Blueberries sufficient to add to a fruit salad are a seasonal delight. The ‘Bountiful Blue’ bush on our patio is thick with blueberries that will ripen in the next few weeks.

My spring garden here in coastal Southern California has its own rhythm linked to the weather. Our winter and spring days and nights have been cooler and some vegetables have persisted longer than usual.

Broccoli and kale usually succumb to the aphids which come with the warmer February and March weather. The ‘Black Magic’ kale continues aphid free now into April.

The broccoli side shoots are small and getting smaller but I usually pull the plants much earlier. I’ve blanched and frozen some for soups and make dinner plans around entrees that require cups of broccoli. This week I’ll remove the plants to make way for tomatoes. Yesterday I invited a neighbor with young girls to come pick the remaining small flowerlets of broccoli. They were industrious and left with several gallon bags of broccoli.

Most years it’s a race to use or give away the lettuce before it bolts due to persistently warm days. This spring I’m doing better catching the lettuce before bolting though careful rinsing for some aphids is required. The sweet peas prefer the sunny, cool days and will only set seed if I stop picking bouquets. Cucumbers will need that trellis sooner than the sweet peas give it up.

A favorite spring salad from Sunset Magazine brings together oranges, arugula, avocado, pistachios and a citrusy dressing.

A salad last week used leftover Easter ham and more garden lettuce. Poppy seeds added texture.

The Pacific iris blooms with abandon in the dappled shade of the apricot tree. It is spring.

You may enjoy seeing what other garden bloggers harvested last week at Harvest Monday hosted by Dave at Our Happy Acres.

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