Saturday, December 29, 2007
Bumping up 2007-8/#5
We started this work day later in the day to account for the continued frosty weather; and low-and-behold everyone was very happy about starting later. mmmmm this only took me 4 years to figure out! The seed flats had been under the frost cloth for 2 weeks, and they looked AOK. This looks to be promising technique. (Click any pic to enlarge)
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Frozen Work Day
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Bumping up 2007-8/#4
The Dec 8 work day was cancelled. How come? Two species have taken longer to mature, and once we bump them up, we're essentially done: Monkey Flower, Mimulus aurantiacus, and Spiny Rush, Juncus acutus. Not included in the restoration count are the 350+ "other" plants we've done.
This may be our most bountiful year, but is unquestionably the record time: 3 months. The work days have been fun and "work" I look forward to. I am reminded that I work best with competent people.
I’m waiting for the frost cloth to get here (long story), as the temperatures in Aliso Viejo are in the 40’s, which means the Nursery is in the 30’s.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Bumping up 2007-8/#3
Sarah, David, Paul and John volunteered. This is our 3rd work day to bump up seedlings from flats, and our day's work brought our total of restoration plants to 846, or 77% of our 1,100 goal. Very good progress.
Our potting rate is about 38 pots/hour/person, or 2 flats/hour/person. We are only 254 plants short of our goal. At this rate, we should hit our goal in as little as 1 more work day. But most likely it will be 2-3 work days, as I'd like to have more plants than promised.... "just in case". We just can’t stop at the Restoration plants. We’ll have a few hundred of trial and “just because” plants. Click below to see G-rated video.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
More bumping up
Saturday, November 03, 2007
First “Bumping” Up 2007/8
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Seed Flats II
We reviewed “bumping up” for our next work day: when to do: after 1st set of true leaves, potting soil from Tree of Life Nursery, slow release fertilizer (Scotts “Osmocote Plus”, 8-9M, 15-9-12), pots to use and labeling.
Santana Winds are due the first part of the week: hot and dry with temperatures expected in mid-90’s F. David will come by twice a week to check/water seed flats the first week. I’ll do the 2nd week.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Seed Flats 2007/8
Sunday, September 30, 2007
First Work Day 2007/8 Plant Year
To get things started we moved the hutches out, which had been on their side protecting the oaks and dudleya. The seed cleaner, which we don’t know how to use, was moved out too. Nanci bumped up and planted a few remaining oak trees. All this to make room so we can work under the poly-film roof… in case it rains.
Sarah and David cleaned out and organized storage bins after 4 years. Paul and John cleaned and sanitized seed flats (15). Also Paul filled one of the cisterns with city water… in case we don’t get rain.
Finally David, Paul, John and Nanci helped do seed cleaning from this summer.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Seed collecting
The Willow-Laurel loop is really a treasure chest of plants (thank you Sarah for this observation). Along Willow so much was dried up together, it was very difficult to determine identify plants.
The oak trees: scrub and coastal live, have acorns ....on the trees that were bearing. What determines if an oak will bear is a mystery. I saw at least 5 scrub Oak loaded with acorns. The acorns will be ready to harvest when they start to turn brown, and are easy to pull from the cap… probably in 3-6 weeks.
Scrub oak acorns:
Coastal live oak acorns:
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Getting ready for the 2007/8 year
The pictured 5 gallon pots are an experiment using recycled soil. Also this is a test to see how well plants can hold up to environment with only watering every two weeks. Pictured are scub oak, Quercus berberidifolia, and mountain mahogany, Cercocarpus betuloides. The final test is putting them in the ground when the rains start. This may be what we do with our tree-like plants.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Welcome the 2007/2008 year
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Year End Thanks 2006/2007
The goal for restoration plants was 600, and we only hit 400. However we can say that the additional bumper crop of chalk and lancet-leaf Dudleya made up for things: over 200 each! We were hit very hard by the dry winds coupled with days of ‘teen weather – destroying over 50% of the 2 major planting days we had. Thank you again to those that helped out: Nanci, Anne, Sarah, David, Tom, Paul, Greg, Kimberly, Barbara, Francisco and Larry.
Seed collection goal was 3 lbs, which we met handidly: 3.3 lbs of LCWP Nursery “Party” mix: 80% CA buckwheat, remainder about 4% each: CA everlasting, golden bush, deer weed, E. californica, and purple needle grass. Many thanks to those who helped collect: Anne, Sarah, Dale, Marilyn, Matt, Brad, David, Tom, Ranger Barbara, Francisco … and especially Kimberly by incorporating collection into her educational classes (she also totted around family with un-named CA State Park ranger to collect acorns).
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Wrap up day, plants at Nursery
The cleaned seed mix was turned over to Ranger Barbara for safe cool keeping and “use as needed”… she mentioned use at Rattlesnake Canyon. 3.3 pounds in total.
Stay tuned for newly posted work schedule, which will begin in June timeframe. I’ll send out email when I’ve posted it, but most likely won’t be until April.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Seeding at Nix and Nursery
Meanwhile back at the Nursery, Nanci worked with Boy Scout's troop for a project to "improve mammal habitat" for a merit badge. They helped re-seed remaining oak seedlings, clean up after freeze/dry damage, and bump up from seed flats.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Dudleya planting at Nix Center
We planted over 200 Chalk Dudleya along the “rock way” to the Nix center: Anne (with broken collar bone), Sarah, her sister, Scott and family: Julie, Guy and Bridget. The plants were started in October, and interesting enough the seed came from plants recovered from the toll road construction. Thank you to Ranger Barbara for watering the area for this planting. The weather forecast of showers for the next few days is just what these new plants will want.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Frost damage, make-up day
Oh.. on Wednesday Ranger Larry, helped (read, he “did”) replace the cistern valve that broke in the prior frost. Much thanks for the help!