harvesting the single head, many little bitesize florets will appear at seemingly every node (where the leaf emerges from the stem).  For a milder taste, try a cross between broccoli and cauliflower – sometimes called “broccoflower”, that forms a brilliant chartreuse, beautifully pointed head; Romanesco is one variety.
     Plant asparagus crowns at least six inches deep, and mulch them heavily with manure.  Winter rains and later irrigation will slowly wash the nutrients down to the root zone.
     Cole crops like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kohlrabi frequently develop long stems before their first leaves, so transplant them up to the first set of leaves to prevent their developing into weak, leggy plants that flop over.
     Plant garlic cloves now so they’ll develop strong root systems over the winter, and leaf production can begin early in the spring, resulting in a larger head next summer.
     Also plant strawberry plants now so they’ll develop their strong root systems over the winter.  In early spring, they’ll shift their energy to their leaves and blossoms. 
 
Flower Bulbs
     For a cover crop of flowers before, during, and after spring bulb bloom, sow seeds or plant seedlings of low-growing annual bloomers after you've planted the bulbs. Think of color contrasts such as purple pansies with yellow daffodils or white alyssum with red tulips. Good choices include calendulas, pansies, Iceland poppies, primroses, dwarf snapdragons, dwarf stock, and violas.
     Separate and replant crowded clumps of flower bulbs, especially if they’re already sprouting. For those that bloom in early spring, place them near deciduous trees so they’ll show their color before  the trees leaf out.
 
Change Watering Frequency
     Help overwintering plants harden off by changing your irrigation schedule. Cooler weather slows evaporation from the soil and transpiration from plant foliage, so irrigation is needed less often. So, decrease the number of times -- but not the length of time -- you water. This change will still provide water to deep roots while allowing for longer periods for the soil to dry in between waterings, and it doesn't encourage new, frost-tender growth. 
     The depth of the watering is always dependent on the depth of the plants' root systems according to their genetics. For example, beets, carrots, lettuce, spinach and Swiss chard all need water down to about 12 inches so their entire root systems will be fully hydrated. So, each watering must be long enough to allow water to filter that deeply.
 
Make Plants Cold-Hardy
     Feed all overwintering plants with a low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus, high-potassium fertilizer to help them become cold-hardy.

More Garden Tasks
     For more possibilities to accomplish in your garden, see October Tips and November Tips.

Starting seeds in containers and in the soil.

     During this continuing 100+ temperatures in my garden, we wishfully look forward to cooler weather and enjoying that whole new set of veggies and posies.  First, some suggestions on getting seeds started.  Then, I’ll review the results of my tomato harvest from this summer so you can compare with yours and perhaps add a couple of new varieties for next year’s consideration!
 
SOWING FALL AND WINTER EDIBLES
      From now through January and perhaps even February, we can sow and transplant the cool-season edibles. 
     Soil temperature optimums to germinate these seeds are 50-75 degrees, so be forewarned that you may need to resow seeds a couple of times as the weather cools before you get good germination.
     Last year, I resowed my peas four times over a two-month period, and then they all came up at once!  They do so when they're ready and their environment is what they want!

Here's a list of which seeds to sow using the three sowing techniques.  Note that some seeds can be started both in the soil and in trays.
 
Directly sow these seeds into soil, in a "nursery" bed so you can keep your eye on the progress and keep moist and a bit shaded -- chard, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce (especially romaine types and small-heading Bibb and buttercrunch types, which overwinter well with minimal damage from light frosts), green and long-day bulb onions (which will mature during the lengthening days of next spring and early summer), parsley, spinaches (especially savoy types for more frost resistance).
 
Directly sow these seeds where they'll mature (no transplanting) -- fava beans, beets, carrots, garlic cloves, peas, radishes, shallots.
 
Start these seeds in trays or other containers for later transplanting -- artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, chard, chives, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce (especially romaine types and small-heading Bibb and buttercrunch types, which overwinter well with minimal damage from light frosts), green and long-day bulb onions (which will mature during the lengthening days of next spring and early summer), parsley, rhubarb, spinaches (especially savoy types for more frost resistance).
 
2020 TOMATO REVIEW
 
     Despite the mid-March shutdown due to COVID-19 and consequent cancellation of Tomatomania events where I usually purchase my tomato plants, I did manage to find most of my favorite varieties at local nurseries.  I grew 20 plants of 14 varieties that resulted in 603 fruits.
 
167 Mid- to Large size fruits
3 Ace 55 – blah flavor
2 Big Rainbow – ok flavor
2 Black From Tula – excellent flavor
20 Black Krim – excellent flavor
110 Celebrity (4 plants) – excellent flavor
6 Cherokee Green – ok flavor
13 Cherokee Purple (2 plants) – excellent flavor
11 Chocolate Stripes – ok flavor
 
436 Small and Cherry size fruits
66 Chocolate Cherry – excellent flavor
109 Chocolate Sprinkles (2 plants) – excellent flavor
70 Flamme – blah flavor bordering on tart
15 Isis Candy – good flavor
28 Red Cherry – ok flavor
148 Sungold (2 plants) – excellent flavor
 
For more gardening info, see October Monthly Tips
 

     We’ve certainly all been affected by the smoke continuing to be a nuisance throughout our area because of wildfires both nearby (The Bobcat Fire is closest to me) and further away (throughout the state!).  Besides the inconvenience of keeping us indoors with the air conditioning running, our concerns run to the safety of our vegetable garden harvests.  Depending on how close you are to a fire, whether within range of burning structures and considerable ash, or merely smoky air and a few scattered ashes settled onto your soil, these two articles will provide you with the considerations you can make regarding eating your produce or not.
 
1.   Is it safe to eat my garden produce affected by wildfires?
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/ask-expert/featured/it-safe-eat-my-garden-produce-affected-wildfires
 
Q:  We have a lot of smoke in our area, is it safe to eat produce that has been affected by wildfires?
A:  First and foremost, stay safe when gardening in an area that is experiencing smoke and ash from wildfires. Avoid gardening and other outdoor activities when air quality ratings are in unsafe ranges. Wildfires produce a lot of particulate matter and large pieces of ash (gray gritty material) that can be moved long distances and be a health hazard. You can get an estimate of your area's air quality here: www.airnow.gov
     Once the air quality has reached safe levels to be outdoors, then you'll want to assess your garden. Until we get our fall rains you may see a lot of ash on garden surfaces including your plants. Many folks in our urban areas may see only a thin layer of ash, but if you live closer to the wildfire or where the wind was depositing ash there may be heavier amounts. Use your best judgment and avoid creating clouds of ash that you might accidentally breathe in.
     Don't use a leaf blower to clean plants or your garden; just a gentle spray of water from a hose will work and try to move the ash into ornamental landscaped areas like turf grass or shrubs rather than areas growing edible plants. Wear a face covering at a minimum while doing this, wash your hands afterwards, and avoid tracking ash into your house on your shoes or clothes.
     Rinse the produce off outside (with a hose or watering can) and then give a second or third rinse in the sink indoors.
     Now getting to your question about safety of garden produce after a wildfire: The produce was exposed to smoke and may have ash on it. The smoke and ash won't be able to necessarily penetrate deep into the fruit or vegetable and so rinsing well should remove any residues. Rinse the produce off outside (with a hose or watering can) and then give a second or third rinse in the sink indoors. Peeling (for example removing apple or tomato skins) and removing the outer leaves of leafy greens will also reduce your risk. And wear a face covering as need, wash your hands after handling the produce, and avoid tracking ash into your house on your shoes or clothes.
     Again, use your best judgment in all of this. If your garden has a heavy layer of ash, was located near a structure fire (which creates different toxins than a forest fire), or you are at all uncomfortable - when it doubt, throw it out (into the compost pile).
 
2.   The University of California has a research-based publication on produce safety and wildfires that you might find useful: https://ucanr.edu/sites/SoCo/files/315093.pdf . This publication also talks about soil testing and other things to think about before planting next year's garden. Note: this source recommends wearing an N95 mask but these are hard to find due to the current COVID-19 health situation needs. 

Stay safe out there!

For what to do in the garden once the air is clean enough to breathe heavily out there, go to September Monthly Tips.
​

Fuyu persimmon putting out two differently-shaped fruits - pointed ones like Hachiya on left, and regular                                     flat Fuyu on right.

     Boy, what a way to blast into our cool-crop growing season - with threatened 115-degree heat for this weekend here in Pasadena.  Certainly brings back torrid memories of 116- degree heat a couple of years ago that fried a batch of my tomato plants, even with the deep watering I'd accomplished several days ahead of the blast.
     So, first off, go deep-water your garden NOW so the moisture can sink down to infuse the entire root system of whatever plants you still have producing in the garden before the heat actually hits.  For some of you, that's tomorrow.  For me in Pasadena, it's apparently Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.
     Second helpful measure to take before the heat is to cover plants lightly with cheesecloth or some sort of shade cloth, spunbonded polyester landscape fabric that will allow some light in but cut the blasting rays of the intensely hot sun.
     After the heat, the first thing to do is sprinkle the entire plants to help them rehydrate their leaves, spraying both topsides and undersides of all foliage.  I'd leave the cloth coverings on the plants for at least another week or so so they're not subjected to more intense sun now that they've been damaged.
      Also, deep-water to make sure root zones are fully hydrated.
     However, DON'T prune any dead-looking leaves and other damage that may appear next week.  You don't want to stress the plants even more by cutting off any browned foliage.  Despite any need you may have to neaten up affected plants, wait until you see new growth emerging - which may be more than a month - to see what actual damage occurred.  You'll be surprised how much more new foliage will appear in the areas that you thought were dead.  That's the time for you to trim off the dead stuff and even up any wayward growth.    
     More on this after the blast!

Transition Time in the Garden
     September and March are Southern California’s transition times in the garden, beginning their shifts from hot to cold crops (September) or cold to hot crops (March).  The hangers-on plants from the previous season are still producing but slowing down.  Seedlings for the coming season are just becoming available at stores, and seeds will begin germinating because of the changing air and soil temperatures. 
     But because we don’t know what kind of weather the next couple of months will bring, we can sow and transplant a last batch of warm-season crops like beans and cucumbers, okra, pepper and squash – as long as their maturity dates are no more than about 70-80 days, by which time it certainly (!) will be too cool for them to ripen properly.  And if the weather gets too cool before them, at least we tried a few in case the weather would have complied.
     If you want to concentrate now on starting cool-season crops, it’s time to get the soil beds cleared and amended so they can “cure” for a couple of weeks of microorganism activity before sowing and transplanting.  The mixture of manure and compost and other amendments like coffee grounds that have been incorporated and well watered will heat up as the microorganisms do their thing; when the soil feels comfortable again after a couple of weeks, you can sow seeds and transplant seedlings without risk of overheating them.
     So spend time now purchasing seeds of the crops you’ll be sowing.  
     The seeds of crops that will germinate at the top optimum soil temperature range of 85 degrees include asparagus, beet, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, Swiss chard, collards, kale, kohlrabi, leek, onion, parsley and radish.  So, sow these as soon as you can.
     Crops whose top range is a bit cooler – 75 to 80 – include amaranth, artichoke, arugula, fava bean, celery, endive, fennel, lettuce, mache, mustard, parsnip, pea, radicchio, rutabaga and spinach.  So wait another month or so to sow these.
     All of these have minimum temperatures down to 60 or 70 degrees, so keep repeat sowing them through the fall and winter and early spring for continuous harvests.
     If you have seed packets that are a couple of years old, the seeds may still be viable but with a lower germination rate, so sow them pretty thickly to see if you’ll get enough to germinate for your family’s use.
     Keep seedbeds moist and shaded from hot afternoon sun until the seedlings develop two to four true leaves.  Mulch the soil lightly to hold moisture for better germination
     Several companies offer individual varieties and collections of California wildflowers that are grouped by color or geographic area or other characteristics such as drought resistance.
     Bulbs to plant for spring bloom can be purchased now for first-choice quality. These include alliums, amaryllis, anemones, brodiaeas, crocuses, daffodils, freesias (so fragrant!), fritillarias, galanthus, baby glads, glory-of-the-snows, grape and Dutch and wood hyacinths, Dutch irises, ixias, leucojums, lycoris, montbretias, narcissus, paperwhites, peonies, ranunculus, scilla, snowdrops, sparaxis, tigridia, tritonia, triteleia, tulips, dog-tooth violets, watsonias, and winter aconites. 
     Choose big, plump bulbs, as these have the most stored food and will produce the largest and most numerous blooms over the longest period of time. They cost a bit more, but they'll provide a great deal more pleasure when they bloom. 
     Refrigerate hyacinths and tulips for six to eight weeks before planting them in November.  However, keep them away from apples and bananas, whose ethylene gas will destroy the flower bulbs ability to bloom.

More Garden Tasks
For more garden tasks, see September Monthly Tips.