Painted Lady Butterflies Galore!
     While waiting at a stoplight in Eagle Rock a couple of days ago, I finally focused on all the little brown "leaves" fluttering past my windshield, recognizing them as Painted Lady butterflies.  As I waited for the  red light to turn green, I counted about 75 of them and then estimated that at least another 50 had drifted by before I'd become aware of them.  For the next mile or so I continued to drive on city streets, more kept fluttering by.  Wonderful wildlife from our very own deserts, heading north!
 
Daylight Savings Time
     Somehow the shift to Daylight Savings Time makes my internal gardening clock feel “correct” since it’s still light at 7pm.  By “light” I mean that there’s sufficient glow that I can still tell the difference between weeds and non-weeds.  That's when I know to stop pulling them!
 
Fragrant Freesias
     The other normalcy for me at this time of the gardening year is when the freesias begin blooming.  With all the clear colors so vibrant in the sunshine, my very favorite is still the species freesia, the one that’s creamy white with yellow throat and marvelously fragrant.  That’s the one that I make sure is planted near walkways so I can smell them as I pass by.  
 
Alstroemerias Are Starting
     One particularly striking alstroemeria has already been blooming for almost a month.  Other colors will begin their displays through the months, finally quitting during summer’s intense heat.  Their "finger" tubers make them easy to transplant and thrive - sometimes too well -- so that's when I share them with friends.
 
Some Veggies Bolting
     Some of the veggies that we’ve been eating since October are starting to bolt – go to seed – spurred to this hormonal change because of the increasing amount of daily sun and air temperatures approaching the low 80s. 
     This change is unavoidable and can’t be stopped, but some salvaging of edible parts can be accomplished for some of them. 
 
Lettuce
     Your cue is the lengthening stem.  Rather than immediately harvesting the individual leaves, taste one from each plant.  If it’s bitterness isn’t yet distasteful to you, go ahead and harvest that plant.  Even with several plants of the same variety, this change will be distinct for each plant, so taste each one first. 
   You can displace the slight bitterness by submerging the harvested leaves for about 20 minutes in clear water.  The bitterness will leach into the water and be displaced by fresh water that will also crisp up the leaf.  Pour out that water, and refill the container for another 10 minute soak.  Then drain the lettuce and package in a ziplock plastic bag.  This refreshed lettuce will remain crisp for at least a week.
 
Bok Choy
     Interestingly, the stem of the bok choy is sweeter than the leaves, so you can cut off the stem at the base of the plant and eat it.  More leaves and stems will emerge from the base for you to continue harvesting, even as more bloomstalks develop.
 
Cilantro and Parsley
    Cilantro is much more sensitive to air temperatures than is parsley, so keep sowing more cilantro about every three weeks to assure a continuing harvest.  Cilantro and parsley that’s sown now will thrive through at least May, if the weather doesn’t warm up too suddenly. 
     Bloomstalks of both cilantro and parsley are inedible, but you can salvage the individual leaflets for at least a bit of harvestable foliage per plant.
 
Peas
     Bolting is, of course, just what we want with peas, since we relish the fruit pods. 
     But, do also consider the tender leaves, about the last six inches developing on the vines. 
 
March Garden Tasks
     For more to think about doing this month, see March’s Monthly Tips.

​     Winter is still wonderfully upon us.  With not even one February day above 69 degrees, it’s been our chilliest month is many years.  And, with all the rain, we’re feeling absolutely giddy with the harvests of vegetables  and flowers we’ve enjoyed, and the lushness of growth expanding the garden view.
     I just finished transplanting replacement lettuce plants that were beginning to get bitter and bolt (go to seed) due to that bit of warm weather we had a while back. 
  I also added cauliflower (that aptly-named “Cheddar” variety) and Lacinato kale which I’ve found best eating both raw in salads and stir-fried for quiche.
     I also sowed more peas in gaps around the trellises, even though the existing ones are starting to blossom, counting on coming rains to thoroughly moisten soil for better germination and fruiting once the first ones are done. 
           Extending the season is what it's all about!
    And I sowed more cilantro and parsley for continuing harvests.  Cilantro is more likely to bolt than parsley with the merest increase in temperatures, so I keep resowing more cilantro seed every couple of weeks until it refuses to germinate due to too much late-Spring warmth.
     Colors besides green are becoming more prevalent in the garden. 
        And I’m sure the fruit trees are blissfully unaware but absorbing many more below-41-degree and under-70-degree chill hours than they’ve been able to in years. 
     So, happy time in between rain showers in the garden!
     I’m behind schedule for pruning my fig trees and grape and boysenberry vines.  With their pushing isolated new-growth, I’d better get to it soon. 
     Last year, the grapes had their first full year to develop following transplanting the previous year, so now I get to choose which branches to keep for the two levels attached to side wires.
     Boysenberry canes are easy to distinguish between dead brown ones that bore fruit last year and green ones that will bear this year’s fruit.  When cutting down into the base when removing dead canes, be careful to not damage the newly-arising shoots.  Then stretch new growth uprights to the top-most wire; sideshoots will bear this year’s fruit.  If you have some long stringer branches, bury the tips into the soil, and roots will develop in a couple of months that you can then cut and transplant into gaps along the trellis.
     I’ve also dug in more compost and manure into the holes that I’m preparing for tomatoes that I’ll get at upcoming Tomatomania events.
     Hope you’ll come visit when I’ll be at two of the Tomatomania events -- at Tapia Brothers on Sunday, March 17, and at Descanso on Sunday, March 31.  My presentations on transplanting tips will be at 2:30pm at Tapia and 2:00pm at Descanso.  For more information, go to https://tomatomania.com/ .  Click on “Events” for schedule of dates and locations.
     And, I hope you'll join me at some of my presentations open to the public.  They're listed under "Services" and then "Speaking".  The direct link = http://www.gardeninginla.net/speaking.html .
     See March Monthly Tips for tasks to consider – when you can finally get out into the garden but not compact the soil by walking and digging!